First Magic by Raven Steele (ebook reader screen txt) 📖

“I have to ask you something,” Christian said as he swung a balled fist in my direction.

I ducked and countered it with a high kick to his face. “Is it personal?’

He caught my foot. ”I don’t think so.” He flipped me backwards.

I plopped down on a blue mat. I loved sparring at Christian’s house. There was a ton of room and it smelled a lot better than the dojo. “Go for it.”

He sat next to me and pretended to tie his shoe even though it was already tied. “Prom is coming up, and I know you’re going to be asked by a bunch of guys, but it just wouldn’t make sense for you to be on a date and have me stalking you the whole time.” He inhaled a big breath. “I think it will be a lot easier if—”

“Are you asking me to prom?” I teased.

“Yeah, but I understand if that would be too weird for you.”

I didn’t hesitate. “I couldn’t imagine going with anyone else.”

His eyes met mine, and he smiled. “Good. Then it’s a date, a protection date, I mean.”

“That sounds so romantic."

“I wish it could be more, really I do.”

I accepted his hand and followed him out of the room. I guess I could eliminate any chance for romance at Prom. It would be just me and my friend Christian. Yippee.

In May’s car the next day, May swallowed a bite of her sub sandwich. “That doesn’t surprise me Christian asked you. I knew he would. I’m just surprised he didn’t do it months ago.”

“Why’s that?” I crumpled up my garbage and stuffed it into the fast food bag. Instead of going inside the crowded restaurant, we had decided to eat in May’s car.

“Because it would drive him crazy to see you with anyone else. You’ve seen how he gets when you’re with Matt.”

“But it’s not because he’s jealous or anything. Christian doesn’t like me like that. He’s just overly protective.”

May shook her head. “I don’t buy it. I see how he looks at you. I’d give anything to have Adam look at me that way.”

May had liked Adam for a long time, but other than a few casual dates, he didn’t seem too interested in her. “Why don’t you ask Adam to prom? We could double.”

“I can’t ask him. That’s going against tradition.” May tilted the rearview mirror to inspect her makeup.

“Since when do you care about tradition?”

She held still, staring at herself in the mirror. “You’re right. I don’t. I think I will ask him. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“That’s the May I know. We should see if we can get Matt and Tracey to come too,” I suggested.

“Oh that girl has it bad for Matt. What a perfect idea.”

And so the ball was in motion for the perfect prom setup.

True to her word, May asked Adam that very day. He accepted so easily that I began to wonder if maybe he did like her.

Matt was another story. He had no desire to go to prom with Tracey.

“Llona,” he told me the next day at lunch. “Tracey’s great, but she’s not who I want to go with.”

I didn’t dare ask him who he had his heart set on.

“Can’t you go as friends?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess but promise me you’ll save me a dance.”

I chuckled uncomfortably. “Sure. Why not?”

After school, a beaming Tracey found me at my locker. “You’ll never guess what just happened.”

By her smile I knew exactly what had happened. “What?”

“Matt just asked me to prom.”

“That’s wonderful.” I gave her a hug. “We should make it a triple date: me and Christian, you and Matt, and May and Adam.”

“Absolutely.”

Two weekends before prom, all of us girls decided to go dress shopping. When I found out the theme for prom was “once upon a dream,” the image of a perfect dress came to mind. The problem was, it was only in my imagination. It was a light blue, almost white, lacy dress with a hint of sparkles. It’s what I imagined a fairy to be wearing if I ever saw one.

By the third store I finally found a dress I thought I could modify. May and Tracey were surprised I picked it because it didn’t look that great, but I saw its potential. One of the lessons my mother had taught me was a person could find potential in anything—or anyone—if they were looking for it.

May had found a long, elegant red gown that made her look like Scarlett O’Hara, and Tracey had bought a green dress that flattered her eyes. We had an amazing time, laughing and sharing as only friends do. I knew our trip together would go down as one of my most memorable high school moments.

I was determined to focus on the exciting upcoming festivities, instead of the fact that I hadn't seen or heard of the Vyken for several weeks. It's like he was waiting for something, but what?

On the day of prom, all six of us loaded into Christian’s truck and headed to the Paint Gun Exploratorium where we played paintball for hours. I had so much fun that I considered shooting guns as my next hobby. Christian quickly shot down my idea, no pun intended.

When we finished messing around, Christian drove us girls back to my house. He waited for them to pile out before he stopped me.

“I’ll be back in about an hour to pick you up,” he said.

“We can just meet at the dance like everyone else.”

“No. I’d feel better picking you up, if that’s okay.”

I nodded, smiling. “You know, I think I’m going to make it.”

“Make what?”

“The end of the school year. Not to be a rain cloud on this perfect day, but I kind of thought I’d end up dead.”

His expression darkened. “Don’t say that.”

“But things are better now and I don’t feel that way anymore. Maybe the Vyken knows I could kick its butt and it ran away scared.”

“I don’t think so.” He averted his gaze over my shoulder, staring into the distance as if he could see the future. “I have a feeling it’s waiting.”

I wanted to disagree with him, to scold him for being a pessimist, but the