New Year’s came sooner than I expected, and for once, I was dreading it.

“I don’t know why you’re so long in the face,” Callie called over her shoulder as she flipped through the clothes in my closet. “You have four hotties waiting for you back at school. I’m sure you could call up any one of them, and they would rush to be your kiss at midnight.”

I tipped my head back from where I laid on my bed to look at her. “I’m not about to text one of them this close to New Year’s like some kind of desperate loser. Besides, I might not even get to stay there. Why get attached?” While my parents reassured me that everything was fine, I knew they were lying. Things were not fine, but I didn't know what I could do to fix it.

I stared at the text messages on my phone, longing to do just what Callie said. I’d kept in pretty close contact with Dale and Paul since winter break, but neither of them had mentioned anything about New Year’s.

Probably already had plans. I sighed and rolled over to my front, propping my chin on my hands. “Besides, if they were going to ask me, wouldn’t you think they’d have done it by now?”

Callie snorted. “You’re the hot shit on campus. Maybe they’re intimidated by you? You are some kind of magical royalty, aren’t you?”

Rolling my eyes, I moved off the bed. “Not really, I mean, my grandparents are famous for something or another, but that doesn’t have anything to do with me. Sure, I could use their name to get what I wanted, but I’m not going to do that to the guys I like. That’d just be f’d up.”

“With great power comes great responsibility,” Callie said in a low and booming voice. “Or at least it worked for Spiderman.” She shrugged and went back to invading my closet. She’d already picked her own outfit out, a pair of low riding jeans and a backless blood red top held together by two tiny sets of ties. She had colored her lips a dark red and her eyes a smoky brown, giving her a ‘seductress of the night’ kind of vibe. I felt bad for any guy she got her claws into tonight. She was going to eat them alive.

“I don’t think the web-slinger had to worry about abusing his status to get a date.” Sighing once more, I reached over her and grabbed the dress I already knew I was going to wear. I slipped out of my shorts and tank top and pulled the dress over my head. The silky material slid along my skin and settled at mid-thigh. The sparkling yellow dress complimented my skin tone and made me feel like a fairy princess. The straps were thick enough I could wear a bra beneath it, but the material thin enough that if I weren’t careful, my underwear lines would show.

“Here.” I turned to see Callie holding up a thong by the string. I reached for it, but she pulled it out of my reach with a smirk. “Be careful now, this magical device not only hides unwanted panty lines but, if seen, will attract the opposite sex at mass, sending them into a mouth-foaming frenzy.”

Rolling my eyes, I snatched the underwear from her and proceeded to switch out mine. “Haha, very funny. If I were planning on showing anyone them. Which I’m not.”

“Not even for Dale?” she teased while fluffing her hair in the mirror.

I paused and thought about it for a second. The redhead had slowly but surely made his way from friend to love interest to sex dream occupant. After the kiss we had shared, I had to say I couldn’t really deny the way my body warmed at the thought of him getting his hands on my panties.

“Hey!” Callie lifted up the necklace my dad had given me and turned toward me. “You should wear this tonight.”

My lips twisted to one side. “It doesn’t really go with my outfit.” I reached over and took the necklace from her, staring down into the blue-green stone. “Besides, I don’t want to accidentally wish something and rain down magical havoc on the unsuspected mortals.”

Callie giggled. “Speaking as one of those unsuspecting mortals, any party of Olivia’s could use some livening up.”

I couldn’t argue with her. Olivia Pecoski went to high school with us and threw a New Year’s party every year, and every year it was so dull that most of us were half asleep by the time the clock struck twelve. The only reason we even went was that it was a tradition. It seemed that just because we had all gone our separate ways for college didn’t mean that she would change it.

“Enough about me.” I sat the necklace back onto my dresser. “What about you? Going stag? What happened to all the hotties you were claiming to be at Brown? Couldn’t get one to come home with you huh?”

Callie snorted. “Those guys don’t hold a candle to yours. I’m forever ruined by the magical genes of Winchester Academy.” She sighed and stared off into nothing.

“You never even stepped foot on campus,” I reminded her as I applied my own makeup. “How do you know there’s anyone to ruin you for all other guys? Maybe I got them all?” I grinned at her through my mirror above the dresser. I slashed some pale pink lip gloss over my lips and then applied mascara and liner.

“Like you have the monopoly on hot guys?” she quirked a brow at me and then suddenly took the eyeliner pencil from me. “Here, let me.” I closed my eyes as she continued to line my eyes. “Just because I haven’t been on campus doesn’t mean I didn’t see the people going in and out of the gates. And let me tell you, there are some fine pieces of work in there. I’m talking orgy worthy specimen.” She smacked her lips together as I laughed before pulling back from my face. “There. All done.”

I opened my eyes and glanced in the mirror. Happy that she hadn’t turned me into a raccoon, I took the pencil from her and put it away. “Alright then, let’s get this thing over with.”

“Ooo, tingles just went up my spine.” Callie shivered and cooed. “You sure know how to put a girl in the mood to party.”

I shoved a hand at her back and pushed her toward the door. “Come on, Cinderella. Time to find your prince charming.”

Callie scoffed. “Yeah, right. I’m more likely to find a pumpkin than a prince.” She dug her heels into the carpet and spun on me, pointing at my feet. “And talking of pumpkins, you better cover yours up unless this is your plan to dissuade the locals with your hairy hobbit feet.”

I wiggled my toes with a grin. “Oh right, shoes.” I moved toward the closet as I threw over my shoulder, “I’ll meet you downstairs. And my feet aren’t hairy.”

“Whatever you say, Bilbo.” She winked and giggled before heading downstairs.

Digging through my closet, I found a pair of sparkly silver heels. I didn’t plan on dancing tonight. Olivia’s house wasn’t really meant for that kind of activity, not that some of the couples wouldn’t try. There’d be drinking, food, and talking. Maybe a few childish games like spin the bottle but nothing that would require me to have comfortable shoes, not unless there was a zombie outbreak, but what’s the likelihood of that happening on New Year’s Eve? I was more worried about my own emotions going out of whack and causing some kind of magical catastrophe, especially since I knew Jaron would be there tonight.

The thought of my ex-boyfriend and breaker of my heart made me clench my hands into fists. He shouldn’t affect me like this anymore. It’s been almost a year since we broke up. Besides, I had more than enough guys to keep my attention. Better guys. Sure, they had their own set of problems, but every single one of them was better than Jaron.

Then why did I still have a feeling of desperation at showing up to the party alone? What if Jaron showed up with a date? Would I be the only one there without someone to kiss at midnight? Suddenly, going to this party didn’t seem like a good idea.

As I headed for the door, I caught sight of the amulet again. Maybe. My feet started toward it before I could completely form my thought. I picked up the amulet and stared down at it. Chewing on my bottom lip, I agonized over using it. My dad wouldn’t have given it to me if he didn’t want me to use it, right? And it wasn’t like it was a life-changing wish, I just want someone to kiss at midnight, so I don’t look like I’m still pinning away after my ex. Which I wasn’t. Not. At. All.

Holding the amulet close to my heart, I closed my eyes and muttered a wish. Callie’s voice called out, startling me. I dropped the amulet back down and stared at it for a moment before shaking my head with a frown. Heading downstairs, I worried over what I had done.

What was I thinking to make such a silly wish? Now with my luck, instead of worrying about Jaron catching me alone like some loser, I’d be worried about the magical ramifications of my wish. What was that saying?

Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true. In this case, I hoped the amulet was a dud, and I was just making myself worry for no reason.

“What’s wrong?” Callie asked, waiting by the front door. “You look like you’re going to vomit.”

I forced a smile on my lips and shook my head. “No, I’m fine. Just nervous about seeing everyone after so long.”

“Well, don’t. You look hot.” She licked her finger and hissed as she pretended to burn herself on my skin. “Besides, if someone says anything, you could already turn them into a toad.”

“No, she can’t.” My mom appeared in the kitchen doorway a stern look on her face. “No magic in front of humans. You’re lucky that you’re Max’s best friend, or we might have had to wipe your memories.”

Callie’s eyes widened, and a look of terror came over her face. “You wouldn’t do that, would you, Mrs. N? I wouldn’t dare tell anyone about you guys’ secret, you know, that right?” She glanced between the two of us, the worry on her face getting worse the longer we remained silent. “Come on, I’m like a daughter to you.”

My mom and I exchanged a look before bursting into laughter, causing Callie to stomp her foot and scowl.

“So not cool.”

“I’m sorry, Callie. You’re just so easy to tease.” My mom smoothed a hand over Callie’s hand and hugged her close before turning her gaze to me. “I was being serious about the magic though. No magic. Not even to fix your makeup.”

I made a face. “Like I would try. I’m still learning here, I’m more likely to liquify myself instead of fixing it.”

My mom patted me on the shoulder. “I doubt that, but in any case, I’m happy to know that you have a firm sense of fear for your abilities. It will help you stay out of trouble.” She hugged me quickly before pushing us toward the door. “Don’t be too loud coming home, your dad has a red-eye flight tomorrow, and you know how cranky he can get.”

“Okay, bye. Love you!” I called out as Callie and I headed out the door.

“How sucky is it that your dad has to work on New Year’s Day?” Callie climbed into her car as I got in the other side.

I shrugged. “He loves his job. If he didn’t, I’m sure he wouldn’t do it.”

“If you say so.” Callie turned the key in the engine but, instead of pulling out onto the street, turned to me. “Are you ready to party?”

“Sure.”

“No, that’s not going to work for me.” Callie shook her head in disappointment. “I need more oomph. Say it like you mean it! Are you ready to party?”

Unable to help myself a grin crept up my face. “I’m ready!”

Callie whooped and bubbled in her seat. “Alright, that’s what I want to hear!” Pulling out onto the road, she blared the music as we drove down the street. Our music was soon drowned out by the music pouring out of Olivia’s two-story house.

Olivia’s house was only a few blocks away, technically close enough to walk but who wanted to walk in heels when you could drive? It made my mom feel better since that meant if I actually did get drunk, which I had no plan on doing, I could walk home and not have to worry about getting into a car wreck. Callie, who I knew would end up plastered, planned on coming home with me and sleeping there, partly because of the distance and partly cause her dad would kill her if she came home drunk. My parents didn’t have that same kind of worry. Strange as it was, they trusted me, and I didn’t want to break that trust, even if I was in college and technically an adult.

Or so they say.

Right that second, as Olivia’s house came into view and the sight of all my old schoolmates pouring into her house, I felt like it was first grade again, and I was the new kid. I sank down into my seat the closer we came, my eyes barely peeking over the edge of Callie’s convertible.

“What are you doing?” Callie laughed and smacked me on the arm. “You’re not going to have any fun like that. Let’s go.” She reached over me and opened the door, shoving me out before I could protest. I had the good sense to grab the door handle before I faceplanted into the grass in front of everyone.

“Why are you my best friend again?” I grumbled as she came around and helped me stand.

“Sorry,” she half-laughed. “I didn’t mean to manhandle you so much. I just don’t want you to let your fear of seeing Jaron ruin the party for you.”

Brushing myself off, I glanced around discreetly hoping no one had seen me face plant. “I’m not worried about seeing Jaron.”

Callie snorted. “You can face the mega-sonic bitch of all mean girls, but you can’t face your ex-boyfriend?” Not waiting for me to grow a pair, Callie started toward the front door, smiling and greeting everyone she saw.

“That was different,” I claimed, catching up to her at the door. Olivia stood at the entry grinning from ear to ear. Her dark hair was twisted up into some kind of Chinese updo I could never replicate, no matter how hard I’d tried. She wore bright green eyeshadow that stood out against her doll-like features. Olivia had an intense need to make herself look more adult than she actually was. She was perpetually placed in the Lolita category, and she had to compensate by dressing more adult. Well, in her case, adult meant provocative. Her small chest was pushed up to her chin, and I feared I’d be getting an eye full of her butt if she ever bent over even the slightest.

“Hey, Olivia!” Callie squealed and hugged her close before pulling back to look her over. “I love your dress. Another one from your cousin over in Tokyo?”

Olivia nodded, her eyes darting to me then back to Callie. The look she gave me was strange, hesitant. Olivia and I didn’t have any issue with each other, not that we ran in the same circles or had anything in common, so I brushed off her peculiar behavior. “Yes! I just got it for Christmas. It’s so hot, isn’t it?” She struck a sexy pose which only made her look more like a child playing dress up, but I didn’t say anything. I knew when to keep my mouth shut.

“It’s really great.” Callie grinned, genuinely pleased to be there. She turned to me and grabbed my hand. “Come on, Max. Let’s get something to drink. Talk to you later, Ol!”

I let Callie drag me through Olivia’s house, the music so loud I feared the decorative plates on the wall might fall off and break at any moment. We had arrived about the time everyone else had so the house wasn’t quite filled to capacity. Thankfully, that made it so we could get to the kitchen and to where the drinks were pretty easily.

“Here,” Callie handed me a beer, and I grimaced. I put it back and grabbed a soda. “Oh, come on, you have permission to drink and you still won’t?” she chastised me as she chugged down her own beer.

I eyed her as she grabbed a second can. “I think you are drinking plenty for both of us. Besides, I’m still not used to ...” I lowered my voice looking for eavesdroppers. “... my powers. I don’t want to chance blowing up the whole house because I got drunk.”

“Ah!” Callie pointed a finger at me. “Good idea. Alcohol bad. In fact,” - she set her beer down and grabbed a soda instead, - “I will join you in your sobriety and even run interference if you know who shows up.”

I smiled softly at her. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to ruin your fun because of my handicap.”

“If you’re sure.” Callie quickly picked her beer back up with a grin and wink. “I plan on getting shit faced and make out with someone I won’t remember in the morning.”

Laughing at her, I took a drink of my soda and scanned the kitchen. There were a few I recognized from high school, but it seemed a lot of them were people I didn’t know. Olivia’s parents were nowhere to be seen which was normal. They were usually out on business and left her home alone. It was the only way she was able to have such big parties without getting into trouble.

“Think the cops will break it up this year?” I asked as Callie led us through the kitchen and to the living room where some people had begun to dance around. At least two times before, we had the cops called on us, but Olivia’s dad was some big shot lawyer, and Olivia never ended up in trouble or anything for the underage drinking going on. That’d have never gone over in my family. Well, now that I thought about it, my mom could have magicked away their memories. It also made me wonder if she had ever altered mine.

“God, I hope not.” Callie moved her body to the beat of the music, wiggling my arms and trying to convince me into dancing. I laughed and shook my head before giving in by shimming a bit. My shimming changed to a full-out body sway that made me regret my shoe decision.

I laughed and danced with Callie letting my mind get off of the reason I dreaded coming. The party was in full swing now and getting more crowded by the second. Not wanting to get trampled, I inched away from the dance floor. I motioned to Callie that I was getting a drink before pushing my way through the crowd. We only had a few minutes until midnight, and I so didn’t want to be near Callie when she found her victim for the night.

Someone called my name, and I turned to say hi. My foot caught on someone else’s, and I tripped. My hands grabbed the first thing I could latch onto which ended up being a very familiar pair of shoulders. Straightening myself, I released the shoulders and tried to make a run for it, but it was too late. I’d been seen.

“Max?” Jaron’s voice made my shoulders hunch up around my ears, and I forced myself to relax as I turned around.

“Jaron? Hi.” I hoped my smile wasn’t as forced as my voice sounded.

“I didn’t think you were going to come.” I couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or surprised. Not that it mattered. It didn’t.

“Uh, yeah. Callie made me.” I lifted a shoulder as if it answered everything.

“Well, I’m glad you did.” Jaron smiled at me, his dark eyes glazed over already from the alcohol. He looked good even after all this time. His strong nose down to his pouty lips covered in ... was that lipstick?

As I leaned in to get a closer look, a head popped out around Jaron. “Hey, Max,” Olivia said tightly, her lipstick slightly smeared on her face, matching the same shade on Jaron’s lips. Ah, it made sense now. The strange look at the front door was because she was with Jaron now.

“Hi.” I gave her a nod and then gestured my head toward the kitchen. “I’m just going to go get a drink.”

“Wait, I—” Jaron started to say, but Olivia spoke over him.

“Okay, see you later.”

I didn’t wait to see if Jaron would try to talk to me but pushed my way toward the kitchen. I could feel the magic in me making my skin hum. I didn’t know why I was so worked up. Of course, Jaron would move on. I had too, hadn’t I? Yes, of course, I have. It was just hard to see your first love with someone else. That was it. I was lonely and vulnerable without a date. It was only natural I would feel frazzled.

Instead of staying in the kitchen, I pushed my way to the patio in the back where there were fewer people. A chill came over me, and I realized that, even in Georgia, skimpy dresses in the dead of winter were not a good idea. I was contemplating going back inside or risking freezing to death when I remembered I was a witch now.

There had to be a spell to warm me up. However, what that spell was I had no idea. I could attempt one, but then again, my mom had said no magic. Did I really want to take the chance of blowing myself or someone else up because I was too chicken to face my ex and his new girlfriend?

I started to scour my brain for something I had learned at school to take the bit of the cold off, but I was coming up blank. I had just about given up and decided to brave the crowd once more when a hand touched my bare shoulder, and a warmth came over me.

Glancing down at the hand, I followed it to a smiling Dale. “You looked cold.”

“What are you doing here?” I stepped closer to him, unable to believe my eyes. For a second, I thought my wish had actually come true.

Dale brushed his reddish-brown hair out of his face as it fell over his glasses and he shrugged. “Callie text me.”

I didn’t doubt that for one second. The sneaky woman no doubt found his number in my phone at some point and did the deed for me. I’d have to kiss and smack that girl later.

“Well, I’m glad she did.” I ducked my head, feeling slightly shy now that he was in front of me. We had spent weeks messaging each other, but in real life, it was so much different, and my body reacted in such a way.

“So, why are you out here risking frostbite rather than having fun with your friends?” Dale leaned against the railing of the patio. He wasn’t dressed in his usual button-down shirt and slack combination he wore to school. The t-shirt he wore stretched across his chest, showing me that he had muscle underneath he had been hiding from everyone. The difference was intriguing and just downright arousing.

Chewing on my lower lip as I tried to get a hold of my raging libido, I glanced toward the sliding glass door. “I ran into someone I didn’t want to talk to.”

“Your ex?”

My eyes shot over to his raised eyebrows. “How’d you know that?”

Dale lifted a shoulder. “You’ve mentioned him in passing before, I just assumed that’d be it.” I nodded in response, and we grew quiet. After a moment or two, Dale asked, “Do you still love him?”

“What?” I gaped. “No, nothing like that. I mean, he was my first ... love but that doesn’t mean I care anything at all about him now.” Even I knew I didn’t sound convincing. Sighing, I leaned against Dale’s side. “It’s not that I love him. It’s just ... he’s a reminder.”

“I get it.”

“You do?” I lifted my head to look at him.

“Yes, believe it or not, I have been in love before,” he said dryly, his lips twisting into a frown.

“I can believe it.” I had no doubt about it. Dale was dreamy in that intellectual kind of way. The glasses, the attitude, the shaggy hair, and that hidden hot bod? It was any girl’s wet dream when you put all together. Not that I was going to tell him that. I had my dignity after all.

“You’d be the first.” Dale sighed and shook his head. “I’m not exactly a catch back at school. I don't work in the administration office because I want to. If not for my work study I wouldn’t be going to college at all.”

“I feel ya there.”

Dale looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “What do you know about it? You have a rich family. You only have to worry about what pair of shoes to buy. And then end up buying all of them"

I snorted. “I know its hard to believe but I don’t have much of anything to do with my grandparents. They are the ones who are rich, not me.”

“Still, at least you have more than just your personality to get you by.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Why? Because you’re not from some famous wizarding family? Believe me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” I thought back to my grandparents and all the expectations they had for me. I’d rather have been someone like Dale. Things would have been so much easier.

Dale smiled sadly and brushed my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my skin. “You only say that because you just joined our world. If you’d have grown up in it, you’d be just as stuck on status as the rest of them.”

I frowned at him. “I’d like to think I wouldn’t be, but I can’t say what kind of person I’d have been. All I know is the kind I am now.” I grasped the hand on my face with my own. “And right now ...  right now, I know that you could be a human or the lowest of wizards and it wouldn’t keep me from wanting to kiss you any less.”

Smiling that masculine kind of knowing smile, Dale slid his other hand around my waist and drew me closer. His mouth descended on mine, and everything fell away. The warmth inside of me from his spell was replaced by the need for him and the touch and taste of him. I let out a moan as his tongue brushed against my lips, and I opened up to him.

Releasing his hand, I wrapped both arms around his neck, my fingers tangling in his hair like I had wanted to do since day one. He cupped the back of my thighs and lifted me onto the banister, placing himself between my legs. I’d have been worried about my dress sliding up, but his body would hide anything from being seen by onlookers.

Somewhere in the distance, I could hear shouting of some kind, but I didn’t care enough to come up from the consuming feeling of Dale’s mouth on mine. As close as we were, I wanted more of him. I had told Callie that I hadn’t planned on letting anyone see my thong that night, but Dale had lit something inside of me that made me want his hands on more than just my underwear.

A booming sound followed by another and another, startling me from Dale’s lips. We both looked up and saw the dark sky filled with multicolored sparks of light. Fireworks.

I could see over Dale’s shoulder that the people inside were partying harder than ever, many of them making out with their dates or whoever was closest. We’d missed the countdown, but with the guy in front of me making my whole-body tingle, I couldn’t bring myself to really care.

“Happy New Year, Max.” Dale grinned down at me before brushing his lips against mine once more.

“Happy New Year, Dale.”