Page 24 of Practically Witches

I’m picturing myself as one of those cartoon characters that has hearts for eyes.

WishIHadAGirlName7

I would like that, too.

If I was the kind of girl who got giddy, I would be right now. This has been a very weird week, but it’s turning out really well.

Z_MAGIC_MAN

Meet me by the coffee cart in the morning? I’ll buy.

Hell, I’ll leave right now to make sure we’re there at the same time.

WishIHadAGirlName7

Two days in a row? People might talk.

I’m semi-proud of the response. It’s just flirty enough but not too much.

Z_MAGIC_MAN

They’ll say what a lucky guy I am.

I like his reply much better, and at this rate the stomach fluttering is never going to end.

WishIHadAGirlName7

See you then. Sweet dreams.

Z_MAGIC_MAN

Sweet dreams.

I smile as I drift off to sleep hugging my phone.

Chapter

Twelve

When my alarm goes off for school, Aimee is already up and dressed. Of course she is. She didn’t stay up until the wee hours texting a guy. If she had, she would know sleep is impossible when your mind is spinning with fantasies of said guy, and she would hate that morning didn’t give her enough time to properly dream about him.

“Fucking alarm,” I grumble, pulling the blanket over my head while it continues to chime and sing and make its annoying electronic noises.

“I don’t feel well, RJ.” She’s sitting at the foot of my bed with her legs dangling over the footboard.

“Do you want to stay home today?” I can make that work. I’ll text Zane and tell him our field trip is postponed. I sit up so I can see more than the back of her and when she doesn’t answer, I scoot to the edge of the bed beside her. “We can watch TV, make cookies, eat all the chips and snacks.”

She shakes her head. “No. I don’t want anyone to know. I don’t missschool.”

“You’re going to miss this afternoon so we can go to Club Mera.” I shrug a shoulder. “We could skip the morning, too.”

Her sigh comes from deep in her chest and she flexes her fingers, staring at them as if she’s willing the magic back into her body. She turns to me. “I don’t know what to do without it, RJ. Who am I if I’m not a witch?”

I take her by the shoulders and make her face me. “You’re Aimee Baum. And you’re getting your magic back. If it’s the last thing I do, you’re getting it back.” I’m solemn. The words mean something to me.

Aimee nods. She’s the one person I don’t generally lie to. “Okay.”

I wait a minute until I’m certain her breaths are back to normal and she doesn’t have the I’m-going-to-vomit-from-stress grimace on her face. “Thank goodness because I’m supposed to meet Zane at the coffee cart.”

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