Southern Charms

Into the Woods

We crept towards the voices, our movements decidedly quieter than our targets. Harmony and Jemina, despite growing up in small town Mississippi, were not equipped for treks through the woods. I already knew they would be wearing impractical shoes and heavy makeup, the latter which would remain perfect in this heat only because of magic.

But I wasn't particularly interested in either of them- it was Ash I wanted to see. My gaze fastened on Flannery's back, but I kept picturing his face when he saw me. Would it be filled with guilt? Or happiness? Or maybe concern?

"I don't understand why we had to come out here to get ferns. We have them in Black Brier," Harmony whined, her voice carrying through the woods.

"Ferns?" Flannery swiveled her head around and mouthed the word at me as though it were foreign.

"I didn't ask you two to follow me out here."

"Is that Ash?" Flannery hissed, and I grabbed her by the arm, dragging her to the ground.

We were nearly upon them, their shapes flashing between the trees. Ash seemed to be searching for something, dropping into a crouch and studying the ground before moving on. His sister and mine stood behind him, their arms crossed and lips drawn into flat lines. This made me giddy.

"Yes, we should go back. Class is going to be over in five minutes," I whispered, answering her question. 

"Please, do you think anyone is going to learn anything for the rest of the day? It's almost ninety degrees out today."

"Doesn't mean they won't give out detention slips."

"Let them try. I'll tell them it's a safety violation or something. After Lorie Cross passed out running her mile last year, they're nervous as hell about that kind of stuff."

"Fine, but what are we doing out here? Nothing interesting is happening."

"Did you hear something?" Jemina asked, her head snapping up and her eyes narrowing in our direction.

Flannery and I pressed ourselves into the ground. I could feel the damp earth soaking through my white blouse. My nose filled with the smell of soil and something sickly sweet- something rotting. Kudzu wrapped around the towering pines on either side of us, and it crept over the ground and choked the bushes. I shuddered, imagining what types of creepy crawlies were hiding in the thick vines.

When Jemina's attention turned back to Ash, Flannery whispered to me, "who are these girls? Is he just a big player?"

"Goth Barbie is my sister, Harmony," I explained. Her blonde hair hung down her back in limp strands, and her complexion was sallow. Not her best look, and if it was anyone else besides Harmony, I might identify the lurching in my stomach as worry over her health.

"I'm guessing the other one is related to him?"

"Twin sister."

"Damn. Is he going with your sister? She's definitely making eyes at him."

"She wishes," I muttered, attempting to strain my neck to see further without being too obvious.

"You did say the dude was weird. Why is he looking for plants?"

"His family is into natural medicine," I said, settling for my favorite type of explanation- the not a lie but not a complete truth type. Kept me in the gray zone of my morals.

"Let's just go home. I'd like to get some sleep before the parties tonight," Jemina said. She pulled on Ash's arm, but her brother didn't budge.

"You can go back without me."