Page 58 of Practically Magic

Zach stills, his smiling fading. “Let me guess. Monster under the bed?”

I shake my head, my cheeks pinking. “I . . . no,” I say, shaking my head. “I always thought that before I’d have a boy over, I’d clean up the stuffed animals. And I was going to invite . . . someone up there tonight.”

“Colton,” Zach says, his face falling. He draws in a slow breath. “What makes you think he wouldn’t want to see your stuffed animals?”

I shake my head. “It’s childish. What boy would think that’s okay?”

“I’m a boy and I think that’s more than okay,” Zach says with a smile, and it breaks my heart, because it’s that same besotted smile every other love-spelled boy has been giving me. “Although I don’t think it’s okay you wanted to hide them.”

That surprises me. “Why?”

“Any guy who likes you should like all of you, Kat. Stuffed animals and all.”

As we step up onto my porch, the wood creaking, I can feel my cheeks flushing more. For some reason, I want nothing more than to introduce Zach to all my stuffed animals by name. I bet he’d say hello to each and every one of them.

“What does your sister think of you liking Colton?” Zach asks as I go for the doorknob.

I drop my hand. “Harry? I don’t know,” I say, and feel strange talking about Colton with Zach. “I haven’t really asked her. She doesn’t get to decide who I like.”

“I know. I just meant because she was so upset about what happened with Reese Whitaker. I figured . . .”

I snort. “She wasn’t upset that he moved. She seemed weirdly thrilled.”

“No.” Zach pulls the apple out of his pocket and tosses it in the air, eyes fixed on it as it spins. “I mean when he kissed her.”

24

Mystic Hollow Community Page

New post from Rob Kercher: Did anyone see that thing fly over the green? It had red eyes. Is it safe to be trick-or-treating right now?

New comment from Hayley Druther: I saw it too! There are also green scaly creatures attacking Witches Brew. Steer clear!

Colton told everyone to show up at seven, and by seven fifteen the house is bursting at the seams, people packed like sardines in every room of the first floor. Even so, the doorbell keeps ringing, groups of people showing up, many I don’t even know. While I was gone, Laney convinced my group of admirers to start a game of flag football—apparently whoever wins, wins my heart or something—so they’re busy in the front yard while Laney and I control the door, making sure we don’t allow any vampires inside. Zach and his brothers are on garden gnome duty. I’m not sure what Zach told his brothers, but they don’t seem alarmed to find living, evil garden decorations running though my house. All around me, people are dancing, laughing, and having fun, not realizing my house is falling down around them. I try to focus, but all I can think about is Harry.

Zach says they kissed, my sister and Reese, but she was dating Jack. Why didn’t she tell me?

“Great party, Kat!” someone yells.

“Slime on the walls! So cool, Kat!” I hear someone else shout.

“Where’d you’d get the animatronic gnomes, Kat? Colton had these too!” a third person asks me.

I try to smile and be in the moment, but Harry is all I can think about. First she stole all the supplies for the ritual, and now she’s gone, hopefully to the cemetery—since my mother always said it was the other most magical spot in Mystic Hollow. Does she know that I got my own ingredients? Has she started casting yet? And is she still thinking about Reese? Suddenly I wish I could talk to her.

The doorbell rings again and Laney opens it. Two Confederate soldiers walk in side by side and join the fray.

“Cool costumes!” Justin says to them, then turns to me with the look of a lovesick puppy. “I feel like you’re avoiding me. Can we go someplace and talk?”

“Kat! Over here!” A guy I don’t know is waving wildly to me from the dining room, where he’s standing on one of the chairs.

“Hey, Kat! You look amazing tonight!” another guy yells, even though I’m pretty sure I have slime in my hair.

I’d love to think all these guys want to talk to me because I’m so magnetic, but I know Harry’s love spell is on the fritz and clearly things are getting worse. Somewhere in the house, I hear a wolf howl over the sounds of Taylor Swift.

Laney looks at me and mouths, “Are you okay?”

Not really, I want to tell her. I wish I had time to fill her in on everything, but there are too many people. My watch alarm goes off, reminding me it’s almost time for the first spell—I glance out the window to see the full moon, looking far too large through the branches of the willow tree. And the doorbell rings again. Laney opens it.