Southern Charms

Apology

Finding Ash to deliver my apology wasn't an easy task. He wasn't in the house or on the front porch. The screen door slapped against the frame as I stepped outside, bouncing twice before latching shut. The steady downpour had tapered off to a fine mist that clung to everything like a beaded blanket and made the world slick and shiny.

Daddy's hammock swayed in a sudden breeze, taunting me with his absence. I'd give almost anything to see the twitch of a pink nose rising up from the edge, his round ears alert for danger- or for Clemmy, which amounted to the same thing.

I stepped off the porch and wandered down the drive. Gravel crunched wetly beneath my shoes. Each step churned up the water settled around the gray stones. My cheeks were wet with drizzle and drips from towering pines. Their needles shivered with every gust, filling the night with whispers that made the hair on my arms rise.

"Ash," I called out while rubbing my arms. He didn't answer.

I turned around and walked back to the house, wishing my thoughts weren't held captive by memories of the last few days. Of the moment a monster peered out from the eyes of a friend. I didn't like this sense of unease settling about my shoulders. Not here. Not at home where I'd always been safe. The building before me had never just been four walls and a place to rest my head at night. It created its own magic, weaving around my family and promising security. Whoever was behind the events of the last week was a thief. Not just of bodies and magic but of my sense of safety.

A soft glow to the right caught my attention before I went back inside. Two summers ago, Mama expanded the gravel drive, making it loop around the house. She lined the path with glittering orbs spelled to light up in the darkness, but they would only activate when someone walked past.

He was sitting on a covered swing, his toes pointed down and dug in to the earth to keep him from moving. His hands were hidden from view, but from the way his shoulders curled in and his head hung, I doubted anger ruled his magic any longer. Now, he just looked defeated.

"You're right," I said.

I sat on the edge of the swing, my back ramrod straight as I stared across the yard. I didn't much care for summers in Mississippi- what with their overpowering humidity and heat, but in the early days of the season, I would come out here as soon as the horizon swallowed the sun. You had to time it just right. Too early and the heat would be too much. Too late and you'd missed the flares of orange and pink as they transitioned to violet dusk. That was the moment the stars appeared- not just in the sky but from the earth as well. Dozens of fireflies would rise up from the ground, their tiny sparks bright in the gloaming. And for just a little while, I was content with my place in this world.

"I am?"

He didn't lift his head, and I tried to figure out what had changed in the time between his impassioned declaration in my room to now. The things he'd said to me in the car the day of the party came rushing back. About how people judged his present actions based on his past. Had he come to the conclusion that he couldn't keep going if he had to go alone? If that was the case, then I was responsible for this brokenness.

"Yeah. I was being a coward."

"You're not a coward, Rose."

He leaned back and dropped his head against the top of the swing. His legs lifted, and we surged forward. The sudden movement nearly knocked me off the seat, but he hooked his arm around my waist and dragged me against him before I could fall off. The heat from his body was a welcome comfort in the chilly air, but he pulled away as soon as he was certain I was safe.

"You might be one of the bravest people I know."

"Now you're just laying it on real thick. I already said you were right."

A chuckle escaped him, and I smiled. I liked his laugh.

"I spent the last several years of my life living with a bunch of jerk boys who had chips on their shoulders. They all thought they were tough and were willing to fight at the drop of a hat. Fists or spells, it didn't matter. They thought it meant they were brave and powerful.

"There was another kid there who was a lot like me. Not really sure how he got there. He was super short for his age, and of course that meant he was an easy target. We became friends, and I did my best to keep him out of trouble."

I smiled. I could picture this friendship with ease. When he wanted, Ash could project the Goodwin arrogance. It had oozed off him the night he stopped and stared at me while on the motorcycle, and it lingered when he came into Southern Charms. But I recognized it for what it was: a shield. The moment it wasn't needed, he dropped it, but I was certain he would bring it back up if it would protect a friend.

"Most of the time, everyone left me alone. If my name didn't keep them away, rumors of why I was there did, but after a year or so of keeping my nose clean, they decided to press their luck. Only, they came at me in a pack of five instead of one on one."

My hand went over my mouth. "What happened?"

"They beat the crap out of me. Until Chris showed up and sounded the alarm."

"Um, Ash. If Chris is supposed to stand in for me in this story, you're not really convincing me of my bravery. He basically did what I wanted to do in my room, called for someone who could help him."

"He called for help despite the fact that they threatened him if he said so much as a single word to anyone about what happened. One of them had a hex ready to throw, and Chris flipped him off and sounded the alarm."

"Damn." Rats wouldn't suffice for that one.

"Yeah. Chris never had what everyone else at the school had, including me. He was scrawny and not talented with magic. He was smart enough to stay out of trouble, but when he couldn't avoid it, he didn't step down just because he couldn't hit as hard or cast strong spells."

An emotion I couldn't named welled in my chest. It was strange how much this boy understood me. Just cut right through the facade and went for the heart of the matter.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that. My entire life I've felt defective. My family loves me, but they don't understand me. They're either trying to fix me or staring at me in confusion. I'm a burden. An embarrassment. Now, we're in the middle of this huge mess, and I am completely ill equipped. I might as well be Chris charging into fight those five boys by myself."

"But you're not by yourself. You've got Willow," he said, swallowing roughly before grabbing my hand, "And you've got me. We can do this because we're going to support each other."

I studied his hand in mine. His thumb was moving in small circles across mine, making it hard to remember how we ended up here in the first place. All I could think about was how close we were sitting, and when I dragged my eyes to his face, they locked on his lips. Willow had said to apologize with a kiss...

"Ash," I whispered, leaning in to make my intention obvious.

He moved to meet me halfway, and I buzzed with the rush of anticipation. I'd never kissed anyone before, but I didn't care if it was sloppy or wet or imperfect. I just wanted to connect with Ash in a way I'd never connected with another person before.

The squealing of tires on wet asphalt and the roar of an engine shattered the moment, and we jumped apart as if burned. Without a word, we raced to the front of the house, just as a familiar car pulled into the driveway. Ash's mouth fell open as his eyes zeroed in on the figure in the driver's seat.

"How did she get in here?" I demanded.

"Rose!" Flannery nearly fell as she climbed out of the car. "I need your help."

"What the hell is going on?"

Ash and I turned to find Willow standing on the front porch, her face mirroring our own shock. We whipped back around as Flannery approached, and I didn't protest as Ash stepped in front of me, a defensive spell swirling above his palm.

"How?" I repeated.

A shimmering figure materialized to our right. Flannery narrowed her eyes, but in true fashion, she didn't show fear. Her eyebrows raised as the shimmer turned into Harmony.

Harmony's face was pale as she said, "The wards have fallen."