Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I walked in the front door after school and was surprised to find my mom home.

"I got someone to change shifts with me," she explained excitedly. "Let's go take your driver's test!"

Normally, I would've been ecstatic at this idea, but now I knew having my license meant I would have to debut my granny motorcycle.

"Oh, Mom," I complained. "I'm really tired right now."

"Nonsense," she replied. "You've been excited about this for months! Now go get in the car."

I tossed my backpack on the nearest chair and rummaged through it for my wallet, checking to make sure I had the proper ID I might need. Then I followed her dutifully out to the car, a silver Toyota Camry with dark-tinted windows, and sighed. I guessed I wouldn't be driving it as much as I'd previously envisioned.

We took the drive through Oak Creek Canyon to the Flagstaff Department of Motor Vehicles. Mom got me signed in, and soon I was sitting at a computer taking the written test.

After about twenty minutes, I finished, and it was graded. I missed only a couple of questions, and the lady at the window explained the appropriate answers to me. Then I was introduced to a man who took me out to a driving course, which had been set up with orange cones in a paved parking lot.

I got into our car, performed all the safety checks, and drove through the course with ease. When I was finished, the man joined me in the vehicle with his clipboard in hand. We left the lot to drive down the street and around the block before returning to the building. Soon, I was the proud owner of a new driver's license.

After running a few errands, Mom and I headed back to Sedona. Of course, she insisted I drive us home, and I have to admit I was a little bit excited. After all, getting a driver's license is a certain rite of passage for a teenager. My excitement was nearly extinguished, however, when my mom preached about how to drive all the way home. Apparently, she'd conveniently forgotten I'd passed my Driver's Ed class with an A plus, as well as getting a note of commendation from my teacher about my attention to safety. Instead, she either gasped at every corner we took—and hung onto the door handle like she was about to die—or she repeatedly ran her fingers through her dark hair nervously. She kept telling me to slow down even though I wasn't going anywhere near the speed limit.

I tried to be patient with her, knowing it was mothering nerves, but by the time we got home, I bounded out of the car, running into the house and up the stairs to my room.

"Don't you want to practice riding your scooter now?" she called to me from the ground floor.

"Later, Mom," I replied over my shoulder. "I really am tired now."

It wasn't even a lie. I was completely exhausted mentally. I flopped onto my polished, oak bed and rolled into the puffy, purple patchwork quilt. I didn't even know I'd fallen asleep until I felt Jinx nuzzling my face trying to alert me that someone was coming.

The door opened quietly, and Shelly crept into my room, shutting the door softly behind her.

"Hey," I said groggily, pushing myself to sit against the pillow behind me.

"Oh! You're awake!" she said, and happily climbed onto the bed where she sat cross-legged next to me. "Your mom said you were probably still asleep. I was going to leave you a note on your desk."

"I was asleep until a minute ago." I reached out to scratch Jinx behind the ear. "Jinx woke me up."

"All right, so start dishing," Shelly said, petting Jinx also. "I feel like we haven't talked in ages, and I like your new cat, by the way."