Page 5 of Practically Magic

I open my locker and start placing every book I own in my backpack. Maybe I’ll cram for all my tests next week. I can’t leave anything to chance after today. “The room smelled like Lysol and bologna, and we just had to sit there since Zach and I already did our homework during study hall. And I have to go back every day from now to eternity. It’s humiliating.”

Laney pats my shoulder. “Maybe when you talk to Principal Aceste, he’ll listen to you about it being an accident. You two never get in trouble! Like ever.”

I sigh deeply and shut my locker. “I hope so.” We head to the front doors, and I exhale deeply when we get outside. Leaves are blowing down the sidewalk, the trees on the street in peak form; an array of deep gold, orange, and red leaves greets us, and the sun is just starting to peek behind the clouds. I feel my whole body relax at the sight of Mystic Hollow putting on a fall show.

“Let’s talk about something that will make you happy,” Laney suggests, hoisting her own backpack higher on her shoulders. “Colton Croft.”

“Shhh,” I say, looking around to make sure no one heard her. “But yes!” We both laugh and I feel my mood lift. “Did you see how he winked at me? Like right at me. I think we had a moment.”

“Are you sure? Because he was also having a moment with Zara,” Laney reminds me.

“He threw out her note. And he didn’t wink at her. I think it’s a sign. I’ve just got to find the right moment to talk to him about my sure-to-be-epic-not-to-be-missed Halloween party, and then it’s all going to come together.” I frown. “As long as Principal Aceste doesn’t call my parents and the whole thing is canceled.”

Laney bites her lip. “No. Don’t say that. He hangs out at Witches Brew after school every day. Maybe you can convince him not to call your parents.”

“Can I do that?” I think it over. Almost everyone in town goes to Witches Brew after school. Am I going to go beg the principal in front of half of Mystic Hollow High? “Whatever, it doesn’t matter how embarrassing it’ll be. This party has to happen. The invites are already out. Can you imagine if I have to cancel because I’m grounded?” The idea is too mortifying to think about.

“It’s going to be fine. Even if your parents are called, you know they’ll never believe you intentionally set fire to the chemistry lab. The party is going to happen as planned. Everyone I’ve talked to says they can’t wait to see your house.” She flashes me a little smile. “No one believes me that it’s a normal old house, just bigger.”

Our Victorian is almost two hundred years old and rumored to be haunted. While witches can see ghosts, they can’t in Mystic Hollow. It’s part of the wards that we cast every Samhain that protect the town from the other side of the veil.

But maybe for my Halloween party, I can try to conjure one. After all, I lit something on fire today. I could probably do a séance if it would make Colton Croft come to my Halloween party.

For a moment, I let myself imagine it: the perfect Halloween party, where everyone is talking about how cool I am. Me, Kat Hadley. Not Harry. I won’t be invisible anymore. They’ll see just how charming this witch can be.

“I think the house is a great selling point,” Laney says, looping her hands in her backpack straps as we pace down the sidewalk toward the center of town.

“Hey, if it’ll get me more RSVPs, I don’t care if you tell them we fly broomsticks on Halloween night and resurrect the dead on our dining room table.”

Laney’s eyes widen. “You’ve never actually done that, have you?”

“No,” I assure her. “I mean, I’m sure there is a spell in my aunts’ books, but that sort of zombie stuff totally gives me the ick.”

“Good,” Laney says, looking relieved. “I know you invited everyone, but I’d rather not attend a party with the undead. Especially if they’re oozing into the candy.”

We both share a face at that. “I just want this party to be one people never forget,” I say, clutching my book bag tighter. “It’s my first without Harry home, so it has to be perfect.”

This night will change everything. Colton will finally see me, not as Harry’s little sister or the less impressive Hadley, but as me. Our eyes will lock and we’ll slow dance to “Monster Mash” with my hands around his broad shoulders and his on my waist, and he’ll kiss me under a fake spiderweb or whatever the equivalent of Halloween mistletoe is.

“Has Colton RSVP’d yet?” Laney asks. “Halloween is on Saturday.”

I shake my head. “It’s only Monday. I’m going to remind him. If only we had been lab partners and Powell hadn’t blocked me.”

“You think he’s jealous?”

I snort. “Zach? Yeah, of my grades. You know all he cares about is scoring higher than me. Remember how he was during Word Masters?”

“No, because that was in fourth grade, and I don’t memorize every single grade I’ve ever gotten, because I’m normal.”

I shove her with my shoulder. “Okay, well, we’ll get Zach out of the way. I’m sure he’ll make some excuse about needing to study and won’t even come. And with my parents out of town with my grandparents, I just have to get rid of my aunts.”

We both inhale deeply as the scent of cider donuts fills the air. We are coming dangerously close to the farmstand now, and neither of us has ever met a cider donut we don’t like. “Have you figured out how to get your aunts out of town yet?” she asks.

“Sort of.” I fiddle with one of the beaded bracelets on my wrist. “I am going to get up the courage to talk to them tonight. They’re supposed to be back this afternoon after some Broadway preview Lin-Manuel invited them to.”

“Those two have quite the life,” Laney marvels.

My mom’s sisters, Vivianne and Diane, live with us part-time in their own wing of the house. The other half of the time, my aunts stay in a luxury apartment near Lincoln Center in New York City that they bought with their latest husbands. Half the time I don’t think they even remember that they’re married—I never see my uncles. And since neither of my aunts had kids, they spoil Harry and me rotten when they aren’t on some lavish trip with their coven.