Page 41 of Practically Witches

“We thought being at the Institute would help the magical cravings. You would be able to use the magic of the buildings and the other witches to satisfy your need to do magic.” I’d never thought of it as a need before, but it was. As much as I needed to breathe, I needed to do magic.

She crosses her arms and looks at me, turns her entire body to face me.

“RJ, we did everything we could think of to keep you safe and to keep Aimee safe.” Her voice is soft, a plea, and I can’t hear it right now. I’m so angry that I can’t even look at her.

Now I’m the one shaking my head. I’m hurt and angry and I can’t believe they hid this from me instead of showing me how to fight the craving for power and overcome it. Instead, they chose to lie to me, hide who I am, what I am, from myself.

I get up and walk to the door. “I’ll be back later. I need to think, and I can’t do it here.”

“RJ!” Mom calls after me, but I’m already outside. Aimee will talk to her. Or she won’t, and Mom will worry either way. But, right now, I have to figure out what to do with all these emotions and all this new knowledge.

Chapter

Eighteen

Irun out on my mother because I can’t stand that she’s lied to me all my life and just expects that I would be okay with it. There are a thousand possibilities running through my head of how my life could have been if I’d known all this time what I can do. If I hadn’t been forced to feel inadequate. And I don’t know if they’re realistic because I’ve never had the chance to find out, and that is my mother’s fault.

When I’m down the street, far enough I can’t see the house anymore, I call Zane. It’s dark out and eerie, and there’s a chill in the air that makes me think I should’ve brought a jacket. Apparently, I don’t have to be scared. I’m one of thethings, one of the dark creatures stealing power from other witches.

“Hey. I’m glad you called.” His voice is soft and deep, and I want to believe that he’s glad, but my life has been one lie after another lately.

I’m at a point where I trust no one. But if there’s one person I want to count on, it’s him. “Can you meet me?” I don’t have anyone else to ask and I don’t want tobe alone.

“Did you find something out?” I try not to be suspicious, try to remember he has a stake in all of this, too. His magic is in as much danger as anyone else’s, but my stomach curls into a tight ball. What if he knows what I am? He’s a first-family member. The information about my dad is probably written in some book somewhere, and the first families would obviously know.

And now, Zane wants information I don’t know that I want to give.

“Kind of.” I shake my head. I don’t want to admit what I am to him. That I’m a danger to him and every other witch on the face of the earth. I don’t want him to know about my dad or me. But he’s never done anything to lead me to believe that whatever this is between us isn’t new and wonderful and real. Still, I’ll proceed with caution. I can’t have the family secrets out until I know what will happen if they are brought to light. “I just don’t want to be alone.”

“Okay.” He clears his throat and I love his voice. It’s funny the things that occur to me at random times, times when such serious things should be taking all my mind’s space, when my guard should be up and ready. “I can pick you up.”

“I’m walking to the park by my house.” I’m about a block away.

“I don’t like you being out there alone with this crazy syphoner on the loose.”

Oh, if only he knew. If only we knew each other better and I could tell him the truth and not be worried about the difference it would make. But I appreciate that he’s concerned, and my stomach flutters.

“I’ll be okay.” I like that he cares so much, despite how much this is all weighing on me.

“We can just stay on the phone until I get there.” Hepauses and I can hear his car start. “What happened when you went home? Did your mom tell you anything?”

“No, she lied to us.” I can’t get into the specifics, but I can give him the overview. “There are things about my dad, personal stuff, that she should’ve told us that she never did.” I pause. “It’s why he left.”

“Moms have secrets.” He says it as if it’s one of those things about life that people don’t ever realize. But I know it. I know it a lot better now than I did a few hours ago. My knowing it, however, doesn’t make it right.

“I know, but she didn’t just keep a secret, she lied. About everything.” I shake my head. She has her reasons for not telling, and I have my reasons for being pissed off about it. “If she was just not telling us stuff…fine. Whatever. But she didn’t just omit information. She’s woven elaborate lies.” I can’t even believe the amount of deception she’s had to employ. We aren’t children anymore. She’s had a thousand opportunities to tell us about our dad, at least. Most recently, when she found me with the grimoire. Although now I understand why she’s been so angry.

He lives about five blocks from the park on the other side and he pulls up as I’m walking in from the opposite direction. When he has the car angled into a space at the front, instead of waiting for me to come to him, he gets out of the car and walks toward me. It only takes a few steps before he’s within arm’s length, and he steps closer and tugs me into a hug. “Everything is going to be okay, RJ. I don’t know how or why I think so, but I want you to know that you can trust me.” His voice is soft, full of promise, and I don’t want to read too much into it but I honestly can’t help it. My hopes are going to take a hard fall if he isn’t being sincere.

I tilt my chin up to look at him. “I can?”

He nods. “Yeah.” More solemnly, he adds, “No matter what.” And he grins. “You want to get out of here? I know a place. It’s quiet. We can talk.” When I cock my head because when a guy takes a girl toa quiet place, it’s almost never to talk, he holds up both hands. “I promise. Just to talk.”

It isn’t that I don’t trust him. I just don’t know how to handle this situation. But I won’t be turning my head or running away this time if something happens.

When I nod, we walk back to his car together and he opens the door for me. It’s very old-school and I like it.

We’re mostly silent on the way to the lookout. It’s outside of town but on a cliff that overlooks the entire town, including the Institute. Earlier, the sunset would’ve lit the sky with shades of amber and pink and purple and gold.

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