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“Anastasia…” Helena called, stirring me from my slumber. Waking up surprised me. I didn’t remember falling asleep. I looked around the bed. No note, no diary. I searched the floor surrounding the bed. Nothing there either. Had he come back for them? He had to. I found myself feeling disappointed for having missed his return. “What is wrong with me?” This was getting weird.
“Breakfast will be served in an hour,” she continued, pulling back the curtain that stretched across the glass wall. Morning’s sunlight swept into the room. “Take a quick shower and get changed. I have a surprise for you! Your gown is on the end of your bed!”
Only half listening, I rolled over and buried my head into my pillow. I was trying to make some sense of last night's memory and the weird emotions that came with it, when two realizations struck. A surprise? And did she say gown? I’d risen to address these very points, just in time to watch her back disappear into the hall. I crawled across the bed to have a look at what it was they intended me to wear.
So it wasn’t really a gown, gown. More of a dress: A navy blue sleeveless little dress with matching colored shoes just beside it. Still, I didn’t have much experience with dresses either. Why couldn’t I have started my new life with a nice pair of jeans or something?
Groaning, I rolled out of bed and stepped over to the glass wall. Morning provided a much better view. The grounds, like the house itself, seemed to continue forever. Paved walkways cut through the gardens, separating large patches of blue and pink, and red and white, with berry-filled bushes dotted in between. Following the main walkway away from the house led my eyes to two large bushes in the shape of giraffes, each facing the other, craning their long necks over the path to create an archway of sorts—an archway into the wild. Mighty elephants migrated across the edge of the large field, while proud lions perched majestically on wide stones at its center. Snakes swirled up from the ground like twisty straws in various places, and ducks spread their wings around a small pond. Just beyond these animal hedges lay more hedges, these forming tall, thick walls, like those surrounding the perimeter of the estate. The walls of hedges formed a large maze; the kind I had always thought existed only in cartoons and movies. But then, I’d thought that about a lot of things until yesterday. Until… I forced myself to think positive. Meanwhile, my eyes had settled on the tall grass that danced in winds along the bank of the wide lake in the distance. The grass, which brought that boy’s face back to my mind, and those eyes…
“Anastasia?”
“Huh,” I replied, waking up from my thoughts. I jumped at the sight of the young girl directly behind me.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said backing up. Her freckled cheeks were bright red and she only met my eyes for seconds at a time.
“Um, it’s okay. I just didn’t hear you come in.”
She took a deep breath. “My name is Aspen McArthur. I’m your surprise.”
“Okay,” I said, letting my eyes drop down to the large brown paper bag in her right hand. “What are you surprising me with?”
“I’m here to do your hair and make-up,” she said grinning. My lack of enthusiasm brought back her shyness. “It’s okay if you’d rather have someone else do it.”
“Oh no, you’re perfect,” I said quickly, trying to conceal my hesitation. What could she possibly know about hair and makeup? What did I know about hair and makeup?
Once she got me into a chair and set out all of the contents of her bag neatly around me, all traces of her shyness disappeared. She moved quickly, touching my eyelashes with this, rubbing on lipstick with that. In five minutes time she was done and was stepping backwards away from me. “Wanna have a look?”
I nodded and then turned to look at the mirror behind me. I almost choked. She had made me look like some sort of neon cat woman, with painted on whiskers and hideous bright green lipstick. On my forehead, she had spelled out the word ‘Aspen.’
“That’s my name,” she reminded me, laughing. In fact, she couldn’t stop herself from giggling. “Now will you relax and trust me?”
I nodded and found myself laughing too.
She started again, only this time she was much more talkative. She explained that her mother and my grandmother served on some council, and that she had heard them talking about restricting all displays of magic in front of me. They wanted to ease me into it, she guessed. That was also how I ended up with her as my stylist, because while most witches use magic for just about everything, she wasn’t old enough yet, and did it the old-fashioned way. Her mother had not allowed her to wear makeup; she clarified, so she got her practice from dolling up her older sister.
“Okay,” she said confidently, after spending what felt like an eternity in my hair. Totally understandable. “Now turn around.”
I just stared at the face in the mirror. It was all that I could do. It was simple really; all she had done was put something on me that matched my natural skin tone. However, whatever it was, it was infused with some silvery glitter-like substance that twinkled whenever I moved my head. It made the grey in my eyes pop. My hair fell down around my face in elegant curls. I didn’t recognize myself.
“My goodness,” said Helena from somewhere off to my right. “You look beautiful.”
Aspen did a bow.
“Oh!” Helena exclaimed, remembering why she’d come. “Breakfast will be served in ten minutes. Hurry and get dressed. Your guests are getting anxious!”
Helena retreated into the hallway, trailed closely by Aspen. Ten minutes to get dressed? I hadn’t even taken a shower! I began to wonder what she would think of a slightly smelly princess when another much more pressing thought came to mind. Did she say guests?
I did it. I would put on the dress. After a quick wash up, it was a relief to find that it fit. Well, for the most part. Whoever bought it had really overestimated how much I could fill it out. Realizing that my breasts probably weren’t going to grow any in the next thirty seconds, I set off into the hall, and then down the first couple of stairs. There was a boy waiting at the bottom.
I ducked back into the hall. That was certainly not Helena. I peeked back around the corner, feeling every bit the coward that I was. His hair was blonde and short and he had wide shoulders, which his white short-sleeved shirt hugged tightly. He wore light colored khakis, and an annoyed frown. He was probably forced into this as I was; only he’d gotten the worse end of the deal. I got an Abercrombie model as an escort, and all he was getting was, well, me.
The click of heels began to echo in the distance. It was Helena. Crap. Now, I didn’t have a choice. I could run back to my room and have her drag me out kicking and screaming (embarrassing), or I could step out with some dignity and face this head on. “No more being cautious,” I told myself.
“Hello there… No worries, I don’t bite,” said the boy looking up at me.
Crap! He had seen me peeking out at Helena. I smiled and tried to step out confidently. I could play this off—at least I could have if I hadn’t missed the first stair completely. Falling didn’t hurt, though I would have taken a bruised arm gladly to avoid the current state of my entire dress being up around my stomach. His face appeared above mine, and as red as it was, I doubted it was half the shade of mine.
“Are you alright,” he asked, as I manically pulled down my dress. “It’s alright, I-I didn’t see anything…”
I seriously doubted that, but at the moment I was too mortified speak. He helped me up to my feet, and I brushed myself off.
“The name’s Darren,” he said holding out his hand. He had bright blue eyes, and a handsome smile.
Every part of me wanted to make a run for it, locking the door behind me, but my legs stayed put. Wherever this newly found confiden
ce had come from, I was thankful.
“Ana,” I replied, managing to meet his eyes briefly as I shook his hand.
“I’m supposed to be your escort,” he said next. “I have to say, I wasn’t thrilled about it, but after your little show and tell…”
My eyes widened.
He laughed. “Too soon?”
“Oh my! Are you alright Anastasia?” Helena asked, her face bright red. “I saw everything! You’re not hurt are you? Should I call someone to have a look at you?”
“I’m alright,” I replied, feeling embarrassed again. I’d forgotten that Helena was here.
“Are you sure?” she followed, sounding unconvinced.
I nodded.
“Well, alright then. Have you both introduced yourselves to one another?”
We both nodded. Darren’s lips curled into guilty smile.
“Well come on then, everyone’s waiting for you!”
Helena turned and jogged excitedly back into the short hall on the other side of the room. Darren turned to me and held out his arm. “Shall we?”
I took a deep breath. “Okay,” I whispered. I put my arm into his and we made our way over.
“I should probably tell you this beforehand,” he began. “Our grandmothers have been best friends since like, the beginning of time, and they’ve had it in their minds, probably since before we were born, that we are destined to be together. I’m sure they’ve already picked out the names of our children.”
“No pressure,” I said feeling myself blush again. Darren was hot.
He smiled. “Oh yes, lot’s of pressure. You’ll see.”
As we entered the hall, the sounds of voices began to reach us from inside. My body tensed up.
“How many people are in there?”
“Just about the entire witching community of Brighton. Most people didn’t think you were ever coming back.”
He must have seen the emotion in my face. “Listen, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything—“
“It’s okay—I’m okay. Really. I’m just a little nervous about being the center of attention, that’s all. I mean, is everybody going to just stop and stare when we walk in?”
He looked directly into my eyes. “If they do, I’m right here. Just pretend to tell a joke, I’ll laugh, and we’ll find the quickest way outside.”
“Okay,” I said thankfully. I felt a bit more confident.
The chatter vibrated the double doors as we approached. I gripped his arm. It was like concrete.
“You ready?” he asked, just short of the door.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
He knocked, the doors opened, and hundreds of faces all turned at once. I felt my heart leap up into my throat. Darren had told me to do something, but I couldn't remember what—I’d become frozen by the sight of hundreds of staring eyes. It was awful, like a nightmare…
Then there was applause. Loud, thunderous applause. They seemed to surround me all at once, but each of them was smiling. They were wishing me well, telling me what an honor it was to meet me and how much I looked like my aunt—what a good sign that was. Still I kept Darren’s arm close, it felt nice to have him near.
Eventually, Darren was able to lead me through the crowd, and over to a table at the center of the room where my grandmother sat with an assortment of elderly ladies.
“At least the worst is over,” I whispered to Darren.
He shook his head. “It’s about to get sooo much worse.”
“Oh, just look at the two of them,” exclaimed a large pinked cheek woman, standing up from the table suddenly. She wobbled around to greet us. “A fine pair. A fine pair!”
Darren released my arm and the woman grabbed him by the cheeks, planting the sides of his face with several kisses.
“Nana, please… in front of everybody?”
I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Darren’s grandmother then pulled two chairs away from the table. Naturally, they were right next to one another.
We sat down. My grandmother stood up.
“Anastasia, I’d like you to meet The Elder Witches—“
“Katarina, don’t you go boring the girl with talk of councils,” Darren’s grandmother interrupted. “There hasn’t been any real need for these titles of ours for five generations now. Just a group of gossiping old hens these days. Let’s hear about this blossoming new…friendship.”
“The girl’s been here a day, and you already have the two of them married?” my grandmother replied with a smirk.
“Look who’s changing their stripes,” said another of the ladies. “Weren’t you just saying what a handsome couple they’d make as they were walking up?”
My grandmother went pink.
“And look at her, so shy and mannerly, a right bit better than those other hussies he brings by the house,” Darren’s grandmother added.
Darren shook his head. “You guys are talking like we’re not sitting, like, right here at the table with you.”
His grandmother waved her hand. “Hush child. So, Anastasia, how do like Brighton?”
“Um, it’s pretty nice. I haven’t really seen all that much of it.”
“You hear that Darren? She needs someone to show her around town. Better catch her before she comes of age, all the boys’ll be lining up then—“
My grandmother cleared her throat loudly. “This is all very new to Anastasia. I haven’t gone over with her everything that being a witch, let alone an heir, entails.”
“Oh, my apologies,” said Darren’s grandmother, shrinking noticeably back into her chair.
Darren took advantage of the pause in the conversation. “Ana was just telling me in the hall that she was really looking forward to seeing the gardens.”
A brown-skinned lady laughed out loud. “Look at that, you’ve scared ‘em off what with all that talk of romancin’. Good job child, take the first available escape route.”
“Oh yes, don’t mind us old ladies,” Darren’s grandmother added. “Go out and have some alone time.” She winked at me.
Darren and I stepped into the gardens just outside the ballroom, taking a seat under a small tree covered in pink blossoms.
“Sorry about that. Gram can get a little carried away,” he said.
“Yeah it was a little intense, but then, so is everything about today. It’s unbelievably weird to go from living in the woods to suddenly being a princess or something.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t imagine getting thrown into this blind. I’ve lived here my entire life and it still feels like it’s too much sometimes.”
“I’d say you’re doing okay.”
He blushed, and so did I.
“Sooo you wanna take a walk or something?” he suggested.
“Um, sure.”
Darren and I walked all the way out to the maze before turning around. He was easy to talk to. At first, we kept it light, him talking mostly about playing football, me about being terrified of clowns. However, it wasn’t long before the conversation got much deeper.
“Okay, so now that you’re filthy rich and known in witching communities all over the world, what’s next? Where does Brighton’s heir see herself in ten years?”
He studied me carefully as he spoke and I felt my face flush. Although there was a light, even playful tone to his voice, I could sense that he was interested in a genuine answer.
“I have no idea,” I shrugged. “I just know that whatever I’m doing or wherever I am, I want to make a difference in the world—something positive. That probably sounds corny but it’s true…” I was staring at the ground now, certain he would laugh at my beauty pageant reply. I meant it though, I knew enough about being “less fortunate” to know that if I ever got the chance to help others in that situation, I would jump at the chance.
“Not at all,” he repl
ied nodding. His head was down now as we walked, and a grin lit up his face. “You’re certainly a breath of fresh air around here,” he muttered.
Barely concealing my own grin, I kept my head down. I did notice his expression begin to turn, however.
“I’m not supposed to say anything, but I’m sorry for what happened to your mom. I couldn’t imagine. It’s so tough for those of us who choose to live outside of Brighton. My uncle, kindest man I’ve ever known, attacked in his bed, dragged outside like some kind of animal…”
The anger was visible in his face and I could hear it in his voice as he spoke.
“I just try not to think about it,” I said. "It's easier for me to stay positive that way."
He was quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry, Ana. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
I really wished he wouldn’t have. I’d managed not to think about it much today—not too much anyway—and that was the key to managing I’d found. I’d been given so many distractions here and I was thankful for that. I felt the stirring emotion inside and waited for the crippling pain or for the crying. They didn’t come. What did come were two handfuls of water.
Darren stood near the edge of the pond, uncertain of my reaction.
“I can’t believe you would do that!” I shouted. “Insensitive jerk!”
“Listen…I, I mean I wasn’t thinking…” He was taking small steps backwards, rattling off apologies and when he was close enough to the water, I pushed him in.
He laughed. Hard. “Well, you gotta pull me out,” he said, offering up his hand.
I knew it was a trick, but I gave him my hand anyway. I made sure I splashed in his direction. We spent the better part of ten minutes shoveling water at one another, and once we were as soaked as was humanly possible, we crawled onto the bank and stretched out next to the duck-shaped hedges.
“I don’t think I've had this much fun since I was twelve,” he said finally, laughing.
I stared up at the sky. I hadn’t ever had this much fun—certainly not this kind of fun. Being able to do something spontaneous was so new to me. Everything in my life was always planned out, every minute of every day. So many rules to follow, procedures to remember… Was it any wonder that in only a day and a half I couldn’t cry anymore? Truth be told, I felt relieved not to always be worrying, to know that this was home, that it could be for as long as I wanted to. Relieved to have another friend.
Well, relief and guilt for feeling relieved. I tried not to think about it for very long but it wasn’t as easy this time. “Do you even want her to come back?" said a voice in my head. “This could all end if she does—“
“What are you thinking about over there?” Darren asked.
“Darren, please don’t bring up my mother anymore.”
His face straightened. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
The sun was bright overhead by the time we started back for the house. As we entered the gardens, he stopped me.
“Listen, I know my grandmother's kinda anxious for us to be a couple, and I could totally understand if that turns you off, but I really had fun today and I didn’t expect to like you as much as I do. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’d really like for us to hang out sometime.”
I stared at this boy in disbelief. He wanted to spend time with me? I tried to play it cool, but I could feel my face flushing yet again. “Uh, um, s-sure,” I stuttered.
That was smooth.
“No pressure?”
“No pressure,” I answered smiling.