Crossed Spells

Chapter 15: A Friendship Tested (Part 2)

The sun was beginning to set, bathing the football field in an orange glow. Lucas followed Marcus to an isolated corner, away from the prying ears of their teammates. The air was charged with tension, like electricity before a storm. Lucas could feel his heart pounding, aware that the next few minutes could well define the future of their friendship.

Marcus stopped abruptly and turned around, crossing his arms over his chest. His face, usually so open and friendly, was closed, almost hostile. "Well?" he said, his voice sharp as a blade. "You finally decided to talk to me?"

Lucas took a deep breath, searching for his words. He had rehearsed this moment in his head dozens of times, but now that he was here, all his prepared explanations seemed inadequate. "Listen, Marcus," he began, "I know I've been distant lately, and I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional, I swear."

Marcus let out a bitter laugh. "Not intentional? Are you kidding me, Lucas? You've been avoiding me for weeks, canceling our plans, disappearing without explanation. And now you're telling me it wasn't intentional?"

Guilt gripped Lucas's heart. Marcus was right, of course. He had been a terrible friend lately, too preoccupied with his own problems to see the pain he was causing his best friend. "You're right," he admitted. "I've been awful. I... I'm going through a difficult time right now, and I didn't know how to handle it."

"A difficult time?" Marcus repeated, disbelief piercing in his voice. "And you couldn't talk to me about it? I thought we were best friends, Lucas. I thought we told each other everything."

Lucas felt his throat tighten. How could he explain to Marcus that it wasn't a lack of trust, but a matter of protection? How could he make him understand that by keeping his secrets, he was trying to protect him too? "It's complicated," he finally said, knowing how insufficient that answer was.

"Complicated?" Marcus shook his head, anger rising in his voice. "You know what's complicated, Lucas? It's seeing your best friend drift away for no reason. It's wondering what you did wrong, what you could have done differently. It's feeling replaced without even knowing why."

These words hit Lucas like a punch. He had never realized how much his behavior had hurt Marcus. "Replaced? What are you talking about?"

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Don't play innocent. I'm talking about Aria, of course. You spend all your time with her now. You disappear together, you whisper in the hallways. You think I haven't noticed?"

Lucas felt panic rising in him. He hadn't expected this. "It's not what you think," he said quickly. "Aria and I are just friends. We're working on a project together, that's all."

"A project?" Marcus let out a joyless laugh. "That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard. Since when do school projects involve secret meetings in the forest?"

Lucas felt his blood freeze. How could Marcus know about that? "What are you talking about?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm despite the panic rising in him.

"Don't take me for an idiot, Lucas," Marcus replied, anger piercing in his voice. "I saw you. The other day, after school. You snuck into the forest behind the high school. I was curious, so I followed you. And you know what I saw?"

Lucas held his breath, fearing what would follow. Had he seen their powers? Did he know about the magic?

"I saw my best friend and a girl we barely know disappear into a clearing," Marcus continued. "I waited, thinking you were going to come out quickly. But you stayed there for hours. What am I supposed to think, Lucas?"

Relief flooded Lucas. Marcus hadn't seen anything of their magical training. But this relief was short-lived when he realized the implications of what Marcus thought he had seen. "It's not at all what you imagine," he said quickly. "Aria and I, we're not... It's not like that between us."