Spellbound

by Bear Matthew

  Faye hopped into Crosby’s pickup truck and he kissed her. Faye knew she was the luckiest girl in school to be dating Crosby. Every girl threw herself at him – even still now – but he chose Faye. He was the “good ole’ boy”. He did not drink that much, he did not talk about other girls or even cared about anyone other than Faye. She was perfect to him. He did not know about her being an addict, and she liked it that way.

  “Are you ready babe?” Crosby asked Faye.

  “Yeah let’s go.” She told him. They headed to the restaurant. They had a standing Thursday night table – during football season – at the nicest restaurant in town, Michelangelo. It was the only Italian restaurant in Charm Harbor and the nicest restaurant period.

  They pulled into an open space in front of the restaurant. They walked inside to a beautifully low-lit room, perfect for romance. They walked inside and the hostess knew Faye and Crosby. “It’s that time of the year already?” the woman seemed surprised to see them.

  “Yep, first game’s tomorrow.” Crosby told the young woman in her twenties. She was pretty but Crosby was not noticing.

  “Well I have your seats all ready for you guys. Right this way.” The hostess said. Crosby grabbed Faye’s hand, he smiled at her and she showed him a smiled back. They followed the hostess through the restaurant to a table in the back. It was their usual table. They sat down across from each other and the hostess handed them their menus. “Your waitress should be right with you.” The hostess said and then walked back to her post.

  Crosby started in on the menu already. Faye had no clue why, Crosby always ordered the same thing every time, Spaghetti and meatballs, with an extra order of meatballs.

  “So what are you going to get?” Crosby asked Faye. Her mind was going in so many directions with food not one of them. She did not feel like going out tonight, but she did it anyway because she knew how lucky she was to have Crosby.

  She looked into her menu and just scanned some of the items. She liked to spice it up sometimes – getting something different occasionally. Whatever she would order she knew it was going to be delicious. It always was. “I’m thinking of the Ravioli,” Faye told Crosby.

  “Babe you only get the Ravioli when you’re depressed. What’s up?” Crosby knew Faye all too well.

  “I don’t order it only when I’m depressed. I order it because it is delicious. That’s it.” Faye tried to defend her choice.

  “Faye I know you. What’s wrong?” Crosby asked.

  Faye looked up at Crosby, contemplating telling him the truth. Telling him could risk everything though, but Faye believed he would not tell, or would he? She looked into his eyes; they were so blue she could feel the breeze of the ocean from here. “Nothing’s wrong.” She lied. She could not help but think that Crosby did not know her at all. He does not know about the drugs, or Hayley – which is because she will not talk about it – and now the whole being a magical witch.

  “Whatever you say,” Crosby said. The server walked up to the table.

  “What can I get for you guys tonight?” The server asked.

  “I’ll start off with the spaghetti and meatballs but can I get a side of extra meatballs?” Crosby said. Faye could not help but let out a small giggle. She knew Crosby just as much as he thinks he knows her.

  “You may, what about you?” The server asked Faye. Faye looked at Crosby, ordering the Ravioli would mean he would be right about that but ordering something else would also mean he would be right. She had mixed feelings.

  “Can I get the Ravioli?” Faye said. Crosby smiled, as he knew she was depressed. “But also can I get a Pasta Al Forno?” Faye thought she should mix it up.

  The server seemed a little surprised, “Sure I’ll get that right in. What about drinks?”

  “Dr. Pepper and a diet one” Crosby ordered for both of them. The server wrote it down and walked away. “So Faye, Ravioli and…Pasta Al Forno, you sure you’re okay? You must be really depressed.”

  “I’m not depressed; I’m just conflicted on some things.” Faye told him.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Crosby asked. He was always there for Faye; it was killing her not to share some of her deepest darkest secrets – starting with Hayley. They always seemed to start with Hayley.

  “No I don’t really want to talk about them at all.” Faye said. “So let’s change the subject.”

  “Do you want to talk about tomorrow night?” Crosby asked.

  “Sure you can talk about the game.” Faye said.

  Crosby started talking about tomorrow night’s game. It was the first of the season and Crosby loved to talk about football anytime of the day. Faye just listened, thinking of all her problems she was having. Could she really trust Crosby with her secrets? She wanted to think so, but was not sure. She was not sure she could trust anyone besides Parker and Savannah.

  Chapter 22-

  After helping out Savannah, get ready for her date with Trey, Parker stopped by the CAFÉ and waited to place her take out order. The CAFÉ was the most modern, upscale, but cheap, and teenager friendly restaurant in town besides the diner. She walked over to a table by the window. She was used to getting dinner for herself since her mom left. Her dad liked to work late hours and would just warm something up that Parker brought him or that he had gotten himself.

  Parker stared out the window as she waited for her server. The place was not packed, but busy. “What can I get you?” a familiar voice asked Parker.

  She turned around and saw Micah standing there. He looked up from his notepad and smiled, “Micah?”

  “Parker” He said.

  “You work here?” she asked him.

  “Yup, I got the job a few days ago.” Micah told Parker. He sat down at the empty seat in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Take out.” She told him.

  “You eating alone?” he wondered.

  “I usually do.”

  “Well we can’t have that. Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you right back here.” Micah told her, as he got up from the table and was walking away.

  “What about my order?” Parker stopped him.

  “I’ll surprise you,” he told her.

  Micah came back a few minutes later – minus the apron. He was holding a large brown take out bag. Parker smiled, “So what are we eating?” she asked him. She expected him to sit back down but instead he put his hand out – for her to take it.

  “We’re not gonna eat here. Take my hand.” He told her. Now confused by this, she did not know if she should go, but she took his hand anyway. She got up and they walked out of the CAFÉ.

  “So where are we going then?” Parker asked him.

  He smiled at her and said, “We’ll see”.

  Micah and Parker kept walking under the moonlight, when they reached the tip of the road. “We’re eating here?” Parker was confused.

  “Not here.” Micah said. He looked down the metal railing, “Down there.”

  Parker looked down and saw a small area of beach that did not seem to be disturbed. They walked a little bit and then went down a small-unused walkway that leads down to the beach. They walked to the spot and sat down.

  “How’s this?” Micah asked.

  “It’s perfect,” she told him.

  He started to pull out some take out containers from the CAFÉ and two small drinks. “I tried my best at figuring out what you liked.” Micah said to her. They started taking the lids off the containers and looking at what they had.

  “We have pasta, French fries, salad, Mac and Cheese, and my personal favorite the grilled cheese.” Micah said.

  Parker just laughed. “It’s great,” she said. They started to eat and talk.

  “So tell me about you.” Micah said.

  “There is not much to tell. I have lived my entire life in Charm Harbor. My father is the town sheriff.”

  “Your dad is the sheriff? That sounds… interesting.” Micah said.

  “It can be, I guess.”
Parker said.

  “So he can’t like arrest me for taking you out on a date, can he?” Micah said. Parker was surprised that he thought this was a date.

  “You think this is a date?” Parker wondered.

  “Well I brought food, paid for it, took you to a romantic spot, and we kissed.” Micah said.

  “We haven’t kissed yet” Parker said to him.

  “Really, well I guess we will have to fix that.” Micah then leaned into Parker and kissed her. She let him. Parker started to laugh. “What is it?” Micah awkwardly laughed.

  “Your breath smells like grilled cheese.” Parker told him.

  “It’s because it’s delicious.” He picked up half the grilled cheese and put it in front of her, “Go ahead and try it.”

  Parker took a bite and shook her head. “You’re right, it’s delicious.” She said with a smile.

  They both kept eating, “So tell me about you. Why did you move here?” Parker asked him.

  “My adoptive parents wanted to move here. We’ve moved around a lot over the last few years.” Micah said.

  “Your adopted parents, you are adopted?”

  “Yeah, my parents died when I was four and then I was adopted by the time I turned six. I was one of the lucky ones.” Micah told her. She could not imagine losing her dad.

  “I didn’t mean to pry,” she said.

  “No worries. I do not mind talking about it. I love my adoptive parents the same way I loved my real parents. They’re both my parents,” Micah said.

  “What else is there that I don’t know?” she asked, wondering.

  “I love Star Wars but hate the new movies. I have this addiction with watching certain TV shows, and I love Jazz.” Micah said.

  “What TV shows?” she wanted to know.

  “Promise not to make fun of me?”

  “Cross my heart” Parker said.

  “I have an addiction with watching Grey’s Anatomy and any science fiction show.” Micah said.

  Parker laughed, “You love Grey’s? I love Grey’s,” Parker told him.

  “Are you serious or are just pulling my chain?” Micah wanted to make sure.

  “I’m dead serious. I love it.” Parker said.

  Micah smiled at her and just kissed her again. “You are amazing,” he told her.

  They kept eating and talking. Parker was learning a bunch of things about him and he was learning things about her. She had not told him about Hayley though, but figured he would find out eventually.

  Chapter 23-

  “So how does a classic Hitchcock movie marathon sound?” Trey asked Savannah. They were still driving around town. It was their night out and the stars were shining.

  “It sounds awesome.” Savannah told him.

  “Great, because that’s what we’re doing, you remember the once a month classic movie marathon at the cemetery we used to do?” Trey asked Savannah.

  “Yeah, I used to love going.” Savannah said.

  “I remember. That’s where we had our first date,” Trey said.

  He remembers, Savannah thought to herself. It made her smile. “I remember.” Savannah said.

  They had their first date at the classic movie marathon that Hayley would never go with Savannah to see. Hayley hated black and white movies and old ones at that. Savannah remembered that Hayley and she were arguing about it one day and when Hayley left, Trey came up and asked Savannah out to it. They made it an annual monthly thing, though it stopped when Savannah left town. They had only been dating for a few months when Hayley died and then everything changed.

  They pulled into the cemetery and got out. Trey grabbed a basket from the backseat, “I figured a picnic? Like we used to do?” Savannah loved that he remembered.

  “That does sound like the perfect date.” Savannah said. They started walking towards the noise in the cemetery. They had come here multiple times before, two years ago. As they walked to the area where it took place, Trey gradually grabbed Savannah’s hand. They walked holding hands for rest of the way. Savannah loved the feeling she had with his hand on hers. She got Goosebumps from it. It felt like two years ago, as if nothing had changed between them. Trey had not felt this way since Savannah left town. Sure, he had dated a few girls in the last two years, but nobody quite felt like Savannah.

  They reached the group of others who liked to watch scary classic movies in a cemetery. Trey and Savannah found an empty part of grass and he laid out the blanket he brought. They sat down next to each other and he opened the picnic basket. “So what’d you bring?” Savannah asked him.

  Trey started to pull things out of the basket. “I brought your favorites,” he said, “The diner food”. He pulled out a takeout bag from the diner. “I brought chili-cheese fries and chicken fingers” he pulled out of the bag first. “I also brought ribs, your favorite right?”

  Savannah could not believe this. When they went on their picnics to the movies, they would only bring takeout food. She could not believe he decided to bring it again. “Yeah they’re my favorite,” She said.

  “Good” he said. He turned to her and leaned in close, “I also brought two more things.” He then pulled out from the basket without looking, a small takeout box. “How about a piece of cherry pie?” he said. She put her hand around his head, weaved her fingers through his hair and pulled him in close. She kissed him. It was just as if they kissed two years ago. It was perfect. “Wow if I knew that was all it took to get a kiss out of you I would’ve left the milkshakes at home.” He pulled out two milkshakes from the basket too.

  Savannah laughed. He was so charming and reminded her of just how much she loved him two years ago. “I can’t believe you brought all this. I cannot believe you remember all this. All of my favorite things,” she said.

  “You’re a hard girl to forget” Trey said with one of his delightful smiles. She kissed him again and as she did, she took her milkshake from his hand and pulled away.

  “The milkshakes are harder to forget” she joked. She pulled the half-straw rapper off her straw and took a sip.

  “Trust me, you’re much harder to forget,” he said. Trey seemed unsettled by this. He had been trying to forget Savannah since she walked out of his life two years ago, but has not had any luck. Forgetting her, forgetting what she did to his heart, it was harder than he wished it were. However, she was back and he just hoped things could be better this time.

  The movie projector started to play the first movie of the night and Savannah moved in closer to Trey.

  The movies were playing; Trey and Savannah finished their food – all besides of the piece of cherry pie. Savannah was lying in Trey’s arms. She loved the way she felt in his arms. The way he wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm, it was like a scene from a movie.

  “You want that pie now?” Trey asked her.

  “I don’t want to move. I like it right here.” She said. Trey leaned his neck down and Savannah inched hers up. They kissed. It was exactly like a movie, thought Savannah.

  The movies finished and Trey and Savannah were the last to leave. “I guess we should probably go. You never know what happens around a cemetery at night.” Trey said.

  “Yeah, I guess we should.” Savannah said. She slowly crept out of Trey’s arms and got up. He got up right after her. They picked up everything and put it back inside the basket. “I had a good time,” she told Trey.

  They walked back to his car, holding hands. He kissed her and said, “I had a good time too. I’ve missed you.”

  It was as if their relationship did not end that day. The day that Savannah told him, she was leaving Charm Harbor and never had plans to return. That she had to move on from him and he has to move on from her. It broke her to say that to him but it was necessary. Talking to him, seeing him, falling deeper in love with him would have been too much, two years ago. She needed a clean break and she found her way out. Now, as she falls back in love with him every time she is with him she cannot help but miss Hayley and feel like she
is lying to him. She loved him, but was love worth feeling like this?

  “I’ve missed you too.” She said as they got back to his car. She got in and they drove back to her house. It was almost curfew and Grams was probably waiting up just to make sure she got in on time – and to ask how it was. They pulled into her driveway and Trey turned the car off. He got out of the car and hurried to her side of the car. He opened her door like a true gentleman and Savannah got out.

  They walked up the porch steps and stopped. The porch light was on and they looked at each other. “I guess this is where we say our goodnights.” Trey said.

  “I guess you’re right. I would invite you in but Grams is a bit of a warden when it comes to inviting boys inside.” Savannah joked.

  “Just how many boys have been invited in?” Trey asked.

  “Oh, well, you, and just the whole football team.” Savannah said laughing.

  “Yeah isn’t your brother on the football team?” Trey figured it out.

  “You caught me.” Savannah laughed again. They kissed one more time.

  “Goodnight Savannah” Trey said. He walked back to his car and Savannah watched him pull out. She waited for him to be gone before she went inside.

  “Good date?” Grams asked Savannah. Grams was sitting in the living room with a cup of tea.

  Savannah went over and plopped down next to Grams. “You know when you meet the perfect boy and everything seems to go right but something’s off?” Savannah asked.

  “Yeah, I’ve felt that here and there.” Grams said.