The Salem Chronicles

Chapter 4

~ Zoe ~
Dad was already at the hotel room when I had finished saying goodbye to Eileen. "How did your little adventure go?" he asked as I set out all my new books out on the bed.
      "Yeah, it was good," I replied, ignoring his passive-aggressiveness. "You know, I only wandered off because I don't like standing still." Dad laughed.
      "Yes, yes, you've been telling me that since you could talk." He looked me up and down, nodding. "Your mother would be proud." I bit my lip, not ready for that.
       Mom had died when I was six. Car accident. Collapsed chest. Never stood a chance. She was a Muggle, one my father fell in love with. People were always surprised when I told them I was a half-blood, because of my tendency to stay away from the Muggle world. It reminded me too much of Mom.
       "I'm going shopping with a friend tomorrow morning. There's a few books I've had my eye on," I said, turning back to my already large pile of text.
       "You are SUCH a Ravenclaw," Dad drawled prissily. I smiled, throwing a pillow at his head.
       "I don't know that yet!" I looked around the small room. "You know, they should really put a television in here or something. Or maybe... Mutationus Aurantiaco!" I pointed my wand at the drab brown walls, which instantly turned a cheerful orange. Dad gasped dramatically.
       "Where did you learn that charm? No, no, let me guess... you made it up for a class." I gave him a thumbs up, smirking.
       "Ha, I'm the best," I boasted, flopping onto my bed. My head hit a thick book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. "Ow..."
       The next morning, Eileen knocked very loudly on the door. "Go away!" Dad and I recited in unison.
       "Zoe, you promised we would go shopping today," Eileen sang. Hiding her annoyance, no doubt. I sat up groggily, my thick brown hair proofing out everywhere.
       I complained all the way out the door, through breakfast. "Why on Earth did it have to be this early? Hell, why in the universe did we have to wake up this early?"
       "Because, Sleeping Beauty, it's 4 o'clock somewhere in the world. Oh, look, here comes your boyfriend." She waved to a tall blond boy. "Hey, Keith!"
      He turned toward her voice, eyes lighting up with a smile. "How's it going?" he asked when he had made his way over.
     "We were just about to go shopping," I said, glancing at Eileen. "You know, since there are a few things we still need to get for school tomorrow." I tried not to nervously break eye contact, but then anxiety began to creep its way into my mind.
         What even is good eye contact? Are we having too much eye contact? Maybe he thinks I'm weird or something, but is it because of the eye contact? How would-?
       "Oh, yeah, I'm super excited to take math. Is that weird, being psyched for math?" he laughed, shaking his head in embarrassment. "I'm in Ravenclaw, in case you couldn't tell already."
        "That's cool. We just transferred, so... we don't know yet. But Zoe's set on Ravenclaw." Eileen said, raising her eyebrows at me.
        "We'd better go, everything's going to be sold out," I tugged at Eileen's arm. "It was nice to talk, see you later!"
        "But of course," Keith said, sweeping into a deep bow. He turned on his heel, giving a little wave over the shoulder.
      "Bye," I called quietly. I turned around to see Eileen's smirking face. "No, you are not going to set us up."
       "I never said that!"
       "You didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes."