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

fix this.”
    Austin finally stopped drinking. He grumbled.
    â€œI know, I know. I said that before. This will work . . . this time. I’m sure.” April bent her body forward, looking under the bed. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
    She zoomed downstairs and zipped past the front door. She saw her father in the living room watching TV. She held her breath and whizzed through the dining room to the kitchen. She saw her mother and exhaled.
    Ok. I can do this. Remember: video games late and they usually sleep late.
    â€œHey, kiddo,” her mother said.
    â€œMom, can I have some chocolate milk?”
    â€œSure honey. Usually that is your brother’s favorite. I wonder when Austin is . . .” ACHOO!!!
    April’s heart beat faster. “Bless you, Mom,” she said, handing her a tissue from the counter.
    I just need the chocolate milk. I gotta get outta here. April looked into her mother’s eyes, which were watering and red. Geez! I am making her sick, I dehydrated poor Austin, not to mention turned him into a dog over these stupid glasses . . . Geez.
    â€œThank you, honey.” Mrs. Appleton smiled at April. “What was I saying again?”
    â€œThis is, uh, for . . . Eve.”
    Breathe. Just breathe. The faster I get this done, the faster Mom will feel better, and Austin will be back to normal.
    Her mom sneezed again. She rubbed her eyes.
    â€œBless you, Mom. Are you ok?”
    Her mother washed her hands. Then, she took a cup out of the cabinet.
    â€œYes. But my allergies are bothering me. Honey, have you been around any animals?”
    April slowly took a step away from her mom. She shook her head.
    Oh no! I am horrible. She never lied to her mother, and now she had lied to her twice in one weekend. She had to get upstairs ASAP.
    Her mother poured the chocolate syrup into the cup. She added the milk, stirred, and handed the glass to April.
    â€œThank you, Mom.”
    OK. Act normal. But get upstairs fast.
    â€œUh . . . ok . . . bye.” She began to leave.
    â€œHoney?”
    She held her breath and turned around to face her mother.
    â€œDo you and Grace want some chocolate milk, too?”
    April dropped her shoulders and exhaled. “Oh, ok, I’ll take up two more cups and we’ll all share.” She smiled and took the two cups her mom handed her. “Bye, Mom.”
    Don’t spill it. Don’t spill it.
    As she returned to her room, she heard Grace say, “April’s NOT going to like that.”
    â€œWhat?” April asked, closing her door. “What am I not going to like?” Her stomach began to churn.

twenty-two

    â€œOh . . . uh . . .” Grace said. “Great. You got the chocolate milk.”
    â€œGreat!” Eve said.
    â€œYEP!” April said with a smile. She placed the chocolate milk and cups on the dresser. “So . . . what am I not going to like?”
    Grace leaned forward. “April?”
    â€œYes, Grace . . .” April raised one eyebrow as she looked at Grace.
    â€œOK . . . you are not going to like the next step. But . . . uh . . . think about . . . getting Austin back to normal . . . ok?” Grace said, grinning.
    â€œNow . . . go get a used piece of Austin’s clothing,” Eve instructed.
    April raised one eyebrow. She looked at the book, then back at Eve. “Why? His room is disgusting. And his clothes are even grosse r !”
    â€œWell, the next step is a little gross.” Eve said, the pitch of her voice rising again. “It has to be a used article of clothing because it has his scent on it. Then, you have to cut three small squares off the used piece of clothing—”
    April wrinkled up her nose. “You want me to actually touch his dirty clothes?”
    â€œThat’s not the gross part,” Eve