Chapter 17: 17. Big Holiday Plans

"Hi everyone," I smiled as I walked into Miss Hawthorne's classroom. A moment later I asked, "No Kaylee?"

Brooke shook her head, "Not yet, but I'm sure she'll be here soon."

It was a few minutes before four on Friday afternoon, and we had another Club Luna meeting tonight. Only three weeks had passed since the last meeting, two and a half weeks since the stuff with Mrs. Reeves. And exactly two weeks ago I had my first study-date with Kaylee.

The club meeting was early this month because of winter break, today was actually the last school day until we came back in the new year. The next full moon was at the end of the month though, so today was technically the last Friday at school prior to the moon. Which meant we had a club meeting.

Brooke and Paige were sitting together at a couple desks in the middle, while Marissa was going around the room using her fire magic to light all the little tea-light candles that were spread out in a big circle.

I took a seat at one of the desks two rows back from where the taller girls were sitting. It wasn't my usual seat for the class, but my favourite spot in the very back corner was outside the circle. So this was my Club Luna seat rather than my English or Creative Writing spot.

Once Marissa had all the candles lit she sat ontop of a desk just ahead of me and to the left. That put her sort of in the middle but to one side so she could see Brooke and Paige and me, as well as the classroom door.

"So how was your latest date with Kaylee?" the brash young blonde asked with a smile. "Did you have time to learn any magic, or was it all just blushing and quiet mumbling because you two are still shy disasters?"

My face went bright red and I sank back into my seat, and my oversized hoodie. I mumbled, "It was really nice, and I learned more magic too."

All three of them grinned at my response. Then Brooke commented, "If Kaylee's not here in another minute maybe we'll get you to practice your scrying again. She's usually not late for club meetings. You've still got her bracelet right?"

"Uh-huh," I smiled. I even held out my hand and gave it a little shake, so the thin gold chain bounced around on my wrist.

I offered to give it back during our first study-date, but Kaylee suggested I should hang onto it for a while. And she'd keep my lucky old coin for a while too. She said it was a safety thing, like after the whole witch-hunter business she said she felt better knowing we had a way to scry for each other like that.

Which I agreed to, but really I just liked the idea that the two of us each had a little something from the other. And I got the feeling that was why she suggested it in the first place. Especially since she took the lucky coin off the keyring and put it on a length of cord, then started wearing it like a necklace. She wasn't shy about telling people it was mine either, which made me happy but also tended to make me blush.

"How's the magic coming Cass?" Paige asked, bringing me back to the present. "Or should we wait to discuss that once we start the meeting?"

"It's ok I guess?" I shrugged. "I think it's all really neat, but Kaylee can probably tell you if I'm doing good or not. Like you all have the experience and stuff, I'm just trying to catch up."

Brooke frowned and pulled out her phone, "Speaking of, she's now officially late. I'll text her, maybe she forgot."

The tall blonde was just starting to tap out a message when the beautiful redhead came running into the class.

"Sorry I'm late!" Kaylee apologized as she hooked her backpack over one of the chairs. She sat down right beside me and added, "I was doing some extra research with Ms. Hughes and I lost track of time."

Marissa teased, "Extra research? Is that the new term for detention?"

Kaylee frowned and adjusted her pretty red glasses as she replied, "I wasn't in detention Marissa. We don't all get in trouble like you, you know?"

"Yeah right," the blonde witch rolled her eyes. "I wish Mr. Duggan never retired, I actually liked learning History when he was teaching it. Ms. Hughes is evil."

"She is not!" Kaylee insisted. "And maybe if you didn't skip so many classes she'd be less strict with you. But I think she's nice."

The cute redhead looked to me and added, "We were actually researching your lucky coin! She recognized it! Did you know it's from the late Byzantine empire? This thing's at least six hundred years old! She and I were looking up stuff about Byzantine coins, that's why I was late."

My eyes widened and I shook my head, "I had no idea. My mom gave it to me when I was little? I knew it was old but that's about it."

"So what did you find out about it?" Paige asked. "Is it valuable?"

Kaylee shrugged, "It's made of bronze, and it's in pretty decent condition for its age. From what me and Ms. Hughes found out, it's kind of rare to see one in such good shape? But it's not like gold or silver, it's not worth a fortune. And having a hole drilled through it for the setting kind of spoils any extra value since it's not pristine. It's mostly just a cool antique?"

Brooke spoke up, "Interesting, but not really club business? And seeing as we're a few minutes behind schedule, and this is the last day before the winter holidays, maybe we can get the meeting going? I don't know about you all, but I'd like to wrap up and start the break sooner rather than later."

"Sorry," the cute redhead blushed as she cringed a bit into her big fashionable sweater.

I grinned but stayed quiet. The stuff about my good luck charm was cool, but honestly I could listen to Kaylee gush about anything. When she got excited about something her eyes lit up and she just seemed so happy and enthusiastic.

Paige jumped up out of her seat and quickly went around the desks as she enchanted the circle, then as soon as that was done she sat back down while Brooke got things started.

"So first thing on the agenda is Kaylee and Cass," the tall blonde stated as she looked to the two of us. "How's our newest club member doing, in terms of learning magic?"

Kaylee grimaced as she glanced at me, then looked back at the others. "She's doing well in terms of learning spells? Memorizing the Word seems to come easily for her. The Will and the Way are a little harder. As for actually casting spells though, she's really unpredictable."

"Unpredictable how?" Brooke asked. "You know it's normal at first for a lot of spells to fail. There's nothing unusual about having a low success rate for the first couple months."

"Not like that," the cute redhead shook her head. "This is a little different..."

That was my cue to cringe and blush again. I knew this part was coming and I really wasn't looking forward to hearing everyone else's reaction.

"I hate to say it but she almost burned down my bedroom on our first study-date," Kaylee admitted. She glanced at me again and added, "Sorry Cass."

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Marissa stifled a giggle, but kept any comments to herself.

Kaylee sighed as she continued, "I don't know how to explain it? Her power seems really random. Like she'll do something and it's way overpowered, like trying to light a candle she set a dozen other things on fire in an instant? Then ten minutes later we try again, and it takes her two minutes to get a candle to smoulder. It's the same with other things too? Like we tried scrying, and she had trouble with that. But according to Marissa, two weeks ago Cass successfully found us on her very first attempt, and she broke through wards to do it."

"Weird," Paige stated. "Is it just the first try that's strong? Maybe there's something going on where the first time she does a spell it's overpowered, but subsequent attempts are weak?"

"It's not that consistent," Kaylee shook her head. "That first study date I also taught her some other magic, and it was like everything else she tried that night was weak. But a few days later she tried one of those again, just a simple light spell, and it was like staring at the sun! It's like her power's at the usual beginner's level ninety-nine percent of the time, but then every now and then Pow! It's weirdly strong."

Brooke sighed, "Ok. That's odd, but good to know. So I guess for safety sake, Cass don't cast anything dangerous. I'll talk to May about this and see if she has any ideas."

I just nodded quietly, but I always felt embarrassed when people were talking about me.

Kaylee added, "Aside from that, she's doing fine. Like apart from those random bursts of power, she's able to cast spells pretty much where we'd expect for a new witch. Give her another couple months of practice and she'll probably be on par with the rest of us."

"Good to know," the club leader said. "Ok, the other thing on our list for today is Marissa and her werewolf..."

The younger blonde had a wide grin on her face as she took over, "Yes! So at our last club meeting you all ignored me and dismissed the idea, but the last full moon there was another sheep death at the Potts' farm. And while you lot were sitting around getting yourselves kidnapped and stuff, I was over there investigating. I can guarantee it's a werewolf, and considering he's visited that farm the last four full moons in a row I think it's a given that he'll be back again at the next full moon."

She had her notebook in hand by that point, and she glanced at one of the pages then continued "So the full moon's at ten-thirty pm, Tuesday December twenty-ninth. I want all five of us to be out there at the Potts' farm that night to catch the wolf red-handed!"

Both Paige and Brooke groaned quietly, but the club leader said "Ok Marissa. Considering what the weather will probably be like, and considering that's the middle of the holidays, I'm not going to make this a mandatory club thing."

She glanced around at the rest of us and asked, "Does anyone else want to go with Marissa to wait in the freezing cold at night to see if an alleged werewolf shows up?"

At first nobody else responded, and Marissa's shoulders slumped. Then she frowned and stated, "You know I'll go out there on my own if I have to."

Right before she frowned I saw something else, just for a moment. She was sad, and I felt bad for her.

Like sure she was brash and reckless and stuff, but when Mrs. Reeves kidnapped everyone else Marissa was the one who led the rescue. I helped, but I wouldn't have even tried if I was by myself. And I knew what it was like being a loner, being ignored and stuff.

So I raised my hand up and stated, "I'll go with you Marissa. I don't know anything about werewolves but I'll keep you company anyways."

The young blonde's eyes lit up and she fist-pumped, "Yes! I knew you'd back me up Cass! We made a great team going after the witch hunter. After that, some chump werewolf's got nothing on you and me!"

"I'll come too," Kaylee suddenly announced. She blushed slightly as she adjusted her glasses, "Safety in numbers, right?"

Paige looked like she was suppressing a smirk as she and Brooke exchanged a glance. Then the tall athletic brunette nodded, "Yeah ok. I'm in too."

"Fine," Brooke sighed as she rolled her eyes. "I suppose as club leader I'd better go as well. Anyways you lot will probably want me to drive."

By that point Marissa had a wide grin on her face, but she flashed me a grateful look. And I nodded slightly in return, but kept quiet.

Our club leader sighed, "So that's decided then. We'll sort out the details on group chat, figure out where we're meeting and so on. Is there any other business?"

Nobody else spoke up, so Brooke closed the meeting. She asked, "Cass how about you dispell the circle?"

"Of course!" I grinned as I got out of my chair.

It was the one magical thing I could always do and never messed up, and it was easier to get me to do it than anyone else. I walked up to the edge of the circle, then after a brief dramatic pause I stepped through it.

I felt that chill shoot up my spine as the magic collapsed, and the little hairs on my arms stood up. At the same time half the tea-light candles flickered and went out.

"All done," I announced with another grin.

Paige rolled her eyes and smiled, "After all the work I put into raising the circle, you just burst it like a soap bubble."

I blushed but shrugged, "It's a gift. Or something."

After that we all packed up and got our winter coats and everything. Me and Kaylee said goodbye to Brooke and Paige and Marissa, we wished them all happy holidays and stuff, then the three of them headed out to Brooke's car so she could give the other two a lift home. Meanwhile Kaylee and I set out through the back door of the school, then trudged through the snow across the field towards the ravine.

"Any big plans for the holidays?" Kaylee asked.

I shook my head, "Nah. Me and my moms exchange some gifts and stuff, but we don't do anything big or fancy. I don't have any aunts or uncles or cousins or grandparents or any of that stuff, so we don't do any visiting or anything either. How about you?"

She nodded, "We have lots of relatives so we're busy from the twenty-fourth to the twenty-sixth, and usually a few more days too. I'll make sure I'm free for the full moon on the twenty-ninth though."

We paused on the other side of the ravine to say our goodbyes, though it wasn't like we weren't going to see each other for a while. We'd already made plans to meet up again tomorrow night for another study-date.

It still took us like five minutes though, and we even shared a hug or two before we finally set off in opposite directions.