Lux watched from the shadows as her friends swayed drunkenly around the bonfire. The red solo cup in her hand was filled with an untouched concoction she accepted to pacify Kitty. The girl had appointed herself the head of a special committee determined to make sure Lux's birthday was unforgettable, but at the rate Kitty wanted her to consume alcohol, Lux would be lucky to remember anything at all tomorrow.
Pouring the contents of her drink on the ground, she fished in the cooler for a bottle of water. Someone had to be the designated driver, and Kitty and Travis were out of the running within the first ten minutes of arriving. The rest of the small crowd was made up of classmates they hung out with from time to time, and it was all very much as Lux had expected. Every person present had known Lux since she was in kindergarten.
They held the party at the deer camp on Travis's land. His father and brothers were avid hunters, and Travis was an avid partier, so the arrangement worked out well for all of them. His dad turned a blind eye as long as they cleaned the place up afterwards and anyone unable to drive home spent the night in the cabin.
Lux glanced at her phone and sighed; it was just a few minutes past eleven. If things followed their usual course, she had at least another three hours before the party would wind down, and as of right now, she would be the only person sober at midnight when she officially turned seventeen.
A twig snapped behind her, and she spun around. The glow of the bonfire didn't reach far enough to illuminate the approaching person, but she could hear the heavy footfalls growing closer. Her body tensed, preparing to flee if the need arrived, but a calming sensation washed over her, easing her fears. And then a name formed in her mind.
"Hello Declan," she greeted.
At the sound of her voice, he paused just outside of the ring of light. She could read the surprise in the lines of his shadow, the way he stiffened and hesitated before moving again. His last steps brought him to a stop just inches from her. Not a short woman by any means, she felt dwarfed, and she swallowed hard as she slowly raised her gaze.
"Happy birthday," he said.
"Not for another thirty-eight minutes," she responded lamely. "How did you know about this party?"
"Phoebe told me about it, and she thought it might give me a chance to meet people closer to my age. I think that is how she phrased it."
Not nearly as nervous tonight as she had been when she met him, she noticed a strange quality in his accent. Still southern, the drawl was longer and more pronounced, but there was a crisp pronunciation to every syllable that added a polished edge. It was nothing like the mumbling her male classmates considered an acceptable form of communication, and Lux thought she could listen to him speak all night.
"That sounds like Memaw, but I got the feeling that you were older than me. Surely, you have better things to do than spend your time with a bunch of teenagers."
Declan's brows flattened into dark slashes across his forehead. "I'd...I'll be twenty next spring, so I suppose I'm still a teenager. There could be worse things to do this evening."
Lux raked her eyes over him, seeing nothing of the boy he claimed to be. Unsure of what else to say, she asked, "Would you like a drink?"
"Yes, that would be appreciated."
"What's your poison?"
He snatched her arm as she gestured towards the beverage table. His fingers were warm against her skin, and while his grip was tight, it wasn't bruising.
"Poison? Why are we drinking poison?"
"Calm down. It's just an expression. Do you prefer beer? Or a mixed drink?"
YOU ARE READING
The Opal Witch
Fantasy[Completed] Lux's senior year of high school had been carefully mapped out since her freshman year. Snag the lead in the school play, chalk up a few more volunteer hours, and ace her AP English class. Maybe even get her first kiss out of the way bef...
