Cursed (Enchanted Gods #1) - K.K. Allen Page 0,26

Trisha wearing. Nothing. Not that I should be surprised. The guy clearly goes out of his way to be a rebel.

I watch the grump walk away before I look over to find Charlotte’s waiting eyes and an amused smile on her face.

“What?” I ask.

She lets out a laugh and raises her brows. “Do you want me to spell it out for you, Katrina? You have a crush.”

I can feel a blush creeping up my neck. “On that guy? No way. He’s not very nice.”

“Maybe not, but I could feel you overheating from here. I couldn’t figure out if you were going to kiss him or lose your temper. Neither would have been a great option.” She leans in with warning in her eyes. “I know about how things were for you back in Silver Lake. You were misunderstood. The kids were vile. And you didn’t know how to control that temper of yours. I can teach you.”

I swallow, confused and intrigued in equal measure. “What? Is there a school file on me or something? Because the things they think I did… didn’t happen the way they said they did.”

Charlotte nods. “I trust that you’re correct. Even still, there are things you can do to protect yourself.”

I frown. “So you think I did those things? You think I pushed Steve out of a window?” Just talking about the events from back in Silver Lake makes me want to cry. I look up to find the grump’s accusing eyes pinned on me. I didn’t think I was talking that loud. I’m quick to turn my gaze away. “I didn’t touch him,” I say in a quieter voice.

Charlotte nods again. “Of course you didn’t. But there are moments when our emotions can get the better of us. Sometimes, it’s not what we do or don’t do, but how we react. There’s a power within all of us, Kat. For people like you and me, that power can become so intense, it feels like we might implode. Am I right?”

I can feel my bones shaking with her words. Somehow, Charlotte just explained it perfectly. “Yes.” It’s just a whisper, but I can tell by her slow inhale that she heard it.

“You can learn to control that energy, Kat. I can help you.”

“How?”

Charlotte smiles, altering the mood from intense to relaxed in one single beat. “For starters, you can change your mindset. It’s you who chooses the energy you accept and release, not the other way around. You should only take in what you know you can control.”

I think about her words. The concept seems so simple, but I have no idea where to start when it comes to applying the thought process to myself. So when the grump returns to drop off our ice waters, I flash him the biggest smile I can muster and say, “Thank you,” as if there’s never been a problem at all. “You don’t happen to be hiring, do you?” I bat my eyes up at him.

When shock registers on his face, I want to laugh.

“Um, no. We’re not.” That’s all he gives me before he’s walking away again.

Trisha must have overheard him as she’s walking by, because she twists her face up at his back and stops at our table. “Don’t mind Johnny. He’s always like that. Most of us just ignore him. We actually are hiring.” Her blue eyes sparkle with the sun at her back. “Do you want me to get you an application?”

I flash her an appreciative smile. “I would love one, but—” I chew on my bottom lip as my insecurities rise to the surface. “I don’t have any work experience or anything.”

Trisha shrugs. “We all have to start somewhere.” Then she sticks out her hand. “I’m Trisha, by the way.”

We shake. “I’m Kat.”

“Welcome to Apollo Beach, Kat. You should call me if you ever get stir-crazy. It’s a small town, but there’s plenty to do. I’d be happy to be your guide, anytime.”

My chest warms. “Thank you.”

Charlotte reaches out and squeezes the girl’s arm. “I’m sure Kat would love that. Thank you, Trisha.”

“No problem. Let me go grab you that application.”

She hurries off, and I’m already feeling a hundred times better than I was minutes ago. Between broody Johnny and the catty crew a few tables over, I was sure my stay here was going downhill fast. But maybe I actually stand a chance of surviving this place for the short term.

Night passes without another vision or dream to wake me in a