The Witch Is Back by Brittany Geragotelis Page B

connected. But now, there was nothing except the occasional feeling that she was with me. And even that had been diminishing lately.
    At least the memory dreams I often had of my relatives’ deaths hadn’t extended to her yet. It wasn’t exactly the way I wanted to remember her. In her last moments, screaming as the flames bit at her skin . . .
    I shook my head to try to clear it of the grotesque image I’d just conjured.
    â€œSo, I left for my aunt’s right after that. I had no idea that Brooklyn tried to meet me that day. I just left. No explanation, no note, no forwarding address. I disappeared and never looked back. Of course, there was a lot going on and I had some pretty rough stuff to deal with, but I still should’ve at least e-mailed her to let her know I was alive. Even though our relationship was over, it didn’t mean I didn’t still care about her.”
    My heart swelled with love for this guy who was so good that he worried about an ex’s feelings despite everything she’d done. Not many guys his age would care, let alone try to atone for their own misdeeds.
    â€œAnd then I moved and met you, and my life changed forever. It was torture lying to you. Not just because I fell in love with you, but because I know how lies can ruin a relationship. And I know how it feels to be betrayed. That’s why I’m grateful every day that you gave me a second chance. You’re a more forgiving person than I was, and I feel like I need to learn something from you. Let Brooklyn know that I’m not mad anymore. I can understand why people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily, when something they care about is threatened. We all make mistakes.”
    Guilt swirled around inside my head as I realized that Brooklyn might not be the evil villainess that I’d made her out to be. She was hurt over losing Asher, something I could totally understand. It must’ve been awful to have him just disappear like that, with no clue where he’d gone or why he’d left. Or whether he was okay. She’d probably beaten herself up ever since. Not that she wasn’t also at fault. There were no excuses for what she’d done to him.
    â€œMaybe I could be nicer to Brooklyn from here on out. It sounds like she’s gone through a rough time,” I said, forcing myself to try to see things from her perspective.
    â€œShe has in her own way,” Asher said, looking around the room as if he were just noticing the other kids for the first time. “And truthfully, she’s not as strong as you are, Had. That’s one of the things that attracted me to you right off the bat. I knew you weren’t the kind of person who’d let anyone influence her into doing something she didn’t want to do. You’re a leader, not a follower.”
    â€œAw, shucks,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “If I’d have known our fights would end with you telling me how awesome I am, then I would’ve gotten mad at you a long time ago.”
    â€œAs cute as you are when you’re mad, I really hate fighting with you,” he said.
    â€œMe too,” I said. “Let’s try to avoid that in the future, okay?”
    â€œDeal. I love you, Had,” Asher said, placing his hand on my cheek and then brushing his fingers back until they were resting on the back of my neck. Pulling me toward him, he planted a soft, sweet kiss on my lips. “Nothing’s ever going to change that.”
    â€œI know,” I said quietly. Then I sighed and looked straight into his eyes. “Okay, I guess it makes sense for you to talk things through with her. You know, just to clear the air and everything. And I’ll try not to kill her the next time I see her . . . which is going to be, like, every second of every day for the next month.”
    Ugh .
    Asher just laughed. “Thanks, babe,” he said. “You don’t have to