14. Rule #14 Secrets Always Reveal Themselves

Rule #14: Secrets Always Reveal Themselves

Zoe

" A re you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Lewis was at least a foot taller than me but he was currently using me as a human shield.

"I'm seeing what you're seeing," I confirmed.

"Is that a ghost?"

"What? Have you never seen a ghost before?" the girl said, tilting her head. She floated crossed legged on the counter.

I swatted at Lewis. "Get off me."

"There's a fucking ghost sitting on your counter," he shrieked.

"Yes, I'm well aware."

"Why are you not freaking out?"

"Why would she? She's a witch," the girl piped up.

"Excuse me?"

Fuck.

"No, you're not," he scoffed. "Magic's not real. "

I closed my eyes. Five years. I'd kept this from him for five years and this tiny bitch outed me in a second.

"Magic is very real."

"What?!"

"Not now," I said to him.

"Yes, now! Since when have you been a witch?"

"Since always," I replied, softly. "I was born this way."

"And you never told me? You lied to me!"

"Lewis! There's a ghost!" I exclaimed, trying to distract him from the revelation.

"I can see that! Fuck. This is too much."

He grabbed his coat and made for the door. Panic squeezed my chest.

"Lewis! No! Please don't go!" I ran after him, grabbing his arm as he reached the door.

"Don't leave me," I begged.

"You lied, Zoe," he replied, wrenching his arm from my hold.

It would have been easier if he had slammed the door. But it closed on a silent click, his hurt and disappointment lingering in the entryway.

"Whoops,' a voice said from behind me. I spun around, glaring at her and she dissipated in a wisp of smoke.

I charged up the stairs, scanning the second floor landing. My gaze locked on a nondescript door at the end of the hall that I hadn't really noticed before and I rushed over to it. When I grabbed the doorknob, it glowed red. It was warded. But I was a powerful witch, and between the booster and the ley line, I could undo it. It took me a while but it finally clicked open, revealing a narrow staircase that led up into the attic. Thick layers of dust coated the steps and an ominous creak groaned when I climbed them, but I was beyond caring right now. The little bitch could hear me coming .

The dusty attic was filled with haphazardly placed boxes, antique cupboards, an old rocking horse and what looked to be a mirror covered with a sheet. Spiderwebs hung from the light fixtures and across the large round porthole window that looked out on the street. A half moon shone through, throwing some light across the scuffed wooden floor. There were bookcases with children's books packed in them.

"Where are you little ghostie?" I said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry," she said and I spun around to see her floating near the back. "It's just… it's just… I haven't had visitors in such a long time and you guys seem fun. I didn't know that he didn't know about you. He was having a good laugh with that vampire."

The words tumbled out of her as she wrung her hands and at least had the decency to look like she meant it. She wore a school uniform. A preppy skirt, with a pressed white shirt, one of those weird bows they wore instead of a tie and standard black school shoes.

"Does Rory know about you?" I asked.

I swore to Hecate if another person lied to me. But then the guilt burned in my gut. I'd been lying to Lewis for years and now there were consequences.

"She doesn't. My grandma said I was supposed to stay out of your way."

"Your grandma?"

"I'm Lexi Picoult."

"Madam Picoult's granddaughter," I said, the realization dawning on me. About ten years ago there was a tragedy in the Picoult coven. One of the younger girls had died, no one knew how, not even the coven, but it was felt throughout the magical community. Losing a young witch was always a deep loss for everyone.

"And now you haunt this house." It was a statement, not a question. "Why?" I asked. "What happened? "

"I don't know," Lexi replied with a shrug. "But I've been stuck here, and well, you guys seem like so much fun. I couldn't help myself. I'm really sorry about your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," I said through gritted teeth.

She sighed with what sounded like relief. "Oh, good. Because I was about to feel bad for the way he and Rory were flirting."

"I have to go. Don't scare Rory."

"Scouts honor," she said, holding up two fingers.

I rushed down the stairs to my bedroom and pulled on clothes, my combat boots and my leather jacket. I stopped outside Rory's bedroom, realizing that I didn't have her phone number. So I grabbed a piece of paper from my room and scribbled a note before pushing it under her door.

We have a ghost. Friendly. Talk about it when you get home. - Z

An hour later I was standing outside Lewis's fancy ass apartment, holding a box of cinnamon rolls. I had fucked up and I wasn't above bribery. The doorman knew me on sight and had waved at me as I made my way to the elevator bank.

"Come on, Lewis! Open up! You can't avoid me forever!"

I hammered on the door again.

"You love me and you can't live without me," I called through the door. Leaning my head against the door, I whispered, "I can't live without you." A sob hitched in my throat, but I refused to give it purchase. If I let the floodgates open, I'd be a blubbering mess. And I couldn't lose control like that. I needed to fix this.

I fell forward as the door opened and I stumbled to the ground. Lewis took the white box from my hands, not helping me up from the floor. I stood, brushing off my knees as he strode towards the kitchen. Well, at least he let me in.

Lewis had placed the box on the granite kitchen island and leaned against the opposite counter with his arms crossed. His face was guarded and fear gripped my chest. He had never looked at me that way before and my stomach turned. I couldn't lose him.

"What do you want?" he asked, voice devoid of emotion.

"I… I just… I just need…"

"You need what? You know what it is with you, Zoe? You always need to be in control of everything. You don't trust me, even when I show you every, single fucking day that I am here. I'm here, Zoe!"

I let him yell. He had every right to feel angry and betrayed. And it devastated me, because this was all on me. Everything that I hated people doing to me, I had done to him. I was a fucking hypocrite and the realization was sobering at best, devastating at worst.

"I take you as you are. Your sarcasm, your grumpiness and dismissiveness. I take it all with a fucking pinch of salt! Do you know why? Because I know what you've been through. Because you're my best friend and I fucking love you. And beneath that armor you wear, I know the real you. I know your heart and your kindness and your loyalty. You're my home, my safe place. But you even kept me at arms length. All of this was a lie."

A wounded sob escaped me as tears streamed down my face, and he still wasn't moved. Any other time, he would be reassuring me and sweeping me into his arms .

"It wasn't," I hiccupped. "It wasn't a lie. I love you so much."

"You don't lie to the people you love."

"I didn't lie," I said.

"A lie by omission is still a lie, Zoe."

I nodded. I didn't have a fucking leg to stand on and I knew it.

"I'm sorry," I said. It was all I had. "I'm really so fucking sorry, Lew." I let him see it all on my face. I lay everything bare at the mercy of the one person who always had my back.

"Are these magic cinnamon rolls?" he said, waving his hands at the box. "Have you been using magic on me this whole time?"

"Why?" I bit out. "Because that's the only way someone would want to be friends with me?" I knew I was being unfair, but I was hurting and defensive.

His eyes softened and he pushed his hand through his black hair, the way he did when he was frustrated or irritated. Right now, I wasn't sure which one it was.

"Why?" he asked. "Why lie to me? I'm your best friend. Why didn't you trust me?"

With shaky hands, I swiped the tears from my face. I was so scared.

"I thought you'd leave me. If you knew what I was you wouldn't… you wouldn't…" I couldn't finish the sentence. I shook too much. "Everyone leaves me," I whispered.

"You didn't just lie to me, Zo. You hid a big part of who you are because you didn't trust me. Fuck. I know you have trust issues, but me?" His voice rose in pitch. He was hurting too.

"I'm sorry," I said again. I didn't know what to say. Because he was right.

The next thing I knew, his arms wrapped around me and relief flooded my body along with fresh tears. "You're my favorite pain in the ass. The little sister I never asked for. "

He held me for a long time as forgiveness and remorse swept through us. I gripped his t-shirt as he ran his hand soothingly across my back. He was my anchor in a storm. The brother that chose me.

I settled eventually and sniffed into his chest before wiping my tears.

"Did you just wipe your snot on my shirt?"

"No," I grumbled. He let go then I gestured to the box. "I mean technically these aren't magicked, but Gloria's a magician in that bakery so I can see how you'd believe they were."

The side of Lewis's mouth pulled up in a smile. I hesitated for a second because I wasn't sure how he'd react to a display of my magic, but also because I wasn't sure it would even work away from the ley line. I waved my hand over the cinnamon rolls and they instantly warmed up.

Lewis narrowed his eyes. "Do you mean to tell me, that this entire time we've been using a microwave, when you could have just waved your goddamn hands?" he exclaimed while gesturing wildly with his own hands.

I hiccuped a laugh. Of course he was going to accept all of me. He was my best friend. Why had I ever doubted him?

"Well, I can get us some great brownies from Amelia's if you want to try that out."

"Magic brownies?" His eyes went wide, making me laugh.

"So how does your magic work?" He tore off a piece of one of the rolls, stuffing it into his mouth. And just like that, we were good again.

"Not very well these days, to be honest. Ever since I got banished from my coven."

"Hold up! Agatha and Katie are witches too? Marcus? Can guys be witches?"

"Yes. Marcus too. The slimy shit. Warlocks are witches who use blood magic. I don't think he's sunk to that level yet. But when my sister died he used it as an excuse to push me out. "

At the mention of my sister's death, he squeezed me tighter. He didn't know the full story there either, only that we had been estranged and she had died in a terrible accident. Now wasn't the time to dig into that particular trauma.

I shrugged out of his hold and continued. "A witch needs a coven to be at full strength. And mine has been dwindling ever since they kicked me out. I thought moving in on the ley line would help."

"The what?" he asked, talking with a full mouth.

"So, that new house I moved into is owned by another witch. It's built on a ley line, it's kind of like a magical fault line. Magic is stronger there. I think that's why Lexi's haunting the place."

"Fuck, Zoe," he said, scratching the back of his head, "I really hate ghosts."

"To be fair, you've only ever met one and she's a nerdy teenage girl."

We ate in silence, stuffing our faces with warm cinnamon rolls, licking cream cheese frosting off our fingers.

"I'm really sorry, Lew."

"I know. I'm sorry you didn't think you could be yourself around me. It's been five years, Zo. I've put up with your shit for a long time and I'm still here."

"I know. There were times when I tried to tell you, but I got scared. And then as the years went on it felt like it was too late and we were great the way it was, so why ruin it?"

"I get it, I guess. I just thought I was the only person you trusted. But…"

I could still hear the faint note of hurt in his voice and it gutted me. "You are the only person I trust."

He sighed that long-suffering sigh of his.

"Are you hiding anything else from me? "

"Well, seeing as we're getting things out in the open. Rory's a vegan vampire and Daniel's a werewolf."

His eyes bugged out as he choked on a piece of cinnamon roll. "What?!"