"Do you fancy going out tonight? We could go watch a film or something." He said, leaning in a little too close.
I wouldn't have ordinarily touched Jack with a ten-foot bargepole. In fact, I'd have rather touched a turd, but I knew he had a dislike of Noah, and for that fact I agreed to meet him later that night to grab pizza. Hopefully, the rumours wouldn't take long to get back to my ex. I hope they hurt, like he'd hurt me.
After school I met up with Fiona and we headed off into the city centre. In Primark after she'd insisted I bought a cute little jumpsuit for my date, she bumped into another couple of friends who started banging on about last night's concert. I made my excuses and left to go find the shop down the side street that I loved: Wiccan do it.
I loved the title. It was so kitsch.
Pushing open the door, a little bell rang and the scent of patchouli and sandalwood drifted up my nostrils. I couldn't put my finger on why, but it smelled like home. Sighing with happiness and contentment at all the gorgeous items around me, I wandered around the shelves and stands. I was definitely going to make my bedroom have this kind of feel to it. Sauntering over to the book section, a book called How to Hex Your Ex caught my eye and I picked it up.
"You know that's just a joke read, right? Us Wiccans agree not to cause harm." A female voice from behind me made me jump. I turned around to find the short, blonde-haired shop assistant there. She'd moved from behind the counter without me noticing.
"Oh, don't worry. I don't think witchcraft is actually real." I informed her, watching as the smile left her face for a brief moment before it came back. It wasn't the same smile though. The genuine one had been replaced by the 'are you going to actually buy anything' smile.
Fuck. She must actually believe in it.
"Sorry, that was rude of me. Should I say, I've seen no evidence to suggest witchcraft is real, but you know, I keep an open mind about things."
Her genuine smile returned. "That's okay. I'm Donna by the way."
"Stacey."
"It's just I can tell that you have the source within you. The link to the old ways." She handed me a leaflet. "We meet at six pm on a Wednesday after the shop closes. You should come."
I opened my mouth, but she carried on talking.
"Keep that open mind."
I nodded.
"I love this shop." I told her. "Have you worked here long?"
"A year, since I left school. It's my mum's shop."
"Well, I've decided to take inspiration from this store for my bedroom. There are a few things I want, if you can help me get them?"
Donna nodded enthusiastically and she helped me gather the mirror, cushions, and dreamcatcher I'd chosen. Then she showed me a few candles and jewelled candle holders. By the time I'd finished there wasn't much of my birthday money left.
Reaching under the counter, Donna took out a book. Introductory Guide for the Interested was the very vague title.
"This one's on me for how much you've spent in store today." She explained. "Something to have a look at, and then maybe we'll see you on a Wednesday. No pressure though." She rushed out. "We're not a cult. Just people with a natural inclination towards the old ways. We don't turn people into frogs, no matter how tempting that can sometimes be."
I laughed, thinking about Noah.
"Yeah. Very tempting."
I went home and got changed for my date with Jack. My dad said he'd hang up my new mirror while I was out. I didn't want him worrying about me being out on a date, so I told him I was meeting back up with Fiona.
When I got to the pizza place, there wasn't only Jack there, but a whole group of his friends, both boys and girls. The boys just said hello and chatted like I wasn't anyone new, while the girls looked me over with curiosity, no doubt wondering why I'd suddenly become Jack's new interest. One of them asked where my playsuit was from. It sounded like she was genuinely asking, but the girls glanced between themselves when I answered, their looks clearly saying I wasn't good enough. That I shopped on the High Street FFS, so what was Jack doing with me. They could take their judgy stares and stick them up their tight arseholes.
After sharing pizza, one of the guys, Jed, declared his parents were away and it was party time back at his house. Though the majority of my brain was telling me to go home, the other part said to go to the party and see what happened. Jack had been attentive, putting his arm around me, and had whispered that he wanted me to come along.
So I did. I went to the party. I had a couple of vodkas for Dutch courage, and then I slept with Jack Brooks in one of the upstairs bedrooms.
Jack had acted amazingly gentle as he took my virginity. Then he took his own pleasure, discarded the condom, sat back and laughed.
"Well, well, well. So you never gave it up to that loser Granger? Could he not get it up?"
Even though revenge on Noah had been at the back of my mind throughout all of this, I was insulted that having just slept with me, all Jack could think about was Noah.
Standing up and hutching off the bed, I turned to Jack. "Thanks for a nice night. I'll get cleaned up and see myself out."
He was already texting and I knew what it would say.
I was no longer thinking this had been a good idea.
When I got home, I placed my other bits around the room, lit a sandalwood joss stick, and climbed into bed and opened the book Donna had given me.
Maybe I needed to know how to turn people into frogs after all.
The following Wednesday I went back to the store and I never looked back.
Seven-and-a-half years earlier
Jack Brooks was drunk. I watched as he staggered down the path towards the recycle bins where he was about to put the bottle of vodka Stacey had drunk from.
I knew because I could smell her scent around it and around him.
Knowing what he'd done, what he'd claimed, disgusted me. Bullying a guy was bad enough, but to take advantage of a vulnerable female did not sit well with me.
"Hi, Jack." I sniggered at my own joke. I was about to hijack him away from here. He just didn't know it yet.
He turned to me, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"
"I have something for you." I told him, "but you have to come get it. If you dare…"
He'd never been able to resist a dare.
I drained him of his blood even though it tasted of weed and cigarettes. Then I flew to the nearest tip and dropped him under an old pile of rubbish like the trash he was.
Stacey
We were through to the next round of auditions. The part where we would get to sing in front of the actual judges. Donna was like a Jack-in-a-box, she was so excited. She had Sugar Daddy fantasies relating to the main man, Bill. Each to their own.
To celebrate we'd all come to our favourite place, the Rock Hard Bistro. Anyone who loved music, loved the bistro. They had a mix of live bands and themed evenings, and the atmosphere was always positive. The food and drink were excellent and reasonably priced, and the owner and manager, Stu looked a little like Idris Elba which didn't hurt business.
On a Tuesday evening, the place was getting busier, but the music was background rather than the main focus, the food taking centre stage.