Chapter Two

Taryn was still plenty ticked off as she approached the parking lot. "Write a note like everyone else next time," she grumbled to herself, again struggling to conceal her emotions. The fake smile she put on would tip off Ciara and Lotti in an instant.

"So I guess the message spell worked. Did you see me wave?!"

Lotti wanted to hear that the spell hadn't worked. Though she was a powerful Twenty-Fourth, she couldn't compare to their friend and was completely envious of Ciara's heritage. This didn't make her any less loyal though. While petty and unpredictable, she stuck with Ciara no matter the situation. That unbreakable loyalty also applied to Taryn...usually...

It took all of Taryn's will power not to snap back with sarcasm. Through gritted teeth she replied, "Yes, yes I did."

"What's with your skirt?" Ciara asked, gesturing to the unrolled band at Taryn's waist. They all attended an exclusive and super expensive private school, Pagenville Center High, so they had to wear a uniform. It consisted of a khaki pleated skirt, navy blue polo shirts, knee socks, and ugly loafers. Both her friends had rolled their bands at least twice. Lotti completed the look with a spaghetti-strap tank top, her polo carelessly tossed on the pavement. Her green eyes following Ciara's gaze, she also zeroed in on Taryn's neglected waistband as she tucked a piece of wavy copper brown hair behind her ear.

Meanwhile, Ciara magically dyed her hair color almost every week. Currently it was a bright, unnatural-looking gold, mixed in with a generous amount of hot pink highlights. She also hexed her eyes to match the artificial blond in her hair, creating a cat-like effect that was slightly unnerving.

As for her wardrobe choice, Taryn's model-thin friends couldn't seem to understand her dilemma as an athlete. After years of playing softball, her legs were so muscular that she actually preferred to leave her skirt unrolled. Instead of repeating the explanation again, she simply retorted, "I forgot." Then she made no move to correct her "mistake."

"Yes, well, I'm sure you had other things to think about this morning," Ciara began, her voice dangerously calm. "Like how you've destroyed my Witch's Dance."

That's what this little meeting was about. She wanted nothing more than to roll her eyes and walk away, but Taryn knew it would send Ciara on a rampage. "I'm sorry Ciara, but you're right, I do have a lot going on right now. Honestly I was so upset about my own power that I didn't even realize what it would do to your Dance." She paused. "What would it do?"

"Um, ruin everything?!" Ciara snapped. Taryn really didn't see what the big deal was, but Ciara must have thought she was kidding. As in, how could Taryn miss something so important? "Uh, hello?! The Hamptons?! You can't go with us now because we're all transporting!" Teens with permits were only allowed to travel by themselves, and destinations beyond a set distance required parental approval.

Oh right, now she remembered. Taryn had really been looking forward to their post-Dance weekend trip. Hating the inconvenience, both for herself and Ciara, she tried to come up with a compromise. What she was about to say would sound incredibly lame, but... "One of my parents could transport me," she suggested quietly. "Or I could drive there. It would take a couple hours, but I could."

"Fine, whatever," Ciara muttered, not pleased by the solution at all. It didn't fit in with her Ultimate Party Weekend. "And there's my Court. You can't be in it now because there's magic in the ceremony. I'll have to settle on a second choice to replace you..."

The casual dismissal re-ignited Taryn's anger. "Ciara, your party isn't until late August. Maybe I won't pass my permit test by then, but after camp I should be good for Court. All we have to do for the ceremony is what, float a candle and light it with magic?" Taking from a regular Sweet Sixteen, the host chose sixteen friends and family members to honor.

Her friends mysteriously became silent. Her face filled with disdain, Lotti raised an eyebrow at Taryn. "So...you're actually going to camp?" she asked, smirking derisively. "With all the scummy losers and Powerless freaks?"

Taryn flinched at the harsh sentiment. Lotti's personality had an edge to it, but in that moment she seemed unnecessarily cruel. And Ciara didn't admonish her for it. "My sister went to camp," she reminded them. "Plus I told you my parents are making me go because my problem is genetic, so why are you so surprised?!"

Slightly avoiding eye contact, Ciara shrugged. "We thought you would get out of it. Taryn...you can't just give in. Haven't seen what happens to other poor souls who are forced to go?!"

"It's not a smooth transition," Lotti said, answering Ciara's rhetorical question. "Those idiots always think they can fit right back into to where they were. Okay, some do, but only after months of estrangement and mockery by the entire student body. Even we aren't exempt from that." Then, her tone and expression completely serious, she added, "You know we won't be able to hang out with you anymore. Sure we can still be friends, and we can still go to each others' houses, but other than that...I'm sorry."

Taryn's jaw dropped. Did Lotti really believe her own insane speech?! "But...but on the phone you were supportive..." She whirled around to confront Ciara. "This isn't just Lotti running her mouth, is it?"

Ciara shook her head sadly in confirmation. "I'm sorry too, Taryn. We love you like a sister, but...we aren't above these rules. No one is, not even seniors. Your new social circle will be the other Powerless. I think there are a few in our grade, and some of the boys are actually somewhat good-looking..."

"You're disowning me?!" Taryn shrieked. They had to realize how absurd this all was. "What's wrong with you two?! We've been best friends since the sixth grade! You're telling me how I'm not trying hard enough to avoid camp, but you? It's day freaking one and you're already jumping ship! If you love me like a sister..."

Stopping to catch her breath, the real source of her outrage suddenly dawned on her. Watching Ciara and Lotti stand there...Lotti sitting on the roof of the car, trying to seem like she was examining her manicure...frowning Ciara had her arms folded, as if she just wanted Taryn to be done... They weren't worth it. The years of sleepovers, parties, student government campaigns...it wasn't an act, but they never truly bonded. After a while it was more comfortable to have them as friends than to start over. Being a freshman in high school had been less scary because they were there.

Now she was going to camp. Where she would finally make new friends.

About to say good-bye to four years of friendship, Taryn's emotions drastically shifted from outraged to apathetic. Occasionally she used to hear the rumors about Lotti and Ciara, that they could be mean and self-absorbed. She ignored gossip and would continue to do so, but in that moment...she finally got what her classmates meant.

The weight lifted, she wound up smiling, a wide, gleeful, genuine smile that had Lotti and Ciara staring at her like she'd snapped. "I'll be okay," she said, leaving her previous sentence unfinished. "Oh and Ciara, I'll still go to your Dance, but maybe I'll just skip the whole weekend. Have a good summer, Lotti!" She waved at both of them, then confidently strutted all the way through the lot to the door near her locker.

As she pushed the door open though, she froze, like she'd been hit with a shot of pure, raw terror. She'd just dumped her two best friends. She had other friends, but they would abandon her too when Lotti and Ciara spread the word. Plus she still had a few weeks left of school. What was she going to do?

Noticing that she had to get to class, Taryn decided to take this in steps. Step one? Get through the morning, and more importantly, do not think about having lunch alone.

When the lunch bell finally rang at a quarter to noon, Taryn didn't go near the cafeteria. Lotti and Ciara would share the confrontation with the group the second they sat down at their table. The entire sophomore class would know about her Powerless condition by sixth period.

Taryn didn't have the strength or patience to tackle more drama that day. After stopping by her locker to get her purse, and walking down to the end of the block, she got on the long line for the students' food truck by ten to twelve. She would have to eat her club sandwich alone in her car. The concept made her feel like scum, but all she wanted to do was hide.

As for the gourmet deli truck, Pagenville never expressed any objection to it. Sometimes they even mentioned specials during homeroom announcements. Most students figured it was brought in by the school, or maybe the guys who ran it turned over a cut of their profits. No one really thought much about how it got there – they were just thrilled to have a cafeteria alternative. Even faculty waited in line with students, then brought their food back to the teacher's lounge.

Taryn checked the clock on her smartphone while she waited for her sandwich. Because the line was so long, she had about ten minutes to get back to her car and scarf it down. Ugh, half an hour was not enough time to each lunch. Maybe she'd just eat on one of the benches nearby like some of the other students did. Her gaze traveled over the row of crowded benches, searching for a friendly classmate who would be good company. There was a difference between "friend" and "friendly." A friend from her old group would beg for details about what happened, without any shame or offer of comfort.

"Hey Taryn!"

She whirled around to see Miles Orien waving her over. He was sitting on a bench alone, an open textbook in front of him, his almost-finished club sandwich in a container close by. They chatted in history every day but never interacted outside the classroom. Case in point – friendly, but not involved with her (former) social circle.

Taryn sighed with relief.

Paying for her sandwich, she sat on the other end of the short bench to give them both room. "Hey Miles, mind if I eat here?"

"Not at all. Actually I was hoping to find you before class." Then she saw the worry in his light brown eyes, the anxiety in his normally smooth voice. "I...I heard. Nathan has science with Lotti, and he knows that I know you, so...are you okay?" Miles previously told her that he met Nathan Hasley a few months ago, when they auditioned for the school play. Then they both scored important roles in the Wizard of Oz production.

Staring down at the take-out container in her lap, Taryn didn't reply. She wasn't shocked that he found out so fast. All morning she wondered which brave soul would bring it up first. Thankfully Miles did surprise her with a subtle, polite, non-judgmental inquiry. So while she was fine with talking to him, she actually didn't have answer for him. Taryn had no freaking clue if she was okay or not.

But then again, she wasn't about to break down in front of him. "I'm fine," she replied, wincing at how transparent it sounded. "Unless you called me over to break off our seating arrangement in history. You're the one who has to move though. I like where I am, it's equidistant between the door and the trash can..."

Miles laughed softly at her rant, totally confused. "So I've noticed. Um, why are you moving again?"

Taryn thought he was either joking or sparing her feelings. If he was aware of her faulty magic, he must know about her new outcast status. They only took one class together, so of all people, she would understand if he wanted to keep his distance. "That's very nice of you, but come on. Switching seats is the easiest way to convince everyone that you ditched me. If we continue sitting together, people will think nothing between us has changed...meaning that you support the Powerless. To be honest, Miles...I was mad at Ciara and Lotti, but you and I only talk in class, so if you want to bail while you can..."

"Ciara and Lotti are jerks," he interrupted. "I could never figure out why you put up with them. And you shouldn't put up with their gossiping either."

"We had a fight before the rumors even started. As of this morning, they're not my friends," Taryn assured him. She smiled, flattered that he felt so strongly about this. "But you shouldn't have to go through this when we're not even that close."

Running his hand through his short, spiky dark brown hair, annoyed Miles frowned at her, amazed that she didn't have more self-respect. "Well, I'm glad you at least told them off. But I can't abandon you, especially not when you're already falling down the deep abyss of unpopularity." He hesitated while she laughed. "Actually...when I heard...I couldn't wait to talk to you."

Taryn tilted her head in curiosity. "About what?"

"Training camp. You going this summer, or are you still hoping for next year?" He'd lowered his voice, as if he'd brought up a conspiratorial subject...which he had.

He'd also struggled to get out the words. Taryn sensed that she wasn't the only one embarrassed to be talking about training."This summer, probably. My mom's obsessed with making me go sooner rather than later." She then smirked at him. "So...interesting topic..."

Miles chuckled, realizing she never bought his half-hearted attempt to be vague. "Okay, yeah, I'm going to camp too. It's not genetic though."

"It isn't?" Taryn frowned. From what she'd seen, Miles was an honor student. If he didn't have a medical issue, and he tried his best in magic class...what else could it be? Did he have some rare condition the doctors weren't able to treat?

"No..." Putting together an explanation, he paused, his head in his hands. "For some reason, magic is just difficult for me. It's like...there's a disconnect between my thoughts and what actually happens." He gave her an apprehensive but slightly hopeful, almost pleading expression. "Don't you feel like that sometimes?"

Taryn tried to stay casual despite the uncomfortable subject. If she were in his place, the last thing she'd want is pity after pouring her heart out. "Well...yeah," she answered. "I mean, I have no control at all so my power is completely useless. You've got to be further along than I am."

Her small joke broke some of the tension, causing them to laugh. "Maybe, but not by much," he assured her. "Let's face it – we're both sorry excuses for Twenty-Fourths right now. I'm eating out here because I had a fight with the drama club. Some of them want to take away my role because 'it's The Wizard of Oz! The characters need to use magic!'" He'd said that last part in a high-pitched, feminine voice. "That was the girl who plays Dorothy, by the way. She's just mad that I'm playing the Wizard instead of her boyfriend."

Confused Taryn wrinkled her brow. "But the whole point of the story is the that Wizard doesn't really have any magic. It's all a trick."

"Thank you!" Still in disbelief of the situation, Miles shook his head. "Unfortunately the irony is lost on them. Anyway, I'm sure they'll still let me play the role since I've always gotten along with the director...but I don't think even he can help me get a role next year."

Taryn raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"The same reason you'll probably be demoted on your softball team," Miles said sadly. At her offended look he added, "I don't mean to upset you, but as you already know, there's a stigma attached to being Powerless. That extends beyond our social lives. When parents and alumni are involved, teachers only want Powerful to represent the school."

"Why?!" She still didn't get it. And with what he said about softball, it would scare her if this was true.

"Parents make donations. Generous donations," he explained. "And to them, Pagenville should have a magic program so strong that there are no Powerless. They want a guarantee that their child will succeed as a Twenty-Fourth. If not...they'll put their kid in a school that doesn't advertise failures."

Taryn fell back on the bench, realizing she no longer had an appetite for the rest of her sandwich. She'd only panicked about losing her fake friends. Now...the softball team, her political aspirations, her little student government title...all of it would be gone next year. She could go to camp and work the hardest she ever had, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the stigma. Then again, if she didn't go to camp, she'd still fall from grace because students would eventually see that she was Powerless.

So what was left?

Carrying her sandwich, Taryn stood up from the bench. "I think the bell rang. See you around..."

"Taryn..." When she turned around toward him, he gave her an apologetic frown. "I'm sorry. We're still going to hang out at camp, right?"

Shrugging, she answered, "Yeah. See you then."

Taryn didn't even know if there was a point to camp anymore. She wanted to cure her power but...why bother, when no one would care if she did?