OMG... Am I a Witch?! by Talia Aikens-Nuñez

were once white but—”
    â€œArrr . . .” Austin started to cry.
    â€œWhat is that?” Eve asked. The girls peered under the bed.
    Austin flopped onto his side with his legs stretched out. “Umph,” he sighed with his mouth open. His tongue lay limp on the rug.
    â€œAwww. He is so cute. You sure you don’t want to keep him like this?” Eve asked, reaching her hand out to pet him.
    Austin’s eyes narrowed as he let out a
growl.
    â€œSorry, sorry.” Eve pulled her hand away from him. “You’re just a cute little doggie . . . that looks, uh, hungry or, uh, thirsty—”
    â€œOh, crud! I’ll get him some water,” April jumped up. She went into the bathroom, which was next to her room. She grabbed the cup she used to rinse out her mouth after she brushed her teeth.
    Perfect. Eww, I don’t want a dog drinking out of my cup. Maybe I should use his cup. It’s his, uh, mouth.
    She put her cup back onto the sink counter and picked up his. She filled it with water, then hurried back to her bedroom.
    Door, please open.
    It opened. She walked through.
    Door, please close quietly. It gently closed. Eve and Grace stared with their mouths open. This really is getting fun.
    â€œClose your mouths. My nana says, ‘You may choke on a fly that way. ’ ” April chuckled as she set the water down in front of Austin who was still under the bed.
    â€œOMG . . . you really may be a witch.” Grace shook her head, and returned to looking at the book. “So . . .” She raised her eyebrows. “How did you get this big, old book out without your parents seeing you?”
    Eve smirked again. “My mom was watching one of her DVR’d shows. And, Dad was still at work,” she explained. “My mom doesn’t hear anything when she’s into one of her shows.”
    They all laughed.
    â€œOk. Give me a minute. I have to find that spell again,” Eve said.
    The girls were silent. They looked over Eve’s shoulders at the fancy French lettering. Each turn of a page crackled and let out the scent of old-book-plus-basement.
    â€œWhat does it say?” April asked. “What do those symbols mean?”
    Eve did not reply. She continued to mumble quietly to herself.
    â€œEve? Eve?” Grace asked, staring at Eve’s face.
    â€œGive . . . me . . . another . . . second . . . AH HA!” Eve exclaimed. “I’ve got it! Your brother will be back to normal in just a few easy . . .” Eve’s eyes stayed focused on the page. “Well . . .” her voice raised an octave. “Well, maybe not easy for . . . um, you.” Eve bit her lower lip as she looked at April.
    â€œHuh?” April looked over the top of her glasses. “What do you mean not easy for m e ?”

twenty-one
    â€œ

    Well, um, let’s just start with the first step, ok?” said Eve. “Sorry, about the zoning out. My French is ok, but I have to focus. I don’t read it very fast. April, what is your brother’s favorite drink?”
    â€œOh, that’s a no-braine r ! Chocolate milk.”
    â€œOK! Can you go get some chocolate milk?”
    â€œOk, ok, ok,” April said, trying to convince herself this would be easy. “But, what if Mom asks me something about you-know-who?” She angled her head in Austin’s direction. He was still busily licking up the water.
    â€œDon’t forget, we said earlier that they were up late playing that new video game. Just say that he’s still sleeping. We both know he AND Michael sleep really late.” Grace looked at the clock. “It’s not even ten yet.” Grace pointed at the clock, which read 9:42am.
    â€œYeah, I can do that. I want to fix this,” April dropped her shoulders, pushed out her chest, and took a deep breath. “I AM going to