“Let’s go see Robert Crowne,” Adam says. “He’s playing Madison Square Garden.”
“Seriously?” I ask. I love Robert Crowne. I saw him in concert on my first date with Raf. First quasi date. “How would we get in?” I ask. “Can you get tickets?”
Preppy Triplet laughs. “Since when do we need tickets? We’ll just zap ourselves backstage.”
“The opening band comes on at eight and then Crowne takes the stage at nine eastern time.” Adam glances at his watch. “I wouldn’t mind popping home to change. Do you guys want to meet backstage in an hour?”
The triplets murmur their agreement.
“Let me call Michael,” Karin says. “I know he’ll want to come.” Michael and Fitch no longer spend Saturdays with us now that their Sims are done.
Corey clears his throat and looks at my sister. “Miri, why don’t I pick you up and we can go together?”
Could it be? I think it is! My sister’s official first date!
“Are you almost ready?” I ask. I’m lying diagonally across Miri’s bed. “He’s going to be here any second.”
“Oh, no, I need more time!” She does up her jeans and spins toward me. “I don’t know what top to wear. You’re not changing?”
I’m kind of still liking my sweats. “Nope.”
“But you’re not wearing makeup!”
“Also nope.”
“You are meeting us, though, right?”
“Well …” I say. Sure, I love Robert Crowne, but now that I’m back home, I’m not exactly in the “going out” mood.
She frowns. “You have to come! I don’t want you staying home and moping.”
“Just because you seem to have bounced back from yesterday, it doesn’t mean I have,” I say. I hug her covers to my chest.
“So don’t change. Just come with Corey and me. Hurry, though. He’s going to buzz any minute.”
“I’m not tagging along on your date.”
“Yes, you are. I insist.” She crosses her arms. “I’m not going unless you come too.”
“Miri! It’s your first real date! You have to go.”
She sits down on the edge of her bed. “I’m kind of scared to be a couple. Come with me? Please?”
I laugh. “Fiiiine.”
We hear a loud bang inside the bathroom.
“Oh, no!” Miri cries.
“I guess he’s not buzzing,” I say.
“Go get him!” Miri orders. “I’m borrowing a shirt!” She scurries to my room and slams the door.
I go to the bathroom door. “Um … Corey?”
“Hi,” he says, laughing. “Sorry, y’all. I hate this spell.” He opens the door and is holding a bouquet of tulips.
“Aw,” I purr. “Miri! Guess who’s here! And he has flowers! Corey, hope you don’t mind, but I might be hitching a ride with … y’all.” Tee hee.
“No problem,” he says, flashing a big relieved smile. I think he might be nervous too. No wonder it’s taking them so long to have their first kiss.
Aw. He’s so cute. They’re so cute.
My mom rushes over. “Corey, hello!”
Corey blushes and says, “Hello, ma’am.”
“Oh, please call me Carol. It’s so wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Miri opens my door just in time to hear my mom’s proclamation. She muffles a groan.
“Mom,” I say in a low warning voice.
“Oh! I don’t mean to imply that Miri talks about you. Because she doesn’t.” Her hands flutter in the air. “Except, well …” Her voice trails off. “Oh dear.”
Er. I point to Corey’s flowers. “Miri, look at the bouquet!”
Miri shuffles her feet. “Thanks, Corey. That’s really sweet.”
Awkward pause.
“Mom,” I say, “would you mind putting Miri’s flowers in water so we can get going?”
“Right,” she says, sounding grateful. “Of course. Have fun!”
Honestly, if it weren’t for me, I don’t know how my family would survive.
I mean … what’s left of it.
“The feeling never fades
My sixteen shades …”
Robert Crowne is crooning onstage, and for the first time in forever, I’m able to block out everything else—my dad, Jennifer, not having a date for the Sam—and just be. My phone vibrates a few times but I just let it go. I let myself get lost in the songs.
It helps that we’ve somehow wormed our way into VIP seats on the side of the stage. At first the manager was kind of wondering who we were, but Michael must have done some kind of Jedi mind trick, ’cause now the guy keeps winking at us.
Of course I can’t help repeatedly peeking at Miri and Corey, who are right behind us.
No kissing action yet, but they’re holding hands.
How lucky is Miri? Falling for a guy who gets her. Who knows what it’s like to have magic powers. Who never has to be lied to.
I wish I were holding someone’s hand. Sure, Adam wouldn’t mind if I took his, but that would so be leading him on. It would be easy to do, though.
But my heart belongs to Raf.
Instead, I lift my hands in the air and dance to the music.
“That was amazing,” I tell the group as we file out of the auditorium. It would be much easier to skip the line and zap ourselves right from our seats, but we’re trying not to be so obvious.
“It was off the hook,” Viv says. “Rockin’ idea, Adam.”
“Rachel!”
Did someone just call my name? I look around at my group but no one seems to be speaking to me. My ears are still ringing, so maybe I imagined it?
“Rachel!” I hear again.
“That guy over there is calling you,” Viv says, pointing.
Pointing to Raf.
Omigod. He’s with his friend Justin and a few other guys. And they’re all staring at me.
I see him wave in the distance. He’s wearing a new leather jacket. One he designed? He looks amazing in it. And he’s wearing that brown shirt that brings out his eyes. The one we bought together. My heart feels like someone’s squeezing it.
What am I supposed to tell him to explain why I’m here? That my dad had an emergency? That he surprised us with tickets? That I had my weekends confused?
“Excuse me,” I say to my friends, and maneuver my way to where Raf is waiting. The dread in my mouth tastes like vinegar. What am I going to say? What lie am I going to make up this time? When I reach him, I open my mouth to say hi, to say something, but nothing comes out.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” His eyes look confused, but he’s smiling. “I’ve been calling you all day to tell you I got tickets. Hey, aren’t you supposed to be at your dad’s?”
I open my mouth, but still nothing comes out.
“If you were in town, why didn’t you call me?”
I try to say something. Anything. But I’m so tired of making up excuses. Of padding the truth.
His smile wanes. “Rachel, is something wrong?”
Everything’s wrong. We’re wrong. How can I be with you and lie to you for the rest of my life? I can never tell you the truth. You will never know who I really am.
Tears well up in my eyes. “Raf,” I choke out. “I’m sorry.”
“About what? What’s wrong?” He puts his arm around me.
Don’t cry, I tell myself. Do not cry. I can’t believe what I’m about to do. I never thought I would do what I’m about to do. But I have to do it. “I can’t be your girlfriend any-more,” I say slowly.
He looks stung, like I’ve slapped him in the face. “What are you talking about? Why?”
How can I possibly explain? Should I say that it’s better for both of us if we just break up now? I can’t tell him the truth. If my own dad wants nothing to do with me, why would Raf? And what’s my other choice? Lie for the rest of my life? Get married and keep lying? Have two kids but never fully show my husband who I am? End up divorced? He deserves more th
an that. I deserve more than that. Adam’s right. Karin’s right. A witch and a norlock can’t work.
But what can I possibly say that will make sense to him? I look around the room for answers. I look at my witch friends, who are watching me. Waiting. Miri. Corey. Karin. Viv. Adam.
And then I say it—the only thing I know he’ll under-stand. “I’m here with someone else.”
He follows my gaze to Adam. “Oh,” he says. He takes a step back. Pulls away his arm. His face hardens. “I get it.” His voice cracks.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper again, and then, before the tears overflow, I turn my back to him and run to my friends.
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, but It’s Easier with a Few Choice Spells
Miri immediately whisks me back home.
Raf and I are broken up.
Raf and I are broken up.
My father hates me, and Raf and I have broken up. And to add salt to my wound, when I listen to my messages, there are three from Raf, from before. The first two are him telling me he’s going to the concert and asking me if I can come back into the city to go too. Justin had two extra last-minute tickets. The last one is Raf at the concert. It’s a full minute of “Sixteen Shades of Love,” because Raf knows it’s one of my favorite songs.
Miri and I climb into my mom’s bed, and I sob and I sob until I am empty of tears. I can’t believe I just broke up with the sweetest guy in the world. I can’t believe I’m never going to kiss Raf again. One hundred and thirty-one kisses. That’s how many we’ve had. That’s all we’ll ever have. Yes, I kept count. What, you thought I came up with a whole formula for calculating kiss amounts and I wasn’t going to try to prove it right? Please.
But I had to break up with him. What other choice did I have?
“My,” my mom says, “you guys have certainly cleaned me out of Kleenex this weekend.”
I start laughing and crying at the same time.
“I’m hungry,” Miri says. “If I make popcorn, will you have some?”
“Yes,” my mom and I say.
I turn to my mom and sniff. “Do you think I made a mistake?”
She pats my head. “I think not wanting to be in a relationship based on lies is a very mature decision. I think you could have told him the truth. But I know that’s not an easy thing to do. Especially after your father’s reaction.”
My eyes tear up again. “You were right to begin with. You would have been better off marrying Jefferson Tyler.”
She hugs me. “Then I wouldn’t have had you guys.”
Miri returns to the room with our white popcorn bowl, the one that also doubles as a cauldron. “Don’t worry. You practically have a new boyfriend already. A warlock boy-friend. Adam already Mywitchbooked me.”
“My life is falling apart and you checked Mywitchbook?”
She pops a kernel into her mouth. “I just peeked. Don’t you want to know what he said?”
“No,” I say quickly. “Okay, maybe.”
“He asked me if you and Raf broke up.”
“Don’t tell him! I don’t want everyone to know already!” If everyone knows, then it must be true.
“I didn’t say anything to him, I swear. I told you, I just peeked!” She licks the salt off her fingers. “Do you want me to write him back?”
“No. Yes.” Is that what I want? Adam to be my new boyfriend? I know I like him as a friend, but do I like him like that? The thought of being with someone else, anyone else, even someone as cute as Adam, just makes me feel… blah.
I fall asleep with a hole in my heart, dreaming of Raf.
I mope around most of Sunday. I alternate between lying facedown on my bed and lying facedown on the couch. At least in the living room I can listen to (and watch with the one eye not smushed into the pillow) the TV. The Travel Channel is running an all-day marathon of The World’s Bests. By four o’clock I’ve seen The World’s Best Hotels, The World’s Best Bathrooms (Yes! People actually rank bathrooms! It must have been a witch, ’cause who else zaps her-self into so many of them?), The World’s Best Restaurants, and The World’s Best Beaches. The world’s best beach is in Greece, in case you’re interested.
At five Miri tells me we’re going out.
I lift my head up from the couch. “To where? Greece?”
“No. Lozacea.”
“But it’s Sunday,” I say.
“It’s a community center. It’s open. Karin and Viv are there studying and hanging out.”
I sigh. “I don’t feel like it.”
“Just for an hour. That’s an order.”
I stand up. “When did you get so bossy?”
We use the go spell and get zapped into the bathroom.
Miri takes the opportunity to pee, and I study my reflection. My eyes are puffy. Do I care? Not really. I feel the tears well up again, and I splash water on my face. I’m going to be fine. Absolutely fine. I did what I had to do.
My cell phone vibrates.
Raf?
I glance at the name. Adam. I pick up. “Hello?”
“What’s going on, friend?” he asks.
I let out a low laugh. “Not much.”
“You left last night in a bit of a hurry.”
“No kidding.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
I look away from the mirror. “Not so much. Hey, how did you get my number? I don’t remember giving it to you.”
“I’m a warlock. I can get anything,” he says. “So, where are you now? At home?”
“Actually, I’m at Lozacea.”
“Seriously? Me too. I’m in the game room. Viv and Karin just left me to practice their candle spells. Come be my pool partner?”
“Where is the game room?” How many rooms does this place have?
“Make a left after the caf and then walk until you see a red door. Knock three times and say, ‘Balio.’
“Okay. We’ll be there in two.” Hopefully. If I find it. I hang up as Miri flushes and then joins me in front of the mirror. I wag my finger disapprovingly. “You did not tell me Adam was here.”
She feigns innocence. “I didn’t? Fine, you got me. Viv may have mentioned he was here studying. Or pretending to study.”
He is cute. And sweet. And funny. And a warlock. Could I like him as more than a friend?
Miri goes to find the girls, and I search for, and then find, the game room.
“Welcome,” Adam says.
I look around. Ping-Pong. Foosball. Checkers. Monopoly. Adam, looking kind of cute, racking up a pool table. I clear my throat and say, “These games seem kind of ordinary.”
“What did you expect?” Adam asks. “Quidditch?”
I force myself to laugh. “You’d think witches would have some sort of magical sport.”
His eyes crinkle. “Wanna race brooms?”
I lean against the table. “Brooms are so last year.”
“Chicken?”
The word chicken makes me think of General Tso chicken, which makes me think of Raf, and my heart stops. Great. Now I’ll never be able to eat my favorite dish ever again. “No,” I say. “Definitely not.” I push the thought of Raf away and pick up a pool cue. “What would you want to race for? Broom ownership?”
“Ha. How about these terms. If I win …” He pauses.
“If you win what? The race or the game of pool?”
“Either,” he says. “If I win either one, you be my date for my Simsorta next weekend.”
I almost drop my cue. “Oh. But—”
“Don’t ‘but’ me. Just as a friend. I promise I won’t try to make out with you again. Unless you want me to.” He gives me an exaggerated wink. “But honestly, my parents keep bugging me about why I’m not bringing a date, and if I don’t bring somebody, I’m going to have to dance with my mom for the first dance. You can’t make me do that. Please. Save me.” He looks up at me. “Unless your boyfriend doesn’t want you to.”
I shake my head. Guess Miri really didn’t tell him. “Raf and I broke up.”
He cocks his head. “I wondered what was up last night.…” He raises an eyebrow. “How are you?”
Must not cry. Must not cry. I force myself to shrug. “I’m fine. It was the right decision.” I think. I hope. “It’s too hard to be with someone I can’t be honest with, you know?”
“Yeah,” he says. “I do.”
For a second, neither of us speaks. We hear laughter from outside.
“So does that mean you’ll be my date? As a friend?” He gives me a hopeful smile.
I have an idea. “I’ll tell you what. Forget the race and the pool game. Let’s make a deal. I’ll be your friend-date this week—”
“Deal!”
“If next week you’ll be mine.”
He smiles. “Now, those are my kind of terms.”
I don’t see Raf all day on Monday.
Some would call it luck, but I would call it the avoiding spell, which I found on page 376 of the spell book. It casts an orange hue fifty feet around him that only I can see. Best way to keep tabs on an ex ever. Or someone you’re stalking. Not that I’m advocating stalking. ’Cause everyone knows that’s bad. But no matter what it’s used for, I’m going to have to find out which witch made that one up and give her some serious kudos.
I tell Tammy the breakup news that morning in home-room.
“But I don’t understand!” Tammy cries after her jaw literally hit the desk in shock. Fine, not literally, but her mouth really did fall open at the news. “How could you break up? You guys were crazy about each other!”
Now what am I supposed to say? Because I’m a witch and he isn’t? Because it’ll never work? “We were just in different places,” I say.
“What are you talking about? What different places? You two are in the same place! Here!”
“It’s complicated,” I say, my head starting to pound.
“This isn’t about the fashion show, is it?” she asks, fore-head wrinkled in confusion.
“No, it’s just…” What am I supposed to tell her? I can give her the same untrue explanation that I gave Raf—that it’s because of Adam. But Tammy would wonder why I’ve never mentioned Adam. She’d ask how I met this Adam. She’d want to meet this Adam. “You know what? I don’t really want to talk about it.”
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