Chapter 3 PINKY PROMISE
KAYLA
Rhea was the first to break the awkward silence that followed. She extended a hand to me with a bright smile. "Hi, Kayla. I remember you. You're the girl who's always hanging around the door of our classroom once it's lunch break so you can eat with Zayn, right?"
I forced a tight-lipped smile and took her hand. "Yeah, that's me.. I guess."
"Nice to properly meet you. Everyone knows how close you two are, he talks about you like you're actual siblings."
Something sharp pierced my chest. My eyes flicked to Zayn and he offered a small smile, but I didn't return it. I didn't know how to.
"I hope you don't mind me stealing him away for a few minutes. He owes me a dance and he needs to pay up before my parents send my driver to come get me."
I stepped back involuntarily. "No, it's fine. I was just about leaving anyway."
"So soon?" Zayn asked, and he almost sounded like he wanted me to stay, or maybe that was just my imagination running wild.
"Yeah. Mom gave me a curfew."
"Ugh, curfew is the worst," Rhea chirped, and I had to work very hard to keep my expression neutral before my feelings showed up all over my face. "You know, we should hang out sometime. Just the two of us. Girls' day out. I'd love to get to know Zayn's little sister better."
My lips pressed into a thin line. Little Miss Rainbows and Sunshine knew exactly what she was doing calling me his sister. Out of every girl in school it just had to be this type. Fake-faced bi—
"So what do you say?" Rhea asked, cutting into my thoughts.
"Of course. Can't wait," I said, flashing another smile that didn't reach my eyes.
She squealed, then spun Zayn in the direction of the dance floor, leaving me standing completely alone. It felt like someone had driven a dagger straight into my chest. If this was a dream it had officially crossed into nightmare territory, and I was desperate to wake up. I pinched myself again.
Nothing.
This couldn't possibly be real—
An idea sparked in my mind.
Something had happened back in my bedroom, and as insane as it sounded, I was a Sorceress. I knew magic existed. The possibility that I'd somehow jumped back in time wasn't that far-fetched, was it?
I sucked in a slow breath. If my theory was right, if I'd used magic to travel back, then all I had to do was pull up that same surge of energy and push even further back. Back to before Miss Fake Face ever walked into Zayn's life.
I tuned out the music and the noise around me, closed my eyes, and waited. I reached inward, searching for that same build-up I'd felt in my room, willing my magic to rise and do the rest. I could already feel it stirring somewhere deep in my chest, swelling steadily like a tide coming in. I squeezed my eyes tighter, trying to hold my focus.
A hand closed around my wrist.
"What do you think you're doing?" Zayn's voice was low and close, barely above a whisper. "We can't use magic on school grounds, Kayla."
His eyes dropped to my palm. A golden glow had already gathered there, pulsing softly like a small flame. He slid his hand into mine, closing his fingers around it until the light died out. My chest fluttered.
"I...I didn't realize—"
"It's fine. Come on." He was already pulling me toward the exit before I could say anything else. "You're lucky no one noticed."
I glanced over my shoulder half-expecting to find Rhea somewhere behind us, watching with narrowed eyes, but she was nowhere in sight.
"Where's Rhea?"
"Her driver came early," he said simply, still holding my hand.
Something in me quietly exhaled. This was my chance. Maybe I could find the right words, maybe I could make him see. I cleared my throat, trying to organize my thoughts as we stepped outside and the cold night air hit our faces, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the hall we'd just left.
"So. New girlfriend, huh?"
He let go of my hand and the sudden absence of his warmth made something drop inside me, but I kept my face even. Zayn turned and started in the direction of our neighborhood without a word. I didn't bother asking. I just fell into step beside him.
"Yeah," he said quietly, pushing his hands into his suit pockets. "Still kind of feels unreal, honestly."
"Tell me about it," I muttered under my breath.
He glanced sideways at me. "What?"
I let out a short laugh. "Nothing. I'm just surprised your parents are okay with you dating a—"
"A what?" He stopped walking, turning to look at me directly. "Dating a non-Sorceress? A human?"
I shook my head, already sensing the shift in his mood. I scrambled for something to say but he got there first.
"I already know my parents won't approve, which is why you're the only person I'm telling." His voice dropped, losing its edge. "I just want to know what normal feels like for once. Not constantly worrying about hiding what I am or keeping my distance from everyone because of what I might do. Is that really so bad?"
My mouth opened. Nothing came out. I was afraid that if I pushed even one word past my throat I'd fall apart completely. And this, none of this had happened the first time around. I never knew feeling different weighed on him this heavily. To me it had always felt special, something that made us make sense together. Hearing it described as a burden cracked something open in me I wasn't prepared for.
He dragged a hand through his messy blonde hair, completely unaware of how much it made my chest ache just to watch him. "I didn't mean it like that, I don't want you thinking I hate what we are. I love it, genuinely. But sometimes it gets heavy, you know? High school is supposed to be different. I don't want it to be like middle school where I spent half the time just trying not to accidentally hurt someone. Between learning to control everything and keeping my guard up around people—”
"It gets lonely," I finished quietly.
He looked at me for a moment. Then nodded. "Yeah. Exactly." A small breath of a laugh left him. "See, I knew you'd get it."
I waved a hand like it was nothing, even though something inside me was quietly splintering. "Of course I get it. You don't have to explain yourself to me, and I promise this stays between us."
He grinned and I hated that his dimples still had the nerve to make my stomach flip after the night I'd just had. "Good. Because I actually need a favor."
"Already?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Just hear me out." He reached for my wrist again, already steering us down the street. "You told me you've been practicing new spells lately, right?
I blinked. "I...yeah. Why?"
He glanced at me sideways, something unreadable flickering across his face. "Because there's something I need help with. And you're literally the only person I trust enough to ask."
I held up my pinky finger before I could stop myself, the way we'd done since we were kids. "Pinky promise you're not about to get me into trouble?"
He stared at it for a second, then a slow smile broke across his face as he hooked his own pinky through mine. We shook twice and broke apart.
"No promises," he said
