Wickford High 1 - The Revelation (3 page)

She laughed. “Well, I’m glad it wasn’t that bad,” she said and popped another fry into her mouth.

He laughed. “How were your last two classes?”

She sat back and frowned. “Don’t ask.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I really want to know.”

She sighed heavily. “Well for starters, Sister Phoebe was the teacher for my second period class.” His eyes sparkled; he grinned, and waited for her to continue. “Then I had a run-in with Sara.”

“Sara.”

She nodded. “Yeah, Sister Phoebe told me to take the desk next to Sara.”

“And . . .”

Vicky shrugged. “Sara and I are going to wind up butting heads.”

“Vicky, you need to be careful around Sara . . .”

She held up a hand to stop him from going on. “You leave Sara to me.” He opened his mouth to object. “Luke, I already know what Sara is.” She shook her head. “I am not afraid of Sara.”

He swallowed hard. “Maybe you should be . . .”

She popped the last bite of hamburger in her mouth; she chewed it and swallowed it. She put her hand over Luke’s. “Listen, Luke, I appreciate your concern.”

“Vicky, Sara is a witch,” he growled and looked around cautiously before he continued. “If she doesn’t like someone, she usually whips up a curse. I don’t want anything to happen to you. I don’t think you’re taking the Sara situation seriously enough.”

She sat back in her chair and frowned. “I know Sara is a witch. I’ve already been talking with Rachael . . .”

He threw out his hand. “Rachael is a perfect example of what I’m trying to tell you . . .”

Her eyes flashed with anger. “Rachael is the perfect example of why I have to stop Sara.

That poor girl . . .”

He took her hand in his. “I don’t want you to be ‘that poor girl’,” he said softly.

She smiled. “I can handle myself.”

He sat back in his chair and sighed in defeat. “I hope you’re right.” He smiled back at her sadly. “I’ll stick by you no matter what happens.”

She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled. “Luke, nothing is going to happen to me.

Trust me.”

He smiled. “I do trust you. I just don’t trust Sara.”

She shrugged. “I’m sorry I even brought the subject up.”

He stood up and picked up the tray. “Unfortunately it’s time to go back to class. Meet me in the parking lot by your car after school.”

She grinned. “Sure, I’ll wait for you.”

Vicky stepped out of the cafeteria in a hurry for her next class. She was dreading finding out who the teacher for the next class would be. She was passing by the girl’s bathroom when the door flew open, and a set of hands grabbed her from behind and yanked her inside. “What the hell . . .” she said, and then she hit the wall hard hitting her head in the process. “You!” she shouted.

Sara smiled smugly and paced back and forth in front of Vicky triumphantly. “Well, well, well . . . Lookie what I found,” she said snidely. She laughed. “Not so high and mighty now, are ya?”

Vicky rubbed the back of her head. She had a large lump forming, and all it did was make her angry. “Sara, what is it that you have against me?” she demanded as she glowered at Sara.

“You’ve been trying to provoke me from the first moment we saw each other. I want to know why?”

Sara shrugged. “I don’t like you,” she said hatefully.

Vicky raised an eyebrow and glared. “No duh . . .” she said sarcastically. “I don’t particularly like you either, but I didn’t start out in the beginning to purposefully attack you.”

Sara slammed her hands on her hips, and put her face in Vicky’s. “I know what you are . . .”

Sara spat the accusation.

Vicky rolled her eyes. “Oh please, Sara, tell me what I am . . . please enlighten me,” she paused when Sara smiled, “and don’t tell me that I’m a harlot, because we both know that’s not true.”

Sara laughed. “I can’t help it if your reputation precedes you.”

Vicky mirrored Sara, slamming her hands on her hips. “My reputation . . . How in the hell can I have a reputation here, when I just arrived in town two days ago?”

“I know why you came here,” Sara hissed.

The color left Vicky’s face. “How could you possibly know anything about me?”

“I know about your mother.”

A deep-seated rage began to consume Vicky. “Don’t talk bad about my mother,” she growled.

“I don’t have to. Your reaction tells me that the rumors are true.” The room started to darken and haze over, and Sara looked around, suddenly alarmed. “What . . . What the hell?” The light bulbs in the bathroom started to pop, slowly, one at a time. Her head whipped around to stare Vicky in the eyes. “It’s true!”

Vicky narrowed her eyes. “Do you think you still want to cross me?” she growled. “I’ve heard rumors myself, all about you.” She raised her chin defiantly. “More than one person in this school will swear that you’re a witch yourself. They are afraid of you and your petty curses.”

Sara’s eyes grew wide and she backed up. Vicky charged on and got right in Sara’s face. “You see, I’m not generally vindictive. In fact, most people would describe me as nice and easy going.

I will warn you now Sara. If you corner me, I will fight back.” She shook her head. “I don’t need spells or potions. It all comes naturally to me.” The metal on the stalls started to tremble and shake.

Sara backed up as far as she could go until she hit the wall. She brought her trembling hands up to cover her mouth. “You’re a white witch!” she said in disbelief. She swallowed hard. “You were born to the craft.”

Vicky nodded. “If you’re smart enough to figure that out, then you’re smart enough to know that your black magic has no effect on me.” Sara swallowed hard again, and Vicky continued, “I could destroy you if I so willed it.”

Sara’s eyes were large and frightened. “But . . . but . . . but white witches are only supposed to be a myth.” She shook her head in denial. “It can’t be real, but . . . I saw you. You didn’t even lift a finger. You didn’t even look at it. You . . . you didn’t even have to chant.”

Vicky slung her bag back over her shoulder and backed away from Sara. “Now, I’m going to my next class. I’ll make up some excuse as to why I was late. I don’t want any more trouble out of you. In fact, I don’t want to hear about you terrorizing anybody else.” Sara nodded. “If I do hear about you terrorizing anybody else, I won’t be so nice next time.” Sara swallowed hard and nodded.

Vicky left the bathroom to go to class. Sara stayed behind trembling in the corner.

Vicky looked around the parking lot nervously. All the other students had left, and her car was the only one left on the lot. She had been standing by her car waiting on Luke for the last ten minutes. She opened her car door and tossed her bag inside and then slammed the door tight.

“Come on Luke . . .” she said under her breath. This had been a day from hell. That run in with Sara in the bathroom had been the last straw. All she wanted to do was to go home, take a hot bath, and try to forget about the day’s events, but she had agreed to meet Luke after school. If he didn’t hurry, she was going home. She wanted to forget that this day had ever happened.

“Miss me?” Luke said softly.

Vicky jumped and brought her hand up to her chest to still her racing heart. “Luke,” she said breathlessly. “You scared me again. Where did you come from?”

He laughed softly. “I’ve been around.” He leaned against her car door. “Today’s been tough for you. Tomorrow will be better.” His eyes sparkled. “Tonight could be better.” He lifted his hand to her cheek and brushed a stray lock of hair away tenderly. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out for dinner tonight.”

She bit her bottom lip and grinned flirtatiously. “Having dinner with you does sound like fun, but I have to go shopping tonight to get a couple of school uniforms to wear tomorrow.”

He grinned. “That wasn’t an out and out ‘no’. Will you go out with me if I take you shopping too?”

Her grin got bigger. No guy in Fort Lauderdale had ever offered to take her shopping too.

“I’ll have to check with my dad first.” She bit her bottom lip, looked away, and flushed. “He’s probably going to want to meet you before he’ll give me an answer.”

He put his finger under her chin and made her look at him. “I don’t mind talking to your dad first,” he said. He let go of her chin, and then he laughed. “My name hasn’t crossed his desk at work, so I should pass his test.”

She shook her head and laughed. “I don’t know. My dad can be pretty tough.”

He grinned. “Have no fear babe. Getting on your dad’s good side should be a piece of cake.

I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”

She laughed softly. “I’m sure you can, but if you want to get on my dad’s good side you can’t clown around. He’s a very serious man, and he takes his daughter’s safety very seriously.”

He put his hand over his heart dramatically. “I will protect you with my life.”

She laughed harder. “You’re teasing me.”

His eyes sparkled mischievously. “I never joke about a beautiful girl’s safety.”

“Pick me up at seven,” she said excitedly. “Do you know where I live?”

He nodded. “I’ve lived here all my life, and it’s a very small town. I know where everybody lives.” He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers. “I’ll see you at seven,” he said and stepped away from her car door.

“Okay,” she said and turned to open her car door. She opened the door, turned back around to tell him good-bye, and he was gone. She searched the empty school parking lot with her eyes in disappointment. He was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged, and then her eyes caught a movement at the edge of the woods. There was a large black wolf staring back at her. It wasn’t making any aggressive advances toward her. A cold chill ran up and down her spine and her heart raced. She quickly jumped into her car and slammed the car door shut and locked it.

She sped out of the school parking lot, and stared at the wolf as she drove by. He didn’t advance, and he didn’t run. He just watched her car leave.

There was something weird about that wolf, and it was nagging at Vicky’s subconscious like she should already know the answer. She had never heard of a wolf acting in that manner; wolves were generally aggressive. She just couldn’t put her finger on it. He hadn’t really scared her. It was strange, she felt like the wolf was just
watching
her . . . almost like it
knew
her. Her eyes grew wide at that thought. “Oh, don’t be silly. How could that wolf know you?” she mumbled to herself. She shook her head at her overactive imagination. “Girl, you just need to chalk it up to another string of bad experiences of this awful day, and get over yourself.”

Her Mustang rounded the corner on Wicca Drive, her street. She cocked her head to the side and stared at the street sign. “That’s a weird name for a street,” she mumbled. “It’s almost like . .

. no . . . it can’t be . . .” She shook her head in confusion. “Was this street meant for witches to live on? I’ll admit this town is weird . . . but . . . could it be true?” She blew out a frustrated breath. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this, and dear old Dad is going to give me some answers for a change.” She pulled her Mustang into the driveway behind her dad’s Mercedes, put it in park, and cut the engine. With a new sense of determination, she went into the house.

“Dad, I’m home,” she called out as she entered the house.

“I’m in my study, Pumpkin,” he called out.

She put her keys in her purse and set it on the table next to the door. She walked into her dad’s study and smiled at him. Her father was a fairly tall man with a smooth medium complexion. She had his soft brown eyes and smile. He stood up from his desk and held his arms out to her. She stepped into his embrace and hugged him back. “How was school,” he asked softly.

She pulled out of his arms and rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask,” she said testily.

He smiled at her tenderly and sighed because he knew what was coming. “It couldn’t have been that bad,” he said to soothe her.

She looked him in the eyes. “Do you want to bet?” She shook her head in frustration. “They all but called me a harlot today.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “One girl actually did.”

He frowned and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Pumpkin, you’re not a harlot.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know that, Dad. That’s not the point.”

He smiled to try to pacify her. “So, was everyone mean to my baby?” he said gently.

It worked, she grinned. “Not everyone.” She bit her bottom lip apprehensively. “Uh . .

.Dad?”

He eyed her suspiciously and sighed dramatically. “You’re up to something.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared levelly at her. “You’re not any better at keeping secrets from me than your mother was. Spit it out.”

She rolled her eyes and giggled. “I kind of have a date.”

He raised an eyebrow. “How can you kind of have a date? Either you do or you don’t.”

“Okay, I do have a date,” she said and winced.

He rolled his eyes and blew out a breath. “When and where?”

“Tonight and he’s taking me to dinner.” Her father started to open his mouth, and she put up a finger. “Oh, and I almost forgot, he’s taking me shopping too.”

Her father did a double take. “Shopping,” he said in disbelief.

She laughed at the look on his face. “Yeah, it surprised me too. He asked me out to dinner, and I told him that I couldn’t go because I had to go shopping for a school uniform. That’s when he offered to take me shopping, too.”

Her father shook his head and grimaced. “Oh, I’m sorry, Pumpkin. I forgot to tell you about the uniforms.” He walked back behind his desk and sat back down.

Vicky plopped into a chair in front of the desk, and rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Dad, that was part of the problem today. Everyone else was in uniforms, and I stuck out like a sore thumb.”

She scrunched up her face. “I’m not allowed to wear my makeup to school anymore, either.”

“I’m sorry, Pumpkin.”

She shrugged. “It’s just something that I’m going to have to get used to.”

He gave her his most stern glare. “You know I’m going to have to meet this guy and approve of him before you can go, don’t you?”