Chapter 1

(Astrid’s Change)

The crisp morning air crept into the car through the tiny crack in the passenger side window, which was just barely rolled down by my mom. My twin sister Monique was listening to her mixed CD of pop and rap.

“Excuse me Astrid! I thought we were both telling this story.”

“We are! I tell my story in chapter one and you tell your story in chapter two. You get the evens and I get the odds.”

“Oh yeah. So, like, which chapters do I get, again?”

“YOU GET THE EVEN ONES MONIQUE!”

“God! I was just kidding. Take a chill pill.”

“Now as I was saying.” She was listening to music and I was drawing gothic style pictures. Our annoyingly upbeat parents were babbling on and on about how great Baxton is. I am annoyed, annoyed by the fact that we have to move to this pathetic town and leave our friends, our life. I think my sister and I could both agree on that. I mean, whatever gave my mom the urge to transfer? My thoughts were interrupted by my mom’s attempt to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Girls the town is so small, you will get to know everyone and make friends quickly.”

“Your mom is right and your Aunt Teresa told me that there is a great mall.”

I rolled my eyes and thought, “Who cares Dad?” A mall cannot make up for the loss of the ones closest to me. Those from my coven back in Kansas. They were the best friends I would probably ever have. I cursed the fact mom just had to be promoted.

“Hold on a sec! Did you just say they have a great mall?”

Monique, my twin sister, suddenly developed a huge grin on her face, her materialistic personality getting the best of her.

“Yes honey, they do have a great mall.”

“Ooh. Well maybe this won’t be as bad as I thought.” She stated as if everything was fine. As if, a rift wasn’t coming between our family.

“You and your malls!” I snapped at her.

Monique rolled her eyes at me.

Why does she always have to be so peppy?

Monique rolled her eyes at me. My sister and I are completely different. She is the social butterfly while I am the social bat. She is happy and I am sad. It is amazing that we are twins. Therefore, we went back to no talking mode. I once again concentrated on the picture I was drawing. After what seemed like an eternity, our car was on the main street of a boring, conservative looking town. I saw the mall a place I would probably visit once or twice in our stay here. There were also a few different restaurants and a bowling alley. I sighed, my hopes for a sign of anything magickal died with each passing breath. We continued to drive, but I no longer paid attention. I stared down at my drawing and concentrated on the gray lines of it, remembering my dream.

“We’re here!” Mom chimed, breaking my concentration.

I let out a sigh. We pulled into the driveway of a classic white house with a classic blue door. I wondered if the Cleavers had lived here. It was way too normal and conservative for my tastes.

“I get the biggest room!” Monique shouted with her usual peppiness, yet challenging.

“Ugh whatever just open the trunk so I can get my boxes.” I said as if I would rather be dead than be here…which was actually the truth.

Monique popped up the trunk and just then, I ran towards the house. Monique looked up and understood my plan thanks to the whole twin connection thing. She began to chase after me.

“You are so not getting the biggest room!” she called after me.

“See if you can stop me, PREP!” I yelled back at her.

Monique was a ton more fit than I was thanks to her cheerleading. So, she was able to quickly overtake me.

We both knew where the biggest room was thanks to Mom’s numerous descriptions. Suddenly, as we were running down the hallway, I felt something whack against my ankle and down I went. It was Monique’s cursed foot. I looked up and saw Monique enter the room smiling.

I trudged back down stairs and out to the car grabbing my boxes. Our parents were making dinner, so we had to do the unpacking. Then I carried the boxes up to my room, that was to the left of Monique’s but I did not unpack them. Once I walked into the room, I knew I would have to go and buy a couple cans of paint. I needed to cover up the ugly bright yellow walls. Maybe, I will buy a nice deep purple and possibly a little black. Just down the hall, I could hear my sister gasp in delight. She ran into my room and before I could protest, grabbed my arm and began to drag me down the hallway. Her room was a Barbie pink. It hurt my eyes to be in there. Of course, she loved it and would keep it that way forever. She began pointing excitedly out the window in our new neighbor’s lawn.

“Oh my gosh! Now tell me he is not hot,” she screamed through thick drool.

“He is not hot,” I said earnestly, “at least not to me,” I added.

In the lawn was some brainless stud trying to mow it. Short and long patches covered the entire yard. What an oaf! Monique and I have very different taste in guys, obviously. She likes the brainless football jock, and I like the magickal mysterious loner.

“Whatever! I think he is totally gorgeous,” she said as she was admiring him from her bedroom window.

“Fine, then go fetch him Fifi,” I stated sardonically.

I walked back to my room and savored the look of pure hatred and horror on her face. I then decided to hang my clothes and afterwards bug Mom for some cash to buy paint for my room.

“Hey Dad, where is Mom?” I shouted as I trotted down the steps.

“She stopped down at her new office to confirm her work schedule,” he replied.

“Okay.” I said.

I sighed disappointedly as usual. Mom was a fashion advertiser and was often working; she sometimes got her hands on my kind of clothes. Once she gave me this silky, vertically striped purple corset top and a black skirt with two purple bows and foe leather suspenders. It is now my favorite outfit. I like it mostly because it consists of my favorite colors purple and black.

Tomorrow Monique and I start at Baxton High.