Page 24 of How Not to Hex a Gentleman (Witches of Edinburgh)

Chapter Twenty-Four

KENNEDY

I feel elated after making our mini spell jars. The power that I've feared for so long is seeping through in the nicest of ways, almost comforting me. It is such a new concept for me. I've never known a time when I didn't fear my magic, but here I am, learning to love it.

Love? Is that really what it is? I thought I might grow to like it, but it feels more…potent than a simple like.

Parker, Lily, and I leave the café after hugging Olivia, our little jars in our pockets. Bennett left first and I think he's still feeling bad about bringing that trinket to me and sending me flying. I was determined to hold onto the anger when it comes to him, but I can't seem to muster up much of it right now. It might be different tomorrow.

"How long are you going to keep Bennett in the doghouse?" Parker asks, hooking her arm through my elbow. Lily takes my other, a potted ZZ plant in her other arm, squishing me between them as we walk toward our building.

"Forever," I reply and Lily barks a laugh. Parker and I look at her in surprise and she shrugs.

"What? I think you're getting worse at lying," she says.

Parker reaches across me to high-five Lily, and I roll my eyes.

"You keep forgetting to be on my side when it comes to these things," I mumble and Parker shakes her head.

"One day you'll realize that this is us being on your side."

"What a weird way to put that," I comment, looking over at the plant Lily is carrying. "Did you confiscate one of Olivia's plant babies?"

"No, actually." Lily moves her whole body so she can show it off. "It's for you, to add to your growing plant collection."

My eyes sting. No one has ever seen me the way these girls do. My aunt didn't keep many plants in the house. It was like anything even remotely associated with the magical world was banned even when it didn't make complete sense.

"Lily is an enabler," Parker says, and Lily nods very serious-like, and I chuckle. I open my mouth to reply but then I'm distracted by the magpie that's landed on a restaurant overhang ahead of us.

"What is it?" Parker asks, glancing around. Her intuition powers are definitely growing.

"I'm not sure, but it feels like—" It's going to sound insane if I say it out loud, but I have to tell someone. "I think that magpie is following me around."

The girls turn to where I'm pointing and I swear the bird meets each of their eyes before looking back at me.

"There are a lot of magpies in the city," Lily says.

I nod. "That's why I thought I was imagining it, but I don't know how to explain it except that it's the same magpie. I can feel it watching me."

The feeling I got toward it the first time I saw her is the same—I know that it's a her and I know there's no danger, but my magic is sensitive to her, that much I understand. The magpie holds my gaze for another long moment and I make a face at her. "If you're going to keep following me around, can't you at least bring a friend?" I say and the girls look at me as if I've lost my mind.

"Don't you know that nursery rhyme? One for sorrow, two for joy. This one always comes alone. It feels like a bad omen."

"Kennedy, you actively try not to believe in your magic, but you trust your destiny to some random nursery rhyme?" Parker asks, clearly bewildered.

The magpie gives me a very long look, as if she's agreeing with Parker, and then takes off.

"Okay, maybe we should ask Olivia," I say, feeling chastised by my friend—and a bird.

"Back to Bennett though."

This time my groan is so loud some people look our way. "Let's not go back to Bennett, how about that?"

"Kennedy, he was trying to help. I think you should take that into consideration. That's all," Lily says, hugging my arm tightly for a moment before placing her head on my shoulder. I touch my head to hers because she's right of course.

The boy was bouncing on the balls of his heels with excitement while waiting for me. He's untaught in the ways of magic, but he's put his whole self into trying to help us. I can't keep overlooking that for my own self-preservation.

"Okay, I'll think about it," I agree.

Olivia asked me to look over the café tomorrow morning and I think the alone time will do me some good. Maybe get some of these confusing thoughts situated. The one thing I finally don't feel confused about is this friendship. Parker and Lily are good for my soul. Maybe the fountain knew what it was doing after all.

BENNETT

"Am I not seeing you tomorrow night?" Nicholas asks by way of greeting as I burst through his front door. Since I have a set of keys to his flat, I just texted him a heads-up and showed up.

"He probably did something stupid and needs consoling," Lana calls from her bedroom.

I wave at her through the open doorway as she grabs some things and comes out into the living room. Nicholas is on the couch, a laptop on his lap, and I see a large puzzle on the table in front of him. Lana comes in holding a blanket and a pillow and plops down in front of the puzzle as I grab myself a drink from the kitchen. I don't comment on her observation, because how does a teenage girl call it so well?

"Okay, spill it," Nicholas says when I take a seat on the couch near him.

Lana looks up from the floor, placing her head on her hand as she waits for me to reply.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come," I mumble and Lana waves it away.

"This is what family is for. Tell us how you messed up and we'll help you fix it."

I stare at Lana first and then Nicholas, unsure of how to actually put into words what I did. I can't tell them about the magic, but I suppose even without the magic aspect, I was overly excited and didn't do what I usually do—which is triple check everything. Twice.

"Well, as you know, I've been helping Kennedy with a project?—"

"How is Kennedy by the way? Has she mentioned me?"

"Lana, please." Nicholas shakes his head at his sister, before looking at me. "Continue."

"Well, I did some research and was excited to share, but I might not have double-checked my sources and she was—she had an allergic reaction to an item I bought."

"Oh no, is she okay?" Lana leans forward disrupting her puzzle pieces.

"Yes, she's fine. It was mild." I run a hand over my face, frustration coursing through me. I feel dumb even talking about this, but I have no one else to talk to, and I need an outsider's opinion—as limited as it will be without all the facts.

"It just feels like everything I do is causing more harm than being helpful. Maybe it's time to stop trying?"

"What?" Nicholas and Lana exclaim together, startling me.

"That's the dumbest thing I've?—"

"Lana," Nicholas cuts her off and then puts his laptop aside to face me. "You wouldn't be thinking this if there wasn't more to it. What's really on your mind?"

There is more to it. Of course there is and this is exactly why I came to him. He sees through me, even before I realize there's more to it.

"I don't know. I just—maybe it would be better if I left her alone. She deserves someone who won't put her in danger, of all things. Someone who will cherish her and respect her and be there for her."

"And you're not that person?"

"Maybe I'm not."

"That's so dramatic," Lana mumbles, rolling her eyes.

"I think it's smart. She's in a place in her life where she probably doesn't need someone like me?—"

"Ugh! Why would you say that? That's stupid," Lana says and when I look at her, she looks angry, but I can tell she's not really angry at me.

"You're the best person I know, for you to think otherwise is sheer stupidity."

"Lana—" I say.

"No, you're just scared. You've never liked a girl before, not like this. So you're scared."

"I'm not?—"

"I have to agree with Lana," Nicholas says, interrupting me. "I think this has more to do with your fear that she will turn into your mother and leave."

"Nicholas," I want to protest, but he hit the nail on the head. The truth slams into me like a physical assault and it takes me a moment to find my words. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Denial will always be your first point of defense, my friend, but I will tell you something; I know you know I'm right or this wouldn't be the case."

Of course he's right. I know he's right. It's why I spent the majority of my life in relationships that always had an expiration date. I know people will always have an expiration date. Nicholas and Lana are the first people in my life who stayed past that, but the thing with Kennedy, it feels like something real—like something important. I want to be her best friend and her partner. I want to cheer her on on the good days and comfort her on the bad days. I've never felt like that about anyone. I've never rushed in head—and heart—first.

Today, when I hurt her with my unverified research and then watched her make the mini spell jars, it showed me just how different our worlds truly are. Wouldn't she be better off with someone who could support her in her magic and not hinder her? Walking away might be the best thing I could do for her.

"I can see you overthinking it, mate," Nicholas says, just as Lana groans loudly. Again. She gets up from the floor, walking over to stand in front of me, her blanket still wrapped around her shoulders.

"You are being a very big dumb-dumb if you don't pursue Kennedy because you're scared. That's something he would do." She points to her brother before she points that finger back to me. "You are much smarter than him."

"Hey!"

"Shh, I'm monologuing." She places her hands on her waist, a very stern look on her face, slightly undermined by the fluffy blanket around her small frame. "You are my favorite brother for a reason, so don't ruin it now by being a dumb-dumb. Tell her how you feel—because I'm one hundred percent sure you haven't even done that yet—and then go from there. Because if she doesn't like you, that's one thing, but running away is just pathetic."

"Okay, I feel like I just got complimented and insulted at the same time?" I say, right before she falls on top of me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"You deserve to be loved by someone amazing, Bennett."

I hold the small girl to me, blanket and all, as I look at her brother over her shoulder. There's a bit of sadness in that gaze, his own troubles and family history at the surface. They've had their own share of being left behind, and I think that's why we bonded so strongly that very first day. If Lana is right about anything though, it is the fact that I do need to tell Kennedy how I feel once and for all and then see where that leaves me.