Bane

October 16, 1993

Gina sat by the river's edge, bare feet on the water. The sky was gray with thick clouds, the air was cool, and the water was cold, but it was something at least.

"You're weird."

"I didn't think you'd really show up, Brenna."

Brenna stepped up to the riverbank, and sat beside Gina. She peeled off her shoes and socks, and put her feet into the water. "Oh my God, that's cold!"

"It's something."

"Are you still mad at me for Wednesday?"

"I don't think you really think things through before you speak."

"Gina, I can't. I know it's wrong. I know... and you know how I feel about you. There's just... there's the squad... my mom's catholic, and dad's a fucking holy roller baptist. I'd be an outcast."

"Like me."

Brenna frowned. "Yeah. Kind of like you."

"Man, Brenna. You really know how to romance a girl."

"I'm not here to fight with you, but I'm here, right?"

"What about Rick's?"

"Why would I go to Rick's?"

"...because he's Rick "The Dick" Swanson, and the girls are just waiting in line to know why he's Rick "The Dick". All the popular girls want a piece."

"Not this girl."

Gina half smiled. "We can't keep going on like this. It's one thing, you know, keeping it secret..."

"...but you've been outted." Brenna looked away from Gina, then back.

"...and you ran back into the closet."

"No, I didn't. I mean, yeah I'm not running around making public declarations of lady-love, but in not at Rick's, either. Baby, I'm here."

"I'm not interested."

Brenna put a hand on Gina's shoulder. "Yes you are. We dry off our feet, put our shoes on, and go home. Your place. Make up."

There was a screech, and Gina startled a little. "An owl."

It perched in a pine behind the two, ten feet from the bank. Brenna looked troubled, and Gina had to fight the urge to reach for her. This wasn't real. It was happening, but it wasn't real. "Go home, Brenna. I don't want this."

"Yes, you do. I do, too."

"No, you don't."

Brenna unbuttoned the top three buttons of her shirt. Gina caught the glimmer of a black faceted crystal with a dim red sheen. Gina felt a wave of nausea wash over her.

"Where did you get that?" Gina pointed at the crystal.

"Oh, this? Do you like it? It was a gift from a woman I met at a coffee house. She said it could bring me good fortune, and all I had to do was focus on what I wanted."

"...witchcraft."

"Manifest destiny." Brenna stared at the black glass, holding the shard between her forefinger, and thumb. "Magicks, but by my will, not some dime store how-to guide of gods and Wicca."

"You said that was a phase. You got out of it. You said it wasn't working,"

"It works. It worked on you."

"What?" Gina drew her feet from the bank, and stood, her fists balled. Her vision was tinged in red. "You cast on me?"

"...it was..."