Witching on a Star Page 17

  Chapter 20

  So, I just have to say that being the big witch on campus was awesome. After the showdown with Sabrina, everyone knew my name. Well, they knew the Mancaster name. I still had to remind people I go by Norman. In any case, it was freaking great.

  People were holding the door for me. Asking me to help them with their homework, not that I could really help most of them. I was still new myself. Still, being asked was pretty flattering.

  Also, I never lacked for someone to eat with at lunch. Everyone wanted to be my friend, and it was awesome. Well, it was for about a week, and then I started having to hide. I studied in my room. Sent Trina for books when I needed them from the library. I even lost a couple of pounds from skipping meals just so I could get some alone time!

  It was getting freaking ridiculous. Really, I didn’t know how Sabrina did it. Well, I knew how she did it. She ruled with an iron fist. Or rather by being a bitch. People adored her, and yet they feared her.

  I was never that good at making people afraid. I’d never had a calling for it. I just wanted everyone to like everyone else and live in harmony. However, I also wasn’t a naïve nitwit and knew that was hardly realistic.

  “Can you believe it’s winter break already?” Trina asked, shoving the last of her things into her bag.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty crazy.” I laid back on my bed, delaying the inevitable. I hated packing. I mean, I only lived a few minutes away so there wasn’t any reason to pack, but I also didn’t trust leaving my stuff here for the next two weeks. Not that I didn’t think the school was safe. No, it was the students I didn’t trust. Not everyone goes home for break, and those that didn’t might think it’s funny to mess with my things.

  Namely, Sabrina.

  I wasn’t a hundred percent sure she was staying, but on the off chance that she was, I had little doubt she didn’t have thoughts of payback in her mind. After all, I did kick her off her pedestal. I’d be looking for some revenge of my own if I were in her shoes.

  “Aren’t you going to pack? Your parents will be here any minute.” Trina smacked my leg with her shirt before throwing it into the bag.

  “I know.” I sighed and sat up. “It’s just hard to leave.”

  Trina snorted. “And here I thought you couldn’t wait to get away? Or are you going to miss all your adoring fans?”

  I chuckled and shook my head. “No, I’m not going to miss that. Being popular is great, but it gets annoying. I kind of want to go back to the way it was. Even with Sabrina’s bullying.”

  Gasping in mock horror, Trina sat down on her bed, her hand on her chest. “Even with the bullying? Really?”

  “Shut up.” I stuck my tongue out at her. “It wasn’t that bad. At least, I knew who my real friends were and had some time to actually do my work. I want to learn magic and keep myself from blowing someone up, not be the next senator of magic.”

  With a harrumph, Trina zipped up her bag. “Believe me, you don’t want to get on that broomstick. If you don’t like the politics now, you sure as hell won’t like it there.” Trina’s phone buzzed, and she glanced down at it. “Oh, that’s my brother. I’ll see you later, okay?”

  “Okay,” I halfheartedly waved.

  “And you better text me.” She pointed a finger at me with a stern look. “And keep those lips off the boys!”

  She laughed as she walked out the door, but I didn’t join in. Trina might think my boy troubles were funny, but to me, they were the center of all my issues. I hadn’t had this much drama since Jaron, and we all knew how that turned out. Maybe I should take a vow of celibacy? At least until I was done with college. I wasn’t sure my GPA could handle any more incidents like at the mixer.

  Which brought me to the other people I was avoiding. Not only did I have to hide from my fan club but from the guys who had nothing but Max on the brain. Or at least that was what it seemed like.

  After the mixer, I got sparkling flowers from Ian. Chocolates that sang from Paul. Even Dale threw his hat into the ring with a note that transformed into a bird. It had been by far the most impressive of the three. However, I’d ignored every one of them. I had eaten the chocolates and saved the flowers. They sat on my nightstand now. The note from Dale was tucked in my drawer.

  Those three weren’t the only ones who had sent me gifts. Every guy in Winchester Academy had decided to tell me they suddenly wanted to date me. At least, that’s what it seemed like. Never mind that the majority of them had never even met me let alone talk to me. They just wanted to get in good with the new power around campus.

  I hadn’t kept any of their gifts and had gone so far as to start rejecting them outright. I didn’t need a whole horde of fanboys. I had my hands full with the guys I did like, never mind the ones I didn’t even know.

  I just hoped my grandparents didn’t hear about any of this. It was just the kind of thing they would be all over. Or maybe appalled by. It was kind of hard to figure out how those two would react. The fact that they hadn’t pushed me for anything after our first meeting. I hadn’t even gotten so much as a text from them. I probably should get with them soon before they decided to take matters into their own hands.

  “I see you haven’t flown the coop yet. Still too scared to face the masses?”

  I glanced up from the floor to where Ian leaned against my doorway his arms crossed over his chest and a sexy smirk on his lips. I offered him a weak smile. “Just working myself up to it.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t wait too long.” Ian moved away from the door and into the room. “They can smell fear.”

  I giggled. “Oh, is that right? I’ll have to keep that in mind. Maybe get me an anti-ass-kisser charm. Think it’d work on you?” I arched a brow at him as he took the seat next to me on the bed.

  Ian grinned. “Nah, don’t lump me in with those idiots. They go where ever the power is. Now me? I like the diamonds in the rough. Those that have to be polished a bit to make them shine.” Ian stroked my arm up and down, his face awfully close to mine.

  “Oh? And you think I’m rough?” I murmured, not knowing why I was lowering my voice. Back away, Norman! Retreat, retreat. We just had this talk about kissing boys, and now you’re already going back on it.

  Before Ian could land one on me, I turned my face, making his lips graze my cheek. Clearing my throat, I rocked on the bed slightly. “So, what are you still doing here? Not going home for the holiday?”

  Ian didn’t even act like the fact that I had rejected him had bothered him. Knowing him, he probably just thought it made me more of a challenge. Instead, his nose crinkled up and his lips twisted into a grimace. “Let’s see ... spend time with a whole bunch of people who don’t like my life choices and would do nothing but berate me for two weeks? Nah, I think I’ll pass.”

  “Come on, it can’t be that bad.” I bumped him with my shoulder. “Paul will be there. I thought things were going better with you two?”

  Lifting a shoulder, Ian didn’t answer my question and even changed it back around to me. “What about you? Going home to the folks?”

  I sighed and glanced at my empty bag. “Yeah, if I can ever get around to packing.”

  Ian’s eyes followed mine and landed on the bag. “Pfft. That’s a breeze.” Without warning, he snapped his fingers and all my clothes piled into the bag in neat little piles. He’d even zipped it shut for me. “There! All done.”

  “Well, now what am I going to do until my parents get here? You took my one distraction away.” I accused pretending to be annoyed.

  A salacious grin covered Ian’s lips as he leaned toward me. “Well, I could think of one thing.” His fingers traced the side of my face, and I didn’t have the strength to pull away from him this time.

  “Maxine, I’ve been calling you for the past five minutes. Why haven’t you answered your phone?” I jerked my face away from Ian at the sound of my mom’s voice. “Oh, hello.”

  Ian smoothly turned away from me to greet my mom who stood by the door with a slight
blush on her cheeks. Those Broomsteins, they even had the moms melting into puddles.

  “I don’t think we’ve met.” Ian stood from my bed and sauntered over to my mom offering her a hand. “I’m Ian Broomstein. I’m a friend of your daughter’s.”

  “A friend, are you?” Mom grinned at him and then looked to me. “Well, I’m so glad my daughter has found someone to spend her time with. I hope you are taking care of my girl?”

  “When she lets me.” Ian winked at me, and my mom giggled. Ugh, gag me.

  “That’s my daughter. Always the independent one. Well, it was nice meeting you, Ian. I hope to see you around.” Mom patted him on the arm.

  “Oh, I plan on it.” He turned to me and grinned. “I’ll see you around, Max. Don’t forget, you still owe me that date.”

  Before I could get a word in, he was gone. Freaking Broomstein. Freaking hormones. One thing was for sure. I needed a few weeks off just so I could get my head on straight.

  “Man, if the guys in school were that fine when I was here, I might not have ever left.” My mom fanned herself and approached me, a dreamy look in her eyes. “So, what’s the story with him? Are you really just friends?”

  I picked at the blanket beneath me. “I don’t know yet. There are a few people I’m talking to, it’s kind of hard to explain.”

  My mom’s eyebrows shot up. “A few people? My, my, someone sure is popular.”

  I groaned and stood up, grabbing my bag from the floor. “Come on, let’s just get out of here. I need a movie night and popcorn stat. And no mentioning Ian to dad.” I warned my mom as she followed me out of my bedroom.

  As we shoved our way through the crowded hallway, many of the students stopped to greet me. A few even tried to get some pictures with me which I slyly slipped out of with my mom watching silently beside me.

  “And here I thought you weren’t making friends.” Mom clucked her tongue. “You have people falling all over themselves to talk to you. Anything you want to tell me?”

  I winced and thought about what she might say about the whole ordeal with Sabrina. “Uh, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it in the car.” I slung my bag over my shoulder and started toward the front.

  Who knew one simple kiss would cause so much trouble? I knew one thing was for sure. After winter break, these lips were staying exactly where they belonged. On the lip of a caramel macchiato.

  My eyes caught onto Paul and Dale talking at the front desk on my way out. I ducked my head, my cheeks burning. Okay, maybe not just there. After all, this was college. If you couldn’t let loose here, you couldn’t do it anywhere.

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