She nodded, glad to have a friend who was always on her side, no matter if she was a hotshot…or not.
On the other hand, her failing to make a basket gave Lindy a distinctly smug expression. At least she could make someone happy when she failed.
By Friday she was a basket case. When she thought about the dance and the dress and Greg she felt like she
was about
to
barf, big time
. She leaned
against the antique
bureau
and gazed into the depths of the darkened mirror.
“Gran? Are you there?” She touched the glass with her fingertips, but no warming sensation greeted her.
She struck a match and lit the
purple
candle.
“Gran?” Her voice wound down in a whine that sounded pitiful to her own ears. She
closed her eyes and
squared her shoulders.
No need to be such a wimp.
“That’s right, dear. You must remain strong.”
Mercy’s eyes flew open to find Gran gazing at her fondly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m always here.”
Mercy spent the next half hour telling her grandmother about the lessons, about the dance and about Greg. “Wait! Just wait here a minute.” She ran to get her dress and the shoebox containing the very sweet heels.
She held them up for her grandmother to see. “What do you think?”
“Lovely,” Gran pronounced. “And the color is perfect for you.”
“Is it?” Mercy hated to sound so needy, but she was tired of trying to carry on as though there was nothing wrong. “Gran, may I ask a dumb question?
Gran smiled, warming her through the glass. “Ask away. I’m certain it’s not a dumb question.”
“It’s about the witch thing,” she said. “How come I didn’t know about it?”
“The tradition is to have a coming out ceremony on the
young
witch’s sixteenth birthday.
And yours is coming up in less than a month.
”
Her face puckered into a frown. “I’m so sorry you
may have
to spend your birthday alone, my dear.”
Mercy shrugged. “Me too. I
’ll
miss you
if you don’t make it home
.” She recalled the beautiful lemon crème cake with chocolate frosting
her grandmother had made for her last birthday
. “
I was looking forward to
cake.”
“I
’ll try my best to be home, my dear. If these Minah creatures would just cooperate.” She spread her hands wide as though Mercy should understand. “
How are your lessons coming along?”
“Okay, I guess. I’m getting to be really good at spells.” She grinned. “At least I can send the basketball through the hoop in gym class.”
Gran nodded, looking pleased. “Good. Keep practicing.”
“I have to get dressed now. Greg will be here soon.”
“Show me how you look before you leave.” Gran blew her a kiss through the glass and she felt the sensa
tion of a whisper on her cheek.
Mercy dressed hurriedly, slipping the peach dress over her head and finally stepping into the little heels. She
spritzed fragrance on her wrists and brushed her hair. She wanted to be ready when Greg drove up so she didn’t have to explain to him why her grandmother was
n
’
t at home
.
She returned to stand in front of the mirror and found
Gran
waiting patiently.
“You look beautiful, my darling.”
Mercy felt a flush of pleasure. “Thanks, Gran.”
“And I have something for you. A present.”
Mercy looked around. “
You do?
Where?”
“Check the top drawer of the bureau. In the carved rosewood box.”
Mercy complied, opening the drawer carefully.
She set the rosewood box on top of the bureau and ran her finger over the deeply grooved carvings before she removed the lid. The box was lined in burgundy colored velvet and sitting right in the middle was a golden locket with a
blue
stone in the middle. She glanced up to see Gran smiling. “Is this for me?”
Reverently, Mercy lifted the locket from
its
container. The metal gleamed and the jewel caught the candlelight. “Oh, Gran. It’s gorgeous. I love it.”
“
It was your mother's. Sapphire is her birthstone.
Go ahead and p
ut it on.
”
Mercy fastened the clasp and stared at her grandmother, expectantly
.
“Perfect,” Gran pronounced. “
Now, don't take it off. It has special properties.
Have a great time at the dance.”
“Thanks so much, Gran. I
will
.” She blew a kiss to her grandmother and
snuffed
out the candle. Her grandmother’s image slowly faded to be replaced by her own. She sighed and gazed at the locket. It was really beautiful.
She heard the crunch of tires on the gravel driveway and grabbed her small handbag, just big enough to h
old her lip gloss and door key.
She said goodnight to
Alistair
and ran out the door just in time to see Greg climbing out of th
e car. “Hey, Greg!” she called.
He grinned. “Wow! You look hot.” He opened the
car
door and held it while she slid in, then
took his place
on the driver’s
side. Greg smiled at her
and started the motor.
She was still glowing from Greg’s approval.
Hot! I look hot.
Greg took her hand and they rode in silence to the school.
He
pulled up next to the auditorium.
“
Ready?” He smiled at her encouragingly.
She nodded
as he climbed out. Her stomach was filled with nervous churning but it felt more like elephants or rhinos than anything as delicate as butterflies
.
Greg
held his hand out to Mercy.
She got out and smoothed her dress before taking his hand.
The
swarm of butterflies
commenced
flying loop-de-loops in
her stomach.
They walked h
and-in-hand into the
gym
which had been transformed to a
tropical island. Fake palm trees and improbably huge
tissue paper
flowers festooned the walls.
Kelli
and
Felicity
sat
togethe
r at a large round table. They
waved when they
spotted her with Greg.
Felicity
motioned them over and pointed to the chairs next to her. “I saved you
r
seats.”
Mercy noted that the rest of the
chairs were
empty, but she thanked
Felicity
for saving their places. They sat for a while chatting and then Greg asked her to dance. She wasn’t sure she could dance, but her new found confidence helped her to her f
eet and onto the dance floor. She moved hesitantly, trying to emulate the way the other kids were dancing. It didn’t look hard. She kept the beat and mirrored what Greg was doing.
When she glanced around at the other people on the dance floor, she noticed that some people moved better than others, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. She tried t
o relax and just enjoy herself.
The song came to an end and another one started. This time it was a slow song. Gr
eg grinned and opened his arms.
A warming sensation fl
ooded her insides. She stepped c
loser and then Greg’s arms were around her. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and tried to sway in time to the music and follow the steps he took.
Not so
difficult
. She was feeling pretty confident
and enjoying the sensation of
having Greg’s arms around her.
After that dance, they returned to the table.
Felicity
and
Kelli
were drinking punch from plastic cups. Greg offered to bring Mercy a cup of punch and went to stand in line at the punch bowl.
“Wow! Greg really likes you,”
Kelli
said.
“You are so lucky, Mercy.”
Felicity
said. “I’ll probably never have a boyfriend.”
“O
f course you will,” Mercy said.
“It looks like you’ve lost Greg,”
Kelli
announced.
"Easy come, easy go."
Mercy turned to look at the table where the punch bowl and trays of cookies were set up. Greg was talking and laughing with a couple of the other baseball players. Soon they were joined by
still more of
the team.
A cold feeling set
tled in the pit of her stomach.
This is it! This is when I find out he lost a bet and that’s why he asked me to the dance.
Her
insides
felt as though giant hands were wringing it out like a wash cloth.
Oh, Greg! How could you be so mean?
He turned and winked when he saw her watching him and headed back to the table. It looked like the entire b
aseball team was following him.
Maybe they want to hear him tell me I’m just a joke and that a popular boy wouldn’t be caught dead with me?
Her
gut
churne
d like a washing machine on spin cycle. She straightened in her seat.
Just get it over with
.
Greg handed her a cup of punch and took the seat beside her. “Okay if the guys sit here
with us
?
” He indicated the empty seats.
Mercy looked at
Felicity
and
Kelli
. They exchanged a glance and then nodded at her. They appeared to be thrilled that the baseball team was
taking over their table.
If the girls only knew what’s really going on.
She sucked in a deep breath and steeled her
self for what was to come.
Greg leaned closer, as though he was going t
o whisper something in her ear.
Good, at least he was going to tell her privately.
“Wanna dance again?”
Mercy opened her mouth and then closed it, then opened it again. “Sure, Greg.”
Maybe he didn’t lose a bet.
“Let’s all dance,’
Kelli
said. She stood
up an
d strode to the middle of the dance floor, then turned and crooked her finger at those who remained seated. “C’mon.” She started moving to the music and was
quickly
join
ed by
most of
the others.
Mercy
danced with Greg, surrounded by her friends. She felt so light she could fly, but then she hadn’t
had her broomstick lessons yet.
They danced several dances and then returned to the table. As she was leaving the dance floor, Mercy locked eyes with Lindy Boyd and her friends. Lindy’s gaze traveled over the peach dress and then deliver
ed
a
scathing sneer before she turned her back. Mercy
figured
t
hat
she was supposed to be crushed by that scowl and the dismissive flip of Lindy’s hair
,
but she felt too good. Much too happy to allow some snobby girls to ruin her evening.
Her
O
rb of
E
nchantments warmed around her
, a
lmost like a protective shield.
“Hey,
Lindy,” Greg called and waved.
Lindy
returned
his wave a
nd flashed a semi-genuine smile.
Mercy noted with some satisfaction that Lindy was wearing a slut dress in a particularly vile shade of green. It featured a scattering of silver sequins so Lindy had undertaken to wear silver eye shadow
almost as bright as her silver
charm
bracelet
.
A
completely
gross
choice
.
Mercy and Greg sat back down at the table. She noticed that
Kelli
was talking to one of the baseball players. When they both laughed, the lights flickered off their matching braces.
The other baseball players were laughing among themselves
,
but
Felicity
sat alone, sipping her punch.