by ERIN BEDFORD
“Oh, you know,” she started, and I could clearly see her struggling for an excuse. “Just ruining my life.” I startled at her sudden honesty as she burst into tears.
Glancing at the crying girl and then back to Trina who only shrugged. Turning back to Monica, I patted her on the shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m sure it’s not that bad. Nothing you can’t fix right?”
Monica sat up and sniffed, hiccupping as she tried to speak. “If I want to lose all my friends and put a target on my back, then sure.”
My brow furrowed for a moment and then it clicked. “This has to do with Sabrina, doesn’t it?”
Nodding, Monica used a napkin to wipe her nose. “People thinks she’s this great person,” - I forced myself not to snort - “but really, she can be a vicious bitch, especially when it comes to Paul.”
This time my eyebrows raised to my hairline. “This has to do with Paul. Do you like him?” A small part of me that I couldn’t understand ached. It hoped she’d say no. It was stupid because I didn’t like Paul or Ian. They could both go blow themselves up for all I care. At least, that’s what I told myself.
“No, it’s nothing like that,” Monica said and then huffed. “Okay, so you know I’m majoring in Herbs and Medicines, right?”
No, I didn’t, but I nodded anyway.
“Well, I really wanted to major in Potions.”
My eyes squinted as I tried to figure out what that had to do with anything. “Then why don’t you?”
Monica’s voice rose an octave. “Because Paul majors in Potions. If I got anywhere near him, Sabrina would throw me to the curb like yesterday’s toadstool.”
“But you don’t like Paul,” I said, still not getting it.
“Exactly!”
I pursed my lips and sat back in my chair. Sabrina was worse than I thought. Not only does she bully the lower classes and anyone who looked at Paul, but she bullied her own friends. Libby - sorry, Trina - didn’t seem to have enough rocks in her head to even notice she was being bullied, but clearly, Monica was the smarter of the three. I didn’t understand why she even went along with it.
“So, you’re upset because you are doing a major that you don’t really want to do because if you did the one you wanted to do, you would lose your friend and would thus be ostracized?” I recapped what she had said to me to make sure I had it right.
“Yes.”
“So, did Sabrina specifically say you couldn’t major in Potions?” I asked, trying to work out a solution.
Monica paused in wiping her nose. “Well, no. She didn’t, but I know that she didn’t like anyone near Paul. If Libby or I even looked his way for longer than necessary, she would have a bitch fit.”
“Okay,” I drew out. “But aren’t you a first year?”
“Yeah, so?”
“And Paul’s, what, a third year?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Monica tilted her head to the side.
“Then why do you think you would even have any classes with him? In fact, you could always make sure your classes were different dates and times than his. Then it would solve the whole problem.”
Monica was quiet for a moment as if having a hard time to process my words. Then her mouth spread wide into the happiest grin I’d ever seen. She jumped up from her seat and hugged me tightly. I patted her back a bit awkwardly.
“Thank you so much. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that.” Monica pulled back from me. “You are such a lifesaver, really.”
I waved her off. “Oh, it was nothing. Just happy to help.” I started to head back to my table, but she stopped me.
“You know, I’m not supposed to tell you,” Monica started, her eyes darting around her. “But I heard that Paul was working up the courage to ask you to the mixer. Ian too.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
Chewing on her lower lip, Monica lowered her voice. “Because Sabrina will flip if she finds out he chose you over her.”
“Well, Sabrina doesn’t have to worry. I have no interest in either Broomstein brother.” I grinned at her, but as I was heading back to my table, my heart was beating a mile a minute.
I was such a big fat liar.
Chapter 15
A few days later, I sat in the courtyard eating my lunch and reading my Potions book. Usually, I ate inside the cafeteria, but today I was behind on work, and the cafeteria had too many distractions. At least out here, there were fewer people, most of them doing exactly the same as me. So, it was no surprise when I became so absorbed in my own work I didn’t realize anyone was near me until a shadow covered the page I was reading.
“Hey!” I cried out, jerking my head up from my book. “Do you mind?”
A reddish-brown mop of hair blocked out most of the sun, and a frown marred Dale’s face. Once he noticed what I was mad about, he quickly moved out of the way and sat beside me. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I needed a break anyway,” I muttered, putting a bookmark in my place and sitting in on the ground. “So, what’s up?”
Dale seemed a bit nervous. He didn’t have his nose in the air or have that know-it-all vibe to him. No, today, he could even be called shy. That alone had my interest piqued.
“Dale, come on. What’s going on?” I nudged his tennis shoe with my own, trying to get him to get out of whatever funk he was in.
If anything, Dale seemed even quieter with my prodding. Pursing my lips, I grabbed my book from the ground and was about to open it, but Dale’s hand caught mine, stopping me from doing so. I turned my head to ask him if he was going to tell me what the big deal was, but instead, his mouth met mine in a warm, closed-mouthed kiss.
Startled by the sudden contact, I didn’t move right away. Dale must have taken it as an okay because his hand came up to cup my face, turning my head to get better access. For some reason unknown to me, I let him. It wasn’t a bad kiss. In fact, it was downright toe curling but what bothered me about it was there was no pretext. I didn’t even know Dale liked me that way, let alone wanted to kiss me. Most of the time I thought he thought I was just irritating. A kiss was so not something I would have guessed was coming my way.
When Dale finally broke the kiss, I was breathless, confused, and if I had to admit it, a bit turned on. Neither one of us said anything at first, but then I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What the hell was that?”
Dale’s brow furrowed. “I thought it was obvious. Was I that bad?”
I shook my head. “No, not bad at all. One of the best kisses I’ve ever had, actually.”
“Then what is it? Don’t you like me?” Dale shifted in his seat, his face reddening to match his hair.
“Do you like me?” I leaned forward my eyes searching his face. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I liked it, but it was just so unexpected. I didn’t even know you thought of me that way.”
Dale kicked the ground with his foot. “Neither did I, to be honest.” He shrugged and then looked at me. The vulnerability in his eyes made my heart ache a bit.
Confused by his confession, I placed my hand on his. An unexpected tingle surged through our touching hands, but I ignored it and pushed forward. “So, what brought this on today? Someone douse you with truth serum?”
As expected, Dale’s lips twisted in a disapproving frown, and he pushed his glasses up on his face. “You know there’s no such thing. We can make a persuasion potion, but those at most only make someone’s tongue more likely to wag freely than get the real truth from them.”
I arched a brow at Dale, causing him to stop talking.
With an annoyed grunt, Dale turned his head away from me to stare out at the courtyard. Surprisingly, he never moved his hand away from mine and kept using his other hand to do things, like running his hand fingers through his already messy mop of hair.
I waited a few more moments for him to gather his thoughts. He seemed about as surprised as I was about the kiss, and based on Dale’s abrasive personality, I had a feeling if I pushed it too soon, he wou
ld clam up altogether.
“So, I heard a rumor today,” Dale said out of the blue. I watched him trying to figure out what that had to do with his sudden need to lay one on me.
“Oh, yeah? Was it about my fun family background?” I said sarcastically, my eyes rolling to the side. People were still talking about my last name though I had made it clear I wanted nothing to do with that side of the family.
“Did I ever apologize for that?” Dale’s fingers squeezed mine, and concern etched his face.
I shook my head and smiled. “No, but I don’t blame you. It was Ian after all.”
Just mentioning Ian’s name made Dale’s face bunch up. “I’m not sure I like that guy. He’s trouble.”
Chuckling, I bumped his shoulder with mine. “Oh, I don’t know. He seems harmless to me. A major flirt with huge brother issues but harmless none the less.”
Dale snorted. “That’s because you don’t know him well enough. He’s majoring in the Dark Arts. Those kinds of people don’t do that just for the literary experience.”
The warning tone in Dale’s voice made me pause. Professor Piston had mentioned something about Ian belonging in the basement. Could that be where they did all the Dark Art classes? I hadn’t bothered to check since I had no interest in getting in touch with the other side.
“They can’t be all bad. I mean, it’s not like they are raising an army to take over the world or anything.” I laughed, but it was more of a nervous laugh. After all, I wasn’t quite sure what I had said wasn’t true.
Dale didn’t laugh with me. His green eyes locked with mine with a serious intensity that it killed the little laughter I had.
“That may be true, but plenty have messed with enough blood magic to cause one to be cautious of those who decide to practice it, and Ian is in deep. Why do you think he and his brother don’t get along well?”
“Because they like outdoing the other? Sibling rivalry and all that?” I offered up, trying to lighten the mood.
Shaking his head, Dale sighed. “I wished it was only that. Unfortunately, Ian got labeled as the black sheep of the family when he went into the Dark Arts rather than Potions like the rest of the Broomsteins.”
“So, he decided to make his own path. That makes him bad?”
“No,” Dale said and stared at the ground. “But it does make him dangerous, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Now I was really confused. “Hold on a second, back up now. Why would you think I would get hurt?” I shifted onto my knees and turned to him. “You come waltzing down here acting all weird, and then you kiss me, and now you are warning me away from Ian. It’s like I got dropped into the last half of the movie, and I don’t know what’s going on.”
Dale gave me a sheepish look and then chuckled nervously. “My apologies, it seems I have gotten off track.”
“Okay, then let’s get back on track. What about this rumor?” I leaned forward on my hands, my head tilted to the side.
Dale smirked at my coy position, his hand coming up to stroke the line of my jaw. Startled by the touch, I didn’t move immediately and let him do his exploring. When his fingers traced my lips, I found them parting on their own, and I was tempted to dart my tongue out to taste him.
“I can see why they want you so much,” Dale murmured, his voice low like he was in some kind of trance.
“Who?” I asked, my own voice a bit husky.
“The Broomstein brothers.” Dale shifted forward, his head started to dip down but before he could capture my lips again a bright flash blinded us, and a chorus of laughter followed after.
Jerking away from Dale, I rubbed my eyes and then glared up at Sabrina and her two friends. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
Sabrina shrugged a shoulder and giggled her phone in her hand. “Not really. Besides, with this,” - she waved her phone with a vicious grin - “there’s no way anyone will ask you to the mixer.”
Ask me to the mixer? My brow scrunched together at her words. My eyes then went to Monica who stood behind Sabrina with an apprehensive look. Like she really didn’t want to there. Seeing her reminded me of what Monica had told me the other day at the mall.
Ian and Paul were going to ask me to the Halloween mixer.
Suddenly, I looked at Dale. He looked a bit green in the gills, and it clicked. That was the rumor that made him kiss me and then warn me off Ian. He thought they were going to ask me out!
Glancing back to Sabrina, I waved a hand. “Go for it. See if I care. You apparently are so desperate for a date, you need to get into my business. Think of this as my gift to you.” I promptly turned away from her and back to my book.
I could just imagine the blood boiling in Sabrina’s veins at my dismissal. I really wanted to see it, but I restrained myself and flipped to the page I had been working on. Dale sat alert as if expecting a counter-attack at any moment.
Reaching over, I patted him on the arm. “Relax, she’s not going to do anything out here in the open.” I glanced over my shoulder at Sabrina meeting her gaze. “Right? You wouldn’t want to ruin that perfect image of yours.”
Okay, so the next thing that happened I totally asked for. Poking the snake was a bad idea, and I should have let it rest, but no, I couldn’t. I had to be the one to get the last word in.
To be honest, I hadn’t even realized I’d been hit with a spell until my body started to shake uncontrollably. All of a sudden, I was up on my feet and doing some weird version of the Charlton. My arms and legs jerked this way and that while everyone laughed around me.
All except Dale and Monica.
Dale jumped to his feet and grabbed my arms, trying to stop me from flailing about, but it only served to get him hit in the face.
“Sorry!” I cried out as he held his nose, annoyance, and pain covering his face.
Dale stopped trying to stop me and glared at Sabrina. “Undo it. Now.”
Sabrina tapped her chin and pretended to think about it. “You know what? I don’t think I remember the counterspell. I might have to run to the library and get it.” She paused and grinned broadly. “Oh wait, I can’t because I don’t care.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and sashayed away. Libby followed after her, still giggling at the sight of me, but Monica stayed behind. Sabrina noticed right away and looked over her shoulder. “Coming, Mon?”
Monica glanced between Sabrina and me, conflicting emotions clear on her face. I could tell she wanted to help me, but she also didn’t want to lose her friendship with Sabrina and thus end up in my shoes as well.
“Monica?” Sabrina turned fully back to her, her eyes narrowing.
Straightening her spine, Monica gestured to Dale. “Don’t you think that’s enough? Dale is one of the headmaster’s assistant after. He might tell.”
Sabrina seemed to think on it for a moment, her eyes going from me to Dale. Then she shrugged as if it weren’t a big deal, and I fell to the ground as the spell was reversed. Dale rushed to my side, helping me to sit up.
“There, don’t say I never did anything for you.” Sabrina sniffed and started to stride away but paused. Putting on hand on her hip, she shifted her weight to one side. “And don’t think that this means it’s over.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growled, rubbing my butt where I landed on it. “We’re even. I got you, you got me.”
Sabrina threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, no, honey. Not by a long shot. When I really get you, you will know. This could have all been avoided you know if you had taken my offer of friendship. Then this whole thing could have been avoided.”
I gave her a confused look that caused Libby to pipe in.
“Friends don’t date a friend’s ex’s.” She nodded her head like it was something everyone knew.
“But I’m not dating him. Them. Either of them.” I scrambled to my feet, my hands curled into fists. “How pathetic can you be to be throwing this big a fit over a guy you aren’t even dating? That I’m not even dating. I’d
understand if I were to throw Paul down and have my nasty way with him right in front of you, but this?” I scoffed in disgust, throwing my hands up in the air. “The gods themselves aren’t this petty.”
I expected Sabrina to go into some kind of vengeful rage, but all I got was a secretive smile. Her long legs made quick work of the courtyard between us, her skirt swishing with every movement. She didn’t stop until she was inches from me.
“Don’t think for a moment you know what petty is. I invented petty.” Sabrina tapped her phone against my chest, and I forced back a wince.
That I couldn’t argue with. Sabrina so had the vibe of being one of those who would smite you just because you walked in her path. She’d raise hell on earth over a guy. Which she was literally trying to do. I didn’t know if I was afraid for Paul, or if I envied him. The scary glint in Sabrina’s eyes made my decision for me.
I pitied Sabrina.
“Why did you cheat on Paul if you so clearly love him so?” I asked, startling her.
Sabrina stiffened. Hurt and regret pinched her face. As soon as it was there, it was gone, replaced by that vengeful rage I expected.
“This isn’t over. You will get what’s coming to you. It’s not about Paul now. This is personal,” Sabrina snarled at me and then stomped away, shoving through Libby and Monica who hurried after her.
Sighing, I dropped back down to the ground and started to gather my things.
Dale knelt beside me and grabbed my hand, stopping me. “What are you doing?”
“Going to class, duh.” I pulled my arm away and threw my bag over my shoulder before standing up.
“But what about Sabrina? She attacked you with magic and threatened you. You can’t let her get away with that.” Dale had a hard tone to his voice that only made me sigh once more.
“Yes, I can.” When Dale continued to follow after me even after my answer, I felt the need to explain further. “Look, I attacked her once in the library, remember? So, I can’t very well tattle on her now. Besides, it wasn’t anything that bad, and as for the threats. I can see where she’s coming from.” Dale squinted at me. “Okay, so she’s kind of obsessed and crazy, but most teenage girls are. Anyway, I’m a ‘deal with it as it comes’ kind of gal.”