White Witch by Trish Milburn Read Free Book Online

her cousin back to the table. Then she points one index finger at Keller, the other at me. “Sit, both of you. I’m going for food.”
    We do as she’s commanded, and I become aware of several things at once. My own nervousness matched only by Keller’s fidgeting, a look of disappointment on Eric’s face and a sense of relief from the other girl—Paige, that’s her name. I suspect that Paige is pining away for Eric, and he, being a typical human male, doesn’t have the first clue. Maybe I can get Toni to work her strange kind of matchmaking magic there, too.
    “So, how’d you like your first day?” Eric asks.
    “It was fine. Still trying to get all the names straight.”
    “I’m guessing you won’t forget Stacy’s anytime soon,” Toni says as she returns to the table with cheese fries and sodas for herself and me.
    Keller shakes his head.
    “Unfortunately, I think it’s burned forever into my brain.” I catch sight of Stacy’s hateful glare where she sits with Liv, Brianna and a couple of jocks a few tables away. Stacy ignores them all, her fury at me sitting next to Keller more obvious than if it were scrolling across her forehead like a news ticker. If Stacy were a witch, she’d be flaying the skin from my body right now. I shiver at the thought.
    “Must be different here after living in a city,” Paige says.
    I bring my attention back to my fledgling circle of friends. “Quieter, smaller, but nice.”
    Groans around the table indicate the long-time inhabitants don’t equate quiet and small with nice.
    I look up at the imposing height of the mountain flanking the town. I’m not going to try to convince my classmates that Baker Gap is great. Hadn’t I, too, wanted to get as far away from “home” as possible, to experience something different?
    I nibble on my cheese fries, still too nervous to have much of an appetite. My whole body hums with Keller’s presence mere inches away.
    When he turns to look at me, I nearly choke. “Would you like a milkshake?”
    “Uh, sure.” I offer a shaky smile. “Thanks.”
    “What kind?”
    “Chocolate,” I say, then have to swallow against the dryness invading my throat like an army of blowtorches.
    “Chocolate,” someone mimics behind me.
    My jaws clench at the sound of Stacy’s grating voice. She really is taking this mean girl, queen bitch thing a bit too seriously. Though it’s difficult, I ignore her. If Stacy can’t get the reaction she wants, she’ll go away. And good riddance.
    “You want chocolate, here’s your chocolate.”
    I gasp when I feel cold hit my scalp. It takes a moment for me to realize Stacy has upended a milkshake on the top of my head.
    “Oh, look at that. All her glorious blond hair doesn’t look so glorious anymore.” Stacy and her followers laugh. “Don’t mess with me, witch.”
    I surge to my feet, anger at how Stacy has filled “witch” with venom propelling me, the blackness of my kind rising inside me until even my vision turns dark. It breathes like a distinct entity inside me. As I catch Stacy’s gaze, a gust of wind sweeps paper cups and napkins from the outdoor tables, sending them sailing down the street. It makes my chocolate-soaked hair stir around me.
    Fear flits across Stacy’s face before she remembers she’s supposed to be the one with the upper hand here. But that moment of fear is enough to send a shock through me. Dear God, I’ve nearly lost control again. I’ve never felt that much blackness inside. And I’ve never altered the weather around me. I force the darkness back down into the cave within myself, shaking as I do so.
    “Excuse me.” I head for the bathroom. Everyone will think it’s to wash the ice cream out of my hair or to cry. They won’t have any idea it’s to prevent myself from killing one of their classmates.

Chapter Four
     
    Once inside the bathroom, I splash cold water on my face to dampen my raging temper. I could use a good dunking in a river, but there isn’t