Strange Magic (2 page)

          Convincing Caitlin to drop the subject would be another story. I could only hope that once she started rehearsing for the next school play that she would be too distracted to worry about my love life.

          As expected, during the ride home, Caitlin was brainstorming ways for me to get Duncan to ask me out. I kept trying to change the subject.

          Caitlin stopped at a red light and turned to look at me. “C’mon, Suzy. This is the biggest thing that’s ever happened to you. Don’t tell me that you’re scared.”

          “Scared of what?”

          “Scared to take a chance, like always,” Caitlin said.

          “I’m not scared,” I said defensively. “I just don’t see any reason to chase after him.”

          “It’s not chasing,” Caitlin said as she pulled into my driveway. “It’s just encouraging his interest in you.”

          “But,” I said as an idea formed of how to get her to cool it with this. “If he’s my destiny, then I don’t need to do anything. It’ll happen anyway.”

          “Well,” Caitlin said. She thought about it for a minute. “Well, I guess that’s true, but-“

         I cut her off. “It’s settled. I just wait and see what happens.”

         Caitlin laughed. “So what’s different? Anyway, I don’t have time to argue with you. Alex is taking me out for ice cream before he goes to work.”

         “Caitlin!” I squealed. “He asked you out, and you didn’t even tell me.” She had developed a crush on Alex during the last few months of school last year.

         Caitlin smiled triumphantly. “He said that I look good with red hair. See, if you would change your look you’d get more attention.”

          “Call me later,” I said. “I want all the details.” I waved as she drove off.

          I went into the house and set down my backpack. I had no homework yet, and it was too early to start dinner. After changing into shorts and a t-shirt, I felt restless. I decided to go for a walk. That always helped to clear my head. There was a park at the end of our street. I often liked to walk there and lose myself in my thoughts.

          A couple of joggers ran past me. Otherwise I was alone on the path. This was the same park from my dream. There was nothing unusual about that. This place was very familiar to me. It was not surprising that it would be the setting of my dream. The part of my dream that I couldn’t explain was Duncan. How was it possible that I had dreamt about him in such vivid detail when I had never seen him before in my life? I had even been right about the sound of his voice.

          Suddenly, Duncan was in front of me as if my thoughts had conjured him.

          “Hi,” he said. “You’re in my English class. Susannah, right?”

         “Yes, hi,” I said. “And you’re Duncan.”

          “Yes.” He smiled. “I’m new here. I thought I’d explore the neighborhood a little. This is a nice park.”

          “Yes,” I said. “I walk here almost everyday. I live on Chestnut Avenue.” I wanted to kick myself. What did he care what street I lived on? “What street do you live on?” Great, now I sounded like a stalker.

          Duncan didn’t seem to mind. “I live on Brookdale,” he volunteered.

          “Oh,” I said. “My best friend Caitlin lives on that street. She’s so jealous that you lived in California. It’s her dream to move there.”

          “How did you know that I lived in California?” A suspicious note had crept into Duncan’s voice.

          I blushed deeply. “You said that you’re new here. Word travels fast at Valley View High, and Caitlin is always in the know. I think she has a source in the school office.”

          “Oh.” Duncan visibly relaxed. “I’ll be happy to tell Caitlin about life in California. You can introduce me to her.”

          I didn’t like that idea at all. Caitlin living on the same street as him was too close for comfort. Who knew what she might be tempted to tell him?

          “Your mother is worried about you,” I said absently.

          Then his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it. “Hi Mom.”

          He listened to the reply, all the while regarding me with those pale blue eyes. “Yes. I’m sorry. I just lost track of time. I’ll be home soon. Ok, bye Mom.”

          Now Duncan was the one who was staring at me. “How did you know that?”

          I shifted nervously. “What?”

          He stepped closer to me. It seemed like he was looking right through me. “How did you know that my mom was about to call me?”

          “I d-didn’t…” With him standing so close it was hard to think. My heart was racing as wildly as in my dream. I was mesmerized by those eyes of his. He was looking at me so intently. His gaze held me there as time seemed to stop.

           Then he abruptly stepped back. “I should get home. See you at school.” He turned quickly and walked back the way he had come.

          I stood there as feeling suddenly bereft as I watched him walk away. Gradually, I became aware of the passing of time. I began to walk back home. What had just happened? I replayed our conversation in my mind. Your mother is worried about you? Where had that come from? My ordinary life was becoming weirder by the minute.

          For the first time in my life, I had a secret. I had debated how much to tell Caitlin about my encounter with Duncan in the park.  As promised, she had called to tell me about her date with Alex.  She was thrilled that he had asked her to go out with him again that weekend.

          After that I casually mentioned my conversation with Duncan, except for the strange turn it had taken in the end.  I couldn’t even explain what had happened to myself, let alone to Caitlin.  Instead, I allowed her to indulge in fantasies about future double dates.

          I had dinner ready when my parents arrived home from work.  We talked about my first day of school.  I told them about my classes.  Because he was so much on my mind, I even mentioned Duncan, the new student.

          “So,” my mom said while we were loading the dishwasher.  “Do you like this new boy?”

          I looked at her in surprise.  “What makes you think that?”

          Mom laughed. “Don’t be so shocked. I was young once, too.  Is he cute?”

          I shrugged.  “He’s okay, I guess.”

          “You guess, huh?  Nice try.  So, definitely cute.”  Mom winked at me.

          I dropped the casual attitude.  “Mom, do you think I should cut my hair?”

          “Do you want to cut your hair?”

          I shook my head.  “No, but Caitlin thinks I should change my look.”

          Mom’s expression became serious.  “Oh, Honey.  Don’t think that you need to change for anyone.  If this boy doesn’t like you the way you are, then he doesn’t deserve you.  If you change your look, it should only be to please yourself.”

          “Thanks, Mom.”  I gave her a heartfelt hug. 

          Still, I fussed over my appearance the next morning.  I felt nervous about seeing Duncan again.  The last time I saw him, the mood between us had been tense.  I was surprised when he greeted me with a friendly smile when I saw him in English class.

          “Hi, Susannah.  How are you today?”

          I smiled at him uncertainly.  “I’m, uh, fine.  How are you?”

          He continued on in the same friendly tone.  “Very well.  I’m getting to know more people here.  It was hard to leave my friends behind and start over at a new school.”

          I was relieved that he seemed to have forgotten about yesterday’s strange episode in the park.  Our chat was interrupted by Mr. Gates calling the class to order.  I was only half-listening to his lecture.  Hope awakened within me.  Maybe Duncan liking me wasn’t so far-fetched.  Maybe Caitlin was right.  Maybe I should listen to her and change my look.  Maybe I will cut my hair, I mused.

          “I hope you don’t cut your hair,” Duncan said pensively.  “I really like it long.”

          I turned to look at him.  I hadn’t realized that I had spoken aloud.  “Thank you,” I said, taking pleasure in his compliment.  “I’m so used to it being this length that I don’t think I could cut it really short.”

          The appraising way that Duncan was looking at me made me suddenly nervous again.  “Caitlin says that I should at least change the color.  She says it’s too plain.”  I realized that I was rambling and looked down at my desk in embarrassment.

          “I don’t think it’s plain at all,” Duncan said.  “It’s quite a beautiful rich brown.”

          I looked at him shyly.  “Thanks.  That’s so nice of you to say.”

          Ben, the boy sitting behind me tapped my shoulder.  “You better put your cell phone away.  If Gates catches you, he’ll give you detention.”

          “I don’t—“

          “At least text if you have to.  You can do that quietly.”

          “I’m not talking on the phone.”

          “Right,” Ben said.  “You were just talking to yourself.”

          We were interrupted by Mr. Gates.  “What is going on here?  You’re supposed to be taking notes.  I give pop quizzes regularly.  You need to pay attention if you hope to pass this class.”  He stalked back to the front of the class to continue his lecture.

          I looked at Duncan in bewilderment.

          “I like your pretty brown eyes, too,” he said.  His lips never moved.

          As soon as class was over, I sprang from my seat and rushed to the restroom.  I splashed cool water on my flushed face.  What was happening to me?  Was I losing my mind?  My stomach lurched at the thought of Duncan hearing me talking to myself.  What must he think of me now? 

          It was all too much.  I went straight to the nurse.  My mom left work and picked me up.  I wanted to hide in my room forever.

           “I don’t know about leaving you here by yourself,” Mom said anxiously.  “I can reschedule my meeting.”

          “No,” I said.  “I’ll be fine. I just need to lie down for awhile.”

          Mom still looked uncertain.  “You’re not running a fever, but you look flushed.  I hope you’re not coming down with something.”

          I assured her that I would call her if I needed anything.  I finally convinced her to leave.  If only rest could truly cure what ailed me.  I wondered if it was possible to actually die from embarrassment.  How could I ever face Duncan again?

I went over everything that had happened since I met him.  If I hadn’t told Caitlin about my dream, I would have thought that I had imagined the whole thing.  Maybe I would have written it off as a case of déjà vu.  Now I couldn’t make sense of anything.

          Caitlin called during her lunch break.  “Where are you?”

          I told her that I had suddenly taken ill.  “I’m sorry I didn’t text you to let you know I was going home, but I felt terrible.”

          “Oh, Suzy, I’m sorry.  I hope it’s not the flu.  It seems like it’s too early for the flu.”

          “No.  I think it’s just an upset stomach.  I don’t have a fever. “I wanted to pour my heart out to Caitlin and tell her everything.  I felt scared and lonely and confused.  This was not something that I could get into over the phone, however.

          Ever optimistic, Caitlin was sure that I would feel better after lots of rest.  “You’ll be back to normal tomorrow.  You’ll see.”

          I wondered if anything would ever be normal again.  Hearing Caitlin’s voice did make me feel a little better.

          She quickly got to what she had been dying to tell me.  “Did you hear?  Mandy broke up with Brad!  Can you believe it?  They’ve been going together for what?  Like two years, I think.”

          Just a couple of days ago, this news would have made me secretly happy.  It would have given me hope, however unrealistic, that I now had a chance with Brad.  Caitlin was right.  Brad and Mandy had been Valley View High’s golden couple for a long time. 

          This news did nothing to cheer me up.  I was mostly quiet as Caitlin talked about the breakup.  “Okay,” Caitlin said.  “I can tell that you really are sick.  Feel better soon.  I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

          I spent the rest of the day in bed.  Mom tried to get me to eat something, but I couldn’t stomach the thought of food.  My sleep that night was fractured.  I got ready for school with a knot in my stomach.  At least it was Friday.  I just had to make it through today.

          When Caitlin picked me up for school, I immediately launched into an enthusiastic conversation about her date with Alex that evening.  She wasn’t fooled.  She was uncharacteristically silent for awhile.

          “Okay,” she said.  “What is going on with you?  Don’t tell me that you’re just not feeling well.  I can see that you’re upset.  What happened?”

          I looked away.  “Honestly, I don’t know where to begin.”

          “Does it have something to do with Duncan?”  Caitlin was already pulling into the school parking lot when she asked me that question.

          “Yes,” I said.  “It has a lot to do with Duncan, but we don’t have time to talk about this now.”

          “Okay,” Caitlin agreed.  “At lunch then.”

          I shook my head.  “I can’t talk about this at school.  Can you come over my house tomorrow?”

          “I can stop over after school,” Caitlin said as we got out of her car.

          “No,” I said.  “This will take awhile.  You need to get ready for your date.”

          Caitlin stopped walking.  “Suzy! Have you been keeping secrets from me?  I demand that you tell me everything.”

          “I will.”  I nudged her to get going.  “I promise I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.”

          We parted ways when we entered the school. We didn’t have time to stop at our lockers together.  Once I didn’t have her to distract me, my distress returned to a heightened state.  I dreaded seeing Duncan again.  Maybe I would cut English today.  To my dismay, Duncan was waiting for me by my locker.

          I stared at him wide-eyed.  Then I dropped my gaze to the floor.  If only it would open up and swallow me.  I was overcome with embarrassment.

          “Bravo,” Duncan said.  “You are quite the actress.”

          I looked up at him to make sure that he was actually speaking this time.  The friendly demeanor was gone.  He had a cynical smirk on his face.

          “Oh, nice touch with the innocent eyes.”

          “What are you talking about?”  My voice came out in barely more than a whisper.

          Duncan got in my face.  “Do you think I’m a fool?”

          “I d-don’t”— I sputtered.

          “I’m warning you,” Duncan said.  “Stay away from me.  I’m not in the mood for your games.”  With that he spun around and stormed off.

          I stared after him, my embarrassment forgotten.  Hysteria threatened to overwhelm me.  Of all the reactions I had been expecting, anger was not one of them.  What could I possibly have done to provoke him to such hostility?