Chapter Nine – Strangers are Strange
In an hour and a half almost all the guests have arrived and the Regal Haven is alive with the voices of everyone talking at once. There are about thirty grandly dressed people in total, some who’ve brought their significant others while some are just close friends of the group. I’m pretty sure everyone is a witch. Maybe there are a few um… humans? I think I am the only lone guest here but I’m never unaccompanied for long.
Most people have skipped past me and headed straight for the table full of delicious foods and pastries. I would have been right there with them. The only reason I wasn’t eating more was the hope I wouldn’t stain my borrowed dress. I’m kept busy anyway with the few who introduce themselves to me. I wish I could say I’m not enjoying myself but I find the corners of my mouth turning upwards and the shy hunch I always parade myself in is gone. A warm sensation is pumping through my heart at the feeling of being important.
“Thank you my dear friends,” the Emerald greets on the second floor above us. All heads turn to her and everyone becomes silent. She descends the stairs clicking her heels beneath her feet with every step. Her ivory gown clings to her movements and the ruching around her torso enhances her curves. There is a jade green sash along her hips in such an odd place but once she reaches the first floor I see how well it brings the dress together. “Thank you for attending the welcoming of Abigail Hendrix into our world. Enjoy the food, the drink. And please don’t forget to congratulate the soon-to-be newest member of our coven.”
My cheeks blush a deep red as everyone turns to me and applauds. To see their smiling faces is a very weird thing. I’m not used to any attention but it’s kind of, well, awesome.
People wander over to me during the entire evening but there is one particular person I am eager to meet; though I can’t say it matters much to her since she already introduced herself. Tammy stands in a dress very different from anyone else’s. It only goes down to her knee and cherries and skulls pattern its fabric. Her hair is half up-half down like mine but her lavender locks are curled to frame her face. I enjoy her look so much.
Her tattooed friend —who looks more than a little too friendly at her— remains by her side throughout the party. He’s dressed like Trevor is but with colors that match his date’s dress. Both of them chat to a third person in a simple black button up and matching pants. I’m pretty sure it’s Tammy’s brother. They have the same nose and freckles and even the same green-grey eyes. If they would have their hair styled right I’d think they’d be the same person. But there is still one big noticeable difference: Tammy’s brother is blind.
“Carter’s got a type of eye disease that he’s had since he was a kid,” Trevor whispers in my ear. I turn toward him about to ask him how he knew but he stops me before my lips can move. “You’re a lot easier to read than you realize. The tiara might block your mind to me but your thoughts are written all over your face.” He clears his throat before quick adding, “Also, it’s not polite to stare.”
I turn my back to the siblings and sneak to the snack table where I meet another bizarre man named Richard. Salt and pepper beard and a bald patch on the back of his head but the guy doesn’t look more than mid forties. As I talk to him I find he’s one of those older wise guys with an odd sense of humor. He keeps talking about his first few attempts at reading minds but what really interests me is he belongs to the coven I am to join.
“What’s it like,” I ask him finally fascinated. “I mean, what exactly do you do in a coven?”
“My dear girl, a coven isn’t much more than a club.” The way Richard says it disappoints me. I was hoping there’d be some sort of mystical power only my group would know. My hope does continue though as he quietly adds, “But this ‘club’ binds their powers so their individual power is much stronger.”
It’s like a secret the way he talks, always whispering and checking out who might be listening in. We chat for a little more before parting ways. Now that I’ve met almost everyone, I get back to the Emerald hoping for some familiarity but as I walk over to her she and Trevor seem to be arguing something in hushed voices. I have a bad feeling it’s about me. It’s kind of upsetting that I’m right.
“No,” the Emerald whispers curtly to the annoyed Trevor. “That is not for her to learn yet.”
“But Gail needs to—”
“Needs to fetch more refreshments. I agree,” the Emerald finishes his sentence for him louder than her previous words. She turns around and pretends to be surprised. “Oh and here she is! Abigail, would you be a dear and bring me a bottle of Knott’s Home-Brewed Tea? It should be buried in one of the bottom cupboards in the apothecary.”
Her smile keeps its position and Trevor plays along behind her. I don’t know what they’re hiding but instincts tell me it’s not good. Trevor’s expression is almost way too good for secret keeping. I agree and leave them to talk but my eyes keep glancing back at Fiona’s worried face. What is it they know? It eats at my thoughts as I go to rifle through the cupboards.
“Incetrant,” I read off a blue tinted bottle. There are all a manner of things in here that I have no idea what they are. The label of each one is turned in my grasp as I read on. “Renders a demon blind.”
I pick up another bottle and curiosity begs me to read that one too.
Siren’s Musk. Attracts a Sea Witch to shore. Caution: May stain skin. Not to be mixed with other potions. Not recommended for home use. Use only as directed.
The potion is replaced and I pick up something that looks like it might be the Knott’s Tea. It isn’t.
Mamonela: Delays the death of Spencings by keeping their soul inside their body. Used for heightening survival chances.
“What the hell is a Spencing?”
“You shouldn’t be touching those,” someone startles me behind the cabinet door. A swear word leaves my mouth as I drop the bottle and fall back on my rear end. Tammy giggles above me not bothering to help me up or pass me a paper towel. The tip of the bottle broke and is now spilling onto the floor and unfortunately at the bottom of my dress. I look up to the girl pleading for her help.
“Don’t worry,” she tells me through her fits of giggles. “It won’t stain and it’s easy to mix up again.”
“Yeah,” I sigh out. Finally the lavender-haired girl holds her hand out for me to get me to my feet. We exchange a weird look as I get a towel to clean up my embarrassment. During this she watches and her boyfriend, or whatever he is, joins her side.
“This is Marco,” she says airily. Marco bends over and wraps his hands over Tammy’s waist. His angular jaw rests on her shoulders in such a cute way and it’s clear in his eyes he is into her. Tammy smiles and stares at me like a challenge. “He’s mine.”
I clean up my mess as the two watch me. Most of the Mamonela looks like it can be saved and since I don’t want to bother Fiona right now with her fancy guests, I use a rubber band and a ziplock bag to seal it up. Close enough, right?
“Why do you have her tiara on?” Somehow, Tammy’s mood switch went off and it takes a 180 from being giggly to total bitch mode. Her eyes look into mine trying to read me all over but the tiara does its job of keeping me safe. My mere presence seems to offend her tonight. She was so nice the other day, I wonder what changed. Clearing my throat, I give her the simple truth.
“The Emerald,” I reply quietly. I place the ghettoly fixed bottle back in the cupboard and close the wooden door. Tammy is still demanding an explanation as Marco supports her with his unflinching eyes. “She lent it to me for the party.”
The petite but daunting girl mumbles something rude under her breath as she storms out of the apothecary. My eyes meet Marco’s light brown ones but he says nothing either. He just shrugs his shoulders, stuffs his hands into his dress pants’ pockets and ambles back to the party.
It’s official. Every witch is nuts. It’s no wonder I belong here.
I exhale like a horse and take my dreads from the back of my neck. The counter holds my weight as I lean back on it. This house is too stuffy for me. My gaze travels down my dress and to everywhere around me. It’s so weird here. I think I need a break for myself.
Completely ignoring the task given to me by the Emerald, I find the back door of the enormous house and exit through it. As soon as the screen screeches opened, I close my eyes and breathe the air. My lungs fill with its crisp summer night smell and the fresh oxygen flows into my brain. It makes me feel lighter and less troubled. Oh glorious, spacious relief!
As soon as I open my eyes, I sigh with awe. Damn, it’s beautiful out here.
My feet descend the back steps to the open land. From the front of the house you can’t see past the trees. It makes it look like the house is on the edge of the woods when actually it’s bordering a field of wild flowers. The vast stretch of green lies before me spotted with bits of reds and violets and yellows and dashes of whites. Beyond it is a cluster of trees like a mini forest. I find a spot on one of the old metal garden chairs and stare at the sight. With the sun already set and only a smidge of light blue left in the sky, this view is perfect.
I don’t know how long I’m in this chair but I know it’s worth the rest. The celebration held in my honor obviously doesn’t miss me. I almost feel like I could fall asleep here and wake up tomorrow completely fine. In fact, I really want to. Using an upside down planter as my foot stool, I scoot my butt on my seat to a comfortable position and lean my head back.
Sadly, my resolve to fall asleep doesn’t last. My eyes open after less than five minutes and remain that way. I still don’t move though; it’s too comfy. To occupy my time, I count the flowers in the field facing me but what I see makes me wonder if I’m still awake.
A lady in the cluster of trees dances and twirls around with music clearly made up in her mind. I can’t tell for sure but I think she might be naked. Either that or it’s a very skimpy, nude colored outfit. But since she’s so far away she might not even be real, just a trickery of light. In a moment she’s gone anyway and I lean back on the chair. It’s strange how normal these things are becoming to me. But in a weird way, it’s nice.
“I thought you were getting the tea,” Trevor shouts from the screen door at the house. I twist in my chair to see him and smirk. He’s long since had his jacket off since the party started and his shirt has been unbuttoned a bit. I don’t blame him since it’s really hot in there. But his rolled up sleeves and relaxed look makes him look sexy. Removing my feet from their spot, I stand and walk closer trying not smile like an idiot.
“Yeah, sorry. I wanted to get some fresh air.”
“It’s all good.”
He stands next to me and looks at the field. It’s a comfortable silence between us. I’m tempted to rest my head on his shoulders but I resist and play with a clump of my hair instead. I don’t know what’s making me so attracted to him. A week ago I hardly knew the guy who I found out to be 21 years old. Now I’m crushing really hard on him.
“Hold on a sec,” he tells me. I’m told to close my eyes which I do so willingly. Is he going to kiss me? Please? It’d be so romantic right now in this dress and the sky so pretty starting to be speckled with stars. I lift my head with shut eyes and wait for anything. Trevor’s footsteps walk around me crinkling the grass and for a second I think he’s about to kiss my collarbone. Pleading for him to do so, I crane my neck slightly to the side.
And then I feel a pinch on my rear end.
“You have tons of paint chips stuck to your butt,” he tells me laughing and picking them off. I quickly turn around and slap his arm before trying to wipe the flecks off myself. It doesn’t work. They stay stuck in the threads of my dress.
“And you couldn’t just tell me?”
His laugh was my only response. Letting him clean my dress, I change the subject to calm the blazing fire I felt coloring my cheeks.
“Uh, so… What’s the deal with Tammy?” Trevor raises his eyebrows at me and smirks at the question. It’s one of those expressions that reads: do you really want to know? “I mean, she’s kind of moody. And just a bit intense. And, I don’t know, a little bit of… um…”
“A bitch,” Trevor finishes for me.
“You said it, not me.”
Once he’s done picking the white chips off my dress, he comes around to my side and we look out to the cluster of trees. I wish I could see that dancing girl again but I watch Trevor instead. I like this view a little more anyway.
“You’ll get used to her,” he tells me, talking about Tammy. I doubt it. Then again, I got used to Katie and now she’s my best friend in the world. My hands wring together and I rock back and forth on my toes. It’s really dark out and the coolness in the air is starting to get to me. It obviously is chilling Trevor too. The guy sighs, rubs my shoulder and urges me inside.
“Come on,” he says weirdly. He tiptoes over to the back door and rubs his hands together like some sort of villain. “There be cupcakes inside. Muhahaha!”
“I’ll be right in,” I reply with a giggle. He needs to stop being cute. I won’t have this tiara on for the rest of my life and I can’t have him know what I’m thinking all the time.
My body turns back to the cluster of trees hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl again. And wouldn’t you know it, there she is. Her slim body is no longer dancing but staring in my direction. I wave hesitantly to her which receives a wave back.
I want to go out and meet her. Her energy, or whatever it is, is pulling forward. But I have to return to the party. My feet walk backward a bit before turning around and heading for the door. I glance out just before going inside. The ethereal lady returns my glance with both her arms bending gracefully like she’s blowing me a kiss. I head inside with that memory in my mind.
Tonight’s the weirdest night I’ll never forget and a memory I’ll never want to lose.