by K. K. Allen
“We tried to see who did it,” Arabella says. “But they were gone, and by the time we saw what they were doing, it was too strong. We had to get out of there.”
Rose nods. “Sure, sure. Dear girls, I’m so happy that nothing bad happened to you out there. I don’t want you swimming around the marina again, especially at night. I know you both are smart and careful, and strong, but everything about that place is unpredictable. The water, the traffic. There are so many abusive Normals who go out and cruise around the waters throwing out fishing hooks, anchors even, without understanding who or what they might be hurting.”
Arabella reaches over and rubs Rose’s arms. Such an intimate gesture, but it seems natural for them. I can see how Rose is fond of Arabella, and vice versa.
“Rose,” Arabella reassures her. “I cloaked the liquid. As much as possible before it spread too far, but we were lucky to see this. Who knows how long this has been happening or where else they are dumping.”
I don’t completely comprehend what they are discussing but I think I make out enough of it to begin to understand.
Rose stands up straighter now, though she looks like she might fall over. Has this conversation taken a toll on her?
“I need to see Isaac. Can you set it up? Have him come here, please.”
Arabella nods. “Of course, but you’ll need to meet with him in private. He may allow you to bring along the Elders, but he’s done with public politics.”
Rose’s expression is a mix of understanding and impatience. “Okay. Just let me know what time will work for him. It’s obvious we’ll need to work together if we have a chance to survive this again.”
Chapter Eleven
Carnival preparations are a positive diversions from the evil that lurks around every corner. The entire town, not just the Solstice community, is on edge.
I busy myself helping Rose any way I can. She tells me that it’s important to carry on as we would normally, and to not attract attention to our worries. I agree with this, however, I’m certain the tension of the town could be shattered with a simple tap of a fingernail.
Rose has me stocking inventory of all prizes for the game booths. She asks me to do this without magic, which is frustrating because I’d be done by now, but I’m smart enough to obey.
My shift is close to over as I hold up a gray stuffed toy manatee and examine him with curious eyes. The pug-nosed creature in my hands is oddly cute. Before moving to Apollo Beach I had never heard of a manatee, but their species is adored and protected by the city; there are signs everywhere, warning boaters and beach guests to be aware of the endangered mammals.
Without a second thought I stick the stuffed animal in the back of my jean shorts while tearing down the last box, and that’s it; four game booths stocked and ready to go.
I grab my bicycle, and head for the Island Grille. I wasn’t scheduled to work today but Roy sounded desperate. Tonight we celebrate Trisha’s sixteenth birthday at the community beach. Her parents ordered an abundance of food through the Grille’s catering services and since I’m not available to work during the party, I’m to help Johnny set everything up.
I pull my bike into the back entrance of the Grille where the catering van is parked behind an open set of double doors. Johnny must be inside.
The fact that I’m working with Johnny is unsettling, to put it mildly, so I’ve decided to ignore him as much as possible. I’ll definitely be avoiding all eye contact as it’s the safest plan.
As if on cue, Johnny walks through the propped-open back entrance of the restaurant. I turn to stone at the sight of him, unsure of how I will manage this day.
With my hands securely trapped inside of my jean shorts pockets, I rock back on my feet, hoping to give off an air of casualness, while my blood pulses loudly through my veins.
He spots me immediately and his eyes locked on mine. Darn it. Why did I look directly at him? But he doesn’t glare so I let out a relieved breath and chew on the inside of my lip; it’s the only distraction I have from the tan, tall, healthy guy in front of me. In spite of his rudeness and obvious dislike for me, I can still admit that he’s attractive, but it doesn’t matter. His bad attitude is enough to turn me off of his potential charms.
The scowl I expect from him never comes. Instead, he speaks. “Thanks for coming to help.” He says this as he tosses a box into the back of the van.
To say I’m shocked by his greeting is an understatement.
My eyes widen but dim quickly. “S-sure. Just tell me what you need.”
He looks toward the storage room. “There are some party tubs in the back that we need to load. Let me know if they’re too heavy to push onto the hand pulley.”
I nod and pass by him on my way into the building, too distracted by my thoughts to really listen. As I edge around him I’m careful not to touch or make eye contact with him again.
The tubs in the back aren’t heavy at all, so I carry them two at a time to the back of the van and place them in.
“What are you doing?” Johnny’s voice is loud and anxious as he runs up behind me.
I swivel around, eyes up at him, brows semi-furrowed. “Huh? What? You wanted those bins right?”
“Geez, Kat. Those bins are heavy. I told you to use the hand pulley, not carry them. You trying to kill yourself?” He stares at the bins and then shakes his head before walking away.
I stare back into the van, trying to understand what the big deal is and then I can feel my insides shrinking. I forgot about my abnormal strength. I shouldn’t have carried them both.
Instinctively, I reach for my back and moan in fake agony. “Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking.” I rub it a bit and hope that he’s witnessing my amazing acting skills but he’s already walking away.
When I’ve reached the storage room again Johnny’s already placed the next set of bins on the pulley for me. “There, use this.”
I take it from him and roll the pulley to the van and rest, allowing my muscles in my shoulders and neck to relax. Johnny appears beside me and silently picks up the bins one by one and places them in the van.
I think of saying something smart to him; something to let him know I’m not the weak girl he thinks I am. Instead, I choose to bite my tongue. I won’t let him know he’s gotten the better of me. I just want to get through my shift.
“What’s next?” I ask him once the bins are all loaded.
He gives me a sideways glance but doesn’t turn toward me fully. Maybe he doesn’t want to make eye contact with me either. “That’s it. I just have to grab some papers. Hop in and start her up.”
He tosses me a set of keys and they land in my left hand.
I climb into the van, taking in the smell of heated leather mixed with a dusty vanilla scent, probably from the air freshener that hangs from the rearview mirror.
The weather has only gotten muggier since moving here, and though the breeze coming in from the water helps a little, it’s still hot.
I’ve almost forgotten about the stuffed manatee tucked into the back of my jeans until I’m pressed back against the seat. A squishy lump digs into me and I yank it out and place it on the dash.
“There you go, buddy.” I smile.
I place the van key in the ignition and turn it. When the engine purrs and then finally roars to life I’m blasted by hot air blowing through the dash vents. I reach over to close the ones in front of me just as Johnny hops in the driver’s seat.
He must get blasted too because he groans and turns his face away. Then he pounds on the dash a few times and cranks the AC level all the way left.
“Geez,” he mutters. “This might take a while to cool down.”
My eyes linger on him, longer than they should. His eyes flit briefly toward mine and I look away embarrassed. By the time my head turns back toward the front windshield I’ve already memorized him without meaning to.
He wears tan khakis with frays at the bottom and a solid light blue t-shirt that clings to his body
perfectly. The light stubble around his mouth and lower part of his face make him appear older than I think he really is, but we haven’t exactly had a conversation revolving around our birth dates yet.
It’s strange how boys develop into men; the way their gangly arms and legs become swollen the harder they strive to prove that they are tough, growing, and independent. Johnny appears to have a lot to prove. His muscles swell in a healthy way; not too much, and his sturdy jaw reveals that he’s stronger and older than the high school boys I’ve been around. Why am I comparing him to other guys? This is ridiculous. I frown and feel a flash of heat in my cheeks.
The silence between us carries a thick tension.
I watch Johnny reach for the AC knob again and bang on it again. “Stupid van. You’d think Roy would get us a new vehicle by now.”
I say nothing. In a way I’m enjoying his discomfort, which is why I make no move to fix the temperature with my powers. Instead, I smile and crank the knob on my door, releasing the pane of glass that separates me from the fresh bay breeze. I lean into the wind.
It’s not the heat that bothers me, though the humid air clogs my lungs like tree tar. It’s the feeling of being boxed in with Johnny. Trapped next to someone who so obviously despises me is not how I want to spend my day.
A cooler filled with ice and drinks for us to share sits between us. I reach in and pull out a water. The cold contents run refreshingly down the back of my throat.
It’s not until I place the water bottle in the cup holder to my left that I see Johnny staring at me, deep thought.
Why is he watching me? “Do you want one?” I ask him. Our eyes are frozen together for a split second before he pulls away to focus on the road.
“Nah, I’ll grab one when we get there. Thanks.” Why do I get the feeling that he’s saying no simply because I’m the one who asked?
I’ve successfully managed life just fine without Johnny around to give me a bad time. So much has gone on since Darryl’s death that distractions have become a way of life. The entire community has put all their energy into preparations for the carnival, in honor of Darryl. It’s as if our time spent organizing and creating is somehow going to replace the bad that’s happened. At least the volunteer work has been a way to cope with the fear that we all have in the back of our minds.
“What’s that?” He asks.
I have to look at his eyes to see what he’s referring to. I smile and pick up the stuffed animal, tossing it between my hands. “He’s cute, isn’t he?”
It would be far-fetched to call the lift of Johnny’s cheeks a smile, but his reaction is a positive one. “Where did he come from?”
“The carnival,” I say as I touch the nose of the manatee’s to mine, playfully. “Rose had me stocking inventory this morning so I snatched him.”
“You stole from your grandmother?” Johnny is laughing now.
I roll my eyes. Of course Johnny would turn this into a negative. “They aren’t hers. I volunteer my time. She won’t mind if one of these guys goes missing. If she does, I’ll just put him back and win him anyway.”
Johnny laughs again. I’m happy to see him like this, although his laughter is at my expense. It doesn’t matter. Maybe we will get through this day.
We turn into the parking lot of the community beach. As we haul boxes onto the sand I try to remember how weak I’m supposed to seem. This will get old quick.
The buffet tables are already set up and decorated beautifully. Silver and coral embellishments are brilliantly placed around the venue.
Most of the party will take place under a large white tent. The circular tables have already been placed, their centerpieces made up of round metal plates that hold both large and miniature candles; rose petals are scattered around them.
Sound equipment, speakers, and a DJ booth are being set up in the corner of the tent. It looks like they’re setting up a dance floor below it too.
The entire scenes looks more like a wedding reception than a sixteen-year-old birthday party, but I understand. This party is a pretty big deal; something I didn’t understand at my own sixteenth birthday party. I just couldn’t grasp why Rose wanted to fuss about it and invite strangers—well, they were strangers to me.
The dozens of hard working event planners, decorators and technical crew are bustling around frantically as sweat drips down their pink faces.
The bay breeze doesn’t bring in too much relief from the heat but there are large units scattered around the venue to bring in some cool air. It’s a good thing that the party is tonight when the sun isn’t beating down on everyone.
Johnny and I seem to have learned how to work together in peace; in silence and avoiding eye contact. I watch him set up the first table. There’s a delicacy in his movements that causes me to stifle a giggle. His mouth contorts and eyes narrow in concentration. The frequent shifts of his body as he tries to angle the signs just right tell me that simple acts like this frustrate him.
“Let me do that,” I insist as I step toward him.
He pulls back, without hesitation, but as my hand brushes his in an attempt to grab the food tag, our skin meets briefly. He pulls back as if I’ve shocked him and maybe I did.
“Sorry,” I mumble in embarrassment. I’m not even sure why I’m apologizing. He has a knack for making me feel like I’ve done something wrong.
“You can set up the trays while I place the signs.”
He stands there just for a second before agreeing with a shrug of his shoulders. “Sure.”
“Hey Johnny,” calls an approaching voice. I turn to see who it is out of curiosity. It’s a young guy with red curly hair. His shirt reads Evening Star Events. “Mind giving us a hand with these balloons?” He asks. “We’re out of helium and I saw your tank.” He gestures toward the helium tank in the back of our van.
“Sure, no problem man. We’re pretty much done with our stuff anyway.”
I place the final sign on the table and meet Johnny at the back of the van where he fumbles with the balloons. Without asking if he wants or needs my help, I begin cutting strings and bunching the balloons together to avoid them from tangling.
“That was nice of you to offer to help.”
Johnny shrugs. “We all help each other.”
Usually I wouldn’t consider this type of gesture a big deal but it does help me see that Johnny isn’t all bad.
“Well,” I continue. “Are we done after this? I have to get home and change.”
He nods without looking up. “Yeah, we can go after this.”
Johnny doesn’t know that I’m using my magic. I’m hidden behind dozens of silver and coral balloons, so he can’t see my powers at work as they snip, tie, and bunch.
There’s no better feeling than when I’m using my powers in some way. It’s a release, and actually quite addictive—so addictive that I’ve been scared to do anything as grand as Fourth of July. Not that anything has called for me to use my powers in that way.
At the time I had no idea that I was capable of such magic. Rose and Charlotte didn’t know what I was capable of either, and I never admitted this to anyone, not even myself because of all the confusion, but it felt good to release that energy. I felt so—powerful.
And now here I am, setting up Trisha’s party. She’ll soon be an Enchanter, just like me.
It seems like months have passed since my own sixteenth birthday. I never wanted it to begin and I couldn’t wait until it ended. I didn’t want to acknowledge what Rose was telling me. It didn’t feel real yet I knew that I was changing. Once I finally came to grips with my powers, the truth was still tough to consume—because I thought that if I accepted it, my past would just disappear.
As the last bunch of balloons float to the ceiling of the van I realize that I’m grinning from ear-to-ear. Johnny is staring at me with a peculiar look in his eye, but I don’t care. I giggle at the sight around me. Balloons fill the vans, on all sides and every inch of us.
I catch a smile beginni
ng to form on Johnny’s face too and a glimmer of hope sparks inside of me.
“There you are!” A voice from outside the van tears my eyes from Johnny. I look out to see Trisha and her parents nearing us.
I hop out of the van to greet them but Johnny stays back to group the balloons together and deliver them to the event team.
“Don’t tell me you have to work tonight too!” Trisha looks visibly upset. Not a look I’m used to on her.
“No way,” I reassure her. “Roy just called me and asked me to help Johnny setup since I can’t work tonight.”
Trisha makes a face. “That’s weird. Johnny usually sets this stuff up on his own, but it looks great.” She smiles brightly and looks around with wide eyes. “He should have you help him more often.”
Her words catch me off guard but I try not to react since Johnny is just inside the van.
“We wanted to stop by and see how the set up was going.” Trisha’s mom beams at me. “Everyone is doing a wonderful job.”
“Oh I agree. It’s going to be a very beautiful party, Mrs. Waters.” She’s a hip lady; just like her daughter. She dresses like she still thinks she’s a teenager herself, but with her petite frame, and young face, she pulls it off.
“Thank you, Katrina. I’m thrilled to see that your grandmother and Charlotte will be joining us tonight as well. It’s going to be such a fun celebration for my Trisha’s birthday.”
I tilt my head, a thought coming to mind. “Is your actual birthday today?”
Trisha shakes her head. “No, it’s tomorrow. My parents say I’m locked up tomorrow though.” She rolls her eyes but the smile on her face tells me she’s not annoyed.
Trisha and her mom seem to have a close bond. I watch in envy as Mrs. Waters wraps her arm around Trisha’s waist and smiles. “We want to do a family day, that’s all sweetie. You’ll have the rest of the summer to be with your friends.”
Trisha smirks at me. “See?”
Johnny and Mr. Waters approach us now. I didn’t even realize that they were handling business near the van as we all chatted.
Johnny speaks up first. “Mr. and Mrs. Waters, I’ll be back with the food tonight, promptly at seven.”