Hidden Magic

The Forest

“Tell me where you were today.” Rosie jumped at the low, male voice behind her. She whirled around to see Shane stood behind her in the semi-crowded school courtyard.


She flashed him a smile that was plastered with guilt, and said, “Hey to you too.”


Shane stood a few steps away from her, his mouth set in a straight line, clearly not finding her humour very funny. He stared at her with stern, dark eyes. “Tell me where you were today,” he repeated louder.


Rosie’s smile dropped completely and a huge, uncomfortable lump built in her throat. “I... was, um... here. At school, you know classes and all.” She had always been a terrible liar when it came to those she cared about.


Shane tilted his head to one side and sighed dramatically. “Well, that’s funny.” His voice dripped with sarcasm as he walked the few steps towards her and crossed his arms. His gaze locked with hers. “Because I could have sworn that you weren’t sitting with Amber at lunch, or anywhere else in the school when I searched everywhere for you.” He raised his eyebrows when she stood there silent. “And I thought it was even more strange when I asked Amber where you were and she tried to magically freeze  me to my lunch chair so she could run away fast enough before I could catch her.”


Rosie couldn’t help it, she laughed.


“Oh, so you find that funny, do you?”


Rosie put her hand tightly over her mouth and shook her head.


“Good,” he said. “Because I might treat you to your own personal magical treat.” Shane pulled her hand gently from her mouth and gave her a triumphant smile. “After I’d escaped Amber’s present and burned the ice from the chair, I went to see Miss Brown. You see, I was worried that something might have happened to you, because well, no offense, but the vampires here seem to have a thing for Parker girls.” You have no idea. She couldn’t help but think grimly. “So the kind, clueless lady at the reception informed me that you were too sad to cope with Amy’s death.” Shane tapped his chin with his spare hand, but Rosie was happy to see that he didn’t seem to be as mad anymore, and his tone was drifting from sarcasm to jokey. “Well, again no offense, but to me that sounded like a load of bulls***, because I’m pretty sure she’s not dead. And I know you wanted to come today to talk to Amber, even if you would never admit it.”


“Oh...” Busted.


“Yes, oh.” Shane let go of her arm and took up his defensive, angry stance of crossed arms and intense stares again. “Where did you go? Tell me. And don’t lie.”


“I... I... can’t,” Rosie stuttered. No matter how much I want to and hear you tell me it’s all going to be okay! “Look, I’m okay.” She gestured to herself, and gave a nervous smile. “It doesn’t matter, okay?”


Shane took another step closer to her, making the distance between them barely an inch apart. “How can you say it doesn’t matter? Of course it matters!” He seemed to realise he was raising his voice and looked quickly around at the other students gossiping around them. They didn’t seem to have noticed anything. Or maybe they would have just thought it was normal for the Fenty’s relations, since the whole school seemed to watch Amber with a wary stare. Well you will go trying to kill your English teacher, won’t you? But that wasn’t why people were scared of her that was because of Louise. A crime Rosie was positive Amber did not commit.


Rosie’s attention was brought back as she heard Shane intake a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. His hand moved up as if to stroke her cheek, but he seemed to stop then quickly jerk it up to push messy, dark brown hair back from his face. “Just don’t...” She was surprised to hear his voice shake a little as he said the words. “Just don’t ever do that again. Please. You had me worried sick.”


Rosie gulped and nodded. She didn’t have a clue how to respond to that. She didn’t know if would have to be a lie.


Shane let out a sigh of relief. His eyes were so forgiving that Rosie felt a tear sting her eyes, and felt awful about everything. But she was protecting him, right? She’d been warned: If she spoke about it to anyone but James there would be consequences. She couldn’t live with herself if Charles hurt Shane or Amber.


“Thank you.” She knew he was back to normal when he shot her his usual, cocky yet handsome grin. “So, wanna go?”


“Where to?”


“Our date but not a date.” Shane winked and pulled out his car keys from his jeans pocket. He jingled them persuasively a few times. “Your surprise.”


She nodded, but stayed rooted in place. “But where is this surprise?”


“Again, it’s a surprise. Buy a dictionary and come on.” Shane started to head for the gates, but stopped and turned around when he realised she was still stood there. “I promise it won’t suck.”


Rosie couldn’t help the happy, slightly shy smile that spread out across her lips. She also couldn’t help the pink her cheeks had turned at Shane’s mention of the word date. The truth was she wasn’t stood there because she completely hated the surprises in this town, but because she was too anxious to move. Shane. Date. With. Me. Oh my god!





Shane finally managed to coax her into his shiny, blue car and drive her to this mystery place. Rosie sat there the whole time with her heart thumping mentally in her chest, and her hands shaking.


He turned the radio on and Rosie was surprised and amused to hear him start singing along to the songs, stopping every so often to flash her a breathtaking grin. I wonder if he knows. The thought lingered with her for a moment as she watched Shane rock out to the songs. Her eyes drifted over his strong arms, and the tight abs she knew lay underneath his t-shirt. How much I like him. He could for all she knew. Her actions around him would probably be enough. But then there were her thoughts. How much does he actually listen to them? He could be listening to me right now... Rosie’s cheeks flared an unattractive shade of bright red, and she turned her face away to look out of the car window.


They were approaching what looked like a huge forest. How had she missed this before? Lakeside is a pretty small town, like blink and you could miss it small. Surely she would have noticed a forest like this?


Shane parked on some wet grass just outside the forest. He got out of the car and opened the passenger door for her. She looked up at him, confused. “You’re taking me to a cold, wet forest?”


Shane shrugged. “What, you don’t like walking?” He grinned cockily as she scowled at him. “Come on,” he said, pulling her carefully out of car by her left arm. “Trust me.”


Rosie sighed and looked up at him. She did. Shane had always made her feel safe, calm and protected. Even from the start when she hadn’t known a thing about him. “Okay.” She nodded, and followed him down the muddy path and into the seemingly dark forest.


After what seemed like miles of walking, Shane put a hand out to stop her. She looked across at him, a question mark on her face. He smiled, and whispered, “Glow.”


Rosie was even more confused. Glow? What? Shane lifted his arm and pointed to right in front of him. She looked and gasped when she saw a vibrant, orange glow brightening up the whole forest. The leaves rustled and flew around in a soft, warm wind and gently brushed across her face and body. She turned to Shane who now had his arms upraised and his eyes closed.


“Wow,” she said, stunned. “This is beautiful.”


Shane opened his eyes and smiled. There was a flicker of orange inside his usually dark brown eyes. For the first time Rosie thought it looked really beautiful. Not scary, not evil... Shane. Kind, confident, caring Shane. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”


Rosie giggled and shook her head, staring around at the magic in absolute awe. She felt Shane’s hand in her hair. She turned around to see him pull out a golden leaf that had been tangled there. He dropped it to the ground, and all the other leafs around them dropped too. But the orange glow remained.


Shane held out his hand to her. “May I lead you to the rest of your surprise?”


“There’s more?” Rosie’s eyes widened with excitement.


“Maybe.” He winked. She grinned and placed her hand in his. She felt a spark course through her, almost like an electric shock. But this one felt nice, heated, and right.


“Did you do that?”


Shane shook his head. “No. I guess it’s just the power that’s still there.”


She nodded. “It’s cool.” Lame!


Shane chuckled at her forming blush. “Come on.” He tugged on her hand and led her further into the shining woods, and through the tall, elegant trees that seemed to have their own individual beauty. “It shouldn’t be long from here,” he said, helping her not to fall down a ridiculously steep hill.


“Where are we going or is it still a surprise?”


“Definitely still a surprise.” Finally Shane led her through a final set of trees. She already knew they were there because the glow had stopped here, and instead it was all a healthy green colour, with yellow rays of light shining in from she didn’t know where. The trees covered the sky completely.


Rosie stopped as she walked through the trees and stepped onto the bright grass and into what looked like an enchanted meadow. It was the most amazing and beautiful thing Rosie had ever seen in her entire life. The flowers were aluminous colours of pinks, yellows, blues, reds, oranges, purples, literally every pretty colour known. There was a stream of a perfectly blue lake that led around the whole meadow, and she could just make out coloured fishes swimming peacefully around inside.


“Oh my god,” she whispered. “What is this place? It’s... amazing.”


Shane squeezed her hand. “It’s a meadow me and Amber found a few years ago while exploring. Pretty awesome, huh?”


Rosie nodded, staring around the magical place. It seemed to radiate power. But it was the kind of power that made her feel comfortable and inspired. “Wow, Shane... I can’t even begin to say how great this is... I mean, wow!”


“I thought you might like it, Miss I hate surprises.”


“I didn’t expect this, that’s for sure.” She turned around to face him, hyper aware of her hand still in his. Shane was just as breathtaking as the enchanted meadow in front of them. “Thank you.”


He smiled his whole face lifting. “You’re welcome. You deserve a little nice for once.” His eyes met hers for a second and that shock was back again. She could feel it heat her body and send pleasant shivers up her spine. “Do you wanna sit down somewhere?”


She nodded, feeling too breathless to speak.


Shane led her to a sunny spot near the lake. They sat with their feet in the crystal-like water. Despite everything, all the awesomeness that surrounded them, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting to Charles and her many problems. Charles, an ancient and powerful vampire. One that was coming to get her, for reasons she had no idea why. And the only person she could ever talk to about him would be James, who wasn’t even someone she could trust. James, a friend or foe? And then there was Amber who knew a little bit about it, but had never brought it up again. There was still a lot going in her head to do with Amber as well. Was Amber her best friend or the darkness Rosie had glimpsed? Then there’s Shane, friend... or what?


Shane seemed to notice her tense posture, and asked, “You okay, Rose?”


“Yeah.” Her voice was unsteady. “I’m okay. How are you?”


“I’m fine.” Shane gave her a long look, then shrugged and watched the vibrant fish swim around in the currents of the water.


“How do you kill a vampire?”


“Wow, Buffy, what’s brought this on?” Shane turned back to look at her. He was grinning playfully, but his eyes were wide and serious.


Rosie shrugged, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible. “Nothing. I was just wondering, that’s all.”


“You thought it might come in handy?” Shane laughed. “Well, you stake ‘em with wood or stab them with something made of silver. But it has to be silver. Otherwise all you’re gonna do is knock them down for a while, if all.”


Rosie nodded. “It sounds easier than I thought.”


“It’s not. Not at all. Not when they can turn around and snap your neck like a twig without you even blinking.” Shane smiled kindly when she stared at him, horrified. “Those are the times I’m happy to be what I am, even if it’s just as dangerous and possibly evil.”


“You’re not evil, Shane. Don’t say that.”


“My parents...”


“No,” Rosie said, her voice stern and nonnegotiable. “That was not your fault. That was an accident.”


He had tears in his eyes, but he squinted them back and smiled brokenly. It was the saddest thing Rosie had ever seen and she wanted nothing more than to take him in her arms. But she couldn’t. She settled for putting her hand on his arm instead. “Hey, it’s okay.”


Shane took a couple of shaky breaths. “Does it ever just take over you sometimes? I know Amy’s not dead, but...”


“Yeah,” Rosie said softly, and moved closer to him. She could feel his body tense and tremble where she had her hand lay on his black t-shirt. “It hurts, I know. But it was neither of our faults.”


“I’m sorry about this.”


“It’s okay.” Rosie smiled. “I’ve always liked a guy that can show his feelings. You know, a sensitive guy.” She lowered her voice on those last two words.


“I am not a sensitive guy!” Shane said defensively, just like she knew he would. “I just have my moments. It will not happen again.” He looked up at her for a second, and a cocky smile tugged at the edge of his lips. “Wait... Did you just say you’ve always liked a guy who could show his feelings? Does that mean you like me, Rosie Posie?”


“I meant as a friend,” she said quickly. “And do not call me Rosie Posie again.”


“Okay, Rosie Posie.”


“I hate you!”


“No, you love me.”


“Do not!”