Page 37 of Everything She Does Is Magic (Fableview #1)

Darcy

When I come down the stairs into the art shop the afternoon of Halloween, the last thing I expect to see is my parents putting the finishing touches on Anya’s costume.

“You’re a witch ,” I say with delight.

My mom’s putting a red lip on Anya as my dad lowers the signature pointed hat onto her head.

“I hear I’m supposed to sprinkle another year of good fortune atop Fableview today,” she tells me.

My mom heads into the supply closet, then pops back out with the glitter vial.

“You know, that myth is true,” Dad tells Anya. “It’s based on your grandmother.”

“She could fly on a broomstick?” Anya asks, sounding, for once, as skeptical as me.

“I don’t think so. But it felt like it,” my mom tells her. “She was a special woman. You have her eyes, you know.”

Anya’s eyes fill with tears, quick and unexpected.

“She always wanted to keep this town safe,” Mom continues.

“And she wanted to make it as magical as possible. She’s the one who came up with half the things we do throughout the month.

And now you and Darcy have worked so hard to make them even better.

” Mom hands Anya the glitter, completing the look. “To sprinkle,” she says with a wink.

“We heard about the haunted house,” Dad says. “You really shook the Holtzenbergs up. They don’t want our job anymore.” He’s grinning big, hugging the straps of his Ghostbusters costume.

“Good,” Anya says to him conspiratorially.

“We just need to find someone we like who can take the reins for us someday,” Mom says.

It’s hard not to hear it as one last little dig about my planned departure.

But it’s also true. They’re in their sixties now.

They deserve to retire. They deserve nights in front of the TV falling asleep to old movies. Someone has to take their job.

“We’ll find the right person,” I tell them. “But we have to leave. Grace wants us to get the best candy, and you know how fast that goes around here.”

Anya and I head onto the boulevard.

“No, no,” I tell Anya when she tries to go into one of the shops for candy. “Don’t be fooled. They’re only giving out minis. Witches of Fableview hands out stickers .” I don’t hide my disgust. “We have to hit your aunt’s neighborhood. Those are the real candy dealers.”

We make our way over there, passing kids and classmates alike, everyone crunching autumn leaves and breathing in the crisp air while dressed up in their Halloween finest—witches, goblins, Marvel characters. They’ve all got a place in Fableview.

Anya and I have three plastic jack-o’-lantern canisters to fill, one for each of us and a third for Grace, who’s still recovering at home, devastated about losing the chance to debut the lizard costume she’s been working on for years.

She insisted I wear it instead, and so, in her honor, I’ve traded in my fairy wings for scales.

“I love that no one here is too old for this,” I tell Anya as we pass full-grown adults collecting candy.

“I didn’t used to feel that way,” she says. “I used to think this was all kind of ridiculous. And I see now what I’ve been missing out on.”

“I think having literal witches in town helps make it magical,” I say back.

“I don’t know. What I did with that lock at the Fall Ball might’ve been a YouTube tutorial.”

We laugh.

Anya hasn’t told her family yet about the way her powers have shifted. That, in addition to healing things, she can also break them.

“Very cute,” I say, kissing her quickly.

“I love you,” she blurts.

This grinds me to a stop halfway up Mr.Breck’s driveway. He may be negligent when it comes to checking his parade ropes, but his wife passes out full-size packs of Starburst every year.

“Everything is just so much better when you’re around,” she continues. “This holiday, my powers. You make me like these things about myself that used to scare me. And I just…I know it’s probably too early for me to tell you I love you, but I do. I really do. I love everything about you.”

I grab her hands. Our candy buckets crowd the moment, but even that is perfect. It’s a little silly, a little ridiculous. I’m in Grace’s lizard costume, after all. Anya is a real witch dressed as my family’s impression of a witch. But it’s completely, totally us.

“I always think about that first day I met you,” I tell her.

“How badly I wanted to know you. Because I think even then I could tell that to be seen by you would be the greatest gift I could ever receive. And it is. You always recognize the parts of me that everyone else overlooks. You can pick my art out of a lineup every time. You hear the fear inside all my performed confidence. And I know that you see me. Because I can see you too. It’s like we have on these glasses that only we share, showing us what no one else notices.

I love being in that world with you. It’s my favorite place to be.

Because you’re my favorite person. Ever. Of all time.”

“I love you,” she says again.

I kiss her once, quick. “Please!” I protest. “Let me say it back!” She settles again, her foot doing an adorable shuffle of impatience. “I love you, Anya Doyle.”

A car honks as we kiss. The honking continues long enough for us to break apart. Without even looking, I know who it is.

Anya seems to as well, because she keeps her eyes on me as she says, “I think Kyle has powers. Like, I really believe he can teleport.”

“I kind of agree,” I tell her.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Kyle says, leaning out his car window. He’s dressed as a medieval knight. His little brother, Karl, waving from the passenger seat, is also a knight. “Just wanted you to know we got the Lego castle.”

“Thank you so much!” Karl says, full of a bright sincerity that makes both Anya and I melt. “I really love it!”

In the end, we didn’t give Kyle money. Instead we found the Lego castle in the toy shop down the street from Pam’s Paints, and we split the cost down the middle.

“We’re gonna start building it tonight if you guys wanna come over and help,” Kyle tells us.

“Maybe,” Anya answers. “We have to stop by Grace’s first.”

Kyle presses a hand to his heart. “Tell her I’m thinking of her. I dedicated my shoulder workout to her this morning.”

“We’ll text you,” I say, waving him off to go teleport his ridiculousness elsewhere. “I’m glad you love it,” I tell Karl.

“It’s amazing!” he calls out again as they drive off.

“What a little sweetie.” I turn back to Anya. “What was I saying? Oh yeah, I was telling you I love you.”

“I think you already said it,” she says.

“That doesn’t mean I’m done saying it.”

“Well, we should probably continue our proclamations on foot. You’ve got me worried we won’t get enough of the good stuff for Grace.”

We continue trick-or-treating. And it’s so silly, but it’s also the best, getting to do this with her.

This is the magic I’ve never failed to believe in—the kind that only Halloween can bring, innocent and hopeful.

A wonder that never goes out of fashion.

At least, not in a town like ours. And I know that if I get the chance to leave for college next year, it’s Fableview that’s made me ready.

Because that’s what the spirit of this holiday does.

It inspires us to try on different lives as often as possible.

To have the courage to become someone new.