could imagine blossomed in the sky like flowers made of light.
I turned to Brooke, expecting to see pure joy on her face. Instead, she was crying.
“What's wrong? This is amazing. Why are you upset?”
She discreetly wiped away a tear that had gathered on her long lashes. “Tears of joy,” she said. She turned her face toward me and I could see the fear in her eyes.
I gripped her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Bullshit. What's wrong?”
“I'm scared,” she whispered.
Then I understood. “About the initiation? It's tonight isn't it? After the party?”
“There were so many things I wanted out of life.” She looked back up at the sky. Each time a new color burst forth, it lit up the angles of her face and I could see the glassy tears hovering in her eyes.
“You can still have all those things,” I said. “This isn't a death, Brooke, it's a new beginning.”
She shook her head slightly and sniffed. “Yes, it's a beginning. But it's also the end.” She got quiet and watched the fireworks. After a minute, she continued. “Did you know I used to want to be a veterinarian?”
I didn't. It was one of the last career ambitions I would have thought cool, classy Brooke would be interested in. I couldn't picture her with her hands dirty.
“This huge backyard used to be a pasture. We had horses and I loved them so much. I used to ride them every day. I even loved mucking out the stalls. The smell was god-awful and I got so dirty. I loved every second of it.”
“So what happened?”
“I was chosen for the cheerleading squad.”
She didn't offer any further explanation that that, but I think I sort of got it. She'd been picked at the end of her eighth grade year. Much younger than when I came into the group. And getting onto the squad changed you. I fiddled with the zipper on my vest.
“My parents sold the horses that fall of my first year on the squad. I didn't have time for them anymore with my studies and my magic. And you know what? I barely even missed them. I hardly noticed they were gone. I thought that being a cheerleader was every thing in the world. I mean, I grew up watching my mother and sisters do magic. I knew it was what everyone expected of me. Plus, at the time, it was all so secretive. I wanted to know what it was really all about, and the only way to find out was to join.”
I nodded. I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“But lately, I've been thinking about those horses. I miss being close to animals. We have our kitty, and I love her, but I always thought someday I'd be able to pursue helping animals and being around them all the time.”
“Why do you think that's changed?” I turned my body to her and propped my head up on my palm. “You can still do all those things. You're going to college next fall and you can study whatever you want.”
Brooke turned to me then and I read both grief and pain in her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to tell me something important, then changed her mind. She looked back up at the sky.
“Brooke? It's going to be okay.”
She gave my hand another squeeze and we watched the rest of her birthday fireworks in silence, our arms linked tight.
Maybe You're Just Drawn to Bad Guys
Shortly after the fireworks display, people started to head home. Even though the band was booked until two, most people had curfews. Ella Mae had talked to Ms. Shadowford and gotten special permission for me to stay out until one, so I needed to leave soon too.
I found Drake by the punch bowl with Foster.
“You about ready to go?” I asked. Truth be told, I was only anxious to get home so I could start getting ready for my late-night recon mission. I needed to rest and let my energy build back up so I could turn into the invisible girl.
Drake's shoulders hunched a bit. “If you are, I guess.” His words slurred beyond the comfort zone.
“I don't think you're going to be driving,” I said. I was annoyed. After all, he knew he was my only ride home
I turned to Brooke, expecting to see pure joy on her face. Instead, she was crying.
“What's wrong? This is amazing. Why are you upset?”
She discreetly wiped away a tear that had gathered on her long lashes. “Tears of joy,” she said. She turned her face toward me and I could see the fear in her eyes.
I gripped her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Bullshit. What's wrong?”
“I'm scared,” she whispered.
Then I understood. “About the initiation? It's tonight isn't it? After the party?”
“There were so many things I wanted out of life.” She looked back up at the sky. Each time a new color burst forth, it lit up the angles of her face and I could see the glassy tears hovering in her eyes.
“You can still have all those things,” I said. “This isn't a death, Brooke, it's a new beginning.”
She shook her head slightly and sniffed. “Yes, it's a beginning. But it's also the end.” She got quiet and watched the fireworks. After a minute, she continued. “Did you know I used to want to be a veterinarian?”
I didn't. It was one of the last career ambitions I would have thought cool, classy Brooke would be interested in. I couldn't picture her with her hands dirty.
“This huge backyard used to be a pasture. We had horses and I loved them so much. I used to ride them every day. I even loved mucking out the stalls. The smell was god-awful and I got so dirty. I loved every second of it.”
“So what happened?”
“I was chosen for the cheerleading squad.”
She didn't offer any further explanation that that, but I think I sort of got it. She'd been picked at the end of her eighth grade year. Much younger than when I came into the group. And getting onto the squad changed you. I fiddled with the zipper on my vest.
“My parents sold the horses that fall of my first year on the squad. I didn't have time for them anymore with my studies and my magic. And you know what? I barely even missed them. I hardly noticed they were gone. I thought that being a cheerleader was every thing in the world. I mean, I grew up watching my mother and sisters do magic. I knew it was what everyone expected of me. Plus, at the time, it was all so secretive. I wanted to know what it was really all about, and the only way to find out was to join.”
I nodded. I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“But lately, I've been thinking about those horses. I miss being close to animals. We have our kitty, and I love her, but I always thought someday I'd be able to pursue helping animals and being around them all the time.”
“Why do you think that's changed?” I turned my body to her and propped my head up on my palm. “You can still do all those things. You're going to college next fall and you can study whatever you want.”
Brooke turned to me then and I read both grief and pain in her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to tell me something important, then changed her mind. She looked back up at the sky.
“Brooke? It's going to be okay.”
She gave my hand another squeeze and we watched the rest of her birthday fireworks in silence, our arms linked tight.
Maybe You're Just Drawn to Bad Guys
Shortly after the fireworks display, people started to head home. Even though the band was booked until two, most people had curfews. Ella Mae had talked to Ms. Shadowford and gotten special permission for me to stay out until one, so I needed to leave soon too.
I found Drake by the punch bowl with Foster.
“You about ready to go?” I asked. Truth be told, I was only anxious to get home so I could start getting ready for my late-night recon mission. I needed to rest and let my energy build back up so I could turn into the invisible girl.
Drake's shoulders hunched a bit. “If you are, I guess.” His words slurred beyond the comfort zone.
“I don't think you're going to be driving,” I said. I was annoyed. After all, he knew he was my only ride home
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