Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

FRANKIE

"This suddenly feels like a terrible idea."

"You're gonna do great, Franks."

I groaned and rested my forehead on the steering wheel. "How do you know that?"

"You're a warrior, kiddo. You have been since the day you were born," he said softly. I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder gently, easing some of the tension in my back. "And when you and Elizabeth were in trouble, you pulled it together and got you two out of there. In the face of the most heinous, intense trauma, you could have collapsed, but you fought your way out over and over until you won."

I sat up and looked over at him with my heart lodged in my throat. There were words trapped inside of me, but I couldn't hear them myself. The emotions were too much, ranging from terrified to heartbroken. I'd been charging through every moment since I woke up in the hospital, and I knew I was intentionally avoiding the healing part of my trauma. But there were moments when it slid in and crept up on me. This was one of those moments. When I woke up and realized I was starting a brand-new school in a brand new city, I had a full blown panic attack. My aunt had found me sitting on the floor in my shower. Anxiety was a bitch like that. Aunt Kimmy promised I didn't have to arrive at the same time as everyone else, where everyone would be staring at me.

But that grace period was up, so my aunt and uncle drove with me to school for moral support and were going to walk home, leaving my car with me. They didn't want me to feel trapped without a getaway car. Aunt Kimmy went inside to get my schedule while I clung to my steering wheel. Uncle Kyle was a beacon of calm energy. He always calmed me down just by being around.

"Deep breaths, in and out."

I leaned back against the seat and just breathed. "I haven't had to do this in a long time."

"And you had Elizabeth last time. I know." He sighed and turned toward me in the passenger seat. "I know you are new to our world, and your aunt and I take responsibility for some of that, but witches aren't like humans. We stick together. We look out for one another. We're like one big extended family, especially in this town. So while this is daunting, they're going to welcome you in with open arms. The sooner you get in there and meet some of them, the sooner the anxiety will subside."

I arched my eyebrow at him. "Somehow I doubt this."

"Your aunt is coming. Time's up." He shrugged and turned back to face forward. "Come on, Franks. Just wait until they start showing you magic . . . you'll forget all about this stress."

With a curse, I flipped the visor down and checked my reflection. My blue eyes were bright and clear, no visual sign of panic, though my cheeks were flushed and my bottom lip looked puffy from all the gnawing on it I'd done. My hair wasn't my normal vibrant hot-pink, it'd faded to a cotton candy pink. "Yeah, well, can you use magic to re-dye my hair?"

He froze with his hand on the handle. A playful smirk spread across his face. "As a matter of fact . . ." He reached into Aunt Kimmy's purse on the floor at his feet and pulled his wand out. With a quick flick, a pink cloud wrapped around my head.

I jumped and glanced up to the mirror. My jaw dropped. My hair was now back to its vibrant hot-pink color. A chuckle slipped out of my mouth.

"See?" He winked, then pushed his door open and climbed out.

I took one last glance at myself in the mirror, then forced myself to jump out of the car. I took in my reflection in the windows of my navy-blue Volkswagen Jetta. The great part about moving from a northern Florida town to a more central Florida town was that the culture wasn't much different. Florida was Florida. It was hot as fuck and the humidity made the air wet and sticky, so clothing wasn't expected to consist of much. Today, my outfit was my standard cut-off jean shorts, white tank top, and my all-white Adidas sneakers. I had a super thin, soft, white cotton button-down shirt to cover up if I was cold inside or if a teacher went on a dress code rampage.

"All right, you're all set up and ready to go."

I looked up as Aunt Kimmy approached. "That feels like a threat."

She stopped in front of me and handed me my black backpack and two pieces of paper. One was pink while the other was white. "There are papers and stuff inside but also your class schedule and a map."

"How do my classes look?" I grumbled as I slid my backpack onto one shoulder. My gaze slid over the schedule printed on paper as pink as my hair. "Compared to home?"

"Well, she put you in honors classes since we're halfway through second semester. Your guidance counselor is a witch, so we were able to fudge your school records. Next year we can get you back into AP classes if you're feeling up to it. Let's think of the rest of this semester as a warm-up?"

I sighed. "Okay. That sounds fair. Still, kind of nervous to look."

"I got you into PE for home room, which means you'll have it every single day and then you'll go straight to lunch." She wagged her blonde eyebrows. "Rather proud of myself for that one."

That made me laugh. "As you should be. I bet you got a funny look when you asked for it."

"You have no idea." She snickered. "First period is about to end any second now. You ought to get moving so you're not late to third period."

"Block scheduling. Cool. At least that'll be familiar?—"

"Do you have your phone?"

"Yes, Uncle Kyle." I held it up to show him the sticker of my baseball bat on the back. "I'm ready."

"Okay, humor me and show me." He waved his hands. "I need to see you do it before we leave."

Aunt Kimmy smiled and nodded. "All of it."

I rolled my eyes and pressed my thumb to the bat sticker on the case, then softly whispered, "In Aether's name, I call to me, deceive the mind for all to see. "

Just like last night at the beach, the sticker instantly popped off my phone case and landed in my palm in the form of the miniature baseball bat. I held it up for them to see, then lowered my hand and recited the next spell. " Take this image in my mind, transform my weapon now in kind. By way of water, strength in might, hold thy magic for my echoed rite."

Right as those blue flames appeared, I pictured the dagger in my mind and the bat changed into it immediately. I looked pointedly at them and recited the spell again, this time picturing a full-sized bat. Then to drive my point home, I did not recite the next spell out loud. I merely thought it, and once again the bat shrank down to the small sticker. With a smile I pressed the sticker back to my phone and nodded.

"See, Franks? You've got this." He tugged playfully on my hair. "But I'd try to save the dagger for a last resort with the humans and human-passing."

"Human . . . passing." I snorted. "That's a new one."

Aunt Kimmy gave me a hug. "Don't hesitate to call or text if you need anything. We're right here."

"I will." I hugged her back, then gave Uncle Kyle a high five. "Good luck with your first day in town."

Behind me, the bell to signal the change of classes rang so loud all three of us flinched.

My stomach tightened into knots. "That's my cue."

With that, I hit the lock button on my car remote and waved, then spun on my toes and marched toward the buildings. Doors flew open, letting a stampede of students pour out into the sunshine. I held my head high as I walked inside the main doors my aunt had just come from. It felt a little like swimming upstream, dodging students left and right. None of them seemed to pay attention to me, like they didn't care if I was new there or not. A few of them glanced at my pink hair and nodded. One girl actually said she loved it. Another girl frowned at it and then lifted the long strands of her blonde hair. I could've sworn I saw the wheels turning in her mind. I tried to memorize her face to see if she wound up dying hers.

When I walked inside, I held my schedule up, outside was too damn bright to read a thing. I scanned over my class list and spotted some familiar words: chemistry, geometry, English, world history, and of course, PE. But the art class and art history were surprising, pleasant surprises yet surprises nonetheless. I nodded and pulled out the map to see how to get to PE class when I felt a weird tingle in the air. It was like electricity, a little pulse that tickled my spine. I stopped short and looked up . . . and spotted my neighbor about ten feet ahead of me.

He wasn't looking at me, hell, he wasn't looking up at all. His eyes were locked on the floor like he was trying to hide while walking. His dark-red hair was disheveled like he'd run his hands through it a lot. As he got closer, that energy grew stronger. There was nothing outwardly spectacular about this kid, he wore a white shirt and blue jeans with white sneakers not dissimilar to mine. He looked entirely normal. And yet, I felt drawn to him.

My phone vibrated in my hand, so I glanced down to see a text message from my aunt that said, ‘ By the way, you'll FEEL a difference between witch and human. The witches will carry with them an electric sort of energy. You'll feel it before you see them. So don't freak out if that happens.'

I chuckled and sent back, ‘ Sometimes you are psychic.'

She sent back a wink face emoji. ‘ Remember, if you can feel them, they can feel you.'

‘Okay. Gonna try and make a friend. Wish me luck.'

I let out a deep breath and shoved my phone into my back pocket. When I looked back up, I found my neighbor was only about ten feet ahead. He was looking at his phone so he hadn't seen me yet, but I was determined to introduce myself. I wasn't shy, and I didn't want to wait around for some witch teenager to approach me, especially since I didn't exactly have the kind of face that said please come talk to me. So, I cleared my throat and put a smile on my face and took a step forward?—

"HE'S OPEN!" some guy shouted and his voice echoed down the tiled hallway, bouncing off the maroon lockers.

And then I saw a football soaring above students' heads. A guy with long brown hair and a nice tan leapt out from behind a group of girls. He jumped in the air and snatched the football. But when he landed, he slammed right into my neighbor and the two crashed to the floor. Mr. Long Hair was back on his feet in a split second, laughing and cheering. He turned to face my neighbor, then spiked the ball into his stomach.

My vision went red with rage. Every part of me wanted to summon my baseball bat from its sticker form on my phone and show this prick a taste of his own medicine. I clenched my teeth and balled my hands into fists.

"How'd that taste, French fry?" He threw his head back and laughed.

My neighbor pushed up onto all fours just as a guy with a short blond buzz-cut rushed up beside Mr. Long Hair. Buzz-cut grabbed my neighbor by his shirt with both hands, lifted him in the air, then threw him into the burgundy lockers like he weighed no more than a pillow. Both bullies cackled and high-fived.

I think the fuck not. I dug my heels into the ground like I was about to steal home base and sprinted right for the bullies. With both hands, I shoved Mr. Long Hair so hard he flew over and crashed into his friend. Both of them staggered back so I stepped in front of my neighbor who was sitting on his ass against the lockers with his legs spread wide.

Mr. Long Hair charged at me with blazing brown eyes, but I didn't flinch or step aside. No, I knew how to fight. My uncle made sure I took martial arts from a young age. So when he dove for me, I expertly took a step forward and slammed my hand into his throat while I swept his legs out from under him. His eyes bugged out wide as he choked and slammed into the ground hard with a thud . The hallway full of students froze in place, their eyes watching us like a bomb about to go off.

Mr. Buzz-cut snarled and charged for me with the same idiotic gusto as his friend. I just waited until he was right in front of me, then grabbed a fistful of his shirt and yanked, throwing him into the same lockers he'd just thrown my neighbor into. He cursed and pushed right back toward me, turning on me with flushed cheeks and blood on his nose.

" HEY! " a male teacher screamed from a classroom door about ten feet down the hall. " Move it or lose it, boys. MOVE. NOW."

The rest of the students in the hall scurried like roaches when you turned on the light.

Mr. Long Hair staggered back to his feet, still coughing and holding his throat. " You . . . little ? — "

"Mr. Jordan, move it or it's detention," that same male teacher shouted from his open classroom doorway. "You too, Mr. Burke."

I winked just to piss them off.

Mr. Buzz-cut pointed his meaty finger in my face. "Go fuck yourself."

"Fuck me yourself, coward," I snarled back.

"BOYS!"

Mr. Long Hair grabbed his friend's elbow and dragged him back in the direction they'd come from. I glared at their backs in case they decided to turn around. Fighting at school was never my goal. I only ever did it in defense of others. Bullies deserved it.

That teacher turned and narrowed his eyes at me. "You new here?"

I nodded. "First day. Sorry. I hate bullies."

He smirked and pushed his silver glasses higher up his nose. "I can't encourage any fighting . . . just be careful?"

"Will do. Thank you." I smiled and eased my posture so I didn't looked like a junkyard dog waiting to charge. Once the teacher disappeared back into his room, I turned and looked down at my neighbor. "You all right?"

He was still sprawled on the floor . . . laughing. "Meh. I've had worse."

"I bet. Guys are dicks." I held my hand out to help him up. "Hope you didn't mind my interference?"

His grin turned crooked, and his hazel eyes sparkled. "I was thinking if they dented the locker with my face, I might get out of class this week . . . but something tells me I'll get another chance. So, thank you." Then he took my hand and let me lift him back to his feet.

"You're welcome. I'm Francelina Proctor, but everyone calls me Frankie."

He pushed his dark-red hair off his forehead. "I'm Archibald Mann. Everyone calls me Archie. Nice to meet you."

I adjusted my backpack into place. "You're my new neighbor."

"Yeah, I saw you arrive." He tugged on his button-down shirt. "I thought about saying hello, but you seemed to have your hands full with the dogs and stuff."

"I saw you trying to use a wand," I said before I could stop myself. Then I slammed my hand over my mouth and glanced around. "Oops, said that loud."

"Don't worry about it. I've noticed they don't seem phased by us. It's like their ears just don't hear those words." He chuckled as he picked his backpack off the ground. "And . . . I'm just not a Wands Suit, but I'm trying. You probably saw how well that's going so far."

I grinned. "I don't even know which Suit I am. I'm new to all . . . this. "

Archie took my schedule out of my hand and looked at it. "I'm also new here. Well, new to Tampa, not this lifestyle."

"I'm new to both. Where you from?"

"Cool. We both have PE next. C'mon, I'll show you where it's at." He handed my schedule back to me. "Eden. You?"

"Oh sweet. Lead the way." Together we walked down the hall and out the doors on the far end of the building. "So, Archibald, eh? That's your name?"

"I bet you thought Francelina was bad." He chuckled. "It's a family name."

"I like Archibald, actually, but Archie is still better. Family names are nice, or at least I think so." I smiled and bumped his shoulder with mine playfully. "So, curious, if you're not a Wands Suit, then why were you trying to use a wand?"

He grimaced. "Pentacles aren't going to be on the front lines of the war, but I'm not foolish enough to think we won't all be in danger, so I'm trying to . . . I don't know . . . have a backup plan. Though I'm now dying to try that hand to the throat move."

I threw my head back and laughed. "Tell ya what, I'll show you some fight moves and you help me learn this whole witch thing?"

He grinned. "Deal. So, you never said where you're from."

"Shit, you're right. Sorry. I'm from Tallahassee."

"A Floridian already. Nice. That probably will make the move easier." He pointed to a bricked pathway to our right. "Eden is very different from here."

"What's it like? I only just learned about Eden last night and not much. My aunt and uncle said it's home country for us? Like demons and humans can't get in?"

"Yep. It's a small town. Most people don't live there unless they're students at Edenburg or they have children who attend. But it's safe, for the most part?—"

"For the most part? That's ominous."

He shrugged and pointed to the left for us to turn onto an uncovered walkway with the sun attacking us. "Have you heard about Lilith?"

"Yeah. War is coming and all that jazz."

"Yeah, so The Coven had to evacuate Eden recently because of Lilith. It's a long story. They resolved the issue and made Eden safe again, but that's why I'm not there. Mom didn't want to go back."

I frowned. "Are you bummed about this?"

He stopped at the entrance to the gymnasium, pausing with his hand on the handle and pursing his lips. "I don't know."

I giggled. "Ya know, that's fair. Sorry, I didn't mean to get all heavy on you. We just met."

"So you don't want to know my mother's middle name and her favorite brand of cereal?" He pulled the door open. "I had a pet squirrel once?—"

"And by pet do you mean you just went full Snow White sitting in your backyard?"

"To-may-dough, to-mah-dough." He gestured for me to enter first.

I stepped through the open doors, but the change from bright sunshine to fluorescent lighting caused my vision to go dark for a second. I stopped walking and just blinked until my vision cleared. "Did you go full song and dance with your squirrel?"

"I did name him Thumper, which I realized belatedly in the movie was a rabbit not a squirrel." He stopped beside me, frowning at the ground. "I used to get so annoyed no one got the name reference and then I learned it's because I'm a dumbass."

"At least you know it." One of the bullies from before was suddenly right behind us. Mr. Buzz-cut swooped in fast, shoving Archie into the wall. "Eat paint?—"

"Oh, is that what happened to you?"

Mr. Buzz-cut spun around with a snarl. "You've got a big mouth?—"

"And I can back it up, princess, so keep talking." I took a step forward without taking my eyes off him. "Touch me or him. I dare you?—"

" Mr. Burke! " a woman hissed from down the hall. "Locker room. Now."

He looked down his previously broken nose at me with blazing hazel eyes. "Saved by a teacher yet again?—"

"Lucky for you."

"Mr. Burke, I have not forgotten the terms of our arrangement," that same woman yelled with a growl. Her light-brown hair was slicked back in a high ponytail and she wore a whistle on a neon-yellow rope around her neck. "Touch one of my students and you're suspended."

"Go on. Get." I shooed him with my hands. "Bad dog."

He spun and lumbered down the hall toward the woman, who I assumed was our PE teacher.

"What's his problem?" I sighed. "You're new here."

Archie nodded. "He's definitely worried I'm gonna steal the girls away from him."

I snort laughed. "There's probably a spell for that, right? Wands and shit?"

"He's one of us though, so retaliation would be swift and painful." He gestured as if he held his wand in hand in that moment. "I mean, you saw me with a wand."

"And I've never used magic." I cursed dramatically, throwing my arms in the air. "What to do?"

"You two, get in there. Now." We jumped at the sound of the teacher's voice. She didn't watch us running to catch up. She just reviewed her keyboard. When we got close, she snatched my schedule but didn't look at me. "Archie, you'll be on the away team. Get changed and out to the field."

"Yes, ma'am." He winked at me, then slipped through the doors.

"Another new student this late in the year? Ludicrous." She handed me my schedule. "I'm Coach Andrews. Come with me to get a uniform, then we'll hit the field."