Fifty Nine

“Again.” My mother bellowed across the meadow. Her lips formed a fine line as she narrowed her eyes at me.

I briefly scanned the crowd behind me, allowing my eyes to flicker between Nate, Maddie, Jacques and Amber. Nate’s lips curved as he flashed me a reassuring smile, melting my heart in an instance.

Maddie wore an expression of sheer determination as she prepared for the next round. I could see the clocks ticking inside her mind, considering theories on how she could defy the magic.

Jacques was swinging his hips from side to side, as he muttered the lyrics to an old George Michael song, completely uninterested in his surroundings. Every few moments you could hear Amber scolding him for his lack of interest, which went blatantly over his head.

“You could get his attention another way.” Leia snorted.

“I like your thinking.” I sniggered.

I narrowed my eyes on an oblivious Jacques, who was happily singing away, as I allowed to heat to rise to the tip of my fingers.

With an swift