Free Eye of the Storm (The Charmed) by Dianne Nutting

who had an equally shocked look on her face. Harley motioned to meet in the corner of the hall.
    “Harrison, do you mind getting me some punch, I’m very thirsty from all this dancing.”
    “My pleasure.” He let go of Harley and walked over to the punch bowl meeting Thomas there. They both patted each other on the backs and laughed.
    Harley met Kayla at the corner. “Kayla, what’s happening?”
    “I don’t know. The spell should be working, my spells are usually pretty strong.” They looked over at the boys again. Mud was caked around the bottom of their boots and a trail led up to the punch bowl. Other dancers were staring at the trail and looking at the boys who were now looking rumpled and dirty.
    “I have to get out of here. Brendan is walking this way, oh my god!” Harley slipped out the side door as Brendan made it finally to Kayla.
    “Hi, Kayla. Nice night, huh?”
    “Uh, yeah.”
    Brendan looked around. “Where did Harley go? I thought I just saw her with you.”
    “She uh, went to the ladies room.” Kayla was trying to keep an eye on Harrison and Thomas as she spoke to Brendan. Mud was now caked all over their clothes and big splatters were dropping right into the punch bowl as they scooped a glass up. “Will you please excuse me?” Kayla left the corner and made a bee-line to the punch bowl.
    Brendan on the other hand had witnessed the demise of the boy’s attire. He knew what happened and felt bad for them. No spells or charms worked on the dance, it was a rule. When you had that many Charmed in one place, you had to have some safety nets in place. Everyone who came knew this, except of course the girls. He glanced outside and noticed Harley walking quickly away toward Hollis Gardens looking like Cinderella fleeing the ball. He slipped out the side door and followed her, finally locating her in the back of the garden sitting on a bench overlooking the waterfall. She was crying.
    “Harley.” His voice broke the silence.
    She looked up startled. “What do you want? Come to gloat?”
    Brendan’s shoulders slumped. “No. I wanted to tell you how beautiful you looked tonight.” He held onto the pillar holding up the small roof and looked out onto the garden. It was sparkling in the moonlight and was one of his favorite places to steal into at night.
    Harley went on as if she hadn’t heard his compliment. “The first few weeks after we broke up, I cried.” Harley looked down into her hands. “I couldn’t understand anything after so long it felt like you were a stranger.”
    Brendan felt a pain begin in his chest that flowed out through his arms and into his fingertips.
    “Then it was anger, then denial. Now I’m just sad.”
    Brendan took a small step forward. “Harley.”
    “No. Let me speak. I’m sad because I miss you. I miss us, and I don’t know how to get us back. I don’t know if we can.” She looked up at him then. Brendan felt the air go out of his lungs. She was so startlingly beautiful and sad, he thought. He wanted to run his fingers through her long red hair and smooth out the crease between her eyes.
    Harley stood and walked toward Brendan. She looked up at his eyes.
    He mumbled, “It’s not exactly been a piece of cake for me either.” Brendan paced away. He was angry at her for doing this to them.
    “My parents are just that, Harley, my parents. I can’t do anything to change their mind and believe me, I’ve tried. By the time you found out I had been stressed over it for three years.”
    Harley lowered her lids and glared at Brendan. “Well sorry for stressing you out.”
    Harley made to leave but Brendan, frustrated at being put in this ridiculous game of circles, grabbed Harley by the arm, spun her to face him and grabbed her other arm. Brendan lowered his head so they were touching foreheads. “You will not walk away, you will listen to me. I have a right to say what I like since I’m in this relationship too.”
    Harley took a quick breath in. She had