Twisted Magic (9 page)

“Could I get a vanilla milkshake?” I asked the pimpled face teen behind the counter. He smiled and nodded pulling one of those shiny metal cups from under the counter.

My phone chirped. I pulled it from my pocket and hit the call button. “You
are a dirty
bitch,” I said in our
customary
greeting whenever one of us
screwed-
up big
time.

“
I totally forgot. I am so sorry,
” Karsen moaned into the phone like a babbling idiot. And then she giggled.

“Doesn’t sound sincere enough for me,” I told her.

“We got caught up, I am getting my nails painted and there is this man who Audrey says gives the best massages in Ch
erry. You should see this place,
” Karsen
crooned. Singing
praises for whatever spa she was sitting at. It was hard to say which one she was in seeing there was one on every corner of Cherry.

I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “
You’re
kidding me, Karsen.
You’re
hanging out with Audrey.”

“And Erica,” Erica said in the background in a
sing-song voice,
another burst of laughter rang out over the phone.

“So, I was thinking we should reschedule. Erica said Slade was
free. I'm
sure he would love to see a movie with you.
It’s
been two days since you talked to him,” she offered.

I gave the young kid a smile accepting my milk shake. I slid five dollars across the counter and waved my hand at the change. I took a big swig
,
standing up, balancing the phone
against
my ear with my shoulder as I marched out of the theatre
,
livid.

I shoved into the push bar on the door and released myself into the humid air near the water. “That’s okay. I’m sure soon you will be hanging out with him too.”

Karsen inhaled sharply, irritated with my
rudeness
. “Don’t be like that, Hope.”

“Who me?
Its seems
anymore everyone else is the issue.” I held
back
the
tears. It
felt like betrayal of the worst kind. Karsen was hanging with the enemy. Karsen was my friend and now she was
being sucked to the dark side—the
really dark side.

I started down the boardwalk away from the theatre, bumping into random walkers on the way to who knew where. I didn’t
want to go home.
I didn’t know what I wanted.

“
You know, don’t worry about it.
Its
fine, I hope you have a great time. We can plan for another night.” I smiled into the phone, lying my ass off didn’t come easy when it came to Karsen, but she had a short attention
span,
so I knew it would suffice so she could be on to the next thing.

I bit my to
ngue when I heard
Audrey's
giggle
again, and I bit it even harder when Karsen stifled a giggle of her own long enough to say
good-bye
to me. I sighed, slipping my phone back into my pocket and started
for
the water.

I sipped on my shake, walking at a slow pace
,
the water mesmerizing as the waves lapped the shore. My feet crunching over shells scattered
over
the sand. I dropped down in the sand sitting Indian style. Staring up at the moon I looked at so many times
throughout
my life, back when I felt happy and believed there was a loving universe filled with so many promises for me. I wasn’t sure I felt that way anymore.

I drew my legs close and rested my shake on the sand in front of me. Sanding my hands together I studied the cup. I wanted proof this magic wasn’t all bad. I stared unblinking
,
willing the cup to rise. It slowly trembled as if a wind was stirring, but for once all was still
in nature
. I imagined the cup rising and to my
surprise,
it did just that. It was only a few inches
,
but it was something. I concentrated harder until it was above my head. I giggled, clapping my
hands. It
swayed back and forth with
every
clap. I furrowed my brow, guiding it
effortlessly
with my
finger,
it danced and spun like a glorious
creature. It
was
magic,
and I was doing it.

I waved my hand, wider this time like a composer of some glorious musical. This was fun. I stood up, my eyes on the cup as I dusted the sand from my shorts. The waves crashed
noisily
aggravating
my other senses
, but nothing could take away the magic. I walked closer to the water guiding the cup
along
. Just when it was safely over the
water,
I told myself I would try something
bolder
. I closed my eyes, my heart crashing in my chest.

“Fire,” I whispered. I closed my eyes
,
dropping my
head. My
hand still
suspended
my finger outstretched willing the cup to
hover
and
go up in flames
. I opened my eyes and squealed with joy.
An
orange flame
ignited. I
guided the cup, turning on my heels. I froze in terror when I laid eyes on Hutch. He started toward
me. I
wasn’t
sure,
how long he had been watching, but now he was coming my way.

The cup hissed and floated away in the water.
But,
that couldn’t get rid of my mortification that he possibly saw me do something no human being could explain.

“On the beach all alone,” he said, he dropped his hand
s
deep into the pockets of his shorts and rocked back on his heels a mischievous grin gracing his lips. He looked from me to the water never letting me figure out if he was on to me.

“How long were you standing there?” I asked, ignoring his comment.

“Not long, but long enough to see it was you. I was out for a walk, never expected to run into you
here
.” He cocked his head to one side
,
studying my stark white expression.

“Oh.” Oh was right. I didn’t know what the next step was. Did I run for the hills, did I beg him not to tell anyone? Or maybe I came right out and asked him if he saw me levitate a milkshake and set it on fire. I decided all
the
options were stupid. He seemed smart enough, if he
was,
then he would blow it off. He would tell his
brain,
there was no possible way and leave it at that.

“Actually, I was meeting a friend for a movie and fattening dairy, but something came up.” I sighed, sitting down in the sand again.

The wind picked up crawling through my hair. Hutch took the spot next to me on the desolate beach. “You know, if they found us out here right now we might get arrested.”

I smirked at him. “Not in
California, maybe
other states, but California is like a 24-7 beach party.”

Hutch nodded. “I suppose your right. The thought of it sounded a bit exciting
though,
a
cell, the steel bars, begging for our freedom.”

I laughed at his exaggeration. “Clearly it wouldn’t be that much fun.”

“I wouldn’t know
,
not a criminal like I told you the other day when you accused me,” he said, his
eyebrows
lifted as he watched my expression. He was teasing
me,
and it was hilarious to him. His eyes glistened with
amusement. He
lost it, dropping back in the sand and busted a gut.

I turned to get a better look at him. His perfect teeth gleaming against the moonlight as he laughed at me, he was
filled with energy,
and I wasn’t.
I envied him.

“I am amazed. I didn’t realize you were your own biggest fan.” I shook my head in disbelief. He sat up, the laughter fading fast.

“
You’re
so easy,” he said, he quickly corrected himself.
“Easy to poke at.”

“I will have you know I am not
easy,
and I wouldn’t let you poke me with anything.” I teased
, flashing him a big smile.

“Is that so? I believe I poked you with my finger already. And I quite easily slipped my
arm
around you
a few minutes ago
.
And
I sat next to you in the
booth,
and I now know that your skin is
unbelievably
soft.” He smirked.

I was
astonished
.

“And"
he looked between us to where his hand was resting comfortably on my thigh. “If you look down
,
you will see my hand found a resting place without you even batting an eyelash.”

My eyes widened in
shock, h
e
had his hands all over
me,
and I hadn’t even realized—well maybe not all over me, but he was proving to be more
talented
by the minute.

“I hadn’t even realized. Maybe I should call the police, Mr. Touchy feely.”

“Maybe, or
perhaps
you’re just comfortable with me.” He shrugged, staring down at his hand.
He took my wrist, studying the heart again. His expression growing serious and everything fell quiet.

“Why are you always staring at my tattoo?” I
asked. He
looked up, drawing in his bottom lip as he stared at me with intensity. I raised an eyebrow, he wanted to say something.

“I saw this somewhere before. I
can’t
remember where exactly, but I saw it before.”

“
It’s
just a heart.” I told him
,
pulling my arm away.
“A stupid heart.”

He leaned to the side and pulled out his cell phone. His fingers grazed the display, back and forth over and over until he said, “
Here.
”

He shoved the phone at me. I stared at the screen, my stomach sick at the words glowing back at me.

This heart found in books of black magic dated as far back as fifteen hundred
years,
I read. Our eyes connected, I looked away
panicked
. I jumped up.

“I have to go,” I said, hurrying across the
sand. The
wind howled in my ears as I hurried to get away from Hutch and his accusing eyes. I suddenly felt like a criminal.

“Hope, I get it. It’s a stupid tattoo. You don’t have to leave.” He shouted after me. I ignored him, unable to believe him. If he knew the
truth,
he wouldn’t be so quick to say such a thing.

I jiggled the key in the knob, grumbling as I strained to unlock the
door,
so I could slip inside and crawl under my covers for the rest of the night. I grunted,
shouldering
the door and
finally,
the wood gave way and let me inside.

I dropped my keys on the counter, they
rattled
and
promptly
silenced as they settled.

I flicked on the kitchen light half expecting to be greeted by Crawford. His slug like stroll whenever he came to greet me ran through my thoughts. I sighed, a lone tear slipping from my eye. I wiped it away, and then a steady stream of them came after.

I missed my dog.

He wasn’t judging of me. I didn’t have to hide anything from Crawford. I didn’t have to worry whether Crawford liked me or not. And I sure didn’t have to worry about him finding a new owner. He loved me unconditionally. He would never choose anyone else over me.

That was the difference between humans and animals. Animals got it. Humans pretended they did until something else suited them better. Humans were selfish.

I walked quietly down the hallway, stopping first at Elliot and Easton’s door. I threw it open hoping to see someone familiar. The room, scattered with bags of chips, pop cans and dirty clothes
,
was deserted. I turned my nose up at the stale smell—they really needed to learn how to air out their bedroom.