Page 24 of Practically Magic

Mom pulls back and looks at me. There’s something in her expression I can’t read. My fingers tingle, and I get the overwhelming sense that my mom has something to say. “You two are going to do great,” she whispers.

And then I’m waving goodbye in the doorway, forgetting the witch hat is still on my head. I watch the car roll away, then slam the door and am greeted with the sound of silence.

Surprise and elation war in me. And then I feel the biggest grin stretching across my face. I did it! I really did it! Halloween alone—and with Colton Croft.

“Alexa!” I yell as I put the spell book safely on the hall table. “Play Halloween music!”

“Werewolves of London” fills the air, and I dance around the center hall in front of Great-Aunt Aida’s portrait, so elated I could scream. My fingers are tingling, my hips are twitching, and I’m scream-singing so loud that the chandelier rattles. I have the whole house to myself. I can shake my butt and sing as much as I want!

“Nice moves.”

I turn around and my heart turns to stone in my chest. “Harry?”

My sister is standing in the doorway in a quilted vest and jeans; a large duffel over her right arm and a roller bag next to her.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Harry snaps. “I’m not thrilled to be here either.”

Boys of Halloween Past

Crush #2: Hunter Tyler

The Year: Eighth Grade

“Let’s get on the dance floor! I want to see your best ghoulish moves!”

The bleachers clear and eighth graders hugging the walls of the muggy gym migrate onto the gym floor, under flashing orange and purple black lights as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll” begins to play. I am standing by the punch: small gummy eyeballs floating in a green concoction that tastes like liquid sugar. Next to me, Tom Callabra is slurping directly from the bowl like an overgrown dog.

“What are you looking at, witch?” he says with an overly loud, annoying laugh as he walks away, his Headless Horseman football jacket slung over one shoulder.

“This is one of those times when I really wish you knew your spells and could strike him down with a massive acne attack right here on the dance floor.” Laney is next to me, her eyes like slits as she watches Tom drift away.

“Me too,” I say with a sigh as I sip a watered-down lemonade. It’s the Nightmare Before Halloween Howl for eighth graders. I begged Harry to serve as one of the high school volunteers, and she even got her boyfriend Kevin to DJ. She’s over by his booth, giving Band-Aids to one of the girls from the swim team.

Our eyes lock and I offer her a little smile. It’s so nice knowing my older sister is here looking out for me. Plus, she’s so cool. I’m so proud to be the great Harry Hadley’s little sister.

Plus, I look pretty cute myself, even though my gothic belted black dress has a tulle skirt that is basically made of itches. Laney has gone for a dress that has a black top and a white skirt splattered with blood that a few teachers frowned upon. I think it looks perfectly Laney, who is nervous and chattering a mile a minute.

“We should get out there and dance, right?” she asks me, her tiny red earrings swaying.

“My sister said people don’t couple off until the slow songs,” I tell her, feeling proud to show off my older sister’s knowledge. “And she said it’ll be at least halfway through the dance before Kevin throws in anything slow.”

“I can’t believe you’re going to slow dance with a boy tonight,” Laney gushes. “Have you seen Hunter yet? I mean, have you seen the woodsman?” she corrects herself, using the assigned code word for my crush, Hunter Tyler.

He has big green eyes, freckles that run across his nose and cheeks, a gap-toothed grin, brown hair, and favors the Model UN over organized sports. Instead of dirty sneakers and sandals with socks, Hunter always looks like he’s heading to an internship. He even wears dress shoes to school. Finally, I’ve found a smart boy who cares more about his grades than toilet-papering the mayoral mansion! We are perfect for each other. There is only one tiny issue: I hear he has a thing for Zara Patel.

Insignificant details.

He hasn’t asked her out, and he hasn’t asked her to dance either. I have been watching his side of the gym all night, and Hunter has never left the bleachers, where he is sitting with his friends. Meanwhile, Zara is in the center of the gym floor, wearing a skintight orange dress that has tiny black cats all over the skirt.

That’s when a sweeping orchestral chord echoes through the gymnasium. I glance over and Harry is giving me a thumbs-up, as “I Put a Spell on You” has all my classmates coupling off and swaying.

This is my moment. I have to seize it.

“We aren’t halfway through!” I say in a panic. My hands start to itch—they’ve been feeling weird whenever I’m nervous or stressed.

“Now’s your chance!” Laney says, gently pushing me toward Hunter.

“But he’s with his friends! I need to find a way to get him alone to ask. I am not walking up to him in front of everyone.”