He stared at me, his solemn expression giving way to an awkward shyness. Drake had never been shy toward me. He’d been the one to march straight up to me at a bar and ask for my number. It had been because of him that we went out for nearly a year and I began to think I was falling in love. And it had been because of him that we’d broken up, once I found to the courage to tell him I was a witch.
“Seriously, “I said, old anger resurfacing. “What are you doing here? And how did you find me?”
“I bribed someone in the admissions office of your old school,” he mumbled, glancing nervously at Momma Tula. With a few tentative steps, he walked closer. “They had your family’s old address. It cost me my favorite fender Stratocaster. You know? The one with the flames?”
I nodded. He’d played that guitar for me a few times when we were together. I knew I should feel awed that he’d give up such a treasure for me, but it only fanned the flames of anger. “And what? Is that supposed to make me happy? You broke up with me, remember? You told me that you never wanted to see me again.”
“Oooh…” Momma Tula moaned next to me. “That’s him?”
I nodded, never taking my eyes off of him. “Yep, the jerk that dumped me when I tried to get real with him.”
“Didn’t we set a hex on him?” she asked, thumbing her chin. “Male pattern baldness?”
Drake chuckled nervously and rubbed a hand on the back of his head. “Uh…really?”
“I guess I need a little more practice,” Momma Tula said, walking around him and running her eyes over his hair. “Must’ve missed my mark. No problem, Hazel. We can try again. Or, I have this idea for a new impotence hex. I’ve been itching to test it on someone.”
She clicked her fingernails together gleefully and I couldn’t help but laugh at the look of horror that crossed Drake’s face. He was surely regretting his trip to Uriville. A minute more, and we’d have him running for the hills with his tail tucked between his legs. But then, I’d never get to learn why he’d shown up out of the blue.
“Momma, would you give us a minute?” I asked.
She nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing. “I’ll just be over there” – she pointed to the nearly erected bar – “let me know if you need me.”
As she swayed across the field, Momma Tula looked over her shoulder and gave me a giant wink. I couldn’t help but let a small smile crack across my face.
“She wasn’t being serious, was she?” Drake asked, coming in closer. I could smell the spicy deodorant he always used to wear when we were together. My senses perked up, even as I tried to call them down.
“We’ll have to see.” I crossed my arms over my chest and did my best imitation of Grammy Jo’s disappointed scowl. “Depends on why you’re here.”
“I needed to see you,” he replied. His dark blue eyes were doing a great impression of a puppy in trouble. “After our fight, I needed some time to think. When I was finally ready to see you again, you’d already left your apartment, your school, everything. Even your phone was disconnected. I didn’t think you ever wanted to see me again.”
“No, that’s what you told me,”
I snapped. “Just as you were walking out my door. I remember it, vividly.”
“I was confused.” He stepped even closer and this time, our arms touched. Even through my layers of wool, I could still get a sense of his rock-hard biceps. “Scared, even. When you told me your…” – he looked around and quieted down – “…your secret. All I could hear was my Catholic Aunty screaming in my ear about witches being the spawn of Satan. I had to clear my head. But then, you ran.”
I groaned. Now, I was beginning to sound like some kind of loser. Drake hadn’t been the reason I’d skipped town. My mom had called me up the next day with her problems in Arizona. Poor timing, but I couldn’t complain.
And then, after clearing up that situation, we’d ditched our phones, most of our possessions, and come back to Uriville. The idea that Drake was trying to find me hadn’t even crossed my mind. He’d completely freaked. It didn’t take a genius to figure out our relationship was over.
“I didn’t run away because of you, you dolt.” My hands flew in the air and I was powerless to stop them. “And this is crazy. You shouldn’t be here.”
“But I wanted to tell you I’ve been doing some soul searching.” He grabbed my hand and held it between his palms. I wanted to tear it away, but found myself paralyzed. “I did some research about magic and witchcraft and all of those things. And I’m okay with it. I really am.”
It wasn’t the confession I’d expected. If anything, I thought my guitar playing, weight lifting ex-boyfriend would be more likely to try and throw me into the loony bin. Maybe working at a Witch Trial Reenactment Park was getting to me, but pitchforks and bonfires seemed more likely than this.
My eyebrows raised as I peered at him. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” He dug a hand into his jean pocket and pulled something out. “I even found this magic shop in New Orleans when my band played a gig there. It had crazy stuff. A shrunken head, magical instruments, herbs that make you grow taller. Although, I’m pretty sure that was just oregano. But an old lady sold me this. She said it would help me accomplish my goals. I guess it’s some sort of good luck charm.”
His fist curled opened to reveal a dull gray disk, with a large hole in the middle, and red feather tied with a leather strap to a small piece of bone. My eyes popped open wide at the sight. Grammy Jo had warned us about such pieces of magic. It was blood magic – the darkest kind.
She’d always told us to steer clear of such things. Nothing good could come out of witches that gambled with their very souls to create evil objects. I snatched it off his palm and closed my fingers tight around it. A shimmer of power went through me, stinging like a shock to the spinal cord.
“Where’d you get this?” I hissed. “You should’ve have it. You don’t know what it could do.”
“I told you,” he said with a hurt expression crossing his handsome face. “I got it in New Orleans. It helped me find you. I wanted to prove to you that I’m okay with magic. I’m okay with all of this junk.”