"To my knowledge, it's a gift only our particular line has. And some people are more gifted at it than others. In fact, I've never seen a connection happen without a witch trying to match a couple before. Though it's not entirely impossible. You can certainly tell when two people might be a good fit. You get a tingling from their connection, that tension in the air between them," Mom said.
"So, let me get this straight," I said, still trying to digest what they were telling me. "I have the power to match two people that I think would be a good couple but who maybe are just having a little trouble making the first move?"
"Correct," my mom answered. "And apparently even when you don't realize it. But this is not a gift to be taken lightly, Brooklyn. When you're dealing with matters of the heart, things can get very complicated. And in the end, whether they fall in love isn't up to you. That's for the universe and the real Cupid to decide."
"There's a real Cupid?" I asked, my mouth dropping.
"Just be careful, sweetie," Dad said, going back to reading his paper and ignoring my question. "You're dealing with people's emotions here. In some cases, you may end up doing more damage than good."
"Got it, Dad," I said, still a little dazed. I got up to give them both hugs and then prepared to leave. I needed some alone time to think about this new bit of information.
As I was heading up the stairs, I heard my mom say, "Well, that went better than I'd expected."
I had to agree. I'd definitely gotten exactly what I'd been looking for.
For the next week, I tested out my newfound matching skills, first pairing up two kids in my debate class who were always arguing and trying to one-up each other to win their cases. I figured that if there was a fire between them in class, imagine what they'd be like as a couple. And they'd been hot and heavy ever since.
Then I'd had a feeling about my World Civ teacher and the volleyball coach and decided they could use a little help connecting, too. Older people always seemed to drag their feet when it came to dating and I figured I'd just help speed up the process. Though they hadn't been as outwardly affectionate as the other students I'd matched, I'd seen them meeting up in the cafeteria for coffee on several occasions.
Almost as soon as I'd learned of this new side of myself, the wheels in my head started to spin. I was slightly ashamed to admit it at first, but there was only one potential couple I wanted to test my magic out on-and it wasn't for altruistic reasons. Asher and I had been growing closer and closer over the three weeks since we'd found out about each other's magical abilities and there were times when I thought maybe there was a spark between us. I wanted so badly to match the two of us but couldn't help feeling guilty about it. What if Asher found out and got mad at me for doing it without his permission? Would he be upset or happy that I'd taken the initiative? And even worse, what if it didn't work? What if once the spell wore off, there was nothing there and we had to go back to being just friends? I already knew that I was head over heels for him, and it would mean I'd be left pining for what we'd had. Only it wouldn't have been real. And what would I do then?
The truth was, I hadn't had these particular powers for all that long to begin with and I was still trying to work out the kinks. Because my parents weren't exactly forthcoming with information, I had no idea if I was even doing things right. I thought it best to try things out on those who weren't me first, just to make sure, so I'd turned to other students and my teachers in the meantime. But now a week had gone by and all seemed perfect in the world of love, which made it difficult to hold back on what I wanted to do.
As I drove up to the Burger Barn, I couldn't help but feel nervous and even a little bit excited. Trying to play match-maker was sort of like playing God. Of course, just because I willed it didn't mean it would come true. My parents had made it clear that after the initial spell wore off, there had to be a real connection between the couple in question in order for a relationship to develop. My matching would only get the ball rolling.
After that, I had to hope there was more there.
Shutting off the engine, I checked my appearance in the mirror quickly. I had on a pair of jeans and a tank top. A jade-colored necklace hung low across my front, the bottom of the chunky jewels touching just above my belly button. It was fun but flirty, the perfect mixture of dressed up but not trying too hard. My hair was loose and curls framed my face, which was perfectly done up.
I wanted everything about this night to be perfect.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way over to the restaurant and almost immediately spied who I was looking for.
Asher.
He was sitting in a booth toward the back, pecking away on his cell phone and looking absolutely adorable. His black jacket, fitted white tee, and jeans nearly made me swoon as I watched him through the window. My stomach dropped like it always did when he was around. I'd never felt like this about anyone before, this much was true. Was it possible he felt the same?
Only one way to find out.
I held up one finger and pointed it directly at Asher. Then with my other hand I pointed at myself. While turning my thoughts to what a great couple we would be, I moved my fingers closer and closer together until the tips touched and I felt a jolt.
Right away, my desire to be near him grew. It was like a slow burn that had just been ignited and I was compelled to run inside and let him know how I felt. I had no idea if what I'd done was against any witching rules or even if it was going to work. I only knew that I had to give it a try.
With my eyes trained on Asher, I moved toward the front door of the Burger Barn to see if there was a spark between us after all.
I swept into the burger joint and headed straight for Asher, who was sitting at a table in the back. Our eyes locked when I was only halfway there and his face softened into a smile.
My pace quickened as my desire grew and I wondered why I couldn't get to him faster. It was like we were two magnets being pulled together by some unknown force. Only, I knew what that force was.
I slid into the booth across from him and gave him a grin.
"Hi."
"Hi," he answered, returning my look.
If anyone was watching us right now, I was sure they would be gagging over our googly-eyed-ness, but I just didn't care. All that mattered was that I was there, with Asher. It was just him and me and a crazy little thing called love.
I mean, lust.
The balloon that had been carrying me along on my high burst as I was reminded that what we were feeling-what Asher was feeling-right now wasn't true love. We were having a moment, bonding together, but only time would tell if we were truly a match.
Still, it didn't make the feelings I was having seem any less real.
Asher continued to stare at me. "You look amazing."
"Thanks," I answered. "So do you."
We took a break from admiring each other to order some food and then talked about Abby and the different spells we wanted to try out. I ordered french fries even though I was too nervous to eat any of them. But guys didn't really like it when they were the only ones eating, so I forced myself to choke down at least a few as Asher polished off his own meal.
"I had no idea that those two finally got together," Asher said, nodding behind me.
I turned to see Shayla and Tucker walk in. They were holding hands and kept looking over at each other giddily. Sitting down at a booth near us, they wouldn't even give up their hands to look at the menu.
"I sort of got to see it happen the other day," I said, not telling him the whole truth about my involvement in their matchup. "It was so cute to see them make the first move."
Asher looked at them curiously. "Imagine what that must have been like for them. They were friends for, like, ever, yet they both secretly liked the other and never said anything," he said. "Good for them. Tucker's a pretty cool guy-he's the real deal."
"Abby said they were both too afraid to make the first move," I said, looking down at the table shyly.
"I get that. They probably didn't want to ruin the friendship if the other didn't like them back," he said. "But at the same time, think about how many potential couples are single and lonely just because nobody had the nerve to go for it."
"That's so sad."
"Yep."
I knew we weren't just talking about Shayla and Tucker. The fact was, we were in a similar situation. As much as I wanted to believe that the spell had worked-or preferably, that we hadn't needed the spell at all-I felt paralyzed to make that first move. To let Asher know just how much I liked him.
Because if he didn't feel the same . . . well, I might just die of humiliation. Or a broken heart. Either way, it would suck.
"So . . ." I said.
"So."
The air between us was electric, but I knew that nothing was going to happen in a restaurant full of loud teenagers. No, if anything was going to happen, we'd have to leave.
"So, I was telling Abby the other day that I've been having a really tough time with the exploding spell," I said, trying to change the subject.
"Oh, yeah? Your aim is probably just off," Asher said, taking a sip of his soda.
I watched his lips fold around the straw and wondered if they were soft. They looked soft. I was never going to be able to concentrate on anything normal ever again if I was constantly wondering what it would be like to be with Asher!
"That's what Abby said too," I mumbled, still mesmerized by his mouth. When I was finally able to pull my eyes away and focused them again on his, I realized that he knew exactly what I'd been staring at.
"We could get out of here," he suggested, looking at me through a lock of hair that had fallen in his face. "Go somewhere and practice the spell a bit if you want."
My stomach began to buzz with nerves at the prospect of going somewhere we could be alone.
Check, please.
"Sure. Yeah, let's go practice."
Asher paid the bill and we made our way out to the parking lot to our separate vehicles.
"I know where we can go," Asher said as he climbed on the back of his motorcycle. "Follow me?"
"Of course."
I climbed in my car and started the engine, giving myself a moment to take a deep breath. I wanted so badly for something to happen between me and Asher that my chest ached at the thought that it wouldn't. Was it possible that I was just seeing what I wanted to see in this situation, since I knew I'd bound us? Or were we really making a connection?
Pulling out into traffic, I made sure to follow right behind Asher, keeping my eyes trained on his back. As I drove, I imagined what it would be like to sit on the back of his bike, my arms around his waist, feeling his muscles as I gripped him tightly . . .
Suddenly, he made a sharp right and I had to swerve to avoid running into him. We'd pulled onto a dirt road about five minutes outside of the city. Several more minutes went by as we made our way farther down the tree-lined road and finally into a clearing up ahead. We parked and got out, listening to the quiet of the night.
"Where are we?" I asked, looking around and seeing that the place was empty except for us and the trees.
"This is where I like to go sometimes, when I need to get away," he said, walking slowly over to me. "Nobody else knows where this place is. Not even Abby."
"Oh," I said, feeling myself blush as he said it. "Well, what do you do here?"
"Sometimes I practice spells, other times I just think. It's my own secret hideaway."
"It's amazing," I breathed, surveying the scene. I dug the toe of my Converse shoe into the ground to give myself something to do. "So quiet and . . . gravelly."
He crossed the space between us and reached out to grab ahold of my hands. His hands felt soft in mine and fully covered each of my palms. My pulse sped up as we touched, and I began to sweat, suddenly so nervous I could hardly contain myself.
I can't believe this is happening!
"This isn't where I hang out, Brooklyn," he said with a little laugh. He began to pull me toward him, until my feet started to move. And then we were walking, making our way toward the bushes in front of us. When we got up to them, Asher let go of my hand in order to push the branches to the side and let us through. "I want to show you something."
I nodded. At this point, he could've been taking me to some creepy cabin in the woods to make me his personal slave-and not in a good way-but I didn't care. I still would've gone with him.
It was hard to see in the darkness as we navigated through a foresty area, but luckily Asher knew exactly where he was going. After a few minutes, I began to see a light up ahead and before I knew it, we'd broken through the woods and were standing on the shore of a beach.
"I had no idea there was a beach here," I breathed, admiring the way the moonlight danced off the water. The rhythmic sound of the waves lapping onshore was soothing, and I could see why Asher came here to think. Everything was calm and quiet. It was the perfect place to be alone with your thoughts.
Or with the boy you liked.
"Pretty cool, huh?" he asked. "It's great because you can really be alone out here. There's no one to bother you."
"Yeah," I said, thinking about what he was saying.
"We can do as much magic as we want and we don't have to worry about getting caught." He moved to my side and looked out at the water with me. After a few moments, he cleared his throat. "So . . . uh, you want to try that spell again?"
"Huh?" I asked, confused. "Spell?"
"Yeah, you know, the explosion spell? That's why we're out here, right?"
"Oh, sure. Of course," I stammered, bringing myself back down to reality. "The spell."
"Why don't you show me what you've been doing and I'll see if I can figure out what you're doing wrong."
Asher started collecting big shells from the beach and placed them in a row on a nearby log that had washed up onshore. It was nighttime, but the moon was so bright here that I had no problem seeing the targets. Now I just had to make sure I didn't get distracted by what I was doing. Or not doing, I should say.
I took a deep breath and prepared myself to perform the spell. Training my eyes on the first shell in the lineup, I felt the energy building inside me as I raised my hand toward the target and took aim.
"Detonimous vastomia!"
The power flew out of me like a bullet escaping a gun and within seconds the space just below and to the left of the shell exploded in a mass of splintered wood.
Asher walked over to the log and studied the spot before walking back to where I was standing and, now, pouting. "So, you seem to be aiming a little left of center," he said.
"No kidding," I said, annoyed that I still wasn't hitting the mark and even more annoyed that I'd been so off base about Asher's feelings toward me.
"Just aim a little more to your right and try again."
I sighed and took my typical spell-casting stance: feet shoulder-width apart, body relaxed, head held high. Looking exactly at the center of the same shell, I raised my hand again, this time aiming just right of it. Calling on all the power I had, I yelled out the words.
"Detonimous vastomia!"
The wood blew up again, this time to the right of the target. "Are you freaking kidding me?" I asked, moaning. I fell to the sand in frustration. "I can't do it. God, you must think I'm such a loser."
Asher walked over and knelt next to me. "You're not a loser, Brooklyn," he said, giving me a sympathetic smile. "You're just losing today."
It was really sweet of him to say, but I couldn't help feeling like a failure. All I wanted to do was impress him, and here I was, not even able to hit a stupid shell. And Asher was practically a pro at this magic stuff. No way was he going to want to be with a girl who was magically challenged.
"It's just embarrassing that I'm this bad," I confessed, looking down at my hands like they were somehow failing me.
"Why are you embarrassed?" Asher asked with a laugh. "You're doing great for someone who's learning. And besides, it's just me. Who cares what I think?"
"I can't help it . . . I care what everyone thinks," I said. "I mean, maybe not everyone, but everyone that matters. People at school, The Elite-"
"Yeah, why is that?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and looking confused. "They put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us. They might be designer pants, but you get the idea. Why do you want to impress them so much?"
"They're like teen royalty at school. Everyone looks up to them. And if you're one of them, that means you're somebody," I said. "I want to be somebody, Asher."
"You're already somebody to me," he said.
Swoon.