Flannery leaned against the brick wall of the restaurant, her arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowed at me. We'd been standing like this for almost five minutes, and sweat was dripping down my back, the cooler morning air having given way to sultry Indian summer heat. Every time I started to speak, those dang eyes narrowed even further. How they weren't closed yet was a mystery to me, but I knew if my explanation wasn't a good one, I could kiss my friendship with Flannery goodbye. 

The girl wasn't known for second chances.

"You could've just told me you had other plans." Her voice cracked through the silence, and while I hadn't expected her to speak first, I was grateful the stalemate was over. "I can handle that. I can't handle being lied to. Is this because you were pissed about the nurse thing?"

"No, Flannery. I wouldn't do that to you."

"But you would lie to me?"

Good lord. How was I going to get out of this one? I was so tired of keeping my other life separate from this one, especially considering I felt like it was my life in Black Brier that was the false one. I had no business living among supernaturals.

Scratching my neck, I drew in a deep breath. I wanted to admit everything, but nothing good would come of confession. Flannery would think I'd lost my mind, or worse, I was concocting some cockamamie story to get out of trouble. And, because I couldn't be punished with magic, my family would carry the brunt of the Council's displeasure.

So, I decided to tell as much of the truth as possible.

"I told you I was grounded because I was embarrassed." Flannery's arm remained crossed, but I caught a softening in her expression. "I'm not allowed to spend the night at anyone's house."

Her mouth fell open. "You're shitting me? Right?"

"Nope. You know how crazy my mom is, and she needed me to work at our store. I knew if I left it at that, you would've just told me to come over afterwards, but she wouldn't let me spend the night. I feel like such a five year old telling anyone that. I'm sorry."

"Even," she began, tapping her foot on the concrete, "if I believed you, why didn't you call me when you came to town? Why didn't you say hey to Charlie when you were in the restaurant?"

"I wasn't planning on coming into town, but Ash isn't local. He wanted to see where I went to school, and we got hungry. We weren't planning on being here long because they've got stuff to do at home tonight. I truly am so sorry."

On impulse, I threw my arms around Flannery. She melted into my embrace, and when we separated, she had tears in her eyes. "Just give me a heads up next time. K? Cause you look shady as shit doing stuff like that, and I don't wanna lose my friend. I ain't got time for that, okay?"

"Done. I will tell you next time, even if we're just peeing at a gas station, you will get a text."

"Okay- that's gross, but I'll hold you to it."

I looked at my car. Willow and Ash were standing next to it, their tan skin shimmering with sweat while they waited for me to hash things out. Flannery dismissed Willow with a single look, but her gaze lingered on Ash.

"What's the deal with that fine piece of man candy?"

Jealousy curdled my blood. It was an effort to sound casual. "He just moved to Black Brier. Boarding school kid before that so he's kind of weird. Willow is his cousin."

"She's the one you talk about sometimes?"

"Yeah, we've known each other since we were babies, but her family usually goes to Jackson if they leave town."

"Don't blame them. Not a whole lot going on here." She looked through Hastee Tastee's dirty windows, her lips turning down. Charlie was sitting at his table, reading a thick textbook. From time to time, he would rub his forehead, then his eyes. Not once did he flip the page.

"He okay?"

She shrugged. "He says college is kicking his ass, but I've never known him to struggle in anything."

"It happens."

"Not to Charlie." There was a moment of silence. Then, "so you gonna introduce me or what?"

"Um, yeah, sure."

We crossed the parking lot. Ash and Willow straightened up, and they both extended their hands to shake Flannery's. Her mouth wrenched to the side in a smirk, but she held onto Ash's hand far longer than she had Willow's.

"Nice to meet y'all. Rose says y'all have plans tonight, but we're having a party down at the levee if y'all wanted to stop by."

My witch friends looked intrigued, and despite my fierce attempts to shake my head without Flannery's notice, they looked at one another and nodded. I was gonna skin Willow. There was no way we'd be able to sneak across the town's border after dark.

"Sounds like fun. I've got to make an appearance tonight, but if it's like last night, I'll be able to get away pretty quick." Bitterness seeped from Ash.

"What time?"

"I usually show up around 9, but things don't really get going to closer to 10."

"I thought you were keeping your mama company this weekend," I intervened. There was nothing about this plan that sounded like a good idea. Two witches partying with impotens could only spell disaster. Especially, if Harmony and Jimena caught wind.

"She goes to bed at 8. You don't wanna come?" She turned the doe eyes on, making my gut clench. If I didn't show up to this thing, she'd reconsider her forgiveness, and since Ash and Willow were on board, I had no excuse.

"No, I want to come. I'm just supposed to be showing these two around, and I don't think our parents intended that to include a party."

Ash tugged me to his side. "Stop being such a worrywart. We'll be there Flannery."

"Awesome! I'm gonna go grab a bite to eat, but I can't wait to see y'all tonight."

We waved goodbye, and I snatched my keys from Ash. When we were all buckled, I started the car, pulling onto the road before launching into my tirade. "What the heck, y'all? We cannot go to an impoten party."

"Why not?"

"Ash, I don't know how they did things at that school of yours, but Black Brier is warded. We can't just go crossing the town lines all willy nilly after dark."

"Who is gonna notice the ward going off? Everyone will be celebrating until they pass out. Come on. It's better than watching movies on the couch again."

"You're supposed to be on my side, Willow."

"That has never been a stipulation in our friendship."

"It should be," I grumbled. "Maybe we should make it one going forward."

I turned onto Old Hwy 27 and pushed the pedal to the floorboard. After everything that had happened today, I was a bundle of nerves, and I knew if I possessed any magic, I'd be sparking all over the place. For the first time in my life, I wanted nothing more than to get home.

"Come on Rose, don't be mad."

Ash's plea fell on deaf ears, but when I risked looking at him, I reconsidered. He looked so contrite and sad and just plain yummy. But yummy wouldn't keep everyone safe.

"This is just too much. Too much opportunity for trouble."

I sneaked another look. He had his forehead pressed against the window, his eyes watching the world rush by. Fat raindrops splattered on the windshield, their clear arms wiggling across the glass. The rain wasn't falling hard enough to call for the wipers, but I flicked on the headlights, tightening my hold on the steering wheel. I hadn't noticed the clouds rolling in, but I sent up a quick prayer of thanks.

"It'll likely be rained out, anyways."

"We could fix that." Willow waggled her eyebrows suggestively in the rear view mirror.

"No!"

"Ugh, such a spoilsport."

"Ash, we can try another time, maybe. When we can get back in before dark."

"Sure," he replied in the most not sure tone ever, not turning to look at me.

 No one said another word until we got to the parking lot outside of Brews. I half expected to find Jemina and Harmony lying in wait, their twitchy witch fingers ready to sling hexes, but they would be getting ready for the evening's various entertainments. Revenge would wait for another day. Like tomorrow.

"Guess I'll catch you later," Willow said, disappearing in a flash of light.

Ash jutted his chin at me, and reached for the door handle. On impulse, I reached out and stopped him. "We're okay, right? You're not mad at me for not wanting to go?"

He covered the hand I put on his arm, his eyes kind but sad as he responded. "It's fine. Really."

"You sound like a girl. Fine? Really? I know how to translate that word."

A growl rumbled in his throat, making me shiver in all the right places. "Did you just question my man card, Rose Wych?"

With a hard swallow, I turned my head to the side and prayed I looked sexy as I whispered, "what if I did?"

He chuckled and withdrew his hand, leaving me cold. But he didn't get out of the car. "You're something else, Rose."

"This is kind of like the screaming comment. I don't know what to do with it."

"It's a good thing. You're not like anyone else."

Playing with the charm dangling from my keys, I replied, "That's never been a good thing here in Black Brier." He didn't deny the truth of my statement.

"Do you ever," he said, stopping as if to gather courage or his thoughts- maybe both, "do you ever want to be invisible?"

I thought of the way people stared at me when I walked through town. The whispers that filled rooms I vacated. No one cared how it affected the impoten witch. It's why I loved St. Augustine's Prep school so much. I disappeared there in a way I never could living in Black Brier.

"Yes. All the time."

"I used to ask for that Gift every night. I'd lie in my bed imagining all the ways I could use the Gift."

"Maybe not quite the same thing then," I joked, earning a turned up lip for the effort.

"No, but being invisible was as close as I could come to not being Ash Goodwin. I walk into a room and everyone already has their mind made up about me. About my past. If I'm kind, it's out of some attempt to be manipulative. If I do something wrong, it's because I was born bad. I want a blank slate. I guess that's why the idea of the party appealed to me. Not because I wanted to rub shoulders with impotens. It's not some power trip."

I held my breath. I didn't know what to say, but my heart ached for him. Not in pity, but in empathy. Because I knew his story as well as my own.

"I just wanted someone to talk to me and ask me questions. Figure out who I am because they took the time to get to know me."

"Okay."

"Okay? Okay what?"

I closed my eyes. I was going to regret this. I knew it. I opened them to find Ash staring at me with such hope, I almost forgot what I was going to say.

"We can go to the party."