Nolan
“The coven did a nice job fixing your backyard,” Callie bellows from inside the master bathroom. “Have I said how sorry I am for nearly burning it down?”
“Who knew they could be so helpful? And yes, you have—many times,” I answer, pacing the length of my bedroom and back. “To me and my parents.”
“Well, I really am sorry,” she repeats, her voice muffled, followed by a soft sigh of relief. After a moment, she opens the door, scratching at her sides, then starts chewing on her lip when admitting, “My punishment is Witch Sunday School. Now, I know you all want me to stay away from the coven, but don’t worry, my aunt volunteered to teach it, and it’s important that I learn how to use my magic...”
I’m really trying to pay attention to what she’s saying, but Callie is making it extremely difficult. It’s Thursday, November 2nd, I’m officially seventeen, and the guys are supposed to be here in the next few hours to celebrate. But before they show up, I’m supposed to feed from Callie…and she just took off her bra because it hurt to wear it.
I swear I’m being tested.
“Right. Important,” I mumble, trying not to notice that the Star Wars logo on her long-sleeved shirt is looking a little more warped than the last time I saw her wearing it.
At least I can’t see through it. Being friend zoned is harder than I thought.
“Really?” Callie asks, the shock in her voice drawing my attention. “I thought you’d be upset that I have to be more involved with the coven.”
“Wait, what?” I squawk, looking up into her eyes. “What do you mean ‘more involved with the coven?’”
She pulls her sleeves over her hands and fidgets with the fabric, making me feel like an asshole. “To make up for all the…damage I did, Mildred and Neva agreed that I would start taking magic lessons with the other young witches of the coven.” Her voice grows small. “It was the best my aunt could do after Connor told her to take a flying leap. Neva was demanding either I become an official member of the coven here or leave, blood rite be damned.”
The thought of those bitches getting their claws into Callie makes my blood boil, and before I realize it, I’m shouting, “Absolutely fucking not. No way are you vowing to follow that bitch’s orders.”
Callie quickly closes the distance between us, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m not. I promise. It’s just a few lessons. Enough to teach me to control my magic. It’ll be okay.”
It’s only by the strength of her hug that I realize how badly I’m shaking. How affected I am by the idea of the coven tainting her.At least I stopped thinking about what she’s wearing…or not wearing. Speaking of…
“Callie,” I rasp, swallowing heavily, “not that it’s my business, but if your clothes don’t fit, why don’t you just buy new ones?”
“Clothes?” she echoes, clearly confused by the change of subject.
Gently, I extract myself from her embrace under the guise of gathering some towels from the bathroom. “Yes. The ones you’re currently wearing. I’m not usually one to complain,” I tease, now that there’s some space between us, “but they seem a little tight on you.”
“They fit…mostly,” Callie defends, while tugging on the bottom of her shirt, as if through sheer will she can make it longer. “And they’re brand new.”
“So what if they’re new?” I counter, leaning against the doorframe with two beige towels in my hands. “If they don’t fit, they don’t fit.”
“I…just don’t want to,” she states quietly, hunching into herself, as if the motion alone can make her new form smaller.
In a few long strides, I’m dropping the towels on the bed and reaching for her. My hand cups the side of her face when she tries to shift her gaze to the floor.
“What is it, love?” I murmur, drawing her eyes to mine.
“You’ll think it’s dumb,” she answers, once again chewing on that sweet bottom lip of hers.
“If it’s important to you, then it’s not dumb,” I assure her, pulling her close while attempting to think platonic thoughts. The fact that her body, now soft with new curves, molds perfectly with mine, doesn’t help matters. “Explain it to me.”
Callie releases a shuddering breath while tucking her head underneath my chin. Her voice is small when she answers, the words barely audible. “God, it sounds so dumb. I know they’re just clothes but…Mildred bought me these.” She sniffs, her hand wiping at her face. “They’re the first things I own from someone who…loves me.”
She really knows how to go right for a guy’s jugular.
I sigh, running my hand down her hair. She laughs when I steal her hair tie so that her long tresses can flow freely down her back.
While finger combing her hair, I choose my words carefully. “I’ll give it to you that some of your clothes still fit.”Shirts that cling to her every curve count as fitting, right?“How about a compromise? Why don’t you order yourself some of the necessities you know don’t fit, and those will be special because you bought them for yourself.” I lean back so I can look into her eyes. They’re as clear as running water with only a hint of redness from renegade tears. “Then soon, I can take you shopping to buy the rest.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she answers, sniffing and blinking. “You’re right. I can buy myself new clothes.”
“I want to,” I tell her, tugging strands of her hair. “And those will be special because they came from a friend who—” I choke, catching the word ‘love’ before it escapes, and instead finish with, “Cares about you.”
