Free So Mote it Be by Isobel Bird Page B

“No, I guess we don’t,” she said. “Not technically, anyway.” She stopped, unsure of what to say next.
    Annie took another bite of her apple and munched on it. She stared at Kate, waiting for her to say something. When Kate didn’t, Annie looked away. “I guess I should get back to my book,” she said.
    â€œBook,” Kate said, suddenly remembering why she had come to talk to Annie in the first place. “That’s what it was. I want to talk to you about a book.”
    Annie looked up. “A book?” she said. “You want to talk to me about a book?”
    Kate looked around. The cafeteria was filling up. Already some of Scott’s friends had settled into their usual table, and she knew that he would be coming in soon. A few tables away, she saw some of the girls who had confronted her earlier watching her. One of them, the one who had stuck her finger in Kate’s face, said something to another girl and they all laughed meanly. Kate felt her face flush with embarrassment.
    â€œAre you okay?” Annie asked her. “You look kind of sick.”
    Kate sat down in the chair next to Annie. “I’m okay,” she said. “Well, I’m not okay, but I’m not sick. I just have a problem. One I think you might be able to help me with.”
    â€œMe?” said Annie. “What can I do?”
    â€œYou checked a book out of the library,” Kate said.
    Annie shrugged. “I check a lot of books out of the library,” she said. “So what?”
    â€œWell, you checked this one out seven times in a row,” Kate continued.
    An uneasy look passed over Annie’s face for a moment and she looked away. When she looked back, she seemed fine again. “Seven times?” she said. “I don’t remember doing that.”
    â€œWell, you did,” Kate said. Then she brought her voice down to a whisper. “The book is called Spells and Charms for the Modern Witch. Does that sound familiar?”
    Annie put her apple core into her lunch bag and rolled up the bag. “I don’t really remember,” she said. “Maybe I did. Maybe I needed it for a class or something.” She started to get up.
    Kate grabbed her arm. Annie looked startled.
    â€œFor two months straight?” Kate said, looking up at Annie.
    Annie glanced around the room. Kate was afraid the other girl was going to run away from her, and she gripped Annie’s arm more tightly.
    â€œPlease,” she said. “I need to know. Did you do anything with that book?”
    â€œMaybe I read it,” Annie said. “I don’t really remember.”
    â€œBut did you try any of it?” Kate asked.
    â€œI really have to go,” Annie said. “I have to study for a test.”
    â€œWhy not just do a spell?” Kate said. “Isn’t that how you get all your other grades?”
    Annie glared at Kate as if she’d been slapped.
    â€œLet go of me,” she snapped. She jerked her arm out of Kate’s grasp and walked away quickly, hugging her books to her chest.
    Oh, great, Kate thought. I just went and insulted the one person who might be able to help me . Getting up, she walked after Annie, who had disappeared through the cafeteria doors.
    When Kate exited the cafeteria, she saw Annie at the end of the hall. Running quickly, she caught up with the retreating girl.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said, walking beside Annie, who refused to look at her. “I don’t know who else to ask. Your name was on the checkout card for the book.”
    Annie stopped and turned to look at Kate. “What do you want?” she said. “And why do you think I can help you just because I checked some stupid book out of the library?”
    Annie’s face was red, and she almost looked as if she were about to start crying.
    â€œYou did try some of the spells, didn’t you?” Kate said suddenly. Something about the way