Free Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius Page B

any concerns they might have for the new school year. Fallon didn’t know what Femke and Mirthe would have wanted her to say about the club, but she tried to make it sound as dull as possible.
    After introducing herself and Sebastian, Fallon stood up like the previous representatives. “There are quite a few charm clubs already, but our club focuses on the study of how charms are created. We do this by gathering every week to go over formulas and recipes, as well as popular theories. By the time we’re done debating these matters, we rarely get to make the charms themselves. So, I guess you could say we’re focused on theory.”
    A few attendees groaned. Camille smirked and wrote something on her paper. She pushed it over to Martin, who turned away.
    â€œWhat do you hope to accomplish this year?” the secretary asked.
    To overthrow Zita, she thought. “We’re actually planning on making some field trips to meet other charm-makers in the community. Our copresidents Femke and Mirthe De Keyser agreed to give us a tour of their parents’ weather-charm business, but we hope to find other members of the community to learn from as well.”
    Sebastian, still sitting, made a noise of approval.
    The secretary smiled slightly. “Thank you. Next club.”
    Fallon’s job was over now that she’d spoken for the club. Hopefully she wouldn’t attract more members or any unnecessary attention from the student government officers. At least Nico was an officer; he could warn them if anyone, namely Camille, came snooping around the club.
    When she sat down, Sebastian gave her the magazine. Jeans to fit all body types took up a six-page spread, but a quiz made her pause. The quiz was titled “How Visible Are You to Your Crush?” At the bottom of the page, beyond the point tally and evaluations, she found a small blurb that made her skin prickle:
    Catching your crush’s eye isn’t as hard as you think. When your crush is near, say the phrase, “Confidence, Confidence, Unveil Me” out loud. Strength will flow through your body and that energy will capture your crush’s attention. Just make sure to use the opportunity you’re given!
    This charm wasn’t about attraction, but about building the confidence to act on one’s feelings. She had no trouble expressing her feelings—not that she had ever had to do it romantically—but she didn’t experience the anxiety that Hijiri evidently suffered when talking to people.
    She didn’t have a crush, but she decided to try the charm anyway. When the basketball club representatives boasted about last year’s victory at the national high school competition, the room erupted in merriment. Perfect to mask her words. “Confidence, confidence, unveil me,” she said. A surge of warmth spread through her body, making her fingers and toes tingle. A cobweb-like net lifted off her skin and she was naked and utterly fearless underneath.
    Camille suddenly stopped cheering; her eyes narrowed and swept across the room.
    â€œLook down,” Sebastian whispered, slapping a folder over her magazine to hide it.
    She dismissed his warning as soon as she heard it; confidence was a heady thing. Fallon cupped her hands over her mouth and let out a hearty cheer with the other students. She stomped her feet. When she shot a bold look at the student government table, Camille’s eyes locked with hers. Fallon’s breath caught. Camille’s mouth curled. Dread poked its way through the charm’s grip.
    With the other officers distracted from the ruckus, Nico reached the podium and turned on the microphone. The feedback stopped the rowdiness; amplified by the acoustics of the room, it sounded like hundreds of crying cats at once. “Save your cheering for the games, guys! We don’t want the administration hearing us,” Nico said.
    Martin stood up, knocking Camille off balance. “Thank