Legend of Witchtrot Road

chapter 17

I bit my lip and tried not to shake too much as I waited for my friends to show up. Cal was first to arrive at my locker, werewolf speed giving him the advantage, and wrapped me up in his warm, doggy smel ing arms. He felt familiar and safe.

When I final y pul ed away, Cal brushed my lips with his thumb and bent down to kiss me gently. My legs felt weak, but at least it was no longer from complete terror. I smiled and felt more confident. I could do this, I would do this, but it was nice to not have to face my fears alone. And let’s be honest, the football team scared me silly.

I stood up straight and turned to see Emma and Gordy walking toward us. They looked so happy and easy with each other. I was psyched that they could final y hang out again as friends. Of course, as they came closer Gordy began chewing on the tips of his asymmetrical bangs and Emma got a steely glint in her eye.

“Hey,” Gordy said, nodding.

“Hey,” I said.

“Ready?” Cal asked.

Nope, not really. I’d rather run away screaming. I didn’t say that, but, you know, I was thinking it.

“Sure,” I said. I gave a thumbs up and hoped I didn’t look total y lame. It is hard to look al tough-girl when your knees are shaking.

“Let’s do this thing,” Emma said.

We marched together out to the athletic field. Cal held my hand and walked in a loose, liquid lope, but I could see his eyes darting in al directions. Gordy and Emma looked intense and alert. I tried not to gag at the smel of motor oil or trip over my own two feet. That’s me, ninja-girl, total super hero of Wakefield High.

The first thing I saw was Jay and Jared standing together and looking confused.

“What are you freaks doing here?” Jay sneered.

“Yeah, don’t you have after school dork practice or something?” Jared asked.

Sigh. These guys need a new line.

“Didn’t you ask to meet us here?” I asked, letting go of Cal’s hand and crossing my arms over my chest.

Cal’s hand and crossing my arms over my chest.

I sounded calm, which was amazing.

“Like we’d want to meet any of you,” Jay said, rol ing his eyes.

“Maybe we should teach you a lesson,” Jared said.

“Losers have no place on our field.”

The J-team started moving forward threateningly when a large, meaty hand grabbed Jay’s shoulder…and stopped him in his tracks.

“Not so fast,” Meaty Hands Eddy said.

“We are the ones who asked you al here,” another huge footbal guy said.

Judging from their uniforms and the number of large guys walking toward us, the entire footbal team had turned out. I tried not to start shaking again.

“Look, I’m sick of this,” I said. “I didn’t have anything to do with Dylan’s death and…”

“We know,” one guy said.

“And we’re sorry,” another added.

“Aren’t we,” Meaty Hands Eddy growled, pushing Jay and Jared forward. “Say you’re sorry.”

Jay and Jared turned beet red.

“No freakin’ way,” Jay muttered.

“You wil apologize to Yuki and to us or you’re off the team,” Eddy said.

“Sorry,” Jared said.

Jay looked angrily at Jared, but added his apology after another squeeze from Eddy. Holy moly that guy was huge.

“Sorry,” Jay said.

“The rest of us are sorry too,” Eddy said.

“Sorry,” most of the guys said.

“Jay and Jared lied to us…,” a team member added.

“Yeah, they said they saw you casting spel s,” another guy said.

“And hexing people,” footbal kid said.

“…cursed our team,” another said.

“Said you kil ed Dylan…” a short guy said.

“We’re al real y sorry that we listened to them,” Eddy said.

I felt a tear trickle down my cheek, but my voice remained steady.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Sorry, man,” Eddy said to Cal. “About trying to hurt your girlfriend.”

“You were upset about losing your friend,” Cal said calmly. “I’m not saying what you did was right, or even real y forgivable, but I do understand.”

“Thanks, man,” Eddy said. “A little understanding is al we ask. And we, like, get it if you want to punch us in the face. We won’t fight back. We owe you.” Jay and Jared looked like they were going to total y wig out, but the rest of team just stood there ready to accept whatever Cal and I decided.

“I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent,” Cal said.

He was total y quoting Gandhi.

“Dude, hate the sin, love the sinner,” Gordy said.

I knew Cal was al into the deep, philosophical stuff, but was a little surprised to hear Gordy chime in with his own Gandhi quote. It was kind of awesome.

“You guys are cool,” Eddy said. “Thanks.” With a weird kind of bowing nod, the footbal team left the field.

The smel of motor oil fil ed my head and Dylan Jacob’s ghost floated in a bal of beautiful glowing light.

“Your friends are going to be okay,” I said in my mind. I knew that Dylan could hear me. I didn’t need to say it out loud. “You can go in peace now.”

Dylan bounced in a nod-like up and down movement and a bril iant light opened near the goal post. I could feel tears wel up as I watched Dylan head into the shimmering light and disappear. “Bye, Dylan,” I whispered.

My friends hadn’t seen a thing.

“I wonder what they’re going to do to Jay and Jared,” Emma said.

“Maybe they’l listen to our words of non-violence,” Cal said.

We al looked at each other and laughed.

“Yeah, dude, probably not,” Gordy said.

“A leopard doesn’t change its spots,” Emma said, mock sagely.

“A veggie burrito is just a veggie burrito,” I said, nodding.

“You must be hungry,” Cal said, grinning.

My stomach growled in answer. Facing my fears and helping spirits of the dead find peace was hungry work.

“Let’s go let Katie know that we won’t be needing that backup plan,” Emma said.

“Then a trip to Mr. Green Genes?” Cal asked.

“Absolutely!” I said, bouncing along with my friends.

I felt better than I had in days. I had faced my fears, my friends were al getting along, the footbal team wasn’t going to kidnap me anytime soon, and Jay and Jared had been made to look like the jerks they real y were. Oh yeah, and we were al heroes. Could this day get any more strange?



*****

Simon was waiting for us when we arrived at Mr. Green Genes. He had even saved us a table.

“How did Simon know we’d be here?” I asked Cal.

“Emma texted him,” Cal said.

Huh, that was weird, but it was Bizarro Upside Down Day, right?

“Congratulations, love,” Simon said.

“For what?” I asked. It wasn’t like I’d aced a math exam or anything. Like that would ever happen. Math, yuck.

“For standing up to your demons,” Simon said. “It’s not an easy thing to do.”

“Yuki was awesome,” Gordy said.

“I heard that the entire footbal team apologized,” Katie said, her frizzy curls bouncing.

“Girl, you were total y tough,” Emma said.

“You never cease to amaze me,” Cal said. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

Cal leaned over and gave me a kiss, in front of everyone, and I thought I’d die of happiness. This was the most perfect day ever.

I knew that we had some tough times ahead. Gabriel, aka The Brat, was stil lurking around trying to make Emma his mate and have some kind of macho, revenge show-down with Simon. I also felt bad about the things that had happened on Witchtrot Road. Reverend Burroughs had been wrongful y accused of witchcraft in life and had been used as a scapegoat for evil drug dealers in death. That just wasn’t cool. Maybe Cal could use some of his knowledge of shamanic practices to cleanse the area.

Yeah, a healing ritual that could help Reverend Burroughs ghost find peace felt right to me…and I was al about fol owing my heart and doing what was right, even if that meant doing something scary.

Speaking of scary, Jay and Jared were also an ongoing problem. The J-team had been subdued, but I couldn’t trust that they had given up. I’d have to continue to watch my back. Fortunately, I wouldn’t have to face things alone. Thank goodness for awesome friends…and the most swoon-worthy soul mate a girl could ever ask for.

I leaned into Cal and looked around the table. Gordy and Katie smiling and sharing a smoothie, with two straws in one cup, which was way too cute. Cal and I the perfect soul mates. Simon and Emma holding hands. Wait.

What?

So much for the most perfect day ever.