Page 16 of Mistaken Magic

"I'llmake you a deal..." she said, that devious smile coming back to her lips.

Liam'svoice interrupted before she could finish her thought. "Aspen!" he barked, making her head snap around with wide eyes. "Whatare you doing?" he demanded, not even all the way into the atrium.

"I'mhelpingRain," she said innocently.

"How?" he demanded, slowly walking toward us. "Shedoesn't know about your tricks."

Aspenlaughed again. "Nobadtricks,Liam.Ijust asked what kind of girl she wants to be."Thenshe looked at me. "Well?"

Somethingabout those strange blue eyes held me, making me want to answer honestly. "Thekind who isn't always alone,"Itold her. "Idon't care ifI'mpopular or not.I'llnever be rich.Ijust want to find someplace whereIcan actually be myself."

Fora long moment,Aspenstared at me, almost like she was judging my words, but she didn't respond.Instead, she turned to look up atLiam.Thestrangest thing was how he was waiting, acting like her opinion actually meant something.

"Iwant her," she finally said.

"Aspen..."Liamtried.

Butthe jovial girl's attitude changed to pure rage in an instant. "IsaidIwanther!Youwill make it happen.Thisis not a request, do you understand me?Sheis special, and none of you can see it.Thisis exactly where she belongs.TellIvyIsaid so!"

Liamdipped his head. "I'llhandle it."

"Shecan't wear those clothes."

Henodded. "Ihave a feeling that's not a problem."

"AndI'llbe nice to her."Shepaused, doing a little half-shrug. "Asmuch asIcan."

"Whatabouthim?"Liamasked, not saying which "him" he meant.

Aspen'ssmile grew a little more. "He'lllike her.She'sinteresting."

"Sois she safe here?"

"Fornow,"Aspenagreed. "Andwhen she's not,I'lltell you.Isthat a fair trade?"

"I'llaccept it," he said softly. "I'meven hoping you two can be friends - since it seems you don't know her."

"Idon't,"Aspenadmitted, "butIthinkI'dlike to.Sheseems a little... lost."

"Sowere you once," he said.

"Notthe same way,"Aspensaid, rolling her eyes. "No,Rainis interesting.Ijust don't know why yet, butIintend to find out."

"Um, it's actuallyLorraine,"Itried.

"Was," she told me. "Nowit'sRain."

"Justgo with it,"Liamsaid before looking back at the girl who'd taken an intense interest in me. "Andif you're done,I'mgoing to take her back and make arrangements for her to transfer here.Benice,Aspen, and not your version, but mine."

Shenodded emphatically. "Ican do that."

Andthen, without another word to me, the manic little pixie girl just skipped away from the willow, aiming for the door on the opposite wall.Shewas almost too cute to be real, and oddly beautiful at the same time.Iliked her, though.Granted, girls like her didn't usually care at all about girls like me.

AllIcould do was shake my head.Ihad no clue why she'd even noticed me, let alone cared at all.Maybeshe was a little special?Thiswasn't a school for troubled kids, was it?Liamhad described it as a college trade school.

"She'sa little different,"Liamexplained, almost mimicking my thoughts.

"Isshe..."Imade a circle around my ear in the universal symbol of crazy.

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