OMG... Am I a Witch?! by Talia Aikens-Nuñez Page A

breath again. “But, uh, he said he would be home later. And, to tell you not to worry . . . or call . . . he’ll be home.”
    OMG! I have never ever lied to her! I am a horrible daughter. But, her mother couldn’t know about Austin. She would be so mad at April if she knew she had turned him into a dog. WOW! Did I really just do that? Did I really just turn my brother into a dog and lie to my mother in the same hour?
    Click-CLACK. Click-clack . Her mom returned to the living room.
    April let out a huge breath. “Geez, that was bad.”
    Austin grunted as if he agreed.
    â€œThanks, Austin . . .” She straightened her back and squeezed her shoulder blades together, looking down at him under her glasses. “Even though you are a year older than me, I kind of like feeling . . . bigger and . . .” she cleared her throat, “witch-ie r !”
    â€œGrrrr . . .”
    â€œWell, too bad I’m the witch and you’re the dog.”
    Am I really a witch?

two

    April had always been curious. Three years ago, when April was in the second grade, she had discovered she could search for answers to her questions online. She was excited by her new discovery of Google. But, that is how she had gotten herself into this mess. What does all of this mean? What else can I do? What will happen if people, the wrong people, find out about my, uh, powers?
    She put Austin between her elbow and body. With one hand, she unzipped her book bag and grabbed her phone. As fast as her fingers could move, she texted Grace: OMG . . . I may be a witch?!
    Within seconds, Grace texted back: HA HA VERY FUNN Y  . . .
    April texted: I’m not kidding! Can U Google 4 me how 2 undo spell that turned ur brother into a dog?
    Her phone quickly rang.
    She answered it. “OMG Grace! I don’t know what to do! We need to Google how to fix this!”
    â€œWell . . . what happened?” Grace asked. “You turned Austin into a dog? Really ? And, can you also morph into a werewolf? Then into a mouse?”
    April felt her body tighten as her breath quickened.
    â€œArr r !” Austin yelped.
    â€œOh sorry, Austin. I—”
    â€œOMG! Who was that? Was that who, or what, I think it is?”
    â€œYep,” April answered in a low voice. She cleared her throat. “Definitely a dog. I, um, squeezed him a little too hard.”
    â€œYou HAVE to get over here. STAT.” Grace watched too many doctor television shows. She liked using their lingo.
    â€œYou can’t tell anyone!” said April. “I mean, no one else can know. Ok?”
    Silence.
    â€œHello Grace? Are you there?”
    â€œUh huh, just busy pinching myself to make sure this isn’t a dream.”
    â€œOr nightmare. I can’t believe I just turned my annoying brother into a dog. I mean he deserved it. Well, sorta. I feel even more horrible because I had to lie to my mom.”
    â€œBreathe, April. I do have to say, you were quite clever to be able to sneak him off the bus and into your house with no one seeing you.”
    April straightened her back and smirked. “I guess you’re right. I am pretty clever.”
    â€œApril, just come over so we can try to figure this out. It will be easier for us to Google over here since I have a computer in my room. At your house, we would have to sneak downstairs and do it with a parent over our shoulders. Right?”
    â€œYeah. You’re right. See you in a little while.”
    â€œApril, I can see your house from my window,” Grace laughed.
    â€œYou’re right again. See you in a minute.” April exhaled hard and dropped the phone on her bed.
    Holding Austin and his mouth shut with one arm, she walked to the door and opened it. He wiggled his body, pressing his paws into her side.
    â€œArrr . . .”
    â€œSorry, I didn’t realize I squeezed that