Witching on a Star

by ERIN BEDFORD

  “Ian,” I cooed, my eyes openly ogling him. The black button-up shirt went well with the leather pants he was sporting. If anyone ever looked like he belonged out and about on Halloween, it was him.

  Ian wrapped his arms around my waist and drew me to him. The over-familiar action made my blood pulsing through my veins. “Maxine, you look absolutely ravishing.” He glanced over my shoulder at Trina and winked. “You too, Trina. You talk to Libby yet?”

  “Oh my god, does everybody know?” Trina cried out and stomped her feet, no doubt feeling completely mortified.

  “No, they don’t,” Ian assured her. “I’ve just been staring at Max for the last twenty minutes and noticed you were staring at Libby the same way. Kind of easy to put two and two together.”

  Trina settled down and answered, “Oh. Well, that’s good. I think.”

  “Look, Sabrina and Monica are dancing.” Ian pointed toward the trio. “Here’s your chance.” Trina didn’t have to be told twice before she was on the move.

  I smiled up at him surprised. “That was nice of you.”

  “Oh, don’t think too highly of me.” Ian grinned back. “I did it for purely selfish reasons.” When I looked at him confused, he pressed his forehead to mine and drew my hands into his. “You still owe me a dance, and look at that, it’s a slow one.”

  Giggling, I let him guide me along until we were on the dance floor. We swayed back and forth to the music, Ian’s hard body pressed against mine, causing all sorts of tingles to run through my body. I started talking, as much to distract myself from what I was feeling as any need to speak.

  I started pulling Ian’s attention back to me. “So, you were watching me, huh?”

  “Yes, I was.” Ian smirked, and his eyes flicked to where Dale watched us now. “So, you like that type of guy?”

  I lifted a shoulder. “Sometimes, but right now, I like your type.”

  Ian chuckled and spun me around before pulling me back to him. “And what type is that?”

  “I’m not sure yet,” I murmured, our faces close enough to feel each other’s breath. “You’re conceited and yet sensitive. Funny and charming. However, you can be kind of a jerk.”

  “Oh, now that one hurt.” Ian nodded, his lips pursing. “You know, I’m not that bad a guy when you get to know me.”

  “Oh, I heard.” I grinned up at him. “Several girls have known you and have plenty to say.”

  “All good, I hope?” The shit-eating grin on his face was so adorable that I could have kissed him. I would have too, had his brother not shown up at that precise moment.

  “Mind if I cut in?” Paul asked, his eyes on his brother. The way he had been talking about backing off for Ian made me think Paul wouldn’t approach me at all. Seemed like he couldn’t make himself stay away.

  Ian simply smiled at him. “For you, brother? Of course.” Ian took my hand and brought it up to his mouth, giving it a long, wet kiss. “I will see you later on?”

  I nodded and smiled. As Ian stalked away, I let my eyes wander to the back of his pants. Man, that boy was fine.

  “I see my brother has thoroughly charmed you.” Paul offered me his hand, the expression on his face unreadable. I couldn’t tell if he was upset by this or not. I guess there was only one way to find out.

  “Don’t laugh at me for the asking, but how does that make you feel?” I cocked my head to the side and placed my hand on his shoulder, letting him hold the other one.

  “Disappointed. Annoyed. Regretful. And a bit relieved.” Paul’s lips tipped up at the ends. “I’m glad someone finally sees him the way I’ve seen him all these years, even if it is the girl that I like as well. If anyone should win, it should be him.”

  I frowned at this. “And why can’t you both win? Why does it have to be all or nothing?”

  Paul’s face scrunched up in confusion. “I don’t know, to be honest. I guess that’s the way I always saw it, and everyone made me believe it had to be that way. There are no ties. Only winners and losers.”

  “Pfft. Now that sounds like something your parents would say.” I let myself sink into his embrace and just enjoyed his company. It wasn’t the same as Ian, but I didn’t like to compare them. They both caused a spark in me in their own ways, and there was no way I could find the imbalance between the two of them.

  “That is something my parents would say and have said.” Paul didn’t seem very happy about that. “However, Ian has been on the losing side far more than they would like, and I would like to see him have a win for once.” Paul’s hand came up to cup my face. The raw sincerity there touched me so deeply, I forgot all about being in the middle of a crowded room with Sabrina not five feet away.

  Then I did something I never expected to do. I kissed him.

  Chapter 19

  I didn’t mean for it to happen. I certainly didn’t plan it. However, I couldn’t get those puppy dog eyes out of my head, and my lips acted accordingly.

  Thankfully, Paul reacted right away, his hands cupping my face and pulling me closer. My fingers tangled in his hair and a small part of my brain noted it was as soft as it looked. It wasn’t even a passionate kiss. There was no tongue wiggling or exchanged of saliva. Only our mouths pressed against one another, and it seemed like it went on forever.

  Unfortunately, that meant that everyone and their mom had time to see us locking lips on the dance floor, including one crazy-as-hell ex-girlfriend. She was the one who ripped us apart, her nails digging into my arm as she jerked me away.

  “What did I tell you? What did I tell you?” Sabrina screeched for all to hear. “I told you to stay away from him or else, and you blatantly kiss him right in front of me? Do you have a death wish, Norman?”

  I calmly wiped my mouth, making a show of fixing my lip gloss before sighing. “Sabrina, you really need to get over yourself. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss. It has nothing to do with you.”

  Paul came over and put his arm around me with a death glare pointed at Sabrina. “Exactly what Max said. This is none of your business.”

  Sabrina gaped at us. “None of my business? Did you hear that all? The great Broomstein thinks our future is none of my business! Well, let me tell you something, buddy.” She shoved a finger into Paul’s chest with every word. “It is my business because our families have an agreement. Just because you don’t value family the same way I do doesn’t mean that I will let you renege on that promise. And you!” Sabrina looked me up and down like I was last week’s trash. “First Dale, and now Paul? And was that Ian I saw you with a bit ago as well? You just don’t have a solid, decent bone in your pathetic body, do you?”

  Okay, things were going too far. Who did this girl think she was? What I did and who I did it with was none of her business, and it was high time she learned her place.

  “Yeah, that’s right.” I sneered at her. “I can kiss whoever I want, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Then I did something that was a long time coming.

  Sabrina stumbled backward on her high heels, and her friends caught her before she fell. When she came back, she was beyond livid and crackling with magic. The hairs on my arm stood on end, and for a moment, I regretted my actions.

  “You think you’re some hot shot now that you’re a witch?” Sabrina boomed. In response to her voice, the night sky above us turned dark, and lightning cracked. When the lightning left the sky and hit the music station, causing sparks to fly, the students screamed and started to scatter. A few stupid ones hung around, waiting to see what would happen next, but the majority of them ran out of the quad. Hopefully, to tell a teacher or even the headmaster that there was a broken witch wreaking havoc on the locals.

  “You’re not just going to stand there and take that, are you?” Trina appeared at my side, her hand on my arm. “She’s going to fry you like a corn dog if you don’t fight back.”

  “What do you expect me to do?” I glanced back at her nervously. “I’ve barely mastered transfiguration. Weather manipulation is so out
of my league.”

  “But if you don’t do something, she’ll know she beat you. You’ll always have to watch your back and say goodbye to your budding romances.” She gestured toward Paul who was trying to get through the whirlwind Sabrina had created to talk her down.

  Fuck. Who knew the witch bitch would turn into the evil sea witch with just a taste of her own medicine. I had to stop her. But how?

  Every time I’d done large scale magic, I had been upset, angry even, but now I wasn’t angry. Sure, I was a bit irritated that Sabrina interrupted us but not mad. In fact, I felt pity for her and concern for the bystanders.

  How could I gather power to match hers? The only time I’d felt my internal energy grow so strong was during one of my accidents and ... during my daily stretches! Every time I did power poses, the ball of magic inside of me grew so large it hurt my head. That had to be what I needed to do to beat her.

  Kicking my heels off, I put my feet together and took a deep breath before releasing it as I brought my hands down. I continued to do it again as Trina gaped at my side.

  “You’re stretching? Now? Don’t you think that’s a bit inappropriate?” Trina waved a hand at Sabrina who had started to throw stuff in our direction with her magic. Paul had gotten knocked to the side, and I couldn’t see Dale or Ian anywhere. They probably did the smart thing and high tailed it out of here.

  “Just give me a moment, you’ll see,” I reassured Trina as I shifted one foot back and the other forward, bringing my hands to my chest as I closed my eyes. Breathing deeply, I focused on that ball of light in my head. I urged it to grow bigger, to help me fight against Sabrina and all she represented.

  At first, the light didn’t do much of anything, but maybe that was because of my desperation calling to it, or maybe it was just as annoyed by Sabrina’s hissy fit. Eventually, the light grew. It grew rapidly and uncontrollably. For the first time, it didn’t just stay in my head, it spread throughout my body, and my veins were on fire. My head ached from the speed in which my power consumed me. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold it for long, not at this rate. I was too new to the craft. Too inexperienced. It would burn me up long before I could focus it properly.

  “Holy shit on a cracker, Max!” Trina cried out beside me, taking a step back. “You’re glowing. Like your eyes are literally balls of light.” The awe in her voice was laced with fear, and part of my magic liked that. It wanted to be adored but at the same time let those who would oppose us know what was coming.

  I raised my hand up slowly, and with barely a thought, the wind died down. The sky above us changed back to the charmed night sky, and Sabrina stood alone in the middle of the wreckage. She gaped at me for a moment, unable to believe I had stopped her little bitch fit. Then she clamped her mouth closed and narrowed her eyes at me.

  “So, you want to play in the big leagues, do you? Little whittle Maxine Norman is ready to put her human ways behind and fight like a witch, huh?” Sabrina cackled and strode toward me. “Well, let me give you your first taste!” A powerful force hit me unexpectedly, throwing me to the ground, Sabrina’s laughter filling my ears all the way down.

  I got back up on my feet just as quickly as I went down. But just as soon as I stood back up, she was throwing things at me. I could only use my magic to create a barrier in front of me. I couldn’t even get a hit in.

  “Have you had enough, yet? Or maybe we should turn up the heat?” Sabrina held her hand up as a ball of fire appeared in her hand. The red and orange glow from it caused her already crazed face to look like that of a literal devil. I had a moment to think about how much this was going to sting before I remembered that I was a freaking witch. If she could make a fire, I could put out those flames.

  I tried to replicate what Sabrina did and call up the winds to blow the flame out, but it only ended up knocking me off my feet. Sabrina’s laughter filled my ears, making my anger spark hotter.

  “Look at you. How pathetic. I don’t even need to kill you, you’ll do it yourself.” Sabrina cackled and pointed at me, too absorbed in laughing at me to notice I had changed the clouds above us.

  This time instead of a lightning storm, the clouds grew heavy and dark, and a moment later they broke open with a deluge of rain on top of Sabrina. She screeched as the rain doused her fireball as well as her hair and dress. She seemed more upset about her dress than the fire, to be honest.

  “What the hell is your problem?” she yelled at me. “This cost a fortune, and you’ve ruined it!”

  Rolling my eyes, I flicked my finger toward her, imagining her legs were bowling pins I wanted to knock over. To my satisfaction, her legs crumbled beneath her and stopped any kind of repercussions she planned. Thankfully, I didn’t have to listen to her wailing for very long because Dale hurried back into the room with Professor Piston and the Headmaster following him. They took one look at the scene and were obviously unsure of who to blame.

  “It’s her fault.” Sabrina pointed a finger at me, her eyes welling up with fake tears. “She attacked me!”

  Professor Piston took one look at Sabrina and dismissed us. Instead, he turned to the students hiding behind the tables. “It’s alright now. You can come out. The party is over. Everyone, return to your dorm rooms.”

  The students lingered at first, wanting to get a good look, and that no doubt caused Piston to shout. “Out, now!” The students hustled out the door, stumbling over themselves to get away from the grumpy professor.

  Headmaster Swordson stood by Sabrina, listening to her gripe about me. Libby and Monica hurried to her side when they could and helped her to her feet. I worried that the headmaster might believe her over me, but my view of them was blocked by a large looming form.

  “Here.”

  I glanced up to see Aidan standing over me, offering me a hand. Sighing with exhaustion, I placed my hand in his and allowed him to bring me to my feet. The room spun out of control, and I ended up leaning against Aidan’s hard chest to keep my balance.

  “Too much magic isn’t good for the body.” Aidan’s stiff explanation made me laugh.

  “Tell me about it.” I giggled and tried to clear my head. Things had stopped spinning, but I felt weak. Like I hadn’t eaten in days, and my body was shutting down on me.

  “You should rest. Here.” He shoved a plastic wrapped bar into my hand. “Eat.”

  I looked down at the protein bar in my hand, and my stomach gurgled in protest. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “It’s okay, I’ll help her.” Ian appeared next to Aidan and took the bar from my hand. Dale showed up next, bringing a chair with him for me to sit down.

  “You guys are too good to me.” I murmured as Ian offered me small bites of the protein bar. “You shouldn’t be.”

  “And why not?” Paul asked, kneeling at my side. “You did what most people longed to do but were too afraid. You stood up to Sabrina.”

  “And got knocked on my ass for it.” I laughed weakly. My eyes slowly moved to where the headmaster talked to Sabrina clearly trying to calm her down. “And if she has her way, expelled.”

  “Not going to happen.” Dale shook his head and patted me on the shoulder. “Sabrina can spin whatever tale she wants, but there was a room full of people who saw her throw the first spell. If anyone gets expelled, it’d be her.”

  Ian snorted. “Fat chance. The Craftsmans have their fingers too deep in the headmaster’s pockets. He’s not going to expel their only daughter. He might give her a slap on the wrist, but that’s about it.”

  I sighed. The influence of the rich. I guess I couldn’t complain. I’d all but rejected my own rich family. If I had taken their help and their name, things might have been different. Until then, I would just plead my case and hope I didn’t get in too much trouble.

  As if knowing we were talking about him, Headmaster Swordson walked up to Aidan’s side. “Well, look at this. You have Broomstein, Varens, and Templars rushing to your side.” The headmaster grinned down at me. “That is quite t
he set of knights here, Miss Norman.”

  “She didn’t start it,” Dale quickly said though no one asked.

  Headmaster Swordson chuckled. “I am well aware of the situation but thank you, Mr. Varens.” We all looked at the headmaster curiously. His eyes crinkled around the edges, and he tapped his head. “I didn’t become the headmaster of such a school on looks alone. It does take a bit of brain to run such a large establishment. Rest assured, Miss Norman, I will be dealing with Miss Craftsman accordingly. I just ask that you work on keeping your nose out of trouble.” He glanced around the group of guys, a bemused expression on his face. “Though I’m sure that might be easier said than done.”

  “I will try my best, headmaster.” I smiled weakly up at him.

  He nodded and left, no doubt to check on the damage Sabrina and I had caused.

  “So, think you can walk now?” Paul asked, offering me a hand. I let him help me up, and this time, I was happy to see that I could stand without the room going nuts.

  “I think I’m good. I just need to sleep.” I slowly walked out of the circle of guys, and my eyes landed on Sabrina. She was still screeching to anyone who would listen, which seemed to only be Libby and Monica right now. Monica looked my way and gave me a sort of nod. A nod that I took as a sign of respect and friendship.

  As Sabrina left with Libby and Monica to lick her wounds, I realized I might not be the worst witch there. In fact, I kicked ass. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t do now. Well, that might be going a bit far. I was still human after all. Or well, a witch. It was all still so very confusing. Changing species at the peak of your life was hard enough, but the fact that I was no longer at the bottom of the food chain made the whole thing worth it.

  I couldn’t wait to tell Callie!