Summer was a little disappointed Decker didn't return her smile when he walked off with the pretty girl. She turned her attention to Amber, who was finishing a lecture on how to align a pentagram the right way using a compass. Summer looked at the bench seat to the side of the table she sat on, recalling her evening with Decker. He knew he was broken. She wished she could show him he was also very sweet. He'd helped her take care of her fawn and spent time talking to her about things like stars that were probably stupid to him. Broken or not, there was good in him.
Amber's voice fell quiet. The kids rose, and Summer glanced at the schedule in her hands.
"Ignore the room number for your next class, Summer," Amber told her. "We're having the Earth Magick Intermediate class out here. It's too nice to be inside today."
Beck exited the main house through the kitchen, followed by a tall girl with dark hair whose attention was on her phone. Beck flashed a grin as he reached them and sat beside Summer on the table. He nudged her with his shoulder.
"How's life?" he asked.
"Fine," she mumbled.
"You're earth?"
"Um, sorta. I guess it's not my primary...thing," she said awkwardly.
"It's the best one, if you like camping," Beck said. "You'll never get cold."
She nodded, puzzled.
"Of course, if you go camping with someone else, you'll never get cold anyway."
He winked. Summer's face grew hot.
"Beck!" Amber chided.
"Joking, Amber." He rolled his eyes then turned to Summer. He studied her briefly. "Air, right?"
"Yeah," she answered.
"Can you use your magick yet?"
She shook her head.
"It's a good combination. My grandpa is air primary, earth secondary. When we were little, he used to make clouds and tell them to follow us around," Beck said. "Scared the hell out of us."
Summer laughed at the idea of being stalked by a fluffy white cloud.
"There's that adorable smile," Beck said. "Come on, Amber. I want to go to the beach today!"
"I'm waiting for Sonya to stop texting," Amber replied.
The brunette seated on the other side of Beck mumbled an apology and put her phone away. Summer barely heard their exchange, flustered that Beck thought her smile was adorable.
"...Summer?" Amber asked.
Summer stared at her. "Sorry, what?"
"Kids and their attention spans." Amber's attempt at being stern was too chipper to be taken seriously, though Summer did manage to contain her smile.
"What are the characteristics of the earth element?" Amber asked again. She sat cross-legged on the ground before them, flipping through a binder.
Summer tried to remember whatever it was Amber told her the other day about the air and earth.
"Protector," Beck whispered to her.
"Protector," Summer repeated.
"And?" Amber prodded.
"Healing," Beck added in the quiet voice.
Summer echoed him once more.
Amber glanced up at them. "Thanks, Summer and Beck. Do you remember the air element?"
"Peace," Summer said. "Mind-heart connection."
"Good. Beck, review the rest of them for our newest witchling?" Amber asked.
Beck snorted. "Decker incarnate."
"Be more specific."
"Fire, water, spirit. Passion, power, and instinct," Beck recited.
"So sexy," Sonya said.
"Until he burns or drowns you. He's got no self-control."
"Yeah," Sonya agreed dreamily. "He can't be tamed."
Summer listened, laughing at the looks on their faces. Beck was irritated, Sonya sighing.
"We're out of luck, Summer," he said. "We boring elements can't compete with Decker."
Summer better understood the dangerous draw to Decker. She felt it before she knew anything about the elements. That his magick was centered around volatile elements didn't surprise her.
"There's nothing boring about any elemental magick," Amber said, amused. "Earth is the most capable and the strongest, in the right hands."
"Yay," Beck said blandly.
"The protector of life and health, Beck. Think about it!"
"I guess I can heal all the hearts Decker breaks."
Summer laughed harder, uncertain why the exchange between Beck and Amber entertained her so much. Beck was smiling despite the digs at his brother. She didn't think he was far off about Decker breaking hearts, if Sonya was any indication of how the girls here considered the Dark twin.
"Don't you fall for him, too," Beck said to Summer with mock severity. "He's bad news!"
She heard the serious note in his voice, despite his attempt to be upbeat. Summer's laughter faded as Amber began their class. She didn't think she was falling for Decker. His touch made her body hum, but it wasn't like she'd ever even sought him out. She kept running into him and liked spending time with him. But she didn't understand how he wasn't evil, if he was Dark.
Beck, on the other hand, made her laugh. He was sweet and funny. He wasn't confusing like Decker was. She found herself enjoying his company and pleased he chose to sit by her instead of at the other picnic table.
Her attention soon shifted to trying to digest the information she learned from Amber and the other instructors about magick.
Summer's first week passed quickly as she became immersed in the new world. Dance class every morning was followed by other classes ranging from witchling history, elemental magick basics, spellcasting, Dark-Light relations, ethics, the impact of magick in modern society to basic literature and math, like she'd had in previous schools.
She'd seen Decker with the tall brunette whenever they had classes outside. He'd acknowledged her the first day and then, no more. The afternoons were free, and Summer managed to hide away in her room. She fed her fawn as much as she could and changed its bandage daily. It slept most of the time and lay listless when it wasn't sleeping.
She'd determined the animal wasn't going to make it during dance class on her tenth day there. The odd strategy used to teach them to understand their body became a soothing daily hour, and she found it was the only thing she really looked forward to. It was the only thing she was better at than any of the other girls.
After dance class on the tenth day, she returned to her room to find two surprises. The first was a note slid under the door. Summer opened it curiously.
Dear Summer, at the end of the summer, we have a dance at the resort near the beach. I wondered if you'd go with me as my date? Just leave this note in front of your door if so. Yours truly, Beck.
Her heart leapt then almost stopped. She sat on her bed, stunned by the idea that Beck secretly liked her more than a friend. With his turquoise eyes and perfect features, he could've asked any girl there, even Dawn.
But he hadn't. He'd asked her.
She hastily folded it again and pushed it under the door. She wanted to wait until he came to get it, then yank the door open and thank him. Guessing this would appear more desperate than grateful, she paced in front of her door, listening for anyone who came by. She heard nothing, and her eyes went to the bed.
Her deer was gone. Excitement turned to panic. She searched her room, even under the beds, before glancing towards the closet. She'd left it open and the door to her room closed. Dread in her stomach, she opened the door.
The deer was awake and alert, its legs curled beneath it as it sat in the closet. It struggled to its feet at the sight of her and ventured out of the closet carefully, its tail flickering. Summer stepped back, awed by the small animal. Its every step was graceful, its beautiful face taking in the world outside the closet with curiosity. It walked up to the dresser and stared upward, as if knowing that's where its milk was.
Summer let out a delighted laugh, thrilled for the second time that morning. She pulled the glass of milk and turkey baster off the top of the dresser and sat cross-legged with her friend. It nudged the baster. She filled it with milk and watched as the fawn sucked the milk free. Summer fed him the contents of the glass and set it down, admiring the animal. It still limped, but it looked healthier than when she found it.
After eating, it curled up on the floor near her and closed its eyes. Summer hefted it onto the bed, back into its pillow fortress. The babe looked as if it wanted to crawl free, but changed its mind and settled.
She wanted to tell someone, anyone, that she'd helped the creature. The only person who knew was Decker.
Decker, who was evil, even if he had lain under the stars with her a few days ago. He didn't feel what she did when their bodies touched, or he wouldn't have walked off and avoided her for the rest of the week. She'd heard the Dark girls whisper at the breakfast table that he was more than friends with a girl named Alexa.
Summer's mood dampened, until she recalled the note from Beck. She opened the door and saw it was gone. Her heart flipped in her chest.
She'd never been on a date before. She'd never been to a dance. Coming here was the best thing that ever happened to her! If the deer wasn't already sleeping, she'd squeal the way the girls had at the beach.
Another thought struck her, one that made her glee turn into fear. She'd never been to a dance with a boy. She didn't know how. Summer checked her deer one last time then closed the door behind her as she descended to the main floor. She hurried down the hall to find the dance instructor, Jessie, still in the studio.
"Excuse me, Jessie," she said as she opened the door.
Jessie looked up from her spot seated on the floor, flipping through CDs.
"Watsup, Summer?"
"Nothing. I just thought ... um, I'm going to the dance at the end of the month."
"Great! Those are always a blast."
"Yeah. I don't really know how to dance with a partner, though. I was wondering if you could show me."
"Sure. Where's your partner?"
"Well ..." Summer hesitated. "I don't want him to know I can't dance."
Jessie smiled. "You need someone to dance with you. Wait here."
Summer almost objected as she crossed to the door into the hallway and threw it open. Jessie looked both directions before padding towards the living area. Summer waited nervously, hoping Beck wasn't the first person she saw to ask. Maybe Adam, who had been shy, but kind to her at the beach.
She heard Jessie talking to someone in the hallway and crossed her arms, praying it wasn't Beck. When Jessie appeared with Decker behind her, Summer almost gasped.
"I don't know how to dance," Decker complained.
"You'll learn together. We'll start with something simple." Jessie crossed to her iPhone, which was plugged into speakers.
Summer stared at Decker. He wore black jeans and a soft black T-shirt similar to the ones he'd given her, only it was snug on him, showing his lean frame. His dark hair was tousled, as if Jessie had caught him just as he walked in from outside. He met her gaze.
"How's ... you know?" he asked.
"Good," Summer said, unable to help her smile. "He's really good. His leg is almost all better."
"That's good."
An awkward silence fell between them. Orchestral music filled the room.
"How about a waltz?" Jessie called cheerfully. "Summer, hold your right hand out like so and Decker, you take it like this." She took their hands and placed them together.
The familiar magick tickled Summer as they touched.
"Step closer. You guys don't have the plague," Jessie said and pushed them closer together.
Summer stared at Decker's chest. He didn't have the plague, but he was evil. Amber had said so. Jessie placed his hand on her hip, and more of his magick tingled through her. Caught between panic and the surge of excitement within her, Summer didn't know what to do.
"This is simple. Decker, you lead. When he steps forward, Summer you step back."
They stumbled through the first few steps, with Decker mumbling apologies as he stepped on her toes. Summer's body felt like it was on fire. Her breathing sounded too loud in her ears.
"Step back, Summer," Jessie said again. "Let Decker lead!"
Decker smashed her toes, and she stumbled. He caught her as she crashed into him.
"Careful, Decker!" Jessie called.
Summer looked up, instantly caught in Decker's gaze. His grip stayed around her, pressing their bodies together. As if something clicked, she sensed his next move before he made it. She stepped back with her right foot as he stepped forward with his left. They made it through another step, then another. Their moves grew faster as they began keeping up with the music.
"Excellent!" Jessie exclaimed. "Now you've found the rhythm. One, two, three. One, two, three."
Summer couldn't look away from him. Their bodies moved as if they belonged together. Decker's warmth and magick made her feel like her insides were shaking. Jessie's voice broke through Summer's trance.
"Sorry, guys, but I can't find any of my other music. I'll download some for tomorrow. You want to come back in the morning, after your class, Summer?"
Summer broke eye contact with Decker. Immediately, they fell out of sync and stumbled. He released her and stepped away.
"Sure," she managed.
"You, too, Decker. You guys are naturals together."
Summer flushed and turned away, avoiding Decker's gaze. She'd felt it, too, the instant connection that went too deep to be normal.
"Thanks, Jessie," Summer said and hurried out of the room. She ran once she entered the hallway and sprinted up the stairs to her room.
Her hands shook. Her heart felt like it was doing cartwheels in her chest. She'd never felt this way for any guy, even Beck.
Decker was off limits. He was aligned to the Dark. She wouldn't—couldn't—be falling for him! Yet their connection was unlike anything she'd ever felt. In his arms, she hadn't felt alone.
The deer walked up to her, and she smiled. It nudged her hand. Summer retrieved the milk and fed it. Content, the deer roamed around her room, kicking up its hind legs at one point.
"Soon, I'll have to set you free," she told it. "You're almost healthy enough."
At the thought of losing her friend, she saddened. This place caused more emotional turmoil than any other school she'd attended.
The deer continued pacing. Summer hesitated then decided to take him outside. The girls in dance class had talked about taking a hike. She went to the door and checked the hallway. It was quiet. No sounds came from the lobby, either. The deer wedged his nose in the open door. Summer bent down and lifted him, pushing the door open with her hip.
She hurried out of the house with her deer and into the forest, setting him down once they'd passed the first line of trees. He walked carefully for a few feet, sniffing the world around him. A fit of excitement made his body quiver before he leapt over a log. Summer watched, laughing, as he jumped over another then turned around and jumped to come back to her.
The forest welcomed her, the wind swirling to greet her. She pulled out the rock in her pocket and held it out, wondering if the wind would talk to her today. It played with her hair, flicking it.
The deer bounded away, this time fast. Summer waited for him to return then grew worried when he didn't. She shoved the rock in her pocket and chased after the small animal, amazed at how fast he moved. His tiny hooves barely seemed to touch the ground as he raced deep into the forest.
Summer chased him until she was breathless. At last, he slowed and stopped, tail flickering. He'd paused at the base of a massive tree that was wider than a car. Roots rose to her waist, and a hollow in the tree's base was tall enough for someone Decker's height to enter without stooping.
"Come ... come here, little guy," she gasped, dropping onto a root to catch her breath.
The deer stayed where it was. It nibbled on the leaves of a huckleberry bush. He seemed to be done running, so she wiped her forehead and looked around.
He was there, the ape-man from the driveway. Summer leapt to her feet, stumbled, and fell on her backside. It raised his hands in a sign that it wouldn't hurt her.
Can you hear me?
The words came from inside her head.
Summer stared.
Nod if so.
She nodded, wondering if she'd finally gone off the deep end. Maybe all the talk about magick was a hallucination, and she was asleep in her bunk at the orphanage.
The creature sat on a tree stump near her.
I am Sam. You are new here?
Sam was ugly. Her first rational thought was that his auburn hair was a perfect shade, if it didn't cover almost every inch of his body. His eyes were like a man's, his nose and jaw like an ape's. His arms and legs were lanky, his frame over seven feet tall. He smelled like sweat and the forest, of pines and summer sun. The deer was comfortable with him, settling at his feet to sleep.
"Yes," she said at last. "I'm new."
You come to my forest often. You rescue my children. He motioned to the dozing deer.
"He needed help. What are you?"
Yeti, sasquatch, bigfoot. Your kind has many names for me. Among those who live in Priest Lake, I'm known simply as Sam.
"And you have ... magick?"
We are balancers. We monitor Light and Dark. We were left here to do so, though our numbers are the smallest they've ever been.
"And your name is Sam?" she asked doubtfully.
Its chuckle was out loud, a mix between a guffaw and a cough.
"You followed me from when I was dropped off," she said. "Why?"
Curious. You have a primary and secondary magick like ours. Where you are air and earth, we are earth and air. You are strong. We sensed your arrival and believe you will change the balance.
"Change the balance. That sounds bad," she said, frowning.
Not bad. Just nature. The balance sways. It must always change, and it's been stagnant for many years now. There is good and there is evil. Sometimes, there must be a bridge between them, because they forget how much they need one another to keep the balance.
"That doesn't make much sense, when they all live in the same town."
It will. We Sams have a prophecy. We have watched and waited for thousands of years. We think you are the one we've sought.
"Great. Do I end up getting sacrificed on some altar?"
No, human. It laughed again. You restore what has been lost.
"The bridge."
Yes. As long as you do not turn Dark.
Her eyes went to the deer. She rose and sat on the tree root again.
"I'm not special. I'm a screw-up," she whispered. "I've failed at everything I've ever done, and I've been kicked out of every school and home I went to. I can't restore anything."
You can. The magick is within you.
"People keep saying that! It's nothing, but a curse. It doesn't talk to me or guide me or help me do anything!" she said with more emotion than she wanted. "I can't make it do anything except screw up my life!"
You saved this one.
Her eyes went to her fawn. "I didn't do anything, but feed him."
He would've died, if you didn't have the magick of the earth in you. Your magick is there. You just have to talk to it.
Summer sighed.
Can you not feel it?
"No."
Not in the wind or when you touch another witchling?
For a moment, she wondered if he'd seen her dancing with Decker. Her face warmed at the thought, and she ducked her head.
"Maybe," she admitted. "I feel it in the wind sometimes. And sometimes, when someone here with magick touches me I feel ... alive."
You see? It's inside you. It wants to help you. If you deny it, it'll continue to mess up your life. It must be set free.
"How?"
When it calls, stop fighting it. If the wind makes you feel it, spend more time with the wind. Learn what is inside you and how to reach it.
"You sound like my dance instructor. She makes us try to stretch and use every muscle in our body, so we can get in tune with them or whatever."
Dance is a good way to do it. Meditation. Every human accesses his magick differently. Learn to look inward and feel what is inside you. Then, you can let it out.
"Do I really want to do that, though? I mean, it's caused me nothing but pain."
Think of it as a creature with its own mind. If you lock it away in a cage and refuse to feed or free it, it will lash out at you. You wouldn't put my child in a cage like that? Sam motioned to the deer.
"No, never."
You must not do that to yourself. Instead of closing yourself off, you must open up the part of you that makes you special.
"I've never been somewhere that allowed that."
You are here now.
She was quiet, grappling with his words. Freeing the magick within her still sounded like a bad idea, even if she knew how to do it. She wasn't sure what to say to the hairy creature that lived in the forest.
"What else does this prophecy say? Does it say how I learn to use my magick?"
No. Only that you do.
"No one here has a how-to manual on anything," she complained.
You should go now. You will have a long walk back, and this one needs more rest before he is ready to return to my forest.
She glanced up at the sky, surprised to see the sun straight overhead. It was past noon. She recalled Decker's warning about being in the forest after dark. With her luck, she'd take hours to find her way home.
"Okay, I guess. Thank you, Sam."
When she looked down from the sky, he was gone. Summer twisted to survey the area around her, surprised. She knelt and picked up the deer, setting it on its feet.
"Sam, can you tell me which way to go?" she asked into the air.
The bigfoot didn't return, didn't answer.
Summer pulled the rocks Amber gave her from her pocket. She held them up and closed her eyes, trying to figure out where inside her the magick lied. She didn't feel anything, except hungry from missing lunch.
"Please take me home," she said.
The magick within her stirred as it usually did before the world around her came crashing down. Her grip tightened around the rocks, and she held her breath, terrified of what might happen this time. The tickle grew in her body until it spread from her toes to the top of her scalp. It was nothing like what she felt when Decker touched her that morning, but it was there nonetheless.
Suddenly, the wind rushed through her again, pushing her in one direction. Summer opened her eyes. She stepped in that direction. It nudged her again, and she took another step.
Fear made her stomach churn as she let her magick touch that of the wind. The wind guided her gently towards the way it wanted her to go. She didn't know where it was taking her and glanced back to make sure the deer followed her. An hour later, she emerged onto the driveway leading up to the house.
"Thank you, wind," she said awkwardly.
Adam was on the porch this afternoon, fiddling with his smartphone. Summer approached him. The deer trailed. Its head and tail drooped in exhaustion. Summer sat on the porch while the deer nibbled grass on the front lawn.
"He's real neat," Adam said. "Is he yours?"
"For now," she replied. "I rescued him after his mama was hurt. He's an orphan, like me."
"What's his name?"
She smiled. "I don't know."
"Don't call him Bambi. It's gotta be something better." Adam's gaze turned thoughtful. "How about Doug?"
"Really?" she asked, nose wrinkling. "That's not a good name for a deer."
"Tarzan!"
Summer laughed.
"Definitely Tarzan," Adam said. "Just because he doesn't live in a jungle or swing from trees doesn't mean he can't be Tarzan."
"Okay, I like Tarzan."
"Did you find out what your magick is? I'm water. Which is weird, because I don't like being in water."
"Air."
"So, like, you can make storms?" he asked.
"I have no idea. I don't think my magick likes me," she said. Her thoughts went to the discussion with Sam about how she'd kept her magick caged and starved her whole life. She'd treated it the way the orphanage treated her. "Have you learned how to um, you know, tap into your magick here?"
"Yes. It's a slow process. I think, for me, the hardest part was just figuring out that it's okay to have magick. It isn't anywhere else."
"I know that feeling. That's what scares me about leaving here."
"It's not bad. Once you learn to control it, you can leave here without anyone knowing. I had no control. Whenever I had bad dreams, I'd flood our family's bean fields," Adam said. "It was okay during a drought, but during the rainy season, I ruined our crops."
"Oh, that's rough."
He shrugged. "Happens, I guess. We all ended up here because we're special. I think we all have these kinds of dark stories."
Summer leaned her head against the pole behind her. Adam's gaze returned to his smartphone, and he was quiet.
"Did you have to choose if you're on the good or evil path yet?" she voiced quietly.
"On my seventeenth birthday. All of us do on our seventeenth."
"Why seventeenth?"
"Amber says it's some ancient rite of passage." He shrugged again. "Old enough to decide, not too old to keep learning about our gifts."
"I'll be seventeen in less than a month," she said. "A couple of weeks after the dance."
"Hey, um, speaking of the dance. I was wondering if ..." He trailed off, his face growing red. "Um, do you want to go with me? Not as a date, if you don't want. We can go as friends."
"Someone else asked me. But if I can learn to dance by then, I'll dance with you," she offered. Adam was sweet and kind. She didn't want to drive him off.
"That's cool." The flush across his face grew redder, and he focused hard on the screen of his smartphone. "If you ever want to go get ice cream again, I can show you some water tricks."
"I'd like that," she replied. "I don't like to be in water, either."
"We can hang out on the beach."
"Um, Adam, have you met Sam?"
"Sam? No. Another new person?"
"Never mind. I probably got the name wrong," she murmured. Sam had openly sought her out. He'd said she was special, but she couldn't imagine being the only person Sam spoke to.
"Hey, guys," Dawn said, pushing open the screen door. "You're such a cute couple! Out here on the porch talking!"
Adam ignored her, gaze on his phone.
"You'll have to come to the beach next time, Adam. We're both water elements! We can have some fun."
When he made no effort to look at her, Dawn's attention turned to Summer.
"Where have you been? You always disappear after our morning sessions." The blonde girl sat down beside Summer, bringing with her a cloud of flowery perfume.
"In my room," Summer replied. "Reading and stuff."
"You have to come out with us. Tonight is movie night. Did Adam invite you?"
"I'm not going," Adam said.
"You should come anyway," Dawn continued. "We rarely get to leave after dark. Amber is taking us all to the mall, so even if you don't like movies, we can hang out."
"No." Adam's response was blunt.
"Um, I'll think about it," Summer said.
"Oh, I insist. You have to come!" Dawn said. She rose. "We'll leave in a couple of hours. I can help you pick out some clothes for the dance or something."
"I really—"
"See you later!"
When Dawn left, Adam set his phone down.
"You can just tell her no," he said. "She's a psycho."
"She doesn't seem that bad," Summer replied. "I can't afford clothes anyway. I didn't even think about what to wear to the dance."
"You want me to lend you some money?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.
"No."
"You can't go to the mall and let the psycho show you up." He pulled out two twenty-dollar bills. "How much do dresses cost anyway?"
Summer shrugged. "We only had handouts at the orphanage. I don't want your money, Adam. I don't know how I'd pay you back."
"Show her up at the dance. That's all I ask."
Summer's gaze lingered on the money. She did want to look nice for Beck, and she had less than twenty dollars she'd saved from the travel money the orphanage gave her.
She took his money. He smiled.
"My parents are well off," he said. "They don't care what I spend."
"Must be nice."
"Sometimes. And sometimes, it's a pain, because people always want money or something from you."
"Is that why Dawn's so nice to you when you're not nice to her?"
"Yeah." He grinned. "The witchling community is small. We come from all over the world, but our families almost all know each other. My dad owns a huge farming conglomerate and does business with the Turners and a bunch of the other companies owned by witchlings. Dawn was the queen at her school in Beverly Hills, but here, she's at the lower end of the totem pole."
"I don't understand what it's like to have money or nice clothes or anything like she has," Summer said, shaking her head. "I mean, she's beautiful. What does it matter if her family has money or not? That's so beyond me."
"Me, too, but I'm fortunate to have come from a family like the Turners. They don't flash their money. Dawn is just Dawn," Adam said. "Lots of drama, I guess. She sucks up to the guys with money and badmouths like, everyone. It'd be cool to see you show her up."
"I'll do my best. She's like, perfect, though, so I doubt I can look half as good as she does," Summer said.
"She's nice to you because all the guys here talk about you. You're prettier and nicer. Even Beck says so. She doesn't want to upset him."
"You guys talk about me?"
"Guys gossip, too," he said. "We just talk about girls instead of shoes or whatever girls talk about."
Beck thought she was pretty. She had to suppress her smile. She thought of Decker and couldn't help wondering if he thought the same. Would she feel with Beck what she felt with Decker when they went to the dance?
"I've never been called pretty before," she said. "This place is so weird. I keep waiting for the dream to be over and to wake up in the orphanage again."
"It's real. It's not all good, but it's better here than anywhere else for people like us, especially after your seventeenth birthday."
"I hope you're right. I never want to go back to L.A. I think I could live here my whole life," she said.
"Really? You don't miss stores and civilization?"
"No. I want to stay with the forest."
"A lot of those with magick stay here. The Turner twins have a cabin on the other side of the lake. Their family comes here to ski in winter and sometimes in summer. I think their parents have magick talents, too."
"I didn't know they were so rich."
"Their dad owns a lot of real estate in New York City. They have houses all over the world."
"Wow."
She couldn't help thinking Beck would want nothing to do with a poor orphan like her. The idea upset her. She looked towards her deer, which was nibbling at one of the bushes against the house.
"I'm going inside," she said and rose. Tarzan followed her up the stairs and into the house. Summer hurried through the house, hoping no one caught them. They made it to her room, and she saw two more notes on the floor.
The fawn leapt onto her bed and curled up in the middle. Summer sat on the edge, overwhelmed by her meeting with Sam. She'd felt her magick for a moment in the forest, and it led her home. Now, she didn't feel it.
Her attention went to the notes. She opened the first, recognizing the handwriting.
Dearest Summer, I was thinking about you today. Your skin is so pretty, and I love your smile. I can't wait to dance with you. But please don't tell anyone we're going together. I'm breaking up with Dawn that night. She goes crazy sometimes, and I don't want her to ruin our first dance. Love, Beck
She frowned, thinking of Dawn. While the girl embarrassed her a lot, Summer still felt badly for her. The second note was all compliments on her hair and smile, and she read it twice, feeling as if she were floating.
A knock on the door preceded Amber's entrance. Summer sprang up, surprised. Amber's clear gaze went from her to the deer.
"I can explain," Summer said quickly. "Please don't send me away!"
Amber smiled and closed the door. She sat on the other bed. The deer watched her.
"He was hurt, and his mother was dead, so I rescued him. I won't keep him, because I know the rule about pets, but I just wanted to make sure he was okay before he went back to the forest. Please, please don't send me back to the orphanage!" Summer's head began to hurt as fear filled her.
"I won't send you back," Amber said. "Really, it's okay, Summer. I understand. Your elements will make you more sensitive to the forest and its creatures."
"You're not mad?"
"I can't be mad when you're following your nature. What's his name?"
"Tarzan."
Amber laughed. "How long have you had him?"
"A little over a week. I found him in the forest one night when I got lost trying to get back to the house. His mama was killed, and his leg was hurt. Decker ..." Summer trailed off, recalling his dark eyes and magickal touch.
"Found you?"
"Yeah. He helped me bring Tarzan back."
"You're lucky," Amber said, growing serious. "You shouldn't be in the forest after dark."
"Why is that? I mean, I didn't do it on purpose, and Decker warned me not to do it again."
"There are a lot of wild animals out at night. Cougars, bears, the like. And, well, those who use Dark magick are in the forest at night training. You don't want to get caught up in one of their spells. They won't purposely hurt you, but accidents happen."
The way she said the words made Summer shudder.
"Anyway, I came by to see if you're coming with us to the mall. Dawn seems convinced you are."
"I think I'll go," Summer said slowly. "I want to get something for the dance."
"Oh, good. Is Tarzan okay in here alone?"
"Yes. He'll just sleep. You're sure you're not mad?"
"No, Summer, I'm not. You're doing what your elements guide you to do. When I said no pets, I meant no dogs or cats, just because you want one. Tarzan is a different case altogether. Okay?"
Summer nodded, relieved.
"We'll leave in half an hour." Amber smiled again and left.
Summer released her breath. She got ready and went to the porch to wait. Adam was gone. A white van pulled up long before any of the other girls were ready. Finally Amber corralled them down the stairs and into the van.
Summer sat in the back, the forty dollars Adam gave her in her pocket. She'd never had forty dollars before, and she wondered if she could really buy a dress that would make Dawn drool. The girls talked the entire hour-and-a-half drive.
Summer was relieved when they got to the mall and left the confines of the van.
"Meet back here in two hours," Amber called as the girls moved away from the van.
"Summer, come on!" Dawn called over her shoulder. "Dresses!"
Summer trailed. Dawn always dressed prettily; she had to know where to find nice clothes. The girls ignored her and talked amongst themselves. Summer took in the mall and its shoppers and stores. She'd been to a mall twice in her life. This one looked smaller than the one she'd gone to in L.A. She smiled as she walked, enjoying the sight of so many different colors.
Dawn led them into a store filled with chic dresses and outfits. It looked expensive, which Summer confirmed when she examined the tag of the first dress she came to.
"Two hundred dollars." Her mouth almost dropped open. She looked around her, marveling at the dresses, but knowing there was nothing there she could afford.
"Summer, what size are you?" Dawn asked. "I'll pull some dresses I think you'll look good in."
"No, I think—"
"Come on!" Dawn said with a roll of her eyes. She disappeared behind a rack of dresses. "Size four? I know you're not a size zero like me."
Summer's face warmed. She didn't know what size she was. Her clothes were in all sizes and some were men's. Dawn didn't wait for her answer, but roamed the store, selecting a few dresses. Summer trailed, arms crossed. She couldn't afford anything here.
"Take these and try them on," Dawn directed. She piled four dresses into Summer's arms.
Summer almost refused then caved, admiring the materials and colors. She had to look good for Beck, or he'd regret asking her to the dance. She took the dresses into a dressing room and changed into the first one slowly.
Dawn was right about her size. Summer zipped the first one and took a deep breath before facing the mirror. When she did, her breath caught. The form-fitting dress was soft against her skin—and fit better than any piece of clothing she owned. She'd never noticed her curves or how womanly they'd become. She still felt like the awkward eleven-year-old with boobs too big for her skinny frame.
The mirror painted a different story. Her dark hair framed a face with delicate features and large, brown eyes. Her skin was tanned from the California summer sun, and the cut of the dress made her legs look long on her otherwise short frame. She had hips now. They were round and balanced out her breasts.
"Summer, come on!" Dawn said, knocking on the door. "Show us!"
Summer did, suspecting Dawn wouldn't take no for an answer. She opened the door to the dressing room and stepped out. It took all her willpower not to cross her arms. The girls with Dawn smiled. Dawn looked agitated.
"Perfect!" one of them said.
"It's okay," Dawn said. "That color's not good on you."
Summer looked down. She liked the blue-green color of the dress. It matched Beck's eyes.
"Try on the next one," Dawn ordered.
Summer returned to the dressing room. The next one was silver. When she stepped out, Dawn was there as well, twirling in a skin-tight red dress.
"You have to get this one, Dawn," one of the other girls gushed. "You'll knock him off his feet!"
"Hmm, I'm not sure," Dawn said.
"You look beautiful," Summer seconded, taking in the leggy blond's perfect, slender body. She felt guilty again about the note Beck had given her. Dawn didn't know what was in store for her at the dance.
"Oh, thanks. You look good, too," Dawn said with an insincere smile.
Summer looked in the mirror. Behind Dawn, she looked like a short, fat star. She returned to the dressing room, not wanting to try on any more.
"Try the blue one, Summer!" Dawn called. "You need to get a new bra, too. That one looks like you've owned it for years."
I have, Summer said to herself, looking at the ratty, off-white bra in the mirror. Embarrassed, she tucked the straps down when she tried on the blue one. One look in the mirror, and she fell in love with the A-line style that hugged her curves and ended above her knees. Of all the dresses, it was the plainest, with a scoop neck and cap sleeves.
"That's it!" one of the other girls exclaimed as she stepped out.
"Definitely," another echoed. "Dawn, you have to see her!"
Dawn emerged in another tight number, this one with gold sequins. Summer turned to face her. Dawn's gaze swept over her, unimpressed.
"Yeah, that's the best one of them," she agreed. "I don't think you'll find anything that'll fit you better, until you lose some of that weight."
Summer's face grew hot. She'd never looked as beautiful as she did in the dress. Dawn pulled the tag free.
"It's on sale, too," she said. "One fifty. I say you get it."
"Um, I'm not sure," Summer said.
"Look at yourself," Dawn said and pushed her toward the mirror. "What will your date think when he sees you?"
Summer smiled.
"You're a doll," Dawn said. "You have to buy it."
"I really can't," Summer replied. "I think I'll just keep looking."
"You won't find anything better," Dawn said. "This complements your skin tone, your eyes, and everything else."
Summer stared at herself, growing more dismayed the longer she wore the dress. She could never afford it. Or any dress, if they were all so expensive.
"Think about it," Dawn said and went back to her dressing room.
Summer returned to hers. She looked at the remaining dress on the hanger then peeked out of the dressing room. The other girls had returned to their rooms, too, to change into the next dress. She looked at her ill-fitting clothes then at the dresses.
She shouldn't have succumbed to Dawn's encouragement. She should've gone to the department store and looked for a sale. She put her clothes back on.
"Dawn, this is a little out of my price range," she said. "I'm going to keep looking. I'll see you guys later."
"There's a Goodwill here," Dawn called innocently. "Maybe you can afford something there."
The other girls laughed, and Dawn joined them. Summer left the store, face hot. She'd been to a Goodwill before. Even if Dawn ridiculed it, Summer had found some good finds there. She shook off the sense of humiliation that had plagued her at every school she went to. She was going to the dance with Beck, the most handsome boy in the world. Suddenly, she didn't feel quite so guilty about Dawn getting dumped at the dance.
Summer sneaked a look over her shoulder to make sure Dawn didn't follow her to ridicule her more. She entered the Goodwill store and began to browse. Goodwill had nothing like the nice store Dawn took her to.
Just when Summer gave up, she saw a shimmer of pale, metallic pink. She dug through the rack and pulled out the dress, a rather plain prom dress, by the looks of it. Checking the tag, she was happy to find it was a 4-6, around her size. She examined it for any stains she'd have to get out at home. It needed to be washed, but it was pretty. The price read twenty-five dollars.
Thrilled with her find, she slung it over her arm and went to the section with ladies underwear. Dawn's comment about her bra hit home. Summer tried on a few before finding one that fit.
She left the store with her purchases, pleased with the treasures she'd found. She had enough money for the food court and walked by the different restaurants, awed by the ability to choose what she ate for the first time since she was a child. She went with pizza, milkshake, and cake.
Full and content, Summer went back to the place where Amber had dropped them off. It was past dark, and the mall parking lot was full. She sat and waited. The air grew chilly, and she sat at the base of the fountain, huddling to keep her body warm.
She waited and waited. Cars began to leave the lot, and the night grew darker. Summer got up and paced to keep warm and look for the van or girls. She saw neither and sat down to wait again.
When the last car pulled out of the parking lot, she knew they'd forgotten her. She hugged her knees to her chest. She would have expected others to leave her, but not Amber. Shivering from the cold, Summer stayed where she was.
When the moon was directly overhead, the white van pulled into the parking lot. Summer uncurled and stood. Amber threw open the door.
"I am so sorry, Summer!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around her. "You're so cold!"
Summer said nothing as Amber ushered her into the van.
"You can lay down on one of the seats. Here's a blanket. I can't believe ... this is going too far," Amber muttered.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Summer said, frowning.
"Not you, honey. Just get some sleep on the way back."
Summer studied her. Amberwas upset for the first time since Summer had met her. She said nothing,though, and Summer blamed herself. She wrapped the blanket around her beforestretching out on a bench seat. Exhausted and warm, she managed to fall asleepsoon after they left the parking lot.