Inherited Magic

by Jennifer Mccullah

  “No, it has been there all afternoon. It hasn’t moved from that spot,” she said pointing to the cat, which was right outside of their storefront window, “It’s strange, like the cat is waiting for something.”

  “Oh.”

  “Take it home if you’d like.”

  Allison was already thinking about it. “I don’t know; my grandma may kill me if I do that. Thanks though.”

  She walked back outside. The cat was staring up at her once again. She would like to take it home, but she was afraid that would not go over well with Ruby. Allison bent over and stroked the cat one last time, then stood up and started on her way. She found it unusual that she was so interested in this cat; it wasn’t like that was the first stray she had encountered. Allison continued making her lap around the block when she heard a sound from behind, and turned to see a pair of copper eyes staring up at her.

  “What are you doing, kitty?”

  The cat meowed.

  She crouched and it ran to her. Allison petted the cat for a couple of minutes before standing back up.

  “You are a good kitty, but you can’t follow me,” she said.

  Allison started walking again and glanced back to find the cat keeping up with every step she made.

  “Weird,” she muttered, “Since when do cats follow people?”

  She figured it was going to follow her anyway, so she might as well take it home with her. Allison changed her direction, walking back toward the trailer and the cat followed. They arrived at home and Allison turned to the cat.

  “Let’s hope for the best.”

  It meowed, its copper eyes meeting hers, as if comprehending her words.

  She walked in and held the door open for her new friend. When it entered the house, Vinnie looked up from his game.

  “You’re becoming a crazy cat lady sooner than I’d imagined,” he said, “Are you keeping it?”

  “I guess we’ll see.”

  Ruby walked into the living room. “Are you keeping what?” she asked.

  Her eyes answered her own question. The color drained from her face.

  “Where did you find her?” she asked, never taking her eyes off the cat.

  “It was just sitting outside Smith’s Accounting. The woman said it had been there all afternoon, just sitting in the same spot. There’s no collar.”

  “Did it follow you?”

  “Yeah, and you know, I’ve never wanted a cat, but this one is different.”

  “I was afraid of that.”

  “You were afraid of what?”

  Ruby took her eyes off the cat and looked at Allison. She opened her mouth to say something but shut it. Ruby was giving her next sentence a lot of thought.

  “I was afraid you would eventually want something to shed all over my furniture.”

  “Oh.”

  “It is short haired, so maybe it won’t shed as much as a long haired cat,” Vinnie said.

  “I hope not,” Ruby said, still staring into the cat’s copper eyes.

  “So can we keep it?” Allison asked.

  Ruby sighed, “Yes, we’re keeping her. It sounds like this cat was meant to be yours.”

  Allison smiled.

  “I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl,” Vinnie said.

  He walked behind it to have a better look.

  “It’s a girl. They’re always girls,” Ruby said before she walked back into the kitchen to finish cooking dinner.

  Vinnie looked closely at its backside, “She’s right. It is a girl.”

  Chapter 6

  Allison and Vinnie entered the school together.

  “If you see a tall, good looking blonde boy, that’s Adam,” Allison said.

  “Like the one talking to Jane?” Vinnie asked.

  She looked to see the two of them talking, laughing. It was obvious from across the lobby that Jane was flirting. Allison considered the idea that he may just fall in line with the other sheep. Maybe Jane Wallace was the kind of girl he preferred. She was pretty, with no real substance or opinions on anything other than shoes. Allison turned to walk to her locker when Adam looked over and noticed her.

  “Hey,” Adam said from across the lobby.

  He said something to Jane before approaching Allison. Jane looked annoyed, glaring at Allison, who smiled back.

  “Hi Adam,” Allison said, “This is my best friend Vinnie.”

  “Hey man, nice to meet you,” Adam said.

  “Nice to meet you too.”

  “I see you met Jane Wallace,” Allison said, rolling her eyes.

  “Yeah, she was in the office while I was finishing some paperwork. She seems nice.”

  “If she was nice, you should feel flattered; that is unusual behavior for our beloved head cheerleader.”

  Adam laughed, “Are you jealous that you didn’t get head cheerleader?”

  “Totally.”

  She was about to say something else when she looked up and noticed Sam walking by the three of them. Their eyes met and both girls looked away.

  “What was that about?” Adam asked.

  “They’re not speaking right now,” Vinnie said.

  “So, you’re usually friends?”

  “Usually,” Allison said.

  “Is there anyone in this school you do get along with?” Adam asked.

  “Just you and Vinnie, but keep it up and it’ll just be Vinnie.”

  They compared class schedules. He and Allison shared three classes. Vinnie, Adam and Allison had one class together. One of the three classes Adam and Allison shared was History with Mr. Bunch. He and Allison walked to the classroom together. Josh was at his locker when Allison walked by him. It looked like he was about to approach Allison until he noticed she was walking with Adam. They passed him and entered Mr. Bunch’s classroom, sitting next to each other. As soon as she sat down, Wes walked over to her desk.

  “Hey, I want to apologize. I didn’t realize that I was going to cause a problem for you and Sam by mentioning that.”

  “It’s okay. I guess I should have told her to begin with. I just didn’t realize she would be mad. Did you have a good time Friday?”

  “I did. I’m thinking about asking her to be my girlfriend.”

  Allison was happy for Sam. Even though they were not on speaking terms, she could not help it. Sam deserved someone like Wes.

  “That’s great. You two would make the best couple.”

  “Thanks,” he said, looking at Adam for the first time, “Hi. I’m Wes Young.”

  “Nice to meet you, I’m Adam Davis.”

  Allison forgot one thing about her time with Adam on Friday, Siler. He entered the doorway and she knew there was going to be a problem. Siler spotted them as soon as he walked into the classroom.

  “You’re dead,” he told Adam.

  Adam smiled, “Okay.”

  “I don’t know why you think you can talk about someone’s mother, but you said the wrong thing.”

  “Look, it was a joke. I only said it because of what you were saying to her. Obviously, I don’t think your mom’s a hooker.”

  Allison resisted the urge to add that his mother could never be a hooker because she was too ugly.

  “I don’t care if it was a little joke. We’re going to settle this after class.”

  “I don’t want to fight you.”

  “You don’t have a choice.”

  By this point, everyone in the class was watching their conversation. Siler was big, strong and mean. He had been in a dozen fights since junior high. Allison could recall an instance when a boy made fun of Siler for his noticeable under bite. They had been in the cafeteria. Siler beat him with a lunch tray until the boy’s head split open. He had to have several stitches.

  “Come on, it’s my first day. If you want to fight, can it at least wait until after school? Besides, aren’t you a football player?”

  “Yeah.”

  “If you fight at school, won’t it cause you to be suspended from games or something? You were
already suspended Friday.”

  Siler needed to have a good season. This was his last year to play and there were scouts watching him. There was no doubt he was talented, the bigger questions were about his academics and off the field behavior.

  “Okay, after school at the park.”

  “Do we really need to do this?”

  “Yeah, we do.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Siler nodded and walked to his seat.

  “Are you going to show?” Allison asked.

  “Yeah. I know guys like him. If I don’t show up, I’ll just have to deal with him all year. This way, whatever happens, happens. He may beat me up, but at least it will be over. And who knows, I may surprise him.”

  “Siler can fight; I have watched him hurt a lot of guys.”

  “Maybe I can too.”

  She looked at him, and just didn’t see it. Adam was solid, but still so lanky. Siler was twice his size and it was all muscle.

  She sighed, “Just be careful.”

  Mr. Bunch entered the class, which ended their conversation.

  After that first class, the day went by faster than Allison would have liked. It was lunchtime before she knew it. Adam went into the cafeteria with her. She noticed Vinnie, Josh and Sam sitting together at their usual table. Allison only glanced over for a second and kept walking. Once she and Adam had their trays, they found two empty seats on the other side of the cafeteria.

  “So you’re just the outcast of your little group?” Adam asked when he noticed Allison looking toward the table.

  “Well, I just figured that I would find somewhere else to eat lunch. This argument doesn’t involve Josh or Vinnie. I didn’t want them to feel like they had to choose sides. Besides, I see Vinnie all the time at home.”

  “He visits a lot?”

  “You might as well say he lives with me.”

  “Really? Are you related or something?”

  “No. We have been friends forever. According to the state, he lives with his mother and his stepfather, but he never stays there. Everyone seems to like it that way. His mother is the type of woman who will put up with anything to have a man in her life. She puts her romantic needs before her own child.”

  “I know the type. I have an aunt who can’t function if she’s single.”

  “Well Chuck, his step dad, can’t stand Vinnie. He is always so hateful. He seems to have genuine contempt for him.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. I think maybe Vinnie is a reminder that his wife has been with other men. He is the jealous, control freak type. Vinnie’s real father was from El Salvador and he died when Vinnie was three. I think it bothers Chuck that Vinnie is part Hispanic, too. Chuck tolerates Vinnie; but he’s never liked anything about him. They don’t even want him around. They’re more than happy to let him stay over for weeks at a time.”

  “Chuck sounds like a major jerk.”

  “He is, but my grandmother loves Vinnie so much. It all works out because now he’s part of our family.”

  “You live with your grandmother?”

  “Yes,” she said while playing with her dry mashed potatoes.

  “What about your parents?”

  “My mother is dead and my father is I don’t know where. Too busy to be bothered with raising his daughter I guess.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked something so personal.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Soon enough, lunch period was over and the rest of the day continued just as fast. The last class of the day was Art. Vinnie, Adam and Allison were all in the same class. They sat together at one of the long, beat up tables.

  “Are you sure about fighting Siler?” Vinnie asked.

  “It’s not like I want to or anything, but this is how it has to happen.”

  Allison looked up from her charcoal picture, which was almost completed. They had a free day, so she was finishing the portrait of the man from her dream. The white hair, the eyes and that scar: even after drawing his features, she could not remove his image from her mind. Her portrait of the man was lifelike and haunting.

  “I’m going to the park with Adam,” Allison said.

  “So is half the school. Everyone is talking about it,” Vinnie said, “I’ll come too.”

  “You two don’t have to be there if you don’t want,” Adam said.

  “We want to,” Allison assured him.

  “Thanks,” Adam said, while looking at her picture.

  “I like it. Who is this?”

  “Just a man from my imagination,” she said. “I should have it done by the end of class. I’m going to take it home and show my grandma. She is always excited to see my drawings.”

  “I can see why. You are talented.”

  Allison smiled and thanked Adam. Compliments about her artwork or anything else always made her uncomfortable. The three of them were silent for a few minutes, each working on something different.

  The closer it got to three o’clock, the more nervous Allison became. When the bell rang, and the school day was finished, Allison grabbed her completed drawing and other belongings and rushed to her locker. This was one time that she wished school would have lasted longer. She walked to her locker and began placing books inside. She jumped when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

  “You’re a hard person to catch alone,” Josh said.

  She turned and gave him a weak laugh, “Yeah, I guess so.”

  There was a definite awkwardness in his demeanor.

  “I hate that you and Sam are fighting.”

  “Me too. I just didn’t realize she was going to get mad over nothing.”

  “Yeah.”

  He stared at her as if he wanted to say something more. After a moment, he spoke again.

  “I’m sorry for texting you the other night. It was stupid, but it was true. I would have rather been there with you any day.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I was probably overreacting.”

  His green eyes flashed across the hallway where Adam stood with Vinnie. They were lingering, waiting until the conversation with Josh was over before approaching.

  “You and the new kid are friendly.”

  His voice was no longer apologetic or sad; instead, there was an edge of bitterness in it.

  “Yeah, Adam’s nice. I can introduce you.”

  “No thanks,” he said, before walking away from her.

  Allison watched him walk down the hall, but she did not have much time to think on their conversation because Adam and Vinnie were soon at her side. Vinnie gave her a questioning look but said nothing.

  “So, where is this park?” Adam asked.

  “We’ll show you, it isn’t far.”

  While they walked down the hall to get to the lobby, all eyes were on Adam. Students stared with what seemed like pity. They all knew what was coming, word traveled fast in a small high school. Jane approached the group.

  “Adam, you may not realize it, but you are making a big mistake. You don’t need to fight Siler,” she said.

  “Thanks for the concern, but everything is fine,” Adam said.

  Jane placed a delicate hand on his chest and gave her best pouty expression, “I don’t want anything to happen to you or your pretty face.”

  At that moment, Allison wanted to do something to Jane’s pretty face. Adam stepped back so that Jane was no longer touching him.

  “Thanks. I’ll be fine,” he told her.

  She turned to Allison, “And you’re just going along with this?”

  “What would you like me to do? This is not my choice.”

  Of course, she was worried. It wasn’t as if she was excited for Adam and Siler to fight. Allison wondered if she could see what was going to happen. Her visions of the future were always random, or at least they had been up until now. She was not sure what triggered the images, and she had never tried to have one on purpose. She wasn’t even sure if she could, but it was worth a try.

  Alliso
n focused, thinking about what was going to happen this afternoon. An image formed in her mind, but it was Jane, not Adam. She could see Jane dropping books and papers after a kid bumped into her. That was the only image that Allison had.

  “Are you even listening to me?” Jane asked.

  “Sorry. I zoned out.”

  She rolled her eyes, “I asked if you told him about Siler.”

  “Of course I did.”

  “Just don’t get hurt,” she told Adam before walking away.

  The three of them continued to make their way through the lobby and to the front entrance. Right before they exited the school building, they heard a shriek and a crash. Allison looked to see a frustrated Jane staring down at a pile of books and papers.

  “Watch where you’re going,” she said to the startled freshman.

  It may not have been a significant, life changing vision, Allison thought, but it was something. It proved that she had some control over whatever was happening to her.

  Chapter 7

  Allison, Vinnie and Adam walked toward the park. There were other students walking in front of them and behind them. They were all going to the park to watch the potential bloodbath. In Allison’s mind, they were all vultures, just wanting to see the new kid get hurt. She was going for different reasons, to make sure he was okay. If things got too out of hand, she was prepared to jump on Siler’s back and choke him out UFC style.

  The park was half a mile from the school, but Allison never wanted that walk to end. They were silent most of the way. She tried to be calm but her stomach was in knots, she could not imagine how Adam must feel. He looked calm enough on the outside, but she wondered if that was just some tough guy facade.

  “It’s not too late to back out,” Vinnie said, “Trust me, no one would think less of you for not fighting Siler. Do you think any of these guys would fight him?”

  “They might not think less of me, but Siler would and he would make sure I knew it every day.”

  Vinnie could not argue with that logic. The students around Adam glanced back and shared whispers while they walked. One boy approached him, Danny Mayes. He was a sophomore, super skinny and timid.

  “Good luck,” he told Adam, “Siler has been my neighbor all my life, and I can’t tell you the number of wedgies and bruises he’s given me. I hope you do what the rest of us have always wanted to.”