Charm and Consequence (Novella) - By Stephanie Wardrop Page 0,2

feel mortified. I can’t even speak because I'm too busy concentrating on squelching that tingly feeling in my nostrils that comes before tears, and loathing myself for feeling it.

“Some other time, then?” Trey says and puts a hand on Michael’s shoulder for a second. Michael turns to me and starts to say something but I turn my head and he just walks away.

When he’s gone, I finally look up and say, “Well, I’m not offended. Not in the least.”

The bell starts to ring and Tori stands up, eying me with concern. Trey laughs, though, and tells me, “Don’t mind him. I’ve only known him for a few weeks, and Michael is, like, one of the smartest guys I’ve ever met. But socially …he seems kind of oblivious sometimes.”

Tori giggles and Trey grins at her, pleased with whatever he did to produce the sound. “You can come with us anyway,” he tells me, which is awfully decent of him, and Tori nods so vigorously her curls shake.

“No, you two crazy kids try to have fun without me,” I say as a horde of students approaches the double doors to push into the school before the bell rings. I get lost in the human surge, feeling a sickening combination of anger and humiliation roiling in my stomach.

Much later at home, I’m sitting on my bed trying to get past number three on my calculus homework when Tori comes in, looking all apologetic and worried.

“You know Michael didn’t mean to hurt your feelings this afternoon,” she says as she takes a seat on her bed. I don’t know what annoys me more, the fact that she presumes that I am still brooding about it or the fact that I actually am still brooding about it.

“Oh, I’m sure Michael didn’t think about my feelings at all,” I say.

“I mean,” Tori explains, “I don’t think he meant to sound so rude to just blow you off like that.”

“Tor, don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal. I can accept that I am a mere mortal and therefore not good enough for the illustrious Longbourne Endicotts.”

Tori sighs. “I’m sure Michael’s really not like that.”

“Not like what? A self-satisfied dingwad? Because it seems that he’s exactly like that. He didn’t have to be repulsed by the idea of being seen in public with me. It’s not like it was a date or anything, right? Just four people going to a movie? Not a lifetime commitment. No need to start a gift registry, no engraved invitations. Just watching the same freakin’ movie.”

“You really can come with us Friday, if you want,” she coaxes, reaching out a hand. I take it for a second and shake my head. “Absolutely not,” I say. “It will be bad enough hanging out here with Leigh and her Jesus Freak boyfriend. I don’t need to go out for humiliation.”

Tori sighs again, walks over to the dresser, and pulls out her pajamas.

She doesn’t mention it again.

The Secret Perversions of Harry Potter

Just when I think that the hypocrisy level in Longbourne has reached critical mass, I get home from school on Friday and find one of my younger sisters, Leigh, in the kitchen with a boy. Two things are so startlingly wrong with this picture that for a second I think I’ve walked into the wrong house. For one, it’s Leigh with an actual boy her own age, and for another she has on a bright berry-colored sweater and jeans and the front pieces of her hair are pulled back in a ponytail cascading over the rest of her long ,wavy dark blonde hair, while normally she looks like she shops the clearance rack of Amish R Us. I realize the new Jesus Freak would-be boyfriend must be really early for dinner. It's too late to back out the door because they’ve seen me.

“Hi, Georgia,” Leigh says brightly as she sets down a glass of milk in front of the boy seated at our little breakfast table. “This is Alistair Colwin.”

“Oh, Alistair,” I say as I set down my bag. “Your dad’s the new minister at Leigh’s church, right?”

At first he just nods because he has a mouthful of the cookies I baked last night, then wipes the crumbs from his mouth, and says, “Yes. We would like to see you there next Sunday, as well. You and all of your family.”

“Don’t count on it,” Leigh sniffs when she takes the seat across from him.

“Yeah, the rest of us Barretts are pretty much dyed-in-the wool