to Cal, her hand on his arm. Raven was watching them with narrowed eyes.
Dazed, I found my way to homeroom like a cow returning to the barn. My life seemed very complicated.
That afternoon I put my Wicca books in a paper bag and brought them to Bree’s house. She had promised I could come over and read them whenever I wanted.
“I’ll keep them safe for you,” she said.
“Thanks.” I pushed my hair over my shoulder and rested my head against her door. “Maybe I could come over tonight after dinner? I’m halfway through the history of witchcraft book, and it’s pretty fascinating.”
“Of course,” she said sympathetically. “Poor baby.” She patted my shoulder. “Look, just lie low for a while, let it all blow over. And you know you can come over and read or just hang out anytime. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said, giving her a hug. “How’s the thing with Cal going?” It hurt to ask, but I knew it was what she wanted to talk about.
Bree made a face. “Two days ago he was happy to talk for almost an hour on the phone, but yesterday I asked him to drive out to Wingott’s Farm with me and he turned me down. I’m going to have to start stalking him if he doesn’t give in pretty soon.”
“He’ll give in,” I predicted. “They always do.”
“True,” Bree agreed, her eyes wistful.
“Well, I’ll call you later,” I said, suddenly eager for this conversation to end.
“Hang in there, okay?” she called after me as I escaped.
The next week I made a point of hanging out more with Tamara, Janice, and Ben. I went to math club and tried really hard to care about functions, but I longed to be learning about Wicca and especially to be near Cal.
When I told my mom I had gotten rid of the books, she was faintly embarrassed but mostly relieved. For a moment I felt guilty for omitting the fact that the books were only at Bree’s house and I was still reading them in the evenings, but I chased the guilt away. I respected my parents, but I didn’t agree with them.
“Thanks,” she said quietly, and looked like she wanted to say more, but didn’t. Several times that week I caught her watching me, and the weird thing was, it reminded me of the creepy clerk at Practical Magick. She was watching me with an air of expectation, as if I were about to sprout horns or something.
All that week autumn moved in slowly, sweeping up the Hudson River into Widow’s Vale. The days were noticeably shorter, the wind brisker. There was a sense of anticipation all around me, in the leaves, the wind, the sunlight. I felt like something big was coming, but I didn’t know what.
On Saturday afternoon the phone rang while I was doing homework. Cal, I thought before I grabbed the upstairs extension.
“Hey,” he said, and the sound of his voice made me slightly breathless.
“Hey,” I replied.
“Are you coming to the circle tonight?” he asked straight out. “It’s going to be at Matt’s house.”
I had wrestled with this question for days. Granted, I was disobeying the spirit of my parents’ orders by reading my Wicca books, but actually going to another circle seemed like a much bigger deal. Learning about Wicca was one thing; practicing it was another.“I can’t,” I said finally, almost wanting to cry.
Cal was quiet for a minute. “I promise you everyone will keep their clothes on.” I could hear the humor in his voice, and I smiled. He paused again. “I promise I won’t carry you into the water,” he added so softly, I wasn’t sure I’d actually heard it. I didn’t know what to say. I could feel the blood racing through my arteries.
“Unless you want me to,” he added just as quietly.
Bree, your best friend, is in love with him, I reminded myself, needing to break the spell. She has a chance.You do not.
“It’s just that . . . I c-can’t,” I heard myself stammering weakly. I heard my mom moving around downstairs, and I went into my room and shut the door.
“Okay,” he said
Dazed, I found my way to homeroom like a cow returning to the barn. My life seemed very complicated.
That afternoon I put my Wicca books in a paper bag and brought them to Bree’s house. She had promised I could come over and read them whenever I wanted.
“I’ll keep them safe for you,” she said.
“Thanks.” I pushed my hair over my shoulder and rested my head against her door. “Maybe I could come over tonight after dinner? I’m halfway through the history of witchcraft book, and it’s pretty fascinating.”
“Of course,” she said sympathetically. “Poor baby.” She patted my shoulder. “Look, just lie low for a while, let it all blow over. And you know you can come over and read or just hang out anytime. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said, giving her a hug. “How’s the thing with Cal going?” It hurt to ask, but I knew it was what she wanted to talk about.
Bree made a face. “Two days ago he was happy to talk for almost an hour on the phone, but yesterday I asked him to drive out to Wingott’s Farm with me and he turned me down. I’m going to have to start stalking him if he doesn’t give in pretty soon.”
“He’ll give in,” I predicted. “They always do.”
“True,” Bree agreed, her eyes wistful.
“Well, I’ll call you later,” I said, suddenly eager for this conversation to end.
“Hang in there, okay?” she called after me as I escaped.
The next week I made a point of hanging out more with Tamara, Janice, and Ben. I went to math club and tried really hard to care about functions, but I longed to be learning about Wicca and especially to be near Cal.
When I told my mom I had gotten rid of the books, she was faintly embarrassed but mostly relieved. For a moment I felt guilty for omitting the fact that the books were only at Bree’s house and I was still reading them in the evenings, but I chased the guilt away. I respected my parents, but I didn’t agree with them.
“Thanks,” she said quietly, and looked like she wanted to say more, but didn’t. Several times that week I caught her watching me, and the weird thing was, it reminded me of the creepy clerk at Practical Magick. She was watching me with an air of expectation, as if I were about to sprout horns or something.
All that week autumn moved in slowly, sweeping up the Hudson River into Widow’s Vale. The days were noticeably shorter, the wind brisker. There was a sense of anticipation all around me, in the leaves, the wind, the sunlight. I felt like something big was coming, but I didn’t know what.
On Saturday afternoon the phone rang while I was doing homework. Cal, I thought before I grabbed the upstairs extension.
“Hey,” he said, and the sound of his voice made me slightly breathless.
“Hey,” I replied.
“Are you coming to the circle tonight?” he asked straight out. “It’s going to be at Matt’s house.”
I had wrestled with this question for days. Granted, I was disobeying the spirit of my parents’ orders by reading my Wicca books, but actually going to another circle seemed like a much bigger deal. Learning about Wicca was one thing; practicing it was another.“I can’t,” I said finally, almost wanting to cry.
Cal was quiet for a minute. “I promise you everyone will keep their clothes on.” I could hear the humor in his voice, and I smiled. He paused again. “I promise I won’t carry you into the water,” he added so softly, I wasn’t sure I’d actually heard it. I didn’t know what to say. I could feel the blood racing through my arteries.
“Unless you want me to,” he added just as quietly.
Bree, your best friend, is in love with him, I reminded myself, needing to break the spell. She has a chance.You do not.
“It’s just that . . . I c-can’t,” I heard myself stammering weakly. I heard my mom moving around downstairs, and I went into my room and shut the door.
“Okay,” he said
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