Witch - By Fiona Horne Page 0,54

She was wearing tiny black hotpants, knee-high ugg boots, a jumper and a beanie. She looked like a Victoria’s Secret model, and I looked like . . . well, me. I didn’t know exactly what I’d been expecting, but it had definitely been something more festive than this.

‘Hey guys, you finally made it,’ Cassidy said, slurring her words.

‘Yeah, we got held up at Vania’s—’ Bryce began, but Cassidy grabbed his arm, cutting him off.

‘Come and sit over here next to me.’ She dragged him to the other side of the fire. I stood there uncertainly for a moment until Matt got up.

‘Happy birthday, Vania.’ He walked over and gave me a light hug before pulling me down onto the sand next to him.

‘Beer?’ He handed me a slightly warm can. I had drunk alcohol before – with my parents. Sometimes my mother would give me a sip of her wine. I hadn’t drunk with other kids before. I didn’t want to let these guys know that, though.

‘Thanks,’ I said, taking the can and popping the top. I held it out and tipped my can against his. ‘Happy birthday to me.’

I took a sip of the beer. It was warm and tasted like crap. I preferred the tangy flavour of my mother’s chardonnay, but I took another sip anyway.

‘So what did you get for your birthday?’ Cassidy called from across the fire. I noticed Bryce had moved away from her a little, but she had her hand on his leg. He was drinking a beer, too, and looking a bit uncomfortable, I thought – but then I got a grip. Cassidy looked really hot, and whether they were broken up now or not, any guy would want to sit next to her over me.

I fingered the necklace at my throat, but said nothing. I took a bigger sip of the gross beer.

‘Did you get her something romantic, Bryce?’ Cassidy pushed against his leg and then rolled away on the sand, laughing.

‘Cassidy, you’re drunk,’ he said. ‘Vania, let’s go.’

Bryce started to get up, but Cassidy leapt on him, pulling him down onto the sand. She sat on top of him, her perfect legs straddling his hips, and started kissing him.

My breath caught in my chest, and I waited for him to push her off him – but he didn’t. Next to me Matt slowly got to his feet.

‘Hey, Cassidy, cut it out . . .’

I got to my feet, too. I felt a bit dizzy, even though I’d only had a few sips of beer.

‘Matt, kiss me,’ I said. I grabbed his shoulders and moved my face towards his.

But he pushed me away. ‘Cassidy and I are dating, Vania – I’m sorry.’

My head snapped back. I felt like I’d been slapped in the face. I didn’t know why I was so hurt – it wasn’t exactly a surprise that no boy would choose me. My insecurities took control of me again. Jealousy ate at my insides.

Matt walked over to Cassidy and pulled her off Bryce, hauling her up to her feet. She slumped against him, giggling.

‘Matt, I’m sorry, I couldn’t get her off me,’ Bryce said as he got up, wiping his mouth on his forearm.

‘No worries, bro,’ Matt said. ‘She gets like this when she’s wasted. I guess you know that.’

I stood there as the two boys laughed together and Cassidy draped herself over both of them. Deep in the pit of my stomach, in my solar plexus or whatever it was called, the blackness started to churn.

I felt my legs grow heavy like lead, sinking deep into the sand. The crackling of the fire grew until I heard it like electricity in my ears, merging with the roar of the ocean, growing like a tsunami of fury in my head. In my pocket, I grasped the charm bag Dean had given me. I screamed.

‘How dare you!

’ The sky opened over our heads with a roar of thunder, and crackling shards of lightning spiked down, striking the sand behind Matt, Cassidy and Bryce. The waves grew to a crashing, hulking swarm that encroached menacingly up the beach, the spray from each thunderous thing lashing our skin in salty anger.

Yes, I was pissed off, and nature was on my side.

Cassidy went from giggling to screaming in terror, and Matt grabbed her as Bryce called out something to me. I could see his mouth moving, but I couldn’t hear him over the noise of the waves and the thunder and the lightning.

I squeezed