Page 53 of Whisked Away
But Alex doesn’t seem to hear. She leans forward, her brow furrowing. “Ethan,” she says slowly, “is it just me, or are those jellies… moving in patterns?”
My heart launches into my throat. She’s noticing too much. The jellies are indeed moving in intricate but subtle magic-bound patterns. I’d hoped from up here it wouldn’t be too obvious. Down on the shore, others will start lighting a bonfire. Magic will be on full display. I hadn’t realized she’d pick up on the jellies’ gentle dance. “The ocean can make them look like that. We get odd tidal patterns here offshore.”
She turns away from the sea, her fingers clasping myjacket against her neck, but she’s frowning. “It seems Magnolia Cove has many oddities I’ve noticed.”
Her voice has become sharp, and my stomach clenches as though she’s stabbed me with her words. “What do you mean?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.
Alex takes a deep breath. She’s forgotten the jellies, which are already dispersing. Distant happy cries ring out from the beach below, but she doesn’t seem to notice that either.
“I mean… ever since I arrived here, I’ve felt like there’s something just beyond my understanding. My best friend is always telling me to believe in the impossible and trust the Universe and all that kind of stuff. I’ve spent my whole life looking for the facts. What is it that makes the lightest cake batter or the richest flavor? That kind of thing. There’s always science to explain it, right? If you look for an explanation, there usually is one.”
“Of course,” I say, because it’s the only thing I can get out past the alarm bells roaring in my head. If Dean heard this conversation, he wouldn’t give me a chance. He’d wipe her memories and send her away without so much as warm feelings left.
She bites her lower lip before continuing. “But, ever since I’ve arrived in Magnolia Cove, it’s left me questioning that.” My heart stops beating. It skips two entire beats before picking up again in a frantic staccato. “Maybe there’s more than meets the eye, after all. Maybe even some secrets that seem hard have an explanation too.”
My mind races. I want to tell her everything. I want to let magic flow through my fingertips and swirl the surrounding air with the scent of honey, make the shrubs glisten and the stars shine. But I can’t. The risks are too great, not just for me, but for the entire community.
“A vacation can make you feel that way.”
Loose hair whips across her frown and drags my jacketback from her shoulders. The clothing makes her feel a part of Magnolia Cove in a way her designer outfits haven’t. I can see her here, hair always windswept by the ocean breeze, an apron tied around her waist. I want it desperately, but it’s not reality. She’s going to return to the city soon and I’ll be nothing more than a fleeting memory. At best, I’ll be a charming anecdote in her next article. After tonight, not even that seems likely.
“It’s not just the vacation.” Her lips press into a thin line before continuing. “I travel frequently and have seen some unique locales, but Magnolia Cove is different. You’re different. I’ve wondered the entire time what the answer is, but maybe—” Her eyes drift to the cliffside again, where the ocean roars. “Maybe it has been magic all along.”
Dean’s glare flashes through my mind. Jas’ anxious voice telling me everyone is worried that Alex will discover our secret. The way friends rallied behind me while others stared in concern at the council meeting.
This is the moment I’ve dreaded. The moment I’ve known was coming. I’ve been like a bug fixed on a light, trapped by the blare of an oncoming train. I can’t hurt everyone around me who relies on this island’s secrecy. Dean was right. If Alex saw my reality, she’d reject me anyway. With the moon out and my emotions running high, I can feel control slipping. I take a deep breath, trying to center myself.
“Alex,” I say, gentle but firm. “What you’ve seen is what Magnolia Cove wants you to see. We’re an island that runs on tourism. Everything here is a gimmick.”
“A gimmick?” she repeats in a hollow voice.
I shove my hands into my pockets. Goosebumps rise on my arms, but it’s not the cold that’s cutting through me. It’s what I know I need to do.
“Yes, a gimmick.” The words feel like molasses in my mouth, thick and bitter, but I push on. “The quaint town, the magical pastries, the feeling that everyone knows you. It’s allcarefully crafted to give visitors a sense of wonder, to make them feel like they’ve stepped into another world.”
Alex takes a step back. Her lip wobbles, and that nearly breaks my resolve, but I hold firm. “No, I don’t believe you. I came here expecting to find a gimmick, but I’ve found something real. I know it.”
Everything in me wants to reach out, to pull her close and tell her the truth. But I can’t. I force myself to meet her gaze, to keep my voice steady as I deliver the final blow.
“I’m sorry, Alex. But this… us… it’s not real. You’re leaving soon, and I’m just… I’m part of the Magnolia Cove experience.”
Tears well in her eyes, and I see the moment her heart breaks. It mirrors the shattering in my chest.
“You’re just pushing me away,” she says through gritted teeth. “I know about the trouble you’ve been in before. I’ve seen the news articles.”
My breath catches. The council had wiped all of those articles. A few stray papers must have slipped through the cracks. She doesn’t know the story’s truth. It hits me that she’s still choosing to be here with me, regardless. Alone in the dark.
Despite my past, she trusts me.
I want to scream, but there’s no turning back. If I don’t get her to leave, get her to hate me, then the council will wipe her memories. I guess I’m selfish because I don’t want her to lose everything we’ve shared. Even if she only sees it as jaded. And I definitely don’t want her to end up harmed.
“Then you know Dean is my… parole officer.” It’s the closest role I can think of.
“Parole officer?” she mumbles.
“Magnolia Cove made me a deal. I become the face of the island, sell their gimmick of magical baked goods, and flirt with pretty tourists—” I let that sit for amoment, long enough that the hurt wells in her eyes again. “Then Dean will cut my time sooner.”
“No,” she whispers, so quietly the wind swallows it.
