Page 84 of Vying Girls

I took a deep breath before opening my mouth. They were noises I’d probably heard before, from TV shows and the like, but I kept my voice pitched low, an endless stream of spell-like chanting.

When I’d settled on a mess of words, I flicked Nic to copy me. She came to her knees, and we stared up at the creepy mask with its distorted features.

It started to rain, great globs of it smattering the panes like bug guts when Jack drove his car really fast. It sounded nice under the vibration of our pretend worship. In sync, we upped the volume, nearing the end of our chant. We were well practised at it. Nic was pretty good with the witch stuff by then.

All at once, we stopped. I brought my hands together, completing the chant with an almighty clap. Thunder clapped back outside, so loud it made both of us jump. We snapped our heads to each other, then, by silent agreement, got to our feet and legged it upstairs.

Right at the top of the house was the attic. I’d never been in one like that before. There was no weird hole in the ceiling and none of that weird yellow fluffy stuff that looked like candyfloss. This attic had proper stairs that spiralled upwards, and a proper door at the top.

There were windows too, a bit like the conservatory’s. Huge, floor to ceiling, only these ones rose in an arch shape. They were pretty. We fell on our stomachs in front of them. The floor was cold and hard but I didn’t care. It was the perfect place to watch the storm.

Though it was close, the thunder was muffled. I ran my eyes up the glass, to where there was a latch.

‘Can you reach that?

Nic stood, reaching up one arm. ‘Nope.’

I scrambled up after her. ‘Bet you could if you lifted me.’

Nic was strong. She’d given me loads of piggy backs and only ever complained when she got grumpy, not because she got tired.

I raised my arms in a T shape. Nic bent her knees, wrapped her arms tight around me and lifted with a grunt.

I reached out a hand. ‘Closer.’

Nic swayed, close to dropping me. I fumbled for the latch, pushing open the small bit of glass. Wet air raced inside, misting my face. I breathed in deeply. It stank of mud and concrete.

‘Can I put you down?’ Nic mumbled.

‘Not yet,’ I breathed, curling my fingers around the ledge.

It was summer now, the air heavy with that damp mugginess. The weather had been teasing a storm for days and here it finally was.

‘Putting you down,’ Nic said after a moment, lowering me to the floor.

Back on my stomach, I sighed with content, pillowing my head on one arm. With the other, I idly spun the globe, trying to decipher the tiny names in the dark.

I could hear Nic breathing beside me. That was how I knew she was there most times. Only by her breathing. She never talked too much. Her dad said she was shy but I didn’t think so. Just comfortable.

It was weird how quickly I’d gotten used to her. I hated her at first. Almost as much as I hatedhim.He made my mum act weird. Made her care about me less, likehewas her kid or something. And Nic was just an extra annoyance. I was expected to share everything. Mum even told me to share my spellbook, the one I was making with coloured paper and glitter pens I’d stole from school.

But Nic was quiet. She didn’t ask for my things. She didn’t call me weird like Mum did. She evenwantedto play witches with me. Nobody wanted to do that. And she let me do whatever I wanted to her. She even pretended to be my familiar when I asked her to—a cat that did nothing but sit next to me, meowing on command.

Nic was fun. She was my friend, probably the best I’d ever had. We had sleepovers and ate our dinner in the garden and watched all my favourite films. When her dad took her out for the day, I missed her. Mum would call me Mopey Moo. I’d scowl, and keep on scowling, until Nic’s dad pulled up in his fancy car and she was back again.

‘Will you draw on my back?’ I mumbled into my arm.

It was my favourite thing we did. I waited with bated breath until I felt her finger on me, tracing up and down my spine.

‘Guess,’ she said.

I held still, eyes squinted as I tried to make out the letters.

‘B.’

Nic hummed in agreement.

‘E.’