Southern Charms

Thieving

Mornings are difficult enough when I've had a full eight hours of sleep. They're worse when the jarring of an alarm pulls me from slumber. The shrill scream of the clock sends me scrambling out of bed, hands flailing in an uncoordinated attempt to silence it. It's the worst way to wake up.

Or, it was the worst way to wake up until Harmony found a more unpleasant way to greet the day.

Memory foam pillows are a strange beast- a human magic the witch community has happily adapted. Like sleeping on a cloud, if a cloud weighed nearly five pounds. Heaven. Until said pillow is smashed into your face.

"What the hell," I spluttered, covering my aching nose as I sat straight up. Tears blurred my vision, and the only warning I had before the pillow slammed back into my face was the whoosh of wind.

"You little wench," Harmony screamed.

She pulled her hand back and swung again. I rolled out of the way and put my arms up in self defense. I was surprised to see she wasn't using magic to attack, but I'd heard Clemmy say on more than one occasion there were times the physical act of doing a thing brought more satisfaction. And from the look on my sister's face, she'd gotten great satisfaction from beating me awake.

"What did I do?" I demanded, knowing full well what I did. My hands darted to my head, and I sighed to find it covered in hair.

Harmony's blue eyes radiated rage, and she clenched the pillow in her hand as she stalked toward me. Willow remained motionless in the bed, only her tiny snores indicating she hadn't died in the middle of the night.

"You don't have anyone to back you up now," Harmony hissed.

"Look, I don't know what I did to piss you off so bad, but I'm sorry."

She put a finger against her dimpled cheek and pretended to think. Through the doorway behind her, I spied Caly, tiptoeing to the stairs. She kept her gaze forward, but if she were a dog, her ears would be swiveled in our direction.

"Hmm, where should I begin? First, you got me in trouble with Clemmy over Ash Goodwin. Then, when I told you to stay away from him, I find you practically in his lap when I got home Friday night!"

"That is not-" Harmony's finger went in the air, the little digit stealing my bravery.

"I know what I saw."

"Really," I said, digging deep for the nerve to keep poking the bear, "because you were out of your mind high when you walked in the house."

"Shut the hell up. You don't know what you're talking about."

"I might not, but your crush does. Ash is the one who said you were on something. So tell me. What is it you've been getting into?" There was no way she'd make it so easy for me, but I had to try.

She blinked and dropped her hand. Ignoring my question, she whined, "You know I like him sp why are you trying to steal him?"

"You don't even know him, and I've not done anything wrong. I didn't chase after him, begging him to spend time with me. He came over to the house because Willow was here."

"How do you explain Brews, or the party you went to last night? Y'all are gettin real cozy, Rosey. What happened to sisters before misters?"

"You kind of fall low on the totem pole when you keep threatening to hex me."

Harmony sniffled, looking far younger than her seventeen years without all the makeup and teased hair. For a moment, I almost felt guilty. The hurt in her eyes looked genuine, but Ash wasn't a piece of property to be claimed.