We cross the street to Janie’s house.
Mister Kal jumps down from Janie’s bed and purrs as he rubs his head affectionately across her legs.
‘Hey, Mister Kal,’ I say to him.
He stops rubbing his face all over Janie, looks up and hisses at me before retreating and jumping up to sit on Janie’s desk.
‘The red dress or the black?’ Janie asks me, unsure of which to choose.
‘The black, for sure!’ I tell her.
She strips her clothes and puts the dress on. It’s strapless and hugs her body, sitting above her knees. I watch as she puts her hair in a thick French braid, then flicks a couple of strands out to create a long fringe and spins around, ‘How do I look?’ she asks.
I smile enviously at her, ‘Pretty as a picture, Janie,’ I smile.
Janie claps her hands with excitement, ‘Great, and with time to spare, let’s see what we can find to turn you back into a full human,’ she says, placing her spell book beside her laptop and sitting at her desk.
I grab her fluffy chair, place it next to her, and watch as she flicks through her book and searches the net on her laptop.
Janie’s eyes dart from the pages of the book to the laptop. After ten minutes, she nods at her screen and then looks at me, ‘Everywhere I search, it mentions an anti-magic potion, but there’s a problem. They all say it’s impossible to make as the main ingredient is a Blossom Fox Flower which does not exist in the human world, but here it says a witch can perform a ritual of exchange,’ she says.
‘Okay, that’s great then! What do we need for the ritual,’ I ask, feeling a sense of joy at the thought of becoming human again.
I watch as Janie’s head slumps. ‘It says here we will need an altar, a wand, and a person of offering who will be given the curse or the effects of the spell. During the ritual, the potion's effects will transfer to the person of offering,’ she says.
The disappointment etched on my face is obvious, ‘So, it doesn’t remove the effects. It just passes it on to another person?’ I say to her.
‘I’m sorry, Rose. I’m really sorry,’ she says, placing her hand on my shoulder. She stares at me with sympathy. ‘I promise I will keep trying to find a way to change you back. There could be other options. We just haven’t found them yet,’ she assures me.
As we sit together in the gloom of our despair, the sound of a car approaching sends a sudden jolt of excitement through us. We scramble to our feet and rush onto the balcony, our hearts racing with anticipation. And there, pulling up in front of Janie's house, is Brad in the driver’s seat of a red Ford Ranger.
I wave frantically from the balcony, hoping he can see us in the fading light. As he steps out of the car, my eyes drink in the sight of him, and I can't help but feel a subtle surge of desire.
Brad is dressed in dark jeans that fit him like a glove, highlighting the muscles in his toned legs. His navy-blue button-up shirt hugs his torso, and the colour complements his sandy blonde hair, which is styled to perfection with hair gel.
As he looks up at us with his charming smile, I can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my stomach. I’m surprised at myself as I can't wait to spend the evening with him. Janie and I make our way down to meet him.
As we exit Janie’s front door, Xander arrives, pulling up behind Brad in a creepy-looking silver car, taking Brad’s attention away from me to Xander’s car.
Xander steps out, carrying a bouquet of fine red roses. He is dressed in a sharp and tailored suit, complete with a crisp white dress shirt and a luxurious silk tie. His polished black leather shoes gleam in the dull light, and his hair is precisely styled. As he approaches Janie, he takes her hand in his and kisses it gently, his eyes sparkling with warmth and admiration. 'You look stunning, Janie,' he says, his voice smooth and velvety. ‘I got you these flowers,' he says, giving them to her.
Janie blushes at his words and smiles back at him, accepting the bouquet of roses.
'Xander, the flowers are beautiful, and you look so handsome,' she adds.
‘There is no way this car is an Aston Martin DB5!’ Brad says in amazement.
‘Oh, is that what it is?’ Xander says, not seeming interested in his car but keeping his eyes glued on Janie.
As I gaze upon the sleek, silver car before me, I can't help but feel a shiver run down my spine. It was as if the vehicle was not merely a mode of transportation but a living, breathing entity with a mind of its own. Its ominous aura make it seem like it could belong to a creature of the night.
'The car looks like something a vampire lord would drive,' I say to Xander, my words dripping with unease
Xander grins in response, 'You flatter me, Rose. I had no idea my ride exuded such an aura,' he says, his eyes glinting mischievously.
I furrow my brows, taken aback by his reaction. 'That wasn't supposed to be a compliment,' I retort, a hint of irritation creeping into my voice. Despite Xander's charismatic personality, I can't shake off the feeling that there is more to him than meets the eye. I shiver involuntarily, and I begin to wonder if Xander is something more than just a human being. However, I quickly remind myself that my imagination is getting the best of me.
‘Let me put these flowers inside in a vase. I’ll be right back,’ Janie smiles.
I’m probably overreacting, but I feel annoyed that Brad is swooning over the creepy car instead of paying attention to me.
‘Are you kidding me, Xander? Do you not know how rare this car is and how much it’s worth? How did you even afford it?’ Brad asks.
‘No, I don’t know how rare it is, nor do I care. I asked the collector for the best car to drive my girlfriend in and told him I’d only accept the best. The collector directed me to this car, and I bought it. End of story,’ Xander tells Brad.
‘Wait…’ I say, walking towards the men, ‘You’re telling me you only just bought this car and to impress Janie with it?’ I ask Xander.
‘Don’t be silly, Rose. I didn’t buy the car today. I bought it yesterday, and I will only provide the best for Janie,’ he smiles.
‘You told the car collector it’s for your girlfriend, yet Janie technically isn’t your girlfriend,’ I tell him.
‘Oh, don’t worry, Janie will be my girlfriend by the end of the date,’ he winks.
‘Right…’ I say, looking over at Brad, still staring at Xander’s car.
I cross my arms and clear my throat, gaining his attention. He realises I’m still waiting for him to say something to me.
‘You look lovely,’ he says and kisses my cheek.
‘Thank you,’ I smile, now happy.