Under a Spell by Amanda Ashby

involved, didn’t look impressed.
    Sophie quickly shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ll see you in a few minutes. Save me a seat.”
    Once her friends headed for the front entrance, Sophie began to thread her way through the tables toward the small door at the back of the cafeteria.
    â€œSo, about this library business after school. That doesn’t include me, right?” Malik asked as he floated just above her head. “Because it sounds kind of dull. Besides, I have a much better idea. When I was with Kara in her art class, I saw a flyer for the school production. Did you know that the auditions are Thursday? Anyway, I thought I could go and get in some practice after school.”
    â€œWhat?” Sophie blinked at him.
    â€œ
The Wizard of Oz.
It’s a musical,” Malik explained in a patient voice. “Of course, I’ve got no idea why the wicked witch is green when everyone knows witches are purple. And the magic that they use in it is illogical, but really those are minor points.”
    â€œI know what
The Wizard of Oz
is, but I’m not sure why you want to practice when you can’t audition. Anyway, I promised Harvey that we would help him, and since I can’t trust you to stay out of trouble, you’re coming with us.”
    â€œFine,” the djinn ghost grumbled. “But if I die of boredom, don’t blame me.”
    â€œI wouldn’t dream of it,” Sophie replied as Malik sulkily floated ahead of her muttering something about “being bound all over again.”
    â€œHey, come back here. Malik—”
    â€œWho’s Malik?” a voice replied, and Sophie looked up to see that Melissa Tait had fallen into step next to her. Her glossy blonde hair was hanging in perfect cascades down around her shoulders, and her outfit was straight out of the pages of
Teen Vogue
, with that kind of fashion-forward styling that Sophie would never have. Also, as usual, she looked like she’d just eaten a whole bag of sour gummi worms.
    â€œEr, it’s the lyrics from a song…Neanderthal Joe’s new one,” Sophie improvised as she realized that once again she had been caught talking to an invisible ghost (who for the record had now disappeared out of the cafeteria).
    â€œNo wonder I haven’t heard it.” Melissa gave a dismissive shrug before coming to a halt and folding her arms in front of her chest. “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing.”
    â€œW-what am I doing?” Sophie resisted the urge tolick her lips, since Harvey had once told her that was a sure giveaway of nerves. And it wasn’t that she felt nervous around Melissa (because, really,
terrified
would be a much better word to sum up the situation). It was just that she didn’t want to annoy Jonathan’s twin sister more than she’d already managed to. “If this is about the jeans incident, then I’ve already told you how sorry I am. It was a complete accident. Plus, I replaced them for you. I’m not sure what else I can do.”
    â€œThis isn’t about the jeans,” Melissa said in a frosty tone that, if applied correctly, could probably help keep the polar ice caps from melting for about the next gazillion years. “Though don’t think I’ve forgotten about that, you freak.”
    â€œOh, right.” Sophie let out a sigh of relief before realizing that, if it wasn’t about the jeans, it must be about something else. She took a deep breath and tried to think positive, happy thoughts as she cautiously said. “So what’s the problem then?”
    â€œI’ll tell you what the problem is,” Melissa said in a low voice. “It’s you. Everywhere I look, there you are. First you’re hanging all over my brother like some kind of barnacle. Going to concerts with him and doing stupid little wavy things at him from your locker. And now you’re trying to get your