Witch, Please (Not Your Basic Witch Book 1) Page 3

  September 2nd

  Monday Afternoon

  Aris

  The clock tower rang its little melody, signifying the end of class. Standing, I grabbed my bag and pulled out my schedule before my tablemate nudged my elbow.

  “I’ll show you where to go for lunch,” he offered, his head tilting toward the door. “Only if you sit with me though,” he tacked on the end with a small, teasing curl of his lips. Narrowing my eyes on him playfully, I pretended to consider his offer. His deep blue eyes stared back shamelessly, his long fingers shifting his backpack strap on his shoulder as he waited.

  “I suppose I can do that,” I teased back, shrugging a single shoulder, feeling my cheeks heat up at his blatant flirting. One side of his mouth twisted up in a cocky half-grin like he’d already known I’d agree. Inside, I was squealing at the rush of excitement that filled me. This was only my second class, and I had already found a potential friend. It certainly didn’t hurt that he was cute as hell with his chiseled cheekbones and messy russet hair pushed off to one side of his face.

  “Come on, short stuff. I want to get some of the good dessert, and if we take forever, there won’t be anything left except fruitcake.” He shuddered at the thought before slinging an arm over my shoulders.

  The moment his arm moved around me, a tingling burst of magic flowed through me. That was weird.

  “So, what’s your name? Probably don’t want me calling you short stuff for the rest of your time here.”

  “Aris,” I gushed in a completely undignified manner. “And you are?”

  “What? You haven’t heard of me?” he gasped, feigning hurt.

  “Wait?! You’re Alfred, the famous alchemist?” I teased with wide eyes and a loud, exaggerated gasp.

  “What? No. Do I look like an Alfred to you?” he laughed, unable to keep the facade going. “Who the hell is Alfred the famous alchemist, anyway?”

  “Well, you’re the one who freaking asked for it, so you could just tell me,” I sing-songed. “And don’t be hating on Alfred. He’s a great alchemist, little plushy witch’s hat and everything,” I babbled, thinking of one of my handmade stuffed toys I’d made sure to pack.

  “You’re weird.” He squeezed me to his side in a hug. “I love it. I’m Caspian, the coolest kid you’ll ever meet.”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” I scoffed with an eye roll but couldn’t hide the smile I knew I was sporting. I hummed, passing through the door into the dining hall, my eyes finally focusing on the space around us. Long rectangular tables lined the room with enough chairs to fit the hundreds of students bustling around the busy space. No one was wearing any type of uniform, though I would occasionally see one or two wearing collegiate wear I knew you could get from the town down the road. I remembered seeing a shop or two that had clothing with the Aether Academy crest or the school’s colors of navy-blue, burnt orange, and silver.

  Looking closer, I could pick out cliques among the witches, easily identifying who was considered one of the five affinities and those who weren’t. It wasn’t based on their clothes or their status, seeing as how the affinities weren’t exactly tattooed to their foreheads, nor was there a giant scarlet M stitched into our clothes for us Mixtas. Yet I could easily identify the groups of Mixtas, smaller clusters scattered throughout the room, while those considered one of the major categories were packed together in noisy groups who seemed to prefer sticking with their own affinities.

  Elementals and Spell Casters were the easiest to identify, their confidence and obvious powers radiating attention from around the room. Small bursts of fire and ice magic swirled through the air as two elementals playfully battled above their lunch table. Two others sat a few chairs away, growing herbs in small flowerpots before wilting them and starting again with a new one. Their blatant displays of power left me in awe and a bit jealous—though I’d rather not admit it.

  Summoners, Potions, and Rune Drawers were harder to separate from one another since their powers required magical items, ingredients, and supplies. Some had potion bottles and bags of runes or stacks of cards in front of them, but that was the only sign I noticed to identify what kind of witch they were.

  An obvious gap was visible at the edge of the student section, separating them from the faculty. A shimmering magic barrier engulfed the staff section, making it look as if they were underwater. As I inspected the dome, I felt a wash of prickling on my skin. Try as I might, I couldn’t ignore the pinpointed feeling of someone staring. Scanning the tables beyond the barrier, my eyes fell on a pair of curious seafoam-green eyes watching me intently.

  “What’s with the bubble?” I asked, pointing to the staff tables without being too obvious.

  “It’s soundproof, so they don’t have to listen to all of this noise. Or so they can gossip about us in peace,” he joked, glancing away from the barrier. I tried to pull my attention away as well, but the prickling feeling wouldn’t stop. Under the new sensation that wouldn’t ease was that continual pull I couldn’t place. What in the world is going on with me? Shaking my head, I forced myself to focus on something other than my frazzled nerves and jumbled thoughts.

  “So, how’s the food around this joint? On a scale of ‘fucking fantastic’ to ‘Belladonna,’ where we at?” I asked, shifting my attention away from the room as more gazes had started to drift in my direction.

  “Eh, I’d give it a solid flying around on a broomstick, but not when it’s nice out. You know those kinds of rides where it’s bumpy, and you get a splinter in your ass? Yeah, it’s like that,” he explained, slipping easily into my witchy puns and joking mannerism. The fact he seemed to get my humor made me like him, even more. “The dessert, though? I’d say it’s definitely up there with a good soul cake.”

  “Well, dessert is better than regular food, anyway,” I shot back cheerfully. His laid-back and flirty mood made mine seem more natural, making my awkwardness less apparent. Some of the nerves that had been eating away at me today finally seeped out. Maybe this school won’t be so bad after all.

  The cafeteria had several long buffet tables arranged on one side, each displaying an insane variety of foods. An overflowing stack of lunch trays and plates stood on the edge of the lines, students grabbing one as they passed by. There weren’t cashiers since meals were free to the students and staff. The workers simply focused on refilling the emptying dishes and trying to keep up with the crowd. Everything smelled so good, my stomach grumbled as we stepped up to the nearest line.

  Caspian grabbed two trays, handing me one and putting the other on the counter. I watched in awe as he piled it high with a ridiculous amount of food. Despite his comparison, the food didn’t look too bad, which was reassuring since I’d be eating here several times a day. Following behind him, I picked out two big slices of pizza; I couldn’t choose between the toppings, fries, and a salad. When we stopped behind the dessert bar, my eyes went wide as I took in all the selections.

  “Told you,” Caspian sang out at me, picking out two huge cupcakes and putting them on his already packed tray.

  “How am I supposed to pick?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes away. He chuckled and grabbed a few different things, plopping them on my tray. He cocked his head toward the tables and gave me a smile.

  “Let’s go, Aris.”

  “I like food, but even I can’t eat all this,” I mumbled, following as he weaved his way through the cafeteria.

  “Don’t worry, I can help with that,” he joked, throwing a wink over his shoulder.

  I was a bit surprised when he stopped at an empty end of one of the tables. With such a friendly personality, I expected him to have a table packed with friends. We each took a spot on either side, separating us from the other students. I was thankful for that bit of isolation in all the chaos of the new changes I was fielding today. We didn’t talk as we scarfed down our food. While we worked our way through the array on our trays, people kept passing by and greeting him.

  “Okay, I can’t take it, what
are you capable of?” he asked with a big sigh, suddenly looking serious.

  It took me a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about. A grin spread across my face as I considered the best way to handle it. Focusing on the cupcake making its way to his mouth, I used my magic to pluck it from his fingers and brought it to my open mouth. I took a bite and groaned as the rich chocolate exploded over my tastebuds. His mouth hung open in shock as I flashed him a smug smile, still chewing the bite I had taken from his stolen dessert.

  “Holy shit,” he muttered, still sitting there, shell shocked. “You freaking stole my cupcake.”

  “You asked for it,” I hummed with a single shrug. Taking another bite, I lifted a challenging brow. He huffed and reached out to take his cupcake back. I decided to take pity on him, releasing my hold on his chocolate deliciousness.

  “Next time, just tell me you want a bite, Cupcake, and I’ll share.” He winked, and the flirty smile he threw me caused my cheeks to flare again. The fact this guy had me blushing this much was crazy. I mean, I had never cared much about the guys around me before. That could be because of my stuck-up family and the people they deemed worthy to associate with.

  “Cupcake, huh?” I challenged playfully, taking a bite of my own dessert.

  “Yup, got a problem with it?” He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he took another bite of his cupcake for emphasis.

  “Nope, just wondering.” I didn’t have a better response but felt confident as I held out a bite of my dessert, offering Caspian some. After a brief moment of surprise, he ate the bite of cheesecake right off my fork, his sapphire eyes holding mine. Unable to stop the flare of desire that shot through me, I squeezed my legs together, thankful the table covered the motion. When he finally tore his gaze from mine, he leaned back with a smirk, clearly able to tell the influence he had on me. Why does he have this effect on me? He’s making me feel like a boiling cauldron over the fire.

  The bells ringing successfully ended the moment, both of us looking surprised at how fast lunch had gone. I gathered my bag and dumped my tray before Caspian tossed his arm over my shoulder, and another wave of electrified chills ran through my body. Him snatching my schedule from my hand distracted me long enough not to question the funny feeling.

  “Perfect.” He started walking, practically dragging me behind his six-foot-two frame.

  “What?” I huffed, my skirt flaring around my legs as I struggled to keep up with his long legs.

  “We have history together, so it might just be a bit less boring now. The teacher is kind of a douche though,” he said, glancing over his shoulder and laughing at my attempts to keep pace. “Sorry, Cupcake.” His steps slowed slightly, giving me a chance to catch up, only having to power walk instead of jogging to keep up.

  “Oh, Caspian, I didn’t know your little sister was starting school with us!” a girl’s voice shouted out, making me cringe. Oh good, here we go. Caspian pulled me forward, so I was tucked into his side, his arm possessively holding me to him.

  “Witch, please. Last I checked, I wouldn’t fuck my brother,” I responded with a flip of my bubblegum pink hair. Caspian’s cheeks flared pink this time, his mouth falling open at my words. I wasn’t usually the crude type, but the witch deserved it.

  And it wasn’t a lie. Caspian is cute as hell.

  “Well, Cupcake, feel free to come brew this potion anytime.” He started to say more, but a biting baritone voice cut him off.

  “Mr. Kersey, you’re late. Take a seat.”

  Oh, shit.

  September 2nd

  Monday Afternoon

  Aris

  I recognized the man with the piercing seafoam-green eyes who had watched me in the dining hall. Now, those eyes glared at us as he waited for Caspian to follow his order. Now that he was closer, and no barriers stood between us, I took in his handsome face and fiery red hair. His eyes moved over me for a moment with a hint of the same intensity as earlier before simply pointing me to a seat right in front, next to Caspian’s. As I hesitantly made my way past him, a wave of magic pulsed between us, making my steps falter. I pitched forward, the professor’s hands reaching out to steady me, and the magic intensified at the simple touch. Yanking his hands back, he looked even more off-put than before. Wonder if he felt that too? I scurried to my seat as quickly as possible, getting a small surge of comfort when I felt Caspian’s foot nudge mine.

  “We left off yesterday talking about the five main classifications of Magic—Elemental, Summoning, Spell Casters, Potions, and Divination.” The teacher’s eyes locked onto mine as he explained, Caspian making a grumble of annoyance next to me at the obvious attention. My brows drew low as I glanced at him in confusion.

  “Miss Calisto,” the professor bit out. “Is there something more important that Mr. Kersey has to say than I do?” My face flared, my gaze snapping to his. I shook my head, trying to keep from slouching down in my chair. Geez, I barely looked over at him.

  “No,” I mumbled.

  “Good, then keep your eyes on me.” His green-blue gaze sharpened as he stared, almost as though he was waiting for me to acknowledge his dominance. I dipped my head, doing as he said.

  “Douche,” Caspian coughed under his breath.

  “Detention,” the professor snapped at Caspian. “Now, I suggest you stay quiet for the rest of my class unless you’re on fire or dying.”

  “Yes, Professor Callahan,” Caspian nearly mocked his name, throwing me a wink and a tiny smile, despite our teacher glaring between the two of us, his jaw clenching in irritation.

  “Miss Thana, why don’t you tell us what the five affinities are and why they are so significant in Akasha society,” he asked, his voice softening slightly as his focus changed to someone other than Caspian and me.

  “Elementals, Spell Casters, Summoners, Scryers and Divination, and Potions. The significance of the number five stems from the Treaty of Five and the Five worlds our ancestors moved to after The Great War,” a girl answered from Caspian’s other side, giving me a small smile when she looked my way. That was all the surly professor needed to start back into his lecture. Deciding not to tempt fate, I took out my notebook and started taking notes. Unfortunately, my attention span was short, so as soon as he started droning on about Akasha history, he lost me. Instead, I studied him as he spoke, his eyes flickering to mine every few minutes and holding them. Each time he did, I’d sink a little lower in my seat, not wanting the added attention. I was already the weird Mixta in school, and it was only day one.

  “I want each of you to write a paper on which of the five affinities you have, including history and famous witches in your magic classification. Start now, work on it for the rest of the period,” he demanded, settling in behind his desk.

  Not sure what to do, I stared down at my paper, a mix of anxiety and dread washing over me for a moment. The reason I came to this school was to avoid moments like this.

  “Miss Calisto.” This time when Professor Callahan spoke, it wasn’t harsh or demanding but soft and questioning. “Could you come here for a moment?” He stood, waving a single hand toward his desk.

  Sighing, I slipped out of my seat, purposely ignoring the stares I felt against my back. What caught me off guard was the fact he’d stepped out from behind his wood desk and started toward a door off to the side. I followed him, my eyes taking in the muscles shifting under his white dress shirt before they drifted lower.

  Well, then, that’s quite the ass.

  “In here.” His voice had me nearly jumping out of my skin, but thankfully, he wasn’t looking at me, seeing as how I had been checking out his ass just seconds ago. He held open the thick wood door for me and closed it as soon as I walked into what looked like his office. “Is there a reason you weren’t working on the assignment?” His voice still held that underlying command, but it was softer here.

  Maybe it’s just Caspian he doesn’t like?

  “I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I don’t have an af
finity, sir,” I explained, my voice low as I waited for his reaction. I studied his face to distract myself, noting he could only be a few years past graduating himself, making him the youngest teacher in this place, I was sure. He was definitely handsome even with the serious expression on his face.

  “So, you’re a Mixta?”

  I nodded, unable to look at him, knowing I would more than likely find one of two emotions—disgust or even worse, pity.

  “What can you do?” he asked, no judgment coloring his question.

  “Uh,” I hesitated, trying to explain, “I can…”

  “No, don’t tell me, Aris. Show me.”

  Relenting, I took a deep breath and looked around his office. The small space was cozy, bookshelves lining one wall and a plush couch under the window. A large oak desk rested to the side, papers and binders stacked meticulously on its surface. The bookshelves were lined with color-coded tomes, organized to perfection, the walls bare other than a large picture of Aether’s landscape that hung above the small fireplace. A magical blue fire was burning brightly, giving the room a calming glow.

  Finally, I decided on showing off, something about his challenging gaze making me want to prove myself—the urge to show I wasn’t worthless flowed through me. Turning my attention to him, I kept my eyes locked on his. I couldn’t stop the tiny curl of my lip when I saw his eyes widen as he witnessed what I was doing.

  “What the…” he breathed, striding over to his desk where his pen was scrawling across a page. “How are you doing this?” he asked in wonder.

  Though his office is so organized, he might have just been annoyed I was moving his stuff.

  “Where’s the rune stone or enchanted parchment?” He closed the distance between us, hands reaching out and searching my sides for whatever he thought I was hiding.