The Gift

Chapter 3

Bonnie's schedule showed that her lunch took place two hours after her meeting with Kai in the hallway. That gave her just enough time to come up with a backstory that made sense. Elena and Caroline would want to know who her new "friend" was and how they'd become so chummy in a short amount of time.

She didn't have time to ask Kai about his family or what this new life offered him that the old one had not. She was also a terrible liar, so she would need to think of something they could both agree upon that had a ring of truth running through it. 

English class dragged on for what seemed like forever. Mr. Chase gave an assignment for the students to go to a bookstore and choose a historical fiction novel to read for a book report due in a couple of months.

Science class was next on her agenda. Bonnie enjoyed participating in experiments to some degree. Mixing various elements to create a chemical reaction fascinated the young witch.

Bonnie didn't know if her powers were active yet, but she itched to try them the moment she got home and spent time with Grams.

It felt good to see her grandmother again – to have her active in her life. Warmth spread over her heart at getting this second chance to make things right for the elder Bennett witch. This time, she would learn from the woman that was both mother and mentor to her.

When the bell rang, Bonnie jumped out of her seat and headed to the cafeteria, leaving a puzzled Elena and Caroline in her wake. She needed to get to Kai and develop a believable storyline.

She noticed him immediately. He stood at the back of the lunch line holding his lunch tray in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He stuffed the phone in his pocket and surveyed the so-called food choices in front of him, pointing at the least disgusting combination of grilled cheese, French fries, corn, and a roll.

Bonnie rushed to his side so quickly that she nearly knocked him off balance.

"Damn, someone's eager to go out with me," Kai joked, smiling down at her.

"Kai Parker: full of confidence or hot air? Story at 11," she joked back.

She grabbed her own tray, but chose mostly fruit and a few cookies, along with what looked like a chicken patty.

"So, who do you want to go as?" Kai asked, "I'm partial to James Dean, myself."

"It's a dance – period clothes. You don't have to look like anyone famous," she insisted, grabbing his arm and pulling him to an empty table as she spied Elena and Caroline throwing her suspicious glances across the room as they picked up their food.

"Ok, how do you suppose we explain to my friends how we know each other so well and why I'm willing to go to a dance with you," she asked.

"Well, the why is sort of obvious," Kai said with a wink, "Leave the rest to me. Tell me something though: did you spend any time away from them this year?"

Bonnie nodded.

"I usually spend summers with my dad," she told him. "He's a salesman and his side of the family is pretty boring."

"Then that's it. We met there – where's there?" he asked.

"Richmond."

"Ok. We met in Richmond. Hung out. I was doing some – I don't know – some summer job down there. Your dad hated me...blah, blah, blah," he went on.

Kai shoved a piece of his sandwich in his mouth and started chewing. He frowned his displeasure at the cuisine, but refrained from spitting out the bite.