Magick

Wyatt’s house is very roomy. It’s around the woods but not too far from school. Rowa admires the fireplace which isn’t on right now. Everything smells very comforting. It’s a mix of spices and oils and food and it gives the house a very warm feel.

Much to my relief and disappointment he doesn’t show me his room. Instead, he leads us all into the den. It’s very open. There’s a few pictures on the wall of trees and rivers and flowers, a few books piled up in the corner, a hand painted box with a pentacle on top…candles and incense, some gems and other materials used for circles but nothing else. He draws the circle on the wooden floor with chalk. When I look closely I can see faint traces of previous circles drawn here.

I want to ask Wyatt about this room but Rowa is already leading us into the circle and grabbing our hands. I stay away from Wyatt but keep my eyes on him. He smiles at me then closes his eyes and focuses. He looks so gorgeous like that…standing there with his eyes closed and hair falling over his face as he makes magick. I could melt right now.

Slowly as we spin the worlds falls away until all that exists is our little group and the sound of Rowa’s voice. My palms tingle slightly and I can feel the energy flowing through my body. It’s incredible. When it’s over we are all in a good mood. Wyatt brushes the chalk away off the floor then wipes his hands on his jeans, leaving pale dust marks on the denim. “Do you want to head back into the living room or…” Rowa inquires.

“Well, I was thinking maybe we could go swimming?” he responds.

“Are you crazy? It’s autumn. It’ll be way too cold,” my sister protests.

He laughs. “It’s a heated pool.”

“Oh,” she seems suddenly amused. “Who’s up for it?”

“None of us brought our bathing suits,” Skye says.

“That’s okay,” Wyatt tells her. “We can go in our underwear. Part of Wicca is being comfortable in your own body, the body the God and Goddess gave you. You should all be able to find beauty in yourselves and love yourselves.”

“I don’t know…” Willow shakes her head.

“Are you scared?” Saffron teases her.

“No, it’s just…fine,” she sighs. “I guess it’s okay.”

I’m impressed by Wyatt. I never knew a lot of people my own age who are Wiccan. He’s so confident and smart and amazing. I think I might be falling for him…

People around me are all stripping clothes, laughing and joking. I take off my shoes but stand there on the cement edge of the pool with bare feet and stare. My new friends are already jumping into the water, splashing and squealing. Rowa is in there too near Oliver, her long hair flowing around her making her look like a Goddess.

I’m the shy one. I’m the quiet one. I’m the one who likes to watch and experience everything that’s going on around me from afar. It’s not that I’m not comfortable with my body because I am. We were always taught that since we were small children.

Wyatt suddenly tugs at my arm. “Are you going to just stand here all day or are you going to join us?”

I shrug. He chuckles and pulls off his shirt, tossing it near the pile of everyone else’s clothes. I look down at the ground, noticing he’s barefoot too. “Your turn,” he says.

I blush a little and tug my shirt off over my head. He smiles encouragingly and off go his jeans. I hesitate but tug mine off too leaving us in only boxers. Then he pulls me into the water. “You know how to swim, don’t you?”

“Of course,” I nod.

“Good, the water isn’t going to bite you. I promise. It’s alright.”

I ease myself into the water, taking each step slowly instead of jumping right in. He watches then swims over to the other side of the pool. It starts out shallow but slopes down deeper on the end. I follow him, admiring the subtle curve of his back in front of me. He places one hand on the ladder in the corner so I do the same. It makes it so we’re looking right at each other, almost touching.

“It’s not so bad, is it?” he asks me.

I shake my head. “I like the water…a lot,” I confess.

He grins. “So do I.”

“Is that room…the den…is it always used for circles?” I ask.

“Yes,” he nods, running his free hand through his wet hair. “My aunts use it sometimes but it’s mostly mine. I use it for everything from studying to doing spells. It’s really nice to have a space set aside for magick.”

“Did you take all those pictures yourself?”

“I did,” he answers proudly.

“They’re beautiful.”

“Thanks.”

I glance over at everyone having fun. Saffron dunks Cloud under the water before grabbing Willow and swinging her around. She giggles loudly and tells him to put her down but she’s obviously enjoying it.

“I noticed you looking at me during the circle today,” Wyatt announces and I am caught off guard by that. I didn’t think he saw and now I feel embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, I just…” I don’t have a good explanation.

“It’s okay. I thought it was cute. You’re cute.”

I’m cute? He doesn’t mean it that way…does he? “I just…you fascinate me I guess. You’re really good with magick and I think maybe that’s why we have such strong reactions when we’re together. That’s never happened to me before and it’s interesting…”

“I know,” he smiles. “It’s great. I like watching you too because you also fascinate me.”

“Really?”

“Really,” he nods and all at once his body is pressed against mine in the warm water and my heart pounds faster in my chest. I tilt my head and gaze into his eyes questioningly. He doesn’t respond, doesn’t say anything, just stays still gripping onto the ladder. Abruptly, he presses his lips to mine and I am too shocked to do anything. When he pulls back I gasp.

“What was that?”

“A kiss,” he answers seriously.

“Did anyone see?” When I turn my head everyone seems to be doing their own thing much to my relief. “Why did you do that?”

“I like you. You like me too, right?”

I think about it for a while before I finally nod. “Yes.” He kisses me again, lips damp and soft against my own. No one else exists in this moment except for the two of us here in the water engulfed in passion. Legs tangle and kick to keep us a float and our hands slip a little on the ladder, dunking us underwater. I’ve never kissed anyone under water until now. We grasp the ladder once more together and our mouths reconnect.