Entangled (Spellbound #1)

Chapter 1

If Graylee's sister wanted to be taken seriously, she should have threatened to step in front of a bus rather than off a building. She was a witch. Heights weren't particularly a problem.

"I'm going to do it, Lee. I mean it."

Graylee joined Charlene on the roof of McKinley High and peered over the edge at the damp walkway below. It led into the student parking lot. Everyone was in fifth period... everyone except for the identical twins standing over the heads of their oblivious classmates and teachers.

A suicide threat, seriously? This is why Gray was missing English?

They were supposed to be discussing Yeats that afternoon and Gray didn't appreciate having Charlene's minion stop her on the way to class with a message that her sister planned on plunging to her death before the day was out.

That would teach Blake Foster—or so Charlene thought. The jerk had dumped her sister after first period and, worse, had been seen sucking face with Stacey Morehouse at lunch.

Graylee started shivering the moment she'd stepped onto the roof. It was friggin' February for crying out loud and she was wearing shorts. Granted, she had thick black tights on underneath, but still—brrr! Couldn't Charlene have scheduled her dramatic death scene in the warmth of their home over a bottle of pills?

"What about me? You expect me to watch?" Graylee said. "Sure, that won't haunt me the rest of my days."

Charlene's face contorted. "You're so freaking selfish!"

"Me? What about you? Do you know what this would do to Mom? And what about me? How am I going to get through the rest of the semester when I'm all sad and stuff?"

Charlene snorted. "Like you'd care." She had to be cold in her skinny jeans, but at least she was wearing a sweater.

The cold seeped down to Graylee's bones. The tips of her fingers felt as though they'd been dipped in ice water. She tried to conjure up warmth, but her body didn't respond.

"Of course I care. You're my sister." Graylee nodded at the building's edge. "It's not like the fall would kill you, anyway."

"It wouldn't?"

"Nah. We're not high enough. It'd just cripple you." Graylee bent her neck in, hunched over and held her arms close to her body, and then proceeded to walk around like a gimp. "Hey, Char, here's you walking down the halls of McKinley."

Charlene's lips tightened.

Graylee shuffled around. It helped warm her up. Charlene was fighting back a smile. "Don't you dare make me laugh!"

"Hey, Char. Here you are at prom." Graylee moved like a T. rex, flopping her hands back and forth against her chest.

Finally Charlene couldn't hold it back any longer. Her body shook. It was a good thing she was laughing because Graylee couldn't contain her mirth any longer. Then Charlene's laughter turned to tears.

Graylee rushed over, reached out, then stopped herself. Charlene wasn't the huggy type, not even when her heartthrob dumped her out of the blue.

"I'm not going to prom," Charlene sobbed. "Not anymore."

Graylee patted Charlene's back. "There's always next year. Anyway, there's plenty of time to find another date. Heck, it's only February second."

Charlene ceased crying abruptly. "I don't want another date! I want Blake!"

"What's so special about that numbnut, anyway?"

"Lee, he's the love of my life." Charlene's voice broke.