by ERIN BEDFORD
She didn’t give me the chance to answer before she engulfed me in a hug that made all my hairs stand on end. As soon as it started, it was over, and Sabrina and her minions were sauntering down the hallway, barking at people as they went.
“A real piece of work that one is.” Ian’s voice came from my left. “What a waste.” Tsking, he took a bite out of the apple in his hand. Against my will, my eyes were drawn to his lips, and I forced myself to look away.
Snorting, I moved toward my first class of the day. “You slept with her.”
“Hold your tongue.” Ian followed after me without permission. “I did no such thing.”
Waiting at the door of Professor Piston’s class, I raised a brow at Ian. “That’s not what she thinks or your brother.”
Ian leaned one arm against the wall and lowered his head slightly down to my level. “And do you believe everything you hear?”
I huffed. “Whether or not it’s true is beside the point. I’m still mad at you for letting out my secret.”
Placing a hand on his heart, Ian pouted. “You wound me. I have it under good authority that you would have been ousted quite soon by the she-bitch very soon.”
“How’s that?” I sighed, impatient for the conversation to be over.
“Because I know things like that.” Ian took another bite of his apple and grinned. It really wasn’t fair for him to look that good. Him or his brother. Their parents must have used some kind of sorcery to make them that perfect.
They’re not perfect. They’re jackasses using you for their petty game.
“Whatever.” I turned away from him to enter the class, but he grabbed my arm pulling me back to his side.
“Now, now. I’m not done. Don’t you want to know how I know?”
“Not particularly.”
“Well, then I’m not going to tell you about the bag of secrets that she-bitch has been collecting since she could talk.” Ian tried to bait me, but unfortunately, this fish had no interest in biting.
“Goodbye, Ian.” I tried once again to go to class, but this time Ian jumped in front of the door. “Let me by.”
Holding his hands up in front of him, Ian’s expression changed to that of a contrite puppy for tearing up my favorite shoes. “Look, can we start over? I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression. I really wasn’t planning on fighting over you with my brother.”
“Oh, really?” I pursed my lips, not believing him for a second.
“Believe it. I just saw a cute girl at the store and a chance to get to know her. That’s all.” He held his hands out as if to show me he had no tricks up his sleeves.
“So, it was just a coincidence your brother hit on me the moment I stepped on campus?” I hummed. I wasn’t born yesterday. It was obvious they had some kind of family drama going on, and I didn’t want to be any part of it.
Lifting a shoulder, Ian smirked. “What can I say? We have good taste.”
I scoffed and tried to push past him, but he wouldn’t budge. “You think you’re such a smooth talker, don’t you?”
Ian puffed up his chest, not at all ashamed. “I like to think I’m charming.”
Rolling my eyes, I let out an exasperated sigh. “What will it take to get you to let me by?”
“How about a date?”
I turned on my heel only to run into another Broomstein brother. Glaring up at a curious Paul, I’d had enough. “What the hell? Can’t I just go to class and be left alone in peace! I don’t want to be friends with Miss Queen Witch or get stuck in some testosterone tug of war. I just want to learn magic and get on with my life.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
All three of us turned to where Professor Piston stood behind Ian with a rather perturbed expression on his face. Ian quickly moved out of the doorway allowing the professor to come through. Piston’s eyes moved between the three of us, and he took his glasses off for a moment to clean the lens.
“I don’t know what the complete circumstances are, but from Miss Norman’s outburst, I’ve gotten the gist.” Putting his glasses back on his nose, he shot a stern look at Ian. “Your family name may allow you to do a lot of things, but disrupting my classroom is not one of them. I suggest you take yourself back to where you belong. In the basement.”
Ian scowled at Piston. He glanced my way one more time, his eyes clearly telling me this wasn’t over before heading back down the hallway.
“As for you,” Piston’s eyes moved to Paul. “I am appalled to hear one of my favorite students has nothing better to do than play with a young girl’s emotions. Shame on you.”
Paul ducked his head, a thoroughly dejected look on his face. “My apologies, Professor. I have no excuses.”
Piston sniffed. “As you shouldn’t.” When those hard eyes landed on me, I stiffened. “As for you, Miss Norman. Or would you prefer Mancaster?”
“Norman, please,” I said in a small voice afraid to even speak.
“Very well. You should have more pride in yourself as a person and as a witch. As you said, you are here to learn magic, not get a physical education.” Piston’s eyes shot to Paul for a moment. “I would hate to see you not reach your potential because you were distracted by unnecessary drama. I’m sure your parents and grandparents would agree, don’t you?”
Licking my lips, I shook my head. “I don’t know what my grandparents would think since I haven’t even met them.”
Piston gave me a smile, and it wasn’t a nice one. “I wouldn’t expect that to be that way for long. From my experience with your family, the Mancasters are never the type to let their young ones run wild. Plan for a visit from them sooner if not later.” With those words, Piston marched back into his classroom followed by Paul who never even looked my way.
Taking a few deep cleansing breaths, I entered as well. I wasn’t sure if what Piston had said was true, but I couldn’t take the chance of him being right. If my grandparents thought they were going to control me the way they tried to control mom, they had another thing coming.
Chapter 14
“How’s it going?” Trina asked, dropping into the chair next to me in the library. “We still up for shopping today?”
I glanced up from my book and rubbed my eyes. “Yeah, I need a break. My brain’s about to turn into mush, which is less than I can say for this assignment.”
The big reveal of me being a Mancaster blew over way faster than expected. I still got a few stares every once in a while, but once everyone heard that I wanted to go by Norman, they all seemed to relax. After that, everything turned back to normal. The weeks went by in a blur. I went to class, I had lunch, sometimes I hung out with Callie afterward, but soon she had to go to Brown, and it was just me against Winchester Academy.
Thankfully, Sabrina seemed to have lost interest in me or was biding her time. Either way, I was back to hanging out with Trina. Sometimes Dale would sit with us at lunch, but for the most part, I was just us two. Dale still hadn’t mentioned Callie, and I was too chicken to bring it up. However, if what Trina said was true, then I shouldn’t have any reason to worry.
“It can’t be that hard of a spell.” Trina looked down at the rock in front of me on the table. I’d finally gotten to move up to a more advanced class. Apparently, the basics only took a month when you had Mancaster blood working the mojo. Another aspect that had people talking and staring.
“Then you take a whack at it.” I shoved the rock toward her. “I’m supposed to turn this rock into a cup.”
Trina picked up the rock and turned it over in her hands. “What kind of cup?”
I shrugged and leaned on my arm. “I don’t know, just a cup. Any kind of cup.”
Shaking her head, Trina handed me the rock back. “Well, that’s your problem. You can’t just say any old cup. You have to be specific. Is it plastic? Metal? What color is it? Imagine yourself drinking from it, how would it feel? Those kinds of things.”
Frowning, I took the rock back and sat it on the tab
le. The Transfiguration professor hadn’t told us what kind of cup. He had said visualize it in your mind and make it happen. I’d been visualizing for a good thirty minute and have gotten squat. However, now that Trina mentioned it, my image of a cup was more of a blur than a cup.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, bringing a cup to mind. My favorite mug from home. It was large and rounded with a purple base and white polka dots. I remembered what it felt like to have the cup in my hand full of hot chocolate with those tiny marshmallows piled so high they hardly fit the mug.
“Woah.”
Trina’s exclamation had my eyes popping open. My rock had turned into my mug from home alright, but it had also come along with the hot chocolate and marshmallows too. Well, that was one way of doing it.
I picked the mug up and brought it to my nose. Inhaling deeply, the sweet chocolaty liquid warmed my insides. Glancing at Trina, I asked, “Think it’s safe to drink?”
Lifting a shoulder, she shook her head. “I don’t see why not.”
The mug touched my lips, and I took a hesitant sip. Immediately, I sat back in my chair and let out a moan of pleasure. It tasted exactly like the kind my dad made me with milk and everything.
“Good?”
Grinning, I took another drink. “So good.”
Trina grinned back and then started to study me. “You know, that was some serious spell work just now. You couldn’t even work the spell at first, and then next thing you know, you are producing something out of nothing.”
Reluctantly sitting the cup down, I watched her. “Is that a bad thing? I mean, I’m not pretending to be bad at magic or anything to show off.”
“Oh, I know you aren’t. I’ve watched you take notes. Freaking OCD central.” Trina laughed. “But others might think so. I, however, think you are just a natural which would make sense because of your family.”
I scowled. I hated when people referenced my family as the reason I got something or was able to do something. I wanted them to say I was good because of me not because of some family I never knew.
“Sorry.” Trina touched my arm, having seen my expression. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Giving her a bitter smile, I nodded. “I know. It’s just frustrating. I work so hard to do this on my own, and my family name still gets credit.”
All of a sudden Trina stood to her feet. “You know what this calls for?”
“What?”
“Shopping!” she grabbed my arm, forcing me to stand. “Come on. You’ve been doing this crap long enough. It’s time for some retail therapy.”
I snorted. “You sound just like Callie.” Man, did I miss that girl. We’d been in constant contact since she left, but it wasn’t the same. I missed her face. And video chats weren’t the same. I needed my best friend.
You did this to yourself.
“Well, Callie is my kind of girl, and I can’t wait to meet her.” Trina threw her arm over my shoulder her hair bouncing into my head. “Now, let’s get going. The Halloween Mixer is not too much further off, and we still haven’t gotten anything to wear.”
Groaning at the reminder, I gathered my books and put them in my bag. “Don’t remind me.”
“What? Don’t you like parties?” Trina picked up the mug and took a drink from it, smacking her lips. “Man, that is good.”
“Told you.” I grinned and then focused on turning the mug back into a rock. It changed right at Trina put it to her lips making it look like she was kissing it. Laughing at her, I dodge her arm swinging to hit me.
“That’s not funny. I could have chipped a tooth.” She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Nah, I wouldn’t let you do that.”
We left the library and stopped by our room so I could drop my bag off before heading toward the bus stop. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a car, Mancaster or not, so I couldn’t take advantage of that perk that Trina constantly whined about.
“Where do you want to go first?” I asked once we were seated on the bus. “I mean, what do you even wear to a Halloween mixer? A dress? A costume?”
Trina tapped her chin in thought. “Well, I guess we can forgo the usual robes and pointed hats since we’re in college now. Though I wouldn’t advise showing up in some kind of costume unless you want to get the stink eye.” She stared at me so seriously that I believed her for a second. Until she burst out laughing, pointing a finger at my face. “I’m joking, but your face really. Priceless.”
“Jerk.” I nudged her with my elbow.
“Consider it payback for the rock.” Trina sniffed, putting her nose in the air.
Holding my hands up, I chuckled. “Consider me thoroughly paid back.”
Relaxing in her seat, Trina pulled out her phone. “In any case, you can wear whatever you want, really. It doesn’t say on the school site that there’s a dress code. I plan on looking hot!” She bounced in her seat, her phone clutched tightly in her hands. “Just wait until they get a look at me. They will be lining up to dance with this sweet ass.”
Giggling at her face, I raised a curious brow. “Any person in particular or just everyone in general?”
As the bus stopped, Trina blushed. “No, not really.”
I followed after her as we got off the bus at the mall. “Really? It’s going to be like that? I tell you all about my secrets, ones that will get me in trouble and you won’t even tell me who you like? I see how it is.” I sniffed and pretended to be offended.
“It’s not like that.” Trina hurried to explain. “It’s not that don’t want to tell you. It’s just embarrassing.”
“How could whoever you like be embarrassing? If you like them, then they can’t be anything but wonderful.” I looped my arm with hers and led her to the first dress store.
We looked through the racks for a few minutes before Trina finally broke the silence. “It’s Libby Moreling.”
“What’s Libby Moreling?” I asked, holding up a black dress that was cut a bit too low for my taste. I held it up to Trina who shook her head, so I put it back.
“Libby is the person I like.”
I didn’t say anything for a moment.
“See?” Trina pointed a finger at me. “I knew you’d react this way. She’s not as bad as she seems. Really!”
I shook my head. “I’m not questioning your choice of person, really. I’m just stunned. Libby always seemed so ...” I tried to find a nice word for how I felt about the glazed-eyed blonde with the large chest.
“I know, I know.” Trina picked up a bright pink dress with lace all over and held it out. When I shook my head, she put it back with a loud clank. “She seems really simple-minded, but she’s actually really nice.”
I quirked a brow.
“When she’s not around Sabrina,” Trina explained. “I have Stars and Signs with her, and she’s actually quite bright. People just think she’s dumb because she doesn’t share her opinion much.”
“I wonder why?” I snorted. With friends like Sabrina, I’d be afraid to say anything too out of character as well. I picked up a pale blue dress made of silky material. The front had a neckline that would give me cleavage but not enough to flash the room, and the straps started as one and then into two as it went around to the back where the four straps crisscrossed. I knew if I put it on it would fall about to my mid-thigh which was sexy, yet I wasn’t showing the world my underwear.
“Oo, I like that one. You should totally get it.” Trina fingered the dress with clear appreciation in her eyes.
“I like it too. So, what about you? Find anything?” I glanced at her hands to see them empty and frowned.
“No, not yet, but the day is young!” Trina grinned.
I went to the counter to check out. After I was done, I let Trina take me into several other stores until she found the perfect dress, a red off the shoulder dress that hugged her hips and swirled around her legs. If she didn’t grab attention at the mixer, then I had no hope for the future magical community.
“Do you really like it?” Trina asked for the millionth time while we were sitting in the food court eating lunch.
“Yes, it’s great. Libby will love it. I’m sure.” I popped a fry in my mouth as I watched the people pass by. This had been exactly what I needed. I loved the magic at school, but sometimes I just wanted to feel like a normal girl again. Today had definitely done that.
My eye caught onto someone sitting a few tables down from us. “It’s that Monica?”
“Where?” Trina sat up in her chair straighter her eyes going to where I was looking. “Yeah, that’s her. Do you think Libby’s with her?” Her eyes scanned the food court searching for her crush.
I pursed my lips. “I’d be more worried about Sabrina being with here than Libby. In any case, it looks like she’s alone.” I watched Monica for a moment.
Her eyes were down on the table, and her brows were drawn in. She had food on a tray before her. A cheeseburger and fries, something I would never see her eat at school.
“She seems upset,” I said and then stood up. “I’m going to go talk to her.”
“Wait,” Trina called out to me. “What if she’s not alone?”
I didn’t stop but did turn slightly back to her with a wink. “Then at least, I have back-up.” Trina frowned but didn’t protest anymore.
Walking over to where Monica sat, I kept my eyes out for any unseen witches. Wouldn’t want to get in a fight in the middle of the mall and have the council down on our heads. Thankfully, when I arrived at her table, there was no sign of Sabrina or any other students from the school.
“Hey, Monica.” This close up I could see the tears that she was fighting to let free, her eyes glistening and her nose a bit red.
Her eyes jerked up from the table at my greeting, and she quickly wiped her eyes and nose, sitting up straighter in her seat. “Oh, hi, Max. What’s up?”
I pointed a thumb at Trina. “Just doing some shopping for the Halloween Mixer. What about you?”