A Witch Like No Other by Makala Thomas Page A

but
it’ s not what it looks
like-”
    “ What do you
want it to look like?” Dreamer quipped, still smirking.
Miriam foolishly opened her mouth to say she
wanted it to look like Ted was having some sort of affair with her,
then she closed it. Instead she said “What it is. Just me mentoring
Ted away from the clinic.”
    “ Whatever
problems he had this morning are gone,” Dreamer replied. “We sorted
things out, which is why he didn’ t bother to come.”
    “ Oh.”
    Anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach. Ted
didn ’ t
bother calling to say he wasn ’ t coming-
didn ’ t
even care that Miriam could have been waiting a long time for him
to show up. To make things worse, Pandora said “Do you have a crush
on my dad or something, Miss Hughes?”
    “ Don’ t be ridiculous,
Pandora,” said Miriam through gritted teeth: for the first time
ever, she wanted Pandora elsewhere. “That ’ s absurd.”
    “ Not really, I
mean you-”
    “ Hush,” Dreamer
commanded softly, and Pandora closed her mouth. “Miriam, I hope
you’ re being honest with
me.”
    Miriam swallowed, the she said “I am- I ’ m being
honest-”
    “ Look me in my
eyes and tell me you’ re being
honest, Miriam.”
    Dreamer ’ s eyes became the only things she could see, dark
green whirlpools glittering in a void of darkness.
    “ If you
aren’ t, I ’ ll know. If
you ’ re
planning to get your hands on Ted, I ’ ll find out.”
    “ I… I…” Miriam
felt like she’ d pass out.
“I ’ m
not… he ’ s a friend.”
    “ I can see
that. You’ ve helped him with
Pandora.”
    “ Yes I have,”
said Miriam, heat rising. “While you-”
    “ You know
nothing about what I’ ve been
through,” hissed Dreamer, making Pandora and Miriam recoil.
“Nothing.”
    “ I know
enough,” Miriam said bravely. “You don’ t deserve Ted.”
The green eyes vanished, leaving Miriam
staring into darkness.
    “ Miss? Would
you like your bill?”
    “ What?”
Miriam blinked: she was back in the café.
Dreamer was sitting in front of her, Pandora playing with her
phone.
    “ I’ m paying,” Dreamer said
quietly: the waiter blushed again as he handed her the bill, hands
shaking. Dreamer took the paper and looked at it, then she snapped
her fingers. A crisp ten pound note appeared with five pound coins,
the waiter yelping. Smiling at him, she said “There you go. Keep
the change for putting up with my friend here.”
    “ T-thank you
Ma’ am,” he gasped, taking the
money and backing away. Dreamer frowned, thinking.
    “ Miriam had
four cups of tea, each ninety pence, the lunch special is five
pounds, plus baked beans on the side which cost seventy pence, and
a large glass of cranberry juice cost two pounds…”
    Pandora ’ s jaw dropped. Dreamer wasn ’ t even looking at a
menu, and it was her first time here in this town. Miriam was
gaping as well.
    “ That makes
eleven pounds thirty,” said Dreamer, looking at the waiter. “Three
pounds seventy isn’ t much of a
tip, is it?”
    “ What? Oh no
Ma’ am, it ’ s fine,” blurted the
waiter, his face bypassing red and turning purple. “Please,
it ’ s
the biggest tip I ’ ve got here-”
    “ Really?”
    “ Yes, I promise
you- it’ s no problem at all.
Thank you,” he gushed, Dreamer still frowning at him.
    “ Are you sure
that’ s all you-”
    “ Yes
Ma’ am it is. Thank you very
much, I-” he tripped over a chair as he backed away, then he said
“Please come again um… Miss Black!”
    “ How do you
know my-”
    Dreamer ’ s eyes landed behind him, her jaw dropping. The
television in the corner of the café had her beautiful face on, and
her mother ’ s as they took a call. Dreamer ’ s name streamed along
the screen, a voice saying “Please do not attempt to call
Dreamer ’ s hotline, for she is unavailable for the time being. For
further information, please go to AmazingAgnes.com.”
Everyone turned in their seats to stare at
Dreamer, then talk broke out.
    “ Call