Shifter Magick (3 page)

Kera blinked a few times
and focused on the professor
. Her grip loosened on the strap of her bag and instead of leaving, Kera found herself relaxed
. She didn’t know how much she missed or how long she sat staring at the professor before everyone stood up clueing her to the fact that class was over. She did know that she was an idiot.

Kera bolted from class in the midst of the rush.

“Kera.”
Tori’s voice rang out.

She
turned and found the red head dressed in a different version of the outfit she wore last night. She waved her hands to motion Kera over to where she stood between two guys.

Reluctantly Kera went over to them. “Hi.” Kera glanced back to the door of her class and saw the other students coming out.

“Kera, I want you to meet Nick Howell and Andrew Benedict.” Tori introduced them with an air of success about her.

Kera nodded to them. Nick was almost six foot with light brown hair and matching brown eyes. He stepped forward to greet her. “Nice to meet you Kera.”

Kera took his hand an
d noticed it was sweaty. Was he
nervous?

Andrew pushed at Nick’s shoulder and stepped in front of her. “Kera Conway right?” he asked her.

Kera felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. “Yep.” She told him.

“Tori said she invited you to our party last night.” He held out his hand for her but when she shook it, Andrew kept her hand
possessively in his for much longer than she was comfortable with
. “Why didn’t you come?”

Kera took a calming breath and pulled her hand from his. “Not my scene.” She told him and flicked an annoyed glance at Tori.

“We were about to grab some food.” Andrew continued
, drawing her attention back to him
. “Is that more your scene?”

Kera noticed that Andrew was staring at her. She considered karma for a moment and wondered if this was how Maddox felt when she ogled him in class.  She was embarrassed with herself. “No thanks.” Kera said and began to walk away.

A hand gripped her arm and yanked. Kera could have kept going but the annoying tugging wasn’t going away. “What is your problem?” Tori whispered harshly.

Kera turned to her in surprise. “What?”

“That is Nick and Andrew!”

Kera didn’t get the gravity of the problem. Too bad. What she did get was that Tori was using her. She figured it was supposed to be a double date or something. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I don’t know them and I just met you last night.” She tried to remain calm.

“So?” Tori pleaded suddenly desperate. “It’s just lunch.”

“I have another class.” Kera said trying to make her voice sound final.

Andrew suddenly appeared beside her. Tori straightened and smiled at him. “Maybe another time?” He tried to sound pleasant but Kera felt her skin crawl. “I wouldn’t want to make you late for your class.”

“Yeah.” Kera agreed
and began
to walk away again.

“Nice to meet you Kera Conway.” Andrew called after her.

Kera waved behind her as she continued her escape. To her dismay she noticed Maddox standing in front of an unpainted sports car. He didn’t seem to have noticed her strange encounter but then again why would he care? She did find herself glad he hadn’t noticed her talking to her guys. Not like she considered herself available and wanted him to know it too. If she was normal, yes. But she would just embarrass herself.

Maddox glanced at her and she felt her cheeks burn. She looked away a second after he did. She reminded herself a hundred times on the way back to her dorm that he wasn’t interested in her. She was just the girl who wouldn’t stop staring.

When she made it back to her dorm she found Rebecca
sat on her bed listening to ear
phones. He had changed out of her fancy clothes to pink sweats and fuzzy slippers.

Kera groaned internally and wished suddenly that Rebecca would rush out of the room because she was late for class. She tossed her book bag on the floor and noticed the flat iron by the mirror. She cringed at the moment of weakness. If she started worrying about how she looked, she was only inviting friends and if she continued to lust after Maddox she would only disrupt her emotions further.

She couldn’t do this.

No more Maddox and no more dressing up.

“What’s up with you?” Rebecca asked as she pulled off her earphones and watched Kera curiously.

“Tori.” She ground out. “She tried to force me into a double date.”

“What?” Rebecca sat up with wide eyes.

Kera
lay
on her bed and looked at the ceiling. “She brought me a blind date for lunch.”

“Who?”

“Andrew.” Kera stated flatly. By the tone of Rebecca’s voice, she was upset. “Don’t worry I turned him down.”

Rebecca laughed without humor. “Why? Andrew is hot.”

Kera sighed. “He isn’t my type.” Thinking of Andrew gave her chills, in the bad way.
“Ever heard of a guy named Maddox?” The words popped out before she could
analyze
the meaning or take them back.

“Maddox Howell?” Rebec
ca whispered breathlessly. “Oh G
od yeah.”

Kera perked up when she realized Nick and Maddox had the same last na
me. “You know him?” she asked urgently
.

Rebecca blushed and fidgeted with her earphones. “I wish.” She finally said.
“I went to school with all of them. Andrew, Nick and Maddox have always been popular.”

Kera just
felt herself grow anxious just thinking about someone who was or had been involved with Maddox.
That didn’t make since to her because she wasn’t a violent or possessive person. She was a pacifist who was determined to bl
e
nd into the crowd.

“Why do you ask?” Rebecca implored.

“Oh no reason.” Kera tried to brush it off. “He was in my first class and this girl…”

Rebecca laughed. “He is the most eligible bachelor on campus. Luck
y
only one girl was all over him in your class. I had one where there was a group of them who wouldn’t leave him alone. He transferred out.”

Good grief! Did he think he would have to transfer because she had stared at him? Her cheeks heated.

“He is unobtainable.” Rebecca said softly like she was breaking news to Kera gently. “Don’t worry it will pass.” 

Kera shook her head. “It’s not like that.” She lied.

“Anyone but Maddox.” Rebecca said. “If you want what everyone wants then you lose just because of the odds. It’s nothing personal, just statistics.”

Kera nodded in agreement but the pit of her stomach was filled with disappointment.

             
“I want you to know I love you.” Her father’s voice pushed past her panic. “This is a time for you to meet new people.”

She couldn’t get past his original revelation.
“You’re really throwing it all away?” Kera asked him. She never expected him to send her away, then go through all of her mother’s things and get rid of things while she was gone.

“Are you
okay
with this?” H
er father’s voice turned soft.

Was he? Kera listened to him talk about all the memories he had with her mother. Of course she still felt guilty for being the reason her mother was dead, but she never wanted her father to suffer
when
he didn’t have to. So Kera
pretend
ed to be excited for him
.

Hours later and s
he still couldn’t wrap her head around what was going on back home. It would take all day
to drive back
, but maybe she should visit home this weekend.

Kera
blinked and reminded herself to listen. She
sat in the back of Professor Tate’s class as he spoke dramatically. “It will be first and foremost the underline synopsis of this class…” dramatic break, again, “… considering the neophyte nature of undergraduates, it would be unfair for me not to inform you…” pause again for dramatic effect, “fifty percent of your grade will be awarded for your team effort on understanding the process that has encompassed realizing, defining and accepting an established mental disorder.”

Professor Tate then smiled smugly at the reaction from his students.

Pens and pencils scratched furiously on paper. Everything he said after fifty percent of your grade was mumbled under the breath of each student. Finally he continued.

“Raise your hand when I call your name. Anthony Forester and Teresa Gates…” He paused, “…Schizophrenia.”

He continued until over half the class was paired before Kera heard her name.

“Julie Hartley and Kera Conway…” pause, “Sociopathic disorder.”

Kera locked eyes with a girl
at a table
across the room.

After class Julie walked up to her briskly. “Kera?” She asked. She had brown hair pulled into a pony tail and glasses that looked too small for her face. Her expression wasn’t happy and for some reason Kera felt like she was the cause.

“Nice to meet you Julie.” She said as she put her things back into her bag.

Julie gave her a slight half smile and then crinkled her nose. “
We only have six
weeks.
I think we should draw out a schedule.” She said in a nasally voice.

Kera nodded and made her way to the exit.

Julie followed like a puppy dog to its new owner. “I must obtain the best grade on this project.”

Kera nodded in agreement. “
Okay
.
”

“I don’t think you understand.” Julie rushed in front of Kera to get her attention. “I am working for valedictorian.” She announced with her nose in the air.

Wow. Kera walked around her as she said. “I understand.” The sun was almost blinding as it reflected off the thin layer of water on the ground. She glanced back at the now silent Julie to see if she lost her in the crowd.

Unfortunately Julie was still there.

Her face was flushed as she looked past Kera. The students were thinning and when Kera turned around, she realized what Julie was staring at.

“Hi.”

“Andrew.” Kera greeted him. “What are you doing here?”

“I wondered if you would go with me to a get together at my house on Friday?” He raised his eyebrows slightly at Julie.

Kera glanced over and noticed Julie’s star struck expression. Smiling, she
introduced her. “Andrew, this is Julie Hartley.” Was it physically possible to direct his attention to Julie rather than her?

“Hey.” Andrew acknowledged her briefly before he took out his cell phone. “Give me your number Kera, I will pick you up.”

Kera snorted.

He looked up. “Is something wrong?”

Kera adjusted the strap of her bag. “We were just given a big project.” She began.

“No.” Julie almost shouted. Her breath came in short pants. “I – we would love to come. The project can wait.”

Andrew laughed. “Yeah, bring your friend.” He motioned his head to Julie then waited with his phone expectantly.

Kera hesitated for a moment trying to find the right words. “Like I said earlier, I am not really into the party scene.” She heard Julie gasp and looked over in time to see her face fall.

Andrew stepped back into Kera’s line of vision. “You didn’t want to have lunch either.” He said in an accusing manner. “What is your thing?”

“I don’t know.” Kera responded with all honesty. “I appreciate the invite but I have to go.”

Andrew tilted his head in disbelief. “What are you hiding?” he asked quietly.

Kera stepped back. “Nothing.”

He narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m surprised. Everyone hides something.”

Kera laughed with unease. “Well t
hey wouldn’t hide it if they meant everyone to know
would they?” She asked sarcastically. Rather than waiting for a reply she continued
. “Again, I appreciate the invite.” She tried to look at Andrew with what she remembered of her mothers’ don’t-mess-with-me expression but he didn’t seem intimidated.

Andrew shook his head as he put his phone away. “You confound me Kera Conway.” He chuckled before walking away.

Julie didn’t let her go as easily. She got away with her cell phone number and
email address.

The next Friday,
Kera
sat on the top story of the library finishing homework. There wasn’t much more she could do with it either. The chair that had become hers was right next to a window that
overlooked the center of the college. She sat wondering how many people in the world knew she existed. Only one that really mattered.

She still hadn’t made a real friend like her father wanted her to. He was probably still at the diner serving the late dinner crowd. Kera felt guilty for the peace and quiet of the library. Last time they had spoken Kera had over exaggerated her excitement for her ‘new adventure.’
Her dad’s
new adventure of going through her mother’s old things sounded more exciting at this point.