Chapter Nine

The bell ending third period rang. Vicky grabbed her bag, scooping up her notebook and placing it inside. She stood briefly by her chair. “Rachael, I’m supposed to be meeting Luke for lunch. Why don’t you join us?”

“I don’t want to intrude .”

“Hang on a second,” Vicky stalled her, staring off into space. Rachael looked at her strangely. Luke ,are you listening?

Yeah, where are you?

I haven’t left third period yet. I invited Rachael to eat with us, but she doesn’t want to intrude.

Bring her with you.

We’ll see you in a few minutes.

Vicky turned her attention back on Rachael, catching her staring.

“Do you do that much?”

Vicky lifted an eyebrow, shifting her bag to her other shoulder. “Do what?”

“Space out like that.”

“Oh, that. I didn’t space out. I was talking to Luke.”

Rachael frowned. “Luke’s not here. Do you need to sit down or something?”

Vicky laughed at Rachael’s confusion. “I’m not crazy. I know Luke’s not here.

He’s a telepath. He can read my thoughts, and I can hear him speaking to me.” Rachael pursed her lips. “No, really, it’s true. Do you remember when I got in trouble this morning?” At Rachel’s nod, she continued. “Luke had just spoken to me for the first time, and I was shocked. Father Turner thought I was acting out. I was rolling my eyes at Luke’s comment, not Father.” She shifted her bag to her other shoulder. “Anyway, I was asking Luke if he minded if you joined us. He wants you to come along. ”

Rachael paused only for a second, then a huge smile suddenly split her face.

“Thanks, I accept.”

“Well, come on then. Lunch is the one class that I don’t want to be late for.”

***

Vicky’s eyes scanned the cafeteria until she found Luke. She waved. We’ll get our lunch and meet you at the table. She glanced at Rachael and pointed toward him. “Luke has a table for us.”

Rachael giggled, bouncing a couple of times on the balls of her feet. “Okay, that sounds great.”

I’ve already got lunch for all of us. Just come to the table.

Vicky’s mouth gaped open. You didn’t have to do that . . . again.

Yes, I did. I told you I was going to spoil you. Vicky rolled her eyes, laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Rachael asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing much. Luke was just teasing me.” She pointed toward the table again. “He took the liberty of buying us lunch, so we don’t have to stand in line.”

Rachael stopped in her tracks, eyes wide. “He bought lunch for me too?”

“Yeah, he’s a great guy, and he says his intent is to spoil me.” She tugged on Rachael’s arm leading her to the table. “What can I say? He’s sweet, and he’s doing an awfully good job of spoiling me too.”

Vicky weaved her way through the cafeteria with Rachael in tow. Arriving within ten feet of Luke, she stopped so abruptly that the other girl ran into her.

Rachael grabbed her arm to keep from falling. “Vicky, why did you stop?”

“Luke, what is he doing here?” Vicky lifted a shaky finger, pointing at Chuck.

Rachael peeked over her shoulder. She tugged on Vicky’s shirt to try to get her attention.

Be careful, babe, he might not be able to read your thoughts, but he’s part of my family, and he can read mine.

“Vicky, what’s going on?” Rachael tugged on her arm again, trying to get her attention.

“Luke’s cousin, Chuck, is at the table with him,” she whispered.

Rachael gripped Vicky’s arm, her eyes lighting up. “Chuck is Luke’s cousin?”

Vicky’s eyes widened at Rachael’s reaction, and a slow smile appeared on her face. “Yeah . . . it appears so. Do you know Chuck?”

She sighed wistfully. “No, I’ve only seen him in the halls and of course at all the football games.”

Luke, I think Rachael wants to meet Chuck

What a coincidence. He wants to meet her too. He just kicked me. “Hey!” he complained aloud.

Vicky laughed. He heard you, didn’t he?

Luke reached under the table, rubbing his leg. Yeah, he did.

Arriving at the table, she found Luke smiling playfully. “Hi. How’s the leg?”

Luke pulled out a chair, and she sat down, her smile faltering as she glanced at Chuck.

“Hi.”

He nodded, and he pulled out a chair for Rachael. She stood behind the chair. He sat back in his chair. “Vicky, are you gonna introduce me to your friend?”

“Sure.” She glanced at Rachael, who suddenly seemed about to bolt. At her encouraging wink, Rachael somewhat reluctantly sat down. The petrified look on Rachael's face told her that her new friend was scared to death, and she was suddenly angry with Sara all over again for taking away all of Rachael’s self-confidence. Rachael was a beautiful girl, and she should not have to suffer just because of Sara’s jealousy.

“Chuck, this is Rachael Johnson. Rachael, this is Chuck Holmes.

“Well, we finally get to meet,” Chuck cut in, giving Rachael a flirtatious grin.

“I’ve seen you in the halls, but every time I try to approach you, you hurry away.”

The color rose to Rachael’s cheeks, and she gave Vicky a panicked glance. Vicky smiled reassuringly. “I’m sorry,” Rachael remarked in a small voice, “I didn’t know.”

She swallowed hard, refusing to meet his eyes. “Guys have made it a point to avoid me for the last couple of years, so I always assumed you were headed somewhere else.”

Chuck drew his eyebrows together, frowning. “I don’t understand. Is there something going on that I don’t know about?”

“Chuck . . .” Luke’s low tone contained a warning.

As Rachael’s eyes dropped to the untouched food on the table, her complexion turning a little green, Vicky felt the need to do something. “She is skittish and withdrawn because of Sara.” Rachael’s head snapped up, her expression horrified.

Vicky shook her head. “He needs to know,” she remarked softly. “Believe me; I don’t think he’ll care.”

“What did Sara do to make Rachael run from everyone?” Chuck asked impatiently.

“Sara was jealous of Rachael, so she cursed her,” Vicky remarked bluntly.

The muscle in Chuck’s jaw twitched. “What kind of curse?”

Rachael’s eyes reverted to the table again; she winced shying away at his tone.

Vicky explained, “Well, from what Rachael’s told me, she lost most of her hair, and it took a really long time for it to grow back. I understand everyone avoided her after that.

I guess they might have been afraid Sara would curse them too.”

“You’re wrong, Vicky,” Chuck challenged. “I do care.” Rachael closed her eyes, the color draining from her face. “I’m going to make sure that Sara pays for her witchery,” Chuck said. “She has been terrorizing this school with her black magic for far too long.”

Rachael’s head snapped up, her mouth dropping open in surprise. “You’re not afraid of Sara?” Relief rang clear in her voice.

“I’m not afraid of a witch,” he replied in a deep tone, looking pointedly at Vicky.

Luke locked eyes with him, pulling Vicky’s chair protectively closer to him.

“Chuck, don’t.”

Rachael shook her head frantically. “Vicky’s not like Sara.”

“She’s a witch!”

Rachael looked back and forth between Vicky and Chuck. “Yes, but . . . you can’t.” She shook her head, gathering her courage. “You can’t, Chuck! She’s my friend.”

She stood at the table, placing herself between Vicky and Chuck and raised her chin defiantly, her eyes dilating, the outer edges tinged in gold. “I won’t allow you to hurt her!”

Chuck sat back in his chair, chuckling softly. He pointed at Rachael as he spoke to Luke. “She’s a shifter.” He tilted his head, catching Rachael’s eyes. “You’re mighty protective of your friend.” He laughed harder. “I like that.” He leaned forward in his seat, glancing around Rachael to look at Vicky. “You’ve earned her loyalty. I guess you can’t be all bad . . .”

Vicky felt Luke relax and then she relaxed too.

“What’s your affinity, honey?” Chuck said to Rachael.

She sat back down hard in the chair. “My what?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I can tell that you’re a shifter by your eyes. What do you shift into?”

“Oh!” She quickly looked away. “I’m not supposed to . . .”

He laughed. “I’m a wolf,” he whispered to her.

Her gaze scouted the room nervously, then locked with his. “Panther,” she whispered back.

Vicky reached for her hamburger, taking a bite. I would have never matched those two together.

Luke picked up his own hamburger. Me neither.