José flashed me a cocky grin and slumped comfortably onto my bed.
“So, bella.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Want to hear my news?”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m fine, by the way. So is Cameron.”
José waved a hand and blew a raspberry with his lips. “I knew you would be.”
It should have irritated me more that he hadn’t feared for my life. But I shrugged and looked at him expectantly.
“Abuela offered me her beach house for spring break.” José’s eager grin stretched across his face.
My eyes widened as I sat next to him on the bed. “In Miami?”
José nodded. “You in? Cameron and Mia are coming too. Their parents bought them plane tickets.”
My heart sank. I was barely getting by off the life insurance money from my parents, and Kismet kept nagging me to find a job before I turned eighteen so I could take care of myself. She was technically a convicted felon, so she couldn’t exactly foot the bill for me.
“I don’t have the money,” I said lamely.
José groaned. “Don’t be like that. I can’t go without my girl!” He twirled my fingers in his.
“Can’t you just take me with you?”
José grimaced. “Not that far, babe. Other Jumpers probably could, but I haven’t been practicing.”
I bit back a remark about his lazy attitude because, well, I was lazy with my magic, too. Instead I forced a smile on my face. “You’ll still have a good time without me.”
José brought my fingers to his lips. “Come on, Desi. You’re an impressive witch. Maybe there’s some magical way for you to get there?”
My brows creased as I fixed a flat stare at him. “I’m a Pusher, José. What do you want me to do, Push a bus from here to there?”
José dropped my hand and shrugged. “Cameron mentioned something about a Teleportation spell in the Grimoire.”
“It’s probably really complicated.”
“Get Kiz to help you.”
I snorted. “She’s not likely to help whisk me away to Miami where I’m bound to not practice my magic.”
José sighed and sat up, his dark eyes serious. “Listen, Desi. You need to get away. Abuela says the magical crime rate is way low right now. Levarret is targeting the northern states, which is why it’s so bad in North Grove. No one knows why, but he’s here. Not there. Won’t it be nice to have some non-magic fun and not worry about getting attacked by demons?”
Non-magic fun. That was the best kind. My heart thrummed with excitement. “The last time I had some carefree fun was that New Year’s party.”
José grinned mischievously. “Our first kiss. That was a big deal, yeah? Not many people get to say their relationship started with a new millennium.”
I chuckled. “Not many people thought we’d all still be here after the millennium. Crazy mortals.”
“Crazy, yes. But still so amusing to be around.” José stood and paced around my room, running his fingers along the desk I never used. He rubbed two fingers together, and dust particles trickled from his hand. With one eyebrow arched, he looked at me with a smirk, his eyes darting to the desk.
José froze, his hand still poised in the air as his eyes fell to something on the desk. “What’s this?” He lifted an unopened envelope and waved it at me, his eyebrows raised.
Flames spread along my cheeks, and I bounded to my feet to snatch it from his hands. He easily lifted it above his head, beyond my reach.
“Give it back!” I laughed and stood on my tiptoes, my hand stretching to grab it.
José gazed up at the envelope, squinting as he tried to read the return address. His eyes widened. “This is from the Miami City Ballet! Why haven’t you opened it yet?”
I dropped my arms, abandoning my efforts. “I don’t know.” I picked at my fingernails, avoiding his prying eyes. What if it’s a rejection? My stomach twisted.
I felt José’s eyes still on me, so I forced another grin. “Maybe I was hoping you’d open it for me!” My smile widened and I batted my eyelashes at him, clasping my hands together like a helpless damsel in distress.
José’s eyebrows lowered, his lips pressing together in a long, flat line. After rolling his eyes, he tore open the envelope. My heart raced as I bit my nails, watching his eyes fly back and forth across the paper. The seconds dragged on. My stomach dropped and lifted like a roller coaster.
His eyes widened and his brows flew to his hairline. A huge smile broke across his face. My heart leapt to my throat, and I choked out a gasp, covering my mouth.
“You got in!” he shouted, dropping the letter to wrap me in a tight hug.
I squealed, then laughed and kissed his cheek. We broke apart and I jumped up and down. “I got in! I got in!”
“Babe, this is perfect! Now you can come to Miami and just stay with my abuela until the summer program starts.”
My smile faltered. Right . . . How do I get to Miami without flying or driving? My body sagged, the excitement ebbing as my heart plummeted to my knees.
José groaned. “Don’t be like that. You can find a way, Desi.”
I said nothing. When it had been just spring break, that was one thing. But the Miami City Ballet accepted me into their summer intensive program. With any luck, from there I could join the ballet company and travel the world doing what I loved most. How could I not find a way to make my dream come true? To finally escape the magical world forever.
Besides, José and I had talked about dropping out of school and getting our GEDs anyway. I had planned to run away; I just didn’t have the means to do it.
Until now.
I bit my lip. “Let me see what I can do. When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Frack.” That didn’t give me very much time.
“I’ll pop in before I leave, ‘kay?” José
