Page 16 of Everything She Does Is Magic

“Nobody’s manning the desk right now. What if one of us stole something?” Kyle asks while Darcy’s gone. “That would befunny.”

I can’t imagine what’s funny about that, and neither can Cal, so we unite in our power of glaring, focusing all the intensity onto Kyle.

“I wasn’t actually gonna do it.” He holds up his hands like he might’ve already pocketed a ceramic figurine. “I’ve known Darcy longer than you have anyway. We’re kind of dating.”

This is a genuine shock. One, for the distinct lack of romantic energy that Kyle and Darcy emanate. I’ve only been in their shared presence for a few minutes, and it’s as flat as a carbonated drink left out on a counter for too long. Two, anytime I’ve ever had the misfortune of getting placed on Kyle’s dodgeball team in gym or asked to pair up for badminton, he is annoying. Ruthlessly competitive at eight in the morning, when the rest of us are barely awake.

And three, I guess I hoped Darcy would have not necessarilyhigherstandards but different ones. She doesn’t have to like girls. I would never believe she could like me.

But Kyle Holtzenberg?

When Darcy comes down the stairs, any trace of her previous crying is gone. She’s smiling with all her teeth, as usual. There’s a fresh coat of lip gloss on her mouth, shiny and pink and perfect. Her mom follows, dressed in the same fifties costume she wore at the paint lesson.

Aunt Cal darts outside. She is so precise in her movements that she manages to open the door without activating the bell chime. If Darcy is part of a legacy protector family, what does Darcy’s mom know about my family? What does Cal know about Darcy’s?

“Our newest committee member,” Mrs.Keller says, waving at me.

“Yes,” I say.

“Youjoined the planning committee?” Kyle asks, using the same voice that comes out whenever I manage to score a basket in gym class or whatever.

“Of course I did.” I narrow my eyes in the exact way I know freaks him out. He’s so confident in my inability to do anything that it weirdly makes me braver. “Are you not a member?”

“My parents are,” he says.

“Hmm.”

“See you in a bit!” Darcy calls out to her mom.

“Love you, sweetie,” her mom calls back. “Enjoy the parade!”

Out on Fableview Boulevard, the sidewalk is lined with the barrier ropes that Darcy discussed at the meeting. Kids in costumes trot proudly down the middle of the street, beaming at the spectators. Though my clothes are black—and so is my heart—even I think this parade is adorable.

“I’m gonna head out,” Kyle tells us.

Darcy waves goodbye. Kyle lifts a single hooked finger in response, then saunters off in the other direction.

“Thank god.” Darcy sounds so relieved to be free of him that I can’t help but smile. Even if she is dating him, at least she knows it’s a joy to see him leave. That’s progress I can get behind.

Spectators stand right up against the ropes. It’s easy for us to get around, so long as we hug close to the shops.

“Did that wizard man ever get his parade ropes fixed?” I ask Darcy.

“That’s Mr.Breck,” Darcy tells me. “He didn’t even check, so I went over there on Wednesday after school and looked myself. I brought him his replacements this morning.”

I want to comment on how she seems to juggle, like, eight different balls in the air at any given moment, but she’s been defensive every time I’ve tried to let her know I see her, and the last thing I want is to be another problem on her list.

“It’s a very tight-knit community,” I say instead, thinking again of her mom and Aunt Cal. Her mom looks older than Cal, but surely they know each other, even if Darcy’s mom doesn’t know Cal is a witch, or doesn’t believe she’s a real one.

“Definitely,” Darcy confirms. “The locals tend to stick around for a long time. Their whole lives, usually.”

“Can’t relate,” I say.

Darcy laughs. There it is again. My own little trophy. “Yeah, I’ve been wanting to ask you. Where did you live before you came here?”

I steal a glance back at Cal, who walks about fifteen feet behind us. “Oh, I’ve lived all over. My family has a…community philosophy on raising children. They want each kid to experience new things, so we live with a different relative every year or two of our lives until we turn eighteen.”

“That’ssocool,” Darcy says. It’s the opposite reaction to how most people receive this. Not that I’ve shared it in years. But the general response is usuallyWhat, with a dozen spiritual question marks afterward.