After sharing a vicious glare with Kristen, she went to Jake and asked him to join her outside for a quick chat. Happy to comply, he followed her like a puppy about to get a treat, and that was when the truth hit Zach square between the eyes. Jake Petrie had been enchanted, but not by Cyndi. Kristen had done the dirty deed.
Zach leaned against Kristen’s locker, arms folded over his chest. Kristen’s unhappy gaze followed her sister. Wrapped up in her own drama, she didn’t notice him watching her. He didn’t know what to think about this latest development. Once again, Kristen had used her powers to play God, but she’d done it to save her sister from being hurt. As much as he wanted to hate her for it, he understood why she’d done it. He understood crossing the line to protect a sibling.
Brittany strutted up to Kristen with a freshman in tow and a sour expression on her face as if she’d been sucking on lemons. The boy gazed at her with open adoration. Feeling trouble coming, Zach moved closer so he could hear what was going on.
“Tell my sister what you just did for me,” Brittany said.
The boy obeyed immediately. “Car-surfing in the parking lot.”
Kristen frowned. “You can’t ask him to do something dangerous like that, Britt. He could have gotten hurt. What is wrong with you?”
“OMG! Turn the drama-dial down a notch! He’s fine. Anyway,” she shrugged, “you broke a rule first. What goes around comes around. I’m going to win this year, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Marc here just risked his life and pumped up my power. I haven’t seen you ask Bevian to do anything lately. What’s wrong? Losing your touch?”
“Don’t worry about me. Everything is going according to plan.”
“Right. If the plan is for you to lose, excellent job.”
Kristen’s mouth tightened. “I won’t lose. I never lose. You know why I don’t lose? Because I know how to groom the guy. Slow and steady wins the race.”
Brittany chuckled. “Whatever.”
“Hey, you were supposed to crush Bobby Heckler. That was our deal.”
“I couldn’t. FYI, he has the measles and won’t be back to school for a while.”
Kristen folded arms over her chest. “Measles? I don’t believe you. If he has the measles, I know where he got them.”
“Prove it.” Brittany’s eyes widened in feigned innocence. “Anyway, I didn’t have a choice. I had to crush someone because you cheated and started the game early.”
“What about our side bet?”
“It’s still on.”
“That isn’t fair. You give me an impossible challenge, but you do one of the easiest marks in school?”
Smug smile, Brittany shrugged. “I guess you shouldn’t have cheated. Maybe if you had followed the rules, you would have found out I was joking. Now you’re screwed. Deal with it.”
Kristen went to her locker and retrieved her books. She didn’t catch the vicious glare Brittany sent her way, but Zach saw it. Could Brittany have enough power to control an owl? Better question was—did she hate her sister enough to try to kill her?
Brittany walked away and disappeared into the crowd.
Zach considered warning Kristen that her sister was out for blood, but he didn’t get the chance.
Kristen returned to his side, mouth tight. Her expression had turned bitter. She pushed her books at him and said, “Carry these and walk me to class.”
It was a classic order. In the past, he’d seen boys follow the Noah girls throughout the school year, day after day, carrying their books with blissful smiles on their faces. It had made his blood boil. If he hadn’t been working hard to stay below the radar, he would have accused them and stripped them of their powers long ago.
Once again, he had to wonder if he was under her spell, because he took Kristen’s books without argument. Had he been enchanted? How could he possibly know? He wasn’t sure how enchanted boys felt, only how they acted. If he wasn’t under the spell, he could throw her books down and refuse to comply. He was sure he could do that if he wanted to, but then she would know something was off about him, and she wouldn’t rest until she got to the truth. She could go to the witches’ council and destroy everything.
Kristen did a double take.
Purposely changing his expression, covering the resentment in his eyes with warmth—he had to think about his sister to accomplish this—he said, “I’m just waiting for you to lead the way.”
Nodding briefly, she walked off, leaving him to follow.
Zach stayed a step behind her, inwardly cursing her and himself for wanting her. It was just physical, of course. His body wanted her, while his mind wanted to get as far away from her as possible. He needed to get himself under control. Then he would take care of her. He would have to step up the plan of seduction because he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. At least once he got her to fall for him, she would back off with the orders.
###
At lunchtime, Kristen entered the cafeteria a few steps ahead of Zach. She’d been afraid he might take her hand, creating a bigger spectacle than the time Brittany had taken on three girls at once over an argument that had started with the simple question, “Who is the best guitar player living and working today?”
Baby elephants did a tap dance in Kristen’s stomach. It was more than being with Zach that had her nerves stretched to the point of snapping. Both of her sisters were mad at her. It was a record. Brittany was a dangerous person to fight with, especially without an ally. In the past, Cyndi had always been the voice of reason, albeit a weak one.
This morning, Brittany had left for school unusually early, and she’d taken the car. Fortunately, Brittany was predictable. Knowing her sister would leave her stranded, Kristen had arranged for another ride ahead of time.
Their fights always started like that, mild to begin with, then picking up steam until Brittany either crossed the line and caused an injury or got over being mad, whichever happened first. Step one—Brittany would do something to annoy her. Leaving her without a way to get to school filled that requirement. Step two—Brittany would curse her, something small like embarrassing hiccups. Step three—this was usually the point of injury. Kristen was hoping to avoid Brittany’s step three this time around.
A disturbing ripple of excitement traveled from one side of the cafeteria to the other as students noticed that Zach and Kristen were together. Kristen stiffened but managed a cheerful smile. She waved to some friends as Zach led her to an empty table in the corner, his hand on the small of her back. It felt like there were thousands of curious eyes on her. Now she understood why tigers paced in their cages.
Feeling like the most horrible person in the world, she gave Zach another order. If she didn’t ask him to do things for her, her spell wouldn’t gain power, and she would lose the bet. “Buy me lunch.”
She felt dirty, so dirty not even a shower could get her clean again. She played with her fingernails, unable to meet his gaze. He had asked her out on a date, and for a moment she’d thought he liked her, but then she’d remembered he was enchanted. Boys didn’t like the witches who crushed them, they loved them. He had asked her out because he had a stronger will than most and was showing that love in a different way. That was all there was to it.
The whole thing made her sick. She didn’t have the stomach for it anymore. She should just hand the money and car over to Brittany now.
Zach went to get her lunch without hesitation.
She sat at her usual table and watched in fascination as a couple of freshmen gestured for Zach to cut in front of them. It was only the second day, and the newbies already seemed to understand who the major players were.
Her troubles faded with every movement of Zach’s lean, flat-muscled abdomen. He loaded up two trays and balanced them with ease. Elbow on the table, she leaned against her hand and smiled in spite of everything else going on in her life. She was going to have her first real date this weekend. She wondered what it would be like.
What were th
ey going to talk about?
Zach returned while she was daydreaming. He dropped the tray onto the table in front of her. The loud bang made her jump. Startled, her gaze flew up to meet his. The look of resentment in his eyes was so incredibly clear that a blind person couldn’t miss it. Part of him truly hated her.
She dragged her gaze off him and looked at the tray of food. There was a variety to choose from including a fruit plate, pudding, a slice of pizza, potato chips, and red gelatin. He had also gotten her a bottle of water, orange juice, and a tiny carton of milk. Her appetite totally disappeared.
He sat across from her and gestured to the food. “Well? You asked for it. Aren’t you going to eat it?”
Feeling guilty for making him buy her lunch, she picked up the small carton of milk and opened it. Refusing to meet his gaze, she drank it while checking out the other tables. Students continued to stare at them. Kristen wondered how long it would be before the novelty wore off.
When she set the milk down, Zach chuckled. “You have a moustache now.”
She reached for a napkin, but before she could use it, Zach wiped the milk from her face with a tanned finger. He stuck the finger into his mouth and sucked on it while she watched in awe. Then, he turned his attention to the food on his own tray. It was such a startling show of intimacy that Kristen forgot to breathe. Sheer panic twisted her stomach muscles into knots.
Was this what falling in love felt like?
Trying to lighten her mood as well as his, Kristen teased him. “Do you have a closet full of T-shirts at home?”
“They’re comfortable,” he said and shrugged his wide shoulders, “and they’re easy to buy. I don’t have to try them on or mess with annoying salespeople.”
“You do realize they come in colors others than white and black, don’t you?”
His lips twitched as if he were trying not to smile. “I have a couple of blue ones, too.”
“Do you ever wear them?”
“Only on special occasions.” He shook his head at her and added, “It bothers you when other people don’t follow your code of perfection, doesn’t it?”
“Wear what you want. I was just curious.”
“Something’s been bugging me about you for the longest time.”
Gulp! She almost swallowed her tongue at the thought of Zach wondering anything about her. “What is it?”
“What do you wear when you’re at home? Do you ever dress down in sweats or walk around in pajamas all day? Or do you have a favorite piece of clothing that’s stained, but you still wear it?”
She made a face. What a disgusting thought. “Of course not. I like to look my best at all times.”
“What about when you go to bed?”
“Then, too.”
He stared at her as if she had three heads. “Why?”
“My dad has always told us that first impressions are important, and…” The rest of the words stuck in her throat. She’d looked up to her father all her life, idolizing the man, but what if her mom was right? What if being a control-freak businesswoman had been his idea, his dream for her?
Students passed by the table but didn’t try to sit with them. Some were probably afraid of Zach. Others would know she always saved two seats for her sisters. She had expected Brittany to show long enough to tell her off at least. It worried her that neither sister had come to the cafeteria for lunch. That meant they were beyond angry with her. She could expect some major vengeance spells to come her way in the next few days.
“You okay?” Zach’s eyes narrowed on her face.
She nodded and lied. “I have an essay due at the end of the week, and I was just trying to figure out what I’m going to write about.”
“You won’t back out on our date, will you?”
“When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. Don’t worry. I have cheerleading practice in the afternoon this Saturday, but I’ll still have plenty of time to go home and change before meeting you at the library.”
Zach grinned. “You don’t have to change for me. I wouldn’t mind taking a hot cheerleader to a movie.”
“In your dreams.”
Their laughter mingled before being interrupted by a shriek. The lunchroom went silent. Everyone looked around, curious. It didn’t take long to find the reason for the angry sound. One of the basketball players was walking on some girl’s food. He kicked the trays out of his way so he could stand in the middle of the table. No one dared say a word to him.
Kristen looked for a teacher but didn’t see one.
The basketball player pointed at Kristen. His dark hair dripped with sweat. His large eyes were wider than usual. He laughed like a maniac, showing two rows of uneven teeth. In a loud voice he announced, “Kristen Noah is a…”
The blood drained from her face as dream became reality. It was over. All over. Her entire life was about to end with one little word. Hard work and diligence weren’t enough to propel her to the top. She was going to need her powers on occasion to pave the way.
Kristen rose to her feet and prepared to take the bullet.
A small smile touched Zach’s lips, smug in nature, but Kristen didn’t have time to decipher the reason for it. Dizzy, she grabbed onto the table, half afraid she would faint and hit her head on the way down.
“…a w-w-wonderful cheerleader, and Titan High is proud of her! That’s the end of this announcement. Thank you, all.”
The basketball player jumped off the table and headed for the doors. Kristen’s eyes followed him. She slowly unclenched her fists. Her palms burned where her long fingernails had cut into the flesh, and her entire body trembled. Why? It didn’t make any sense. Why would a basketball player single her out like that? It was too close to her dream to be a coincidence, and then she spotted the reason why.
Brittany patted the boy on the arm as he walked by her to exit. She turned in Kristen’s direction, gave a big smirk, and winked before following him out. Brittany had made her second move. Now it was up to Kristen. She could apologize to Brittany for breaking a rule, or she could let the girl have it with a stunning spell of her own.
Kristen’s jaw hurt from clenching her teeth too hard. She released a breath in a slow hiss and considered her options. If she were going to get even, she would have to make it good because Brittany would be out for blood.
On Saturday afternoon, Kristen went through half her closet, searching for the perfect outfit to wear on her date with Zach. She stripped several items off their hangers, carried them to the bed, and laid them down before heading back to the walk-in for the next load. She didn’t stop until the clothes formed a huge mound in the center of the bed. One at a time, she held them in front of her while gazing into the full-length mirror. She tried to imagine Zach’s reaction to each outfit.
She stood behind a red mini dress that fit her like a second skin and stared at her reflection, picturing bare legs and sparkling, red stilettos. What would Zach think if he saw her walking toward him in this hot little number? “Major slut,” she said with a wry twist to her mouth.
She tossed it and grabbed the next outfit, a frilly, white prairie skirt with matching top. What did her reflection say now? She made a face. “Don’t touch me. I don’t like boys.”
Next!
Kristen went through at least thirty outfits before deciding to play it safe and go casual. Zach was just going to wear his usual denim and T-shirt, no doubt, so she would look ridiculous if she wore a fancy dress. She chose a simple pair of jeans, gray T-shirt with AC/DC scrawled across her chest, and a tan suede jacket.
Why was she nervous? She still didn’t trust Zach and had only agreed to go out with him to get information. Something was off about him, and she was determined to find the truth.
She checked with the mirror one last time. Casual was the perfect choice. Zach would feel more relaxed around her, and she didn’t look like a clingy girl in need of male attention. In fact, she smiled at herself with confidence; she didn’t care if he liked her or
not. She was on a fishing expedition. That was it.
“I am Kristen Noah, future CEO.” For ten years, she’d repeated the mantra to her reflection while preparing for the day ahead. Now, she added a qualifier. “Maybe.” She hated the sound of that, the sound of doubt. “Probably.”
“Talk to yourself much?” Brittany stood in the open doorway, hands on narrow hips.
Kristen hadn’t seen Brittany since the incident at lunch. She imagined running across the room and strangling the goth-girl wannabe. The visual brought a smile to her freshly tinted red lips, but she couldn’t do anything because her father was down the hall in his office. Playing it cool, she turned to face the other girl.
“That was clever,” Kristen said. “Having a boy pretend he was going to publicly accuse me? Very clever.”
“Glad you liked it.”
“I hope you’ve gotten it out of your system, because I’m not putting up with anything else. I broke a rule, and you put me in my place. We’re done now.”
Brittany grinned, hands in pockets. “Have you learned your lesson? That cheating is very, very wrong?”
Kristen wanted to knock the smug girl on her skinny butt. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that Brittany was a dangerous person to tangle with. Calling a truce now, swallowing a bit of pride, would be better for all players in the long run. So she nodded. “I’ll play nice as long as you do. No more rule breaking.”
Except for going out with Zach, of course. What her sisters didn’t know couldn’t come back to bite her later.
Brittany entered the bedroom without an invite and looked at the clothes on the floor with a pleased curve to her lips. “Riding a motorcycle, breaking rules, and now you’re turning into a slob. You and I are growing more and more alike every day.”
Kristen rolled her eyes. “There’s no need to be insulting.”
“Bitch.”
“Tramp.”
They dissolved into quiet laughter, friends again. It was such a relief to make peace with her sister that Kristen forgot where she was headed for a second. Then Brittany reminded her with an innocent observation.