Free White Witch by Trish Milburn

three guys are unloading band equipment. “Later, lovebirds.”
    Her words sound forced, making me wonder if it’s because of the post-call tenseness or possibly that she’s not as okay with being the flying-solo member of the group as she would like us to believe. I hope Mrs. Dawes’s words aren’t eating away at Toni. My friend is beautiful, inside and out, just not in the Barbie sort of way.
    “You ready?” Keller asks from beside me, sounding distant, like he’s still wrapped in the disagreement with his father.
    With a final glance at Toni, I nod. “Yeah.”
    He catches my gaze, holds it. I watch as a new emotion filters into his eyes, one I can only call determination. Maybe a touch of  . . . rebellion. He slips his fingers through mine. His palm feels warm, alive, and so right I can’t describe it.
    The volume of the music increases tremendously as we enter The Barn. Inside, it looks as if every student from the high school is there and then some. People are dancing to the DJ music, drinking and eating at little tables lining the walls, and filling what once was a hayloft. Toni and the rest of her band are setting up on the stage at the far end of the building.
    Keller leans close to my ear. “What do you think?”
    “I love it.” And I do. I enjoyed going to clubs in Miami, riding in on my fake I.D. and the bouncers’ inability to throw my companions or me out. Witch compulsion at work. At least I’d enjoyed the dancing. What came afterward  . . . no, that was all in the past.
    I want to have fun, but at no one else’s expense. Tonight I won’t be forced to end the evening by controlling someone’s mind for practice, making him steal or say something hurtful to someone he cares about. I shake off the memories, grateful I got away before I had to do something truly vile.
    Already, Eric has directed Paige to the dance floor.
    “Paige and Eric, who would have thought?” Keller says.
    “You didn’t know she liked him?”
    Keller shakes his head.
    I laugh. “Guys, you really are the clueless wonders of the world.”
    High on my new freedom and the heart-pounding bass in the song playing, I pull Keller toward the dance floor. I leave all worries about my family and his dad firmly on the edge of the room and start to dance, smiling at Keller until he joins in. From above, the dance floor must resemble a vibrating mass of teenage humanity, and I can’t picture a better place to be.
    I let myself go and dance with abandon, intoxicated by this life of my making, by the boy dancing close enough to generate sparks. When a thumping Rob Zombie tune fades away into a slow song, Keller doesn’t move away. Instead, he takes the one step separating us and pulls me close. He never looks away from my eyes as we move together, ignoring everyone around us.
    My heart beats so fast and hard that I’ve no doubt Keller feels it. Or is part of that beating his heart? I can’t tell which is which. I love the feel of his arms around me, his firm chest pressed close to mine. How is it possible to feel this good without popping like an overfilled balloon?
    Too soon the song fades away, but Keller doesn’t let go. I know I will ache with longing if he tries to break contact.
    “One more slow one before Nemesis takes the stage and blows the roof off The Barn!” the DJ says, earning cheers from the crowd.
    The next slow song starts, and I catch sight of Eric and Paige—kissing. I laugh. “Guess they decided to start making up for lost time.”
    Keller glances at his friends, then back at me. “Looks like a good idea.” He lowers his mouth to mine, and I do dissolve then.

Chapter Six
     
    I close my eyes, lift onto my toes and wrap my arms more firmly around his neck. Never, ever in a million lifetimes would I have imagined a kiss feeling this perfect, stirring my blood until I want to do . . . things I can’t do in the middle of a dance floor. Keller must sense my urgency because he eases away. When he speaks,