Timespell by Diana Paz

his spot beneath their tree, a sandwich halfway to his mouth.
    It was impossible to keep her heart from leaping.
    She had missed him.
    She slowed, but continued toward him. He put his sandwich in its wrapper, his eyes never leaving hers. He stood and his smile— half disbelief, half pleasure—grew by the second.
    His hand reached out as if to take hers, then moved up to rub the back his head. His smile became hesitant. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
    It felt good to be near him. Why should she let Kaitlyn be a factor in her happiness? She could put it behind her. She would put it behind her. She smiled, unable to contain herself. She was so tired of feeling sad.
    “I missed you, David.”
    There. She had admitted it. Her feelings were out in the open.
    He grabbed her hands. “Angie.” The word was a breath of air.
    She wanted to step into his arms, but she wasn’t quite there yet and urged him down to sit with her instead.
    “I know this is going to take time,” he said, his words rushing out as if he could barely contain them. “And I know how lucky I am. I know it. I promise you, Angie, if it takes me rest of my life, I’ll make it up to you.”
    “Angie! There you are!”
    David looked up and Angie followed his gaze.
    Julia, her auburn hair flying free, raced through the courtyard with wild, flinging arms. “Oh my gosh, this is so crazy ,” Julia panted, fanning herself. “Man, I hate running. What’s going on? You saw me at third period, but you didn’t answer any of my texts.”
    “My phone is off. They’re not allowed in class, remember?”
    Julia rolled her eyes and Angie heard a distinctive, “Whatever,” under her breath. “Hi David,” Julia added, as if just realizing he was there. Angie caught the way Julia’s honey brown eyes hardened. “Mind if I steal her away for a sec?”
    His gaze faltered.
    Angie’s heart constricted at the sight. “Can it wait a minute?”
    “No. It can’t,” Julia said. She tapped a finger against her arm and mouthed, Come on!
    Angie kept carefully still, weighing what her words should be. She understood that it was about the magic, but the things happening between her and David were important too.
    He made the choice easy. “It’s okay, Angie. I’ll catch up with you later.” He squeezed her hand lightly and let go. “I love you.”
    His blue eyed-gaze hit her straight in the heart, but he left quickly, making her decision not to say ‘I love you’ back lesspainful. She turned to Julia, feeling a ball of anger roll up inside her. “This had better be urgent.”
    “It is! Look at this.” Julia pulled out a piece of paper from her backpack.
    She took the folded up sheet. “A painting. For your history paper? Did you really need to interrupt—”
    “Look at the girl in the picture.”
    She took a second look. The printout was black and white, and the image was grainy, but it was definitely a girl who bore an incredible resemblance to—
    “Oh my goodness.”
    Julia slumped. “I know.”
    Angie’s tongue became glued to the roof of her mouth. Her stomach turned as the air left her lungs.
    “She’s the third Daughter of Fate,” Julia said, her voice sullen. “She has to be. And there’s more.” She unzipped her backpack, digging around for something.
    Angie stared at the picture, her hands tightening on the sheet of paper. She couldn’t do anything except picture Kaitlyn and David. Together. The look of satisfaction on Kaitlyn’s face as she broke off her kiss with David. His horrified expression as he saw her and pushed Kaitlyn away. Her stomach bottomed out and the paper crinkled in her hands.
    “Angie?”
    She glanced up. She was going to be sick.
    Julia held her history book against her chest. Her brown eyes shone with worry. “We don’t have to do this.”
    Angie pressed her fingers to her eyes. Kaitlyn-David. David-Kaitlyn. Tears moistened her lashes as pain lanced her chest, tearing open the wound that had just begun to heal.