by K. K. Allen
Charlotte finally let me in on how to control my nightmares. As she saw me remove my necklace one night before bed she grabbed it and placed it back around my neck. She told me that I must wear it always as it acts as a shield of sorts. And with its calming powers, the dreams will be less disturbing. So far, she’s been right.
Almost two weeks have passed since “lockdown” as I call it. Rose is finally allowing me a day off to enjoy Apollo Beach. As I peer out over the balcony of my room, internally debating what it is I want to do, I zoom in to watch the happy faces among the shore of the neighborhood’s private beachfront. I see that today’s weather calls for skimpy bathing suits and Hawaiian oil. Smiling at the sight of it all, I decide to join them. But there’s something I want to do first.
I dress quickly, throwing a bright green sundress over my black bathing suit. As I pass by Rose, who sits in her normal chair in the great room, I spy her effortlessly filling out the white boxes of a crossword puzzle. She doesn’t look up or say a word. We’ve already had this argument. I want to get out of the house. She wants to lock me in. She is certain that something awful will happen once I leave this house. But Charlotte agreed that I can’t be locked in this house forever.
Once I’ve freed my bike from the garage I hop on and take off down the street. I don’t have a plan. I don’t know where it is I want to go. I just want to ride and explore Apollo Beach without my caretakers by my side.
As I ride I’m struck with an overwhelming sense of restoration as the sun hits my face and washes over me. A gentle breeze sweeps through my hair, blowing it wildly in the wind. I giggle, loving the effects of euphoric freedom.
The heat is significant today in the high 90’s. But I don’t mind it. My body generates the temperature I need it to. I practically have a built-in central air system now.
All homes that line the wealthy neighborhood are manicured perfectly, reflecting a picture book image to anyone who cares to look. I wonder how many of these owners are part of the Solstice community.
After I’ve circled round and peddled through every neighborhood I see, I come to the neighborhood beach. I push through, fighting the resistance of the sand and laughing into the wind. Flying by the Bay-facing homes, I’m consumed with my thoughts of all that these past two weeks have brought me.
I slow down when I near Alec’s house. He’s pulling a net across two metal poles. I see boxes of fireworks on the folding table closer to the house. Having been so consumed with my powers I didn’t realize that today was Fourth of July. His party.
Knowing that now is the time to face him, I hop off my bike, remove my shoes, and sink my feet, one-by-one, into the warm sand.
It’s been a week since he called me. I frown, wondering what excuse I’ll give him now. “Hey Alec, sorry I haven’t gone running but I’m been practicing magic. I’m pretty good at it now.” Probably not.
Alec is holding a box of fireworks when he spots me but tosses them aside, expression unclear. My heart sinks as a result. In spite of my disappointment, I slow my steps and smile.
“Wow, I was wondering if I’d ever see you again. You look great.” His brows crease inward as he speaks. I look different to him.
I laugh lightly. “Thank you.” Then I gesture to the volleyball net and the box of fireworks he’s holding. “Your party is tonight.”
“Yup. My parents and I throw a party every year for the Fourth.” He tilts his head, a challenge in his eyes. “Speaking of, you should really come. I can promise a good time and a lot of new people to meet.”
Unable to drop the smile that he put on my face in the first place, I show him my hesitation. “Well, I’ll have to make sure Rose is cool with it. Can I let you know?”
Alec makes a face. “Of course, but to be honest,” he pauses, taking a quick one-over of my face, “I might be offended if you don’t show.”
Squinting up at him, I ask, “Why is that?”
“Well, to be frank, you are new here, it’s not like you’ve had time to make any friends, and you’ve been ignoring me since your birthday and I’m still inviting you to my party. Obviously, I’m making an effort to be your friend here and I’m starting to wonder why.”
My face falls. I didn’t expect that. “I’m sorry. Really. I thanked you for the sand dollar though. That was sweet.”
I know this isn’t giving him much, but he makes a face, then shrugs. “Well, it’s okay.”
“I hoped to see you out here.” My bold words seem to affect him. “Things have been – well – crazy around the house for the past couple of weeks, but it’s better now.”
The question in Alec’s eyes is now hidden by his curiosity. “So, you can come tonight?”
Why does Rose have to be so stubborn? I frown at the thought that she may say no. “I don’t know yet.” I see his disappointment and instinctively reach my hand out to touch his arm. I move it away just as quickly. “I will do my best.”
He nods as if he doesn’t believe me. “Okay, I’ll accept that.”
We stare at each other now and the word friend plays on my mind. Could that be all Alec’s interested in?
“So what’s up with all this craziness at the Summer Estate? Rose been keeping you busy?” The question puts me off balance for a moment, but I’m quick to recover lately.
“You can say that. Rose had me studying.” This is true.
He squints. “But school hasn’t started yet.”
I make an unpleasant face. “Did you know Apollo Beach High School requires new students to take a placement exam? Something about how the education differs from one county to another.”
“Well – did you pass?” He waits, curiously.
My eyes brighten as I lift my shoulders and smile. “I passed.”
“Awesome.” He practically cheers. “Did they let you pick any of your classes?”
I nod. “Some, just the electives though. I got into Photography and Theater.”
Alec perks up. “No way! Me too. So we at least have those classes together. But how did you get in? Last I heard there was a waiting list.”
I smirk. “Rose went with me. She’s very – persuasive.” Again, I’m twisting the truth and guilt sabotages my confidence. Rose never took me to the school. She did everything for me over the phone. I just had to pick all of my electives and it was a done deal.
Silence fills the air and I take that as my cue. “I should let you get back to work.” I take a step back from him, still gripping the handlebars of my bike.
“Where are you headed?”
I nod towards Summer Estate. “Home. I need to start negotiations.” Although I’m dreading another altercation with Rose, I’m eager to get it over with so I can enjoy Alec’s party. There’s no way I’m missing this. No matter how difficult a time Rose gives me.
Grinning he points to the bike. “Hop on. I’ll walk you home. I walk. You ride.”
I beam and do as he says, not wanting to waste an opportunity to hang out with him.
He tells me all about his family and their move to Apollo. It turns out that his father has worked for some prestigious schools but his dream was to bring his family to Florida. The University near Apollo offered him a position that he couldn’t turn down. I learn that he has an older sister that is in nursing school at Emory University.
I also learn that Alec is adopted after all. But he’s been with his parents since he was an infant and naturally calls them Mom and Dad. He thinks it’s funny when others ask if he’s adopted. They get uncomfortable but he really doesn’t mind.
As we laugh our elbows brush and my muscles tense.
“So you’ve been running?” Alec asked.
I shake my head. Another lie. I hate secrets. I swallow my guilt. “I miss it. I had a lot of fun with you.”
He nods. “Me too. But that’s okay. We can pick it up again.”
A smile spreads across my face. “Okay. I hope you’ve been practicing.”
He grins. “I have.”
There’
s a twinkle in my eyes now and I realize that I’m flirting. “Oh, you just got yourself a competition.”
I stop in front of the Estate. Alec changes subject. “So tell me the truth about tonight. Are you just politely trying to brush me off?” I can see that he’s teasing, but there is a part of him that is serious.
“I’m not trying to brush you off at all. I promise. Trust me, I’d love to come. I haven’t gotten out of the house much since I’ve been here. Rose is just being overly cautious about me – since I’m new here. I’ll beg.”
He seems to accept this answer and smiles. “Okay, but don’t be surprised if I throw pebbles at your window tonight if I don’t see you. I could always rescue you with my ladder.”
I laugh softly. “Are you trying to be my Romeo?”
He winks again, making my heart flutter in my chest. “Just trying to be your Alec.”
My heart does about a thousand flip-flops in those few seconds. I realize how close he is to me and immediately grow flush as I look up at him. “Have you always been this smooth Alec Stone?”
He chuckles. “Not really. You’re just fun.” He playfully nudges me.
I glance at the house behind me and give him a hopeful look. “Wish me luck?”
He nods and releases my bike into my hands. “See you tonight, Summer girl.”
Chapter Nine
Of course Rose doesn’t agree with my decision to go to Alec’s Fourth of July party. We argue over it for almost an hour until she finally gives in.
“Rose, it’s Fourth of July, I haven’t made any friends here yet besides Alec and I really want to go. Everything will be fine.”
Rose finally sighs and I know she’s done arguing with me. “Look dear, you asked me if you could go and the answer is, you can do whatever you want. I’m simply sharing my opinion. We just don’t know how much control you have of your powers yet and it’s just not safe.”
“What could happen?”
“A lot could happen.”
“With my powers, Rose. What could happen? What could go wrong?” I stop my foot impatiently.
“I don’t know, anything. You could accidentally use your powers and someone will see you.” This statement confuses me. She narrows her eyes at me. “Like the way people have seen you jumping out of your window at night to go running.”
It’s as if someone’s kicked me. “Rose! You’ve been spying on me.”
She shakes her head. “No, I don’t spy. Another Solstice saw you and told me, because you were being reckless. And don’t turn this around on me, young lady. You’ve been sneaking out. You’re only 16 and your powers are not ready yet. Accidents can happen.”
“I was not being reckless. But I thought my powers don’t come out accidentally anymore. Since I turned 16. I’m supposed to be in complete control of them. Why would anything happen unless I willed them to happen?” I am so exhausted by the end of this conversation.
Rose throws her hands in the air – defeated. “You’re right. But this is all still so new. I just don’t want to find out the hard way that there’s something we didn’t know about –.”
I know now that there is something Rose isn’t sharing with me. Something more about me that she doesn’t want me to know. “Rose, I know when you’re keeping something from me. With all of your knowledge of the Summer Solstice, how could you possibly think that anything bad could come of what’s in us?”
For the next few moments, silence fills the air as Rose stares at me blankly. I’m sure deliberating what she wants to disclose next. I’m not going to let up this time until she tells me. “I’ve told you before. You’re a rare Solstice. You were born the day when our powers are the strongest, and your powers came to you on the celebration day. History proves that Solstice just grow stronger and stronger over time. Your powers are easily more powerful than anything we’ve ever seen before. And to be honest, I’m scared for you. Scared of what we don’t know which is why I’m trying to convince you to take it all slow.”
A new sensation comes over me – one of undiscovered power. Could it be? That there’s something deeper in me than even Rose has considered? Was that the big push that my mother needed to take me from this place when I was so young?
“Katrina,” Rose’s voice is calmer now. “You can go to your party. You’re right; you’ve been locked up since being here. You need to make friends. The last thing we all want is for you to be the outcast at school because you aren’t socializing. I want the opposite for you. I want you to have lots of friends and to become a leader as I have in the community. I just want you to be careful tonight.”
Charlotte steps in now to comfort Rose. “She will only be a minute away, Rose. If something were to happen, we could step in.”
Rose glares at Charlotte before responding. “I said Katrina could go.” She spins to face me now, much gentler than she was to Charlotte. “Have fun.” With that she turns on her heel and walks out of the room.
By the time I approach the beach party it’s just past seven o’clock and it’s like a scene from a movie. Loud, happy voices span across the beach, some crowds bigger than others. A bonfire sits at the edge of the shore as teens feed the growing flames with sticks, paper, and cardboard. Others are frolicking along the coast of water, shrieking and laughing with joy. Farther up the beach a volleyball game is in full swing. And on the bottom deck of Alec’s house a crowd has gathered around a Ping-Pong match. The majority of people are crowded below the band that plays on the terrace. The party guests, as far as I can see, seem to range from high school to mid-twenties.
I begin to search the crowd for Alec.
As I forge forward, closer to the scattered crowd, I hear my name. “Kat,” It isn’t Alec. Disappointed, I turn to see Ava squinting at me with over-exaggerated confusion.
“Hi Ava. How are you?” I give her my friendliest greeting but it’s tough. I’ve had time to look back on all events leading up to my Enchantment and the few memories I have of Ava has left me with a sour taste in my mouth – my taste for Iris is no better.
“I’m fine.” Her tone alerts all my senses with its sugary sweetness. “What are you doing here?”
In the past I would have cowered at the confrontation, but not this time. A wave of courage rips through me. I straighten my posture and capture Ava’s eyes with mine. I smile brightly. “Alec invited me.”
Ava loses ground slightly as she shrinks before me. She stammers, “I-I know that. But I still don’t understand why you came. You obviously have no friends here. Alec just feels sorry for you.” The first time I met Ava I thought she was pretty. Right now, I can’t get over how ugly she looks as she sneers at me.
Her wandering eyes and unsteady stance make me wonder if she’s been drinking. I take a step forward to eliminate some space between us. I want her to listen to what I have to say next. “You don’t intimidate me, Ava.”
Ava narrows her eyes at me and takes a step back. “You just come into town and you think you can go after Alec just because of who your grandmother is. You don’t know who you’re messing with.” Even as she says this, she looks defeated – or maybe a little sick. She sways slightly.
I just shake my head now. It’s not worth arguing with her. “I think you have it wrong Ava. I’m not going after anyone. And I’ll be friends with whoever I want. I’m not sure why you think you get to dictate that.”
I expect her to retaliate but she doesn’t. Her eyes drop in her head and she almost falls backwards. I’m quick to catch her but she shoves me away. “Don’t touch me, you witch!”
She spits the words and I reel back with wide eyes. My heart thumps in my chest with a quickening pace. Fear is the first emotion that comes to me. What does she know? And then another emotion creeps in as the blood beneath my skin come to a boil. Anger. I’m not a witch. My insides begin to shake with fury and my eyes narrow in on her. The look she gives me now is one I will never forget – terror. She falls back into the sand, eyes staring up at me as if I’m a monster.
Instinctively, I grab my necklace and squeeze as tight as I can. I shut my eyes and shove the darkness deep down further into the back of my mind with every breath I take.
“I told you to stop drinking!” I’m shaken from the blackness as I hear Alec’s voice and Iris’s giggling. Alec is standing behind Ava, looking annoyed.
Iris helps Ava up. I just stare – waiting for Ava to say something that will make me angry again but she doesn’t. Instead she begins clutching her head and shaking it as if trying to get something out. “Ouch.”
As much as I want to go to her and help her in some way I know Alec and Iris can handle it. The last time I tried to help her she didn’t take it very well. I take a few steps back as her friends tend to her.
A few minutes pass as Ava recovers slowly. Iris is encouraging Ava to drink some water and Alec heads towards me. I’m leaning up against the pillar of the house now, unable to shake the disturbing start to the night.
“Welcome to my party,” he says as his eyes twinkle. He touches my arm and it’s like an instant calming effect. He looks good. He’s dressed in navy blue and white pinstriped swim shorts and a navy blue tank top.
I laugh lightly, meeting his eyes. “It looks like a great party.”
“Yeah, well, some people are having too much fun.” He points at Ava with his eyes and then grins at me. “But you made it.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I did. And now you owe me.”
Alec leads me a short distance to the refreshment table where a bowl of pink liquid sits in the center. In a second he has poured a drink and offers the cup to me. “A token of my gratitude,” he bows sarcastically.
“Funny,” I say as I laugh.
I look into the cup, checking out the substance. As if he can read my mind, he laughs and responds. “It’s just punch.” He gives me a boyish smile and I grow weak in the knees.