That Witch! (12 page)

“Laura got mad at me and threw it across my bedroom last night… right before she stormed out of the house and slammed the front door.”

The spatula in her mother’s hand clanked against the pan. The newspaper her father had been reading folded. Both her parents looked at Brynn as if she’d grown a third eye in the center of her forehead, which truthfully, was a completely legitimate response to the news Brynn had just spilled. She and Laura almost never fought, not like that, anyway. They never got to the point of violence.

“What happened?” her father asked.

“I’ve told that girl about slamming doors,” her mother said as she went back to cooking the eggs.

Brynn sank down in the chair across from her father. Really, all she’d wanted to do was tell them about the phone, then run as fast as she could to Cassidy’s house, just in case Cassidy had tried to call or text or something. She didn’t want to give the impression she was upset with her or anything, because nothing could be further from the truth.

“Brynn?” her father said, leaning his elbows against the table as he scrutinized her. “What happened?”

“She got mad at me because I was texting during the movie. I had the phone on silent. She just got mad.”

“Who were you texting?”

Sighing, Brynn cut her eyes over to the door, wishing she could make a break for it before the interrogation got too bad. As many times as she’d come home in the past, complaining about Cassidy and her merry band of… um, witches or whatever, to ignore time with Laura simply to text Cassidy would surely stir up a few questions, questions she would have to answer or look guilty for doing something she had yet to do.

“Cassidy Rivers,” she mumbled softly.

“Cassidy Rivers?” her parents asked in perfect harmony, surprise filling their voices.

“Yes.” Brynn spun her can of soda between her thumb and forefinger. “Mrs. Miller is making us work together on a project.” She shrugged. “Cass is actually being kinda cool now. I mean, she’s not as mean as I thought. She’s actually kinda nice.”

“Nice enough to ignore your best friend?” her mother asked as she piled a tall helping of golden-yellow scrambled eggs onto Brynn’s plate.

“I dunno,” Brynn said, picking up her fork.

She aimlessly pushed the pile of eggs around as she stared at her plate. Truthfully, she felt bad for fighting with Laura, but the things she was going through, the feelings she had for Cassidy, weren’t something she felt comfortable sharing with anyone right now, including her best friend.

“Are you going to eat or play with your food?” her father asked.

“I’m really not that hungry.”

“Breakfast is important, kiddo. Eat half, okay?”

Swallowing, Brynn scooped up a forkful of fluffy scrambled eggs. She ate them, even though she really didn’t want to, but she knew if she didn’t, her parents would keep her at that table forever. Right now, she didn’t think she could deal with that kind of torture. She wanted to see Cassidy… like yesterday.

Her plate was a little more than half clean, nothing left but a slice of bacon and half a biscuit, but that was enough to satisfy her mom and dad. They didn’t tell her to stay there when she stood from the table and didn’t ask her to wait for her little sister—the all-day sleeper—before being allowed to make her escape, which was a good thing, because as it stood, she was willing to forego a shower just to see Cassidy.

Immediately, Brynn went to the bathroom, took some minty fresh toothpaste to her breakfast breath, and scrubbed and scrubbed until her mouth felt clean. Then she brushed her hair back and finished it off with a black ribbon fashioned into a headband. She didn’t bother with makeup, because makeup took way too long. Then she tore down the hall and into her bedroom.

As she dressed in her jeans and black, girlie T-shirt, she wondered if Cassidy was even awake yet or if all this rushing would be a complete waste of time. Most kids her age wouldn’t dare to open their eyes at such an ungodly hour, but Brynn was on a mission.

She slipped her tiny feet into a pair of ratty black Converse, grabbed her hoodie, and then ripped down the stairs and out the front door before anyone could stop her.

It wasn’t until she felt the cool morning air against her face and saw the golden sunlight rising on the horizon that Brynn actually slowed down to her normal pace. There was still dew on the grass. A few houses even had their porch lights on. Most of the neighbors still slept soundly, but Brynn didn’t care, and she sure hoped Cassidy wasn’t the type to sleep in on a Saturday either.

She rounded the corner, and the moment Cassidy’s house came into view, a smile curled the corner of her lips. Brynn picked up the pace again, running full force for the Riverses’ house. Her Converse flapped against the asphalt, all the way up the concrete walkway and straight to Cassidy’s front door. When she lifted her arm to knock, her hand was trembling, and she realized she could barely breathe.

The door opened, and an incredibly beautiful woman with hair nearly as gold as the sun stood in the doorway. Her eyes were soft and kind. Her lips formed a sincere smile. The woman almost glowed, and with beauty like that, Brynn knew she had to be Cassidy’s mom.

“I’m here to see Cassidy,” Brynn said breathlessly.

“Oh, sweetie, she’s still in—”

“I’m awake,” Brynn heard Cassidy saying from somewhere far away, maybe even from the top of the stairs.

Cassidy’s mom stepped out of the doorway and nodded for Brynn to come in. Brynn stepped in the foyer and saw the girl she couldn’t stop thinking about, standing at the top of the stairs, still in a white camisole and a pair of silky-looking pink pajama bottoms. Her blonde hair was a bit tousled, and her eyes still had that hooded, sleepy look to them, but all Brynn saw was the most beautiful girl she’d ever met.

Brynn started up the stairs, holding the rail so she didn’t fall on her face. “My phone is broken,” she said at about the halfway point. “Laura broke it. It wouldn’t turn on. I’m sorry if I missed any texts. My stupid phone…,” she rambled on.

Cassidy’s mom said something about fresh orange juice and waffles in the kitchen if the girls were hungry, to which Cassidy smiled and offered a “Thanks, Mom” before fixing her cerulean gaze on Brynn as she cleared the top step.

“I was worried that I offended you with my last text about Laura,” she said, voice soft and still filled with sleep.

“No. You didn’t. Laura wanted to know who I was texting, and when I refused to show her, she got mad. Anyway, my phone got bounced off the wall. I need to take it to the Apple store.”

“That chick’s a bi—” Cassidy caught herself, no doubt for Brynn’s sake. “She’s a… witch.”

“She’s just afraid of losing me, I think.” Brynn stepped up to the landing, meeting Cassidy face-to-face, with nothing but a few inches of air between them. Her eyes hooded when she smiled and said a soft, “Hey there.”

“Hey there, Pinky,” Cassidy said before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to Brynn’s cheek. Her minty-fresh breath brushed over Brynn’s skin when she said, “Wanna come sit in my room while I get ready for the day? I just have to do my hair and get dressed.”

At the feel of Cassidy’s soft lips to her warm cheek, Brynn’s eyelids fluttered, and a smile curled her mouth. It was an innocent peck, a chaste… nothing, really. But God did Brynn wish it was more. When Cassidy pulled away, Brynn wanted to whimper, but she forced herself not to.

“Yeah, I can wait.”

“Coolies, come on.” Cassidy reached out to take Brynn’s hand in hers, lacing their fingers together as she led her down the long hallway and to her bedroom, where she closed the door behind them. “Sit, get comfy. I’m gonna change real quick.”

Unabashedly, she pulled her cami over her head and tossed it into a nearby laundry hamper before walking into her huge closet, completely topless.

Brynn’s eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets. Cassidy didn’t have a bra on, and that gave Brynn a clear shot of two particular parts of anatomy she’d found herself fantasizing about recently. And for the record, they were more beautiful than Brynn ever imagined.

That was the first time she’d seen Cassidy without a shirt on, and honestly, Cassidy’s disappearing into the closet disappointed her. It was becoming incredibly hard for Brynn to deny the attraction she felt toward Cassidy, harder to lie and say she felt nothing. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hide behind an aloof and distant “she’s just my study partner” in reference to Cassidy.

When Cassidy finally reappeared from behind the closet door, she had on a light blue American Eagle shirt that covered what Brynn had been so eager to see again. But Cassidy looked stunning as always, even in a T-shirt and jeans.

“I like that outfit,” Brynn said softly.

Cassidy’s azure eyes lit up suddenly. She looked like someone had just told her she’d been crowned
America’s Next Top Model
. A slow, wicked smile tugged the edges of her pouty lips upward. “Oh my gawd, Brynnie! Lemme give you a makeover! I wanna see you in something other than black. Pleeeeeease?”

C
ASSIDY
ignored the reluctance and almost hint of hesitation in Brynn’s softly whispered “okay.” All she saw was a green light to get her Pinky in some clothes that complemented the curves she knew Brynn had.

Squealing with glee, she grabbed Brynn’s hand and all but dragged her into the large California closet. There was more than enough room for both of them inside. Still smiling from ear to ear, she commanded Brynn to strip out of the black garb she wore. Okay, maybe, just maybe, there was more than one reason why she wanted to play dress-up with the emo object of her affection. She could admit to wanting to see all that supple, creamy skin Brynn always hid away beneath layers of dark clothing.

Cassidy was open enough with her sexuality and more than confident with her sensuality, but as Brynn stood there, doe-eyed and stammering to find words, Cassidy reminded herself that Brynn had probably never before been intimately almost nude around another girl. She just didn’t see Laura the freak as an exhibitionist of any sort. As far as Cassidy knew, Brynn didn’t have any other friends that were as close to her as Laura. So that pretty much narrowed this moment down to what was probably Brynn’s first time being half-naked around another girl.
Thank goodness for cheerleading.
Locker rooms had taught her a long time ago how to be comfortable around barely dressed girls.

“Come on, Brynn. It’s just me.”

Brynn chewed her bottom lip so hard that where the pink skin of her mouth met her chin, the flesh turned a pale white. Her hands were obviously shaking as she slowly unzipped her hooded sweatshirt. “I, um.” Brynn swallowed so hard, Cassidy couldn’t help noticing the waving of her throat. “I’ve never changed clothes in front of anyone else.”

“Yeah, I figured as much. But really, it’s no big deal. I won’t judge you,” Cassidy said patiently.

“It’s… I….”

Poor Brynn looked like she was living that nightmare where you’re standing on a stage in nothing but underwear before all your peers. It was cute. “Would it make you more comfortable if I turned around?” Cassidy really didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see her little Pinky’s gorgeous body, but if it would make Brynn more comfortable with the situation, she would.

“Maybe. I don’t know.” Brynn sighed, then licked her clearly dry lips.

Cassidy turned around, giving Brynn some privacy. “Better?” She silently scowled at the sight before her. The plain, soft pink wall of her closet didn’t boast nearly as much appeal as Brynn’s body, but she would rather Brynn be comfortable than have her standing there trying to understand if she was turned on or freaked out. Chances were she was a little bit of both—a natural reaction for any girl who was just realizing she was into other girls. Cassidy had had her share of it. Brynn, again, probably not ever.

“You can turn around now,” Brynn said, voice shaking.

When Cassidy turned back around, she found Brynn hugging her chest, obviously trying to cover as much of her body as her thin arms would. Her cheeks were bright red. Her legs were clamped together tightly, and her eyes were fixed on her bare, black-polished toes. Cassidy didn’t see the awkwardness emanating from Brynn. All she could see was creamy skin and black jeans hugging gentle curves.

“Brynnie, you’re beautiful. Quit covering yourself up.” Cassidy reached out to take Brynn’s hand, which was tucked tightly under her arm, pressing against her ribs. She led her to the large selection of tops, which ranged in nearly every color of the rainbow, except black. Tank tops, camisoles, T-shirts, and blouses all hung neatly beside one another for Brynn.

“What colors do you like?” Cassidy asked her, keeping her gaze forward on the clothing rack instead of looking at Brynn. It was difficult, but she resolved to make Brynn feel okay with the situation, even if not seeing the girl she dreamed about felt like slow torture.

“Black. Purple. Red.”

“Purple. We can work with purple.” They’d
have
to work with purple because Cassidy didn’t have anything in black save for one T-shirt, and red looked horrible on her, so she loathed the color. She had all shades of purple, though, ranging from a light lilac to a rich, almost magenta color in a Marc Jacobs blouse.