The Boy Witch

Chapter 5

The next morning, when Sam woke up, he stared at the ceiling. He had a hard time believing all that he had heard the previous day. He knew a witch. A real witch. And he could bring animals, and maybe people, back to life. Sam was disturbed, too, with Miles’ revelations about his home life. He could not wrap his mind around all that the boy’s mother had done, consequence-free.

No wonder Sam had been intrigued with Miles from the get-go. Perhaps it was the boy’s magic speaking to him wordlessly.

Sam’s thoughts continued to be preoccupied as he rose, took his shower and dressed. As he walked down the stairs to join his family for breakfast, Sam hoped that his confusion did not show on his face, lest his mother ask more questions. He sat at the breakfast table, in front of his meal, next to his father. He tried to act as naturally as possible.

“How were your first few days of school, son?” James asked, barely looking up from his newspaper, as usual.

“Very good,” Sam replied, maybe a little too quickly. “I’m making friends with the basketball team.” Of course, he would not share who else he was making friends with.

“That’s not surprising,” James continued, shooting his son a wide smile. “You never have trouble making friends. You know you can invite them over if you want?”

“Yeah, I know.” Sam smiled, too. Sam took the offer to heart.

Father and son continued their conversation, almost mechanically, until Dorothy and Tabitha joined them at the table, and joined in the conversation, too. Sam could tell that Tabitha was going through the motions as she talked to her family. He recognized in her the same cover he adopted. That worried him a little. But Sam knew Tabitha could handle herself. He smiled to his little sister, and she smiled, too.

“How’s school going for you, Tabitha?” Sam asked, shifting in his seat, before turning to his breakfast.

“Good,” Tabitha replied succinctly.

“Making friends?” Dorothy added.

“Yeah,” her daughter continued. She did not seem convinced.

Sam was a little heartbroken. He could clearly see his sister was struggling at school. Perhaps she had not yet mastered the art of faking it. But Sam wished that she did not have to. He would prefer if she could be genuinely happy at school. He wished he could make things better for her, and for himself.

***

At school, Sam hung out with the basketball players, but his heart was elsewhere. He wanted nothing more than to run to Miles and learn more. The feeling he felt when he saw Miles revive that bird was like no other, like he was the one brought back to life. In class, he shot Miles looks, and Miles could only return them shyly. Sam could not bring himself to acknowledge the shorter boy directly because the basketball players would not understand. They would mock him, too.

At lunch, Sam sat with the basketball team, but he was almost staring at Miles, sitting alone at the back of the cafeteria, eating food from his cafeteria tray. Sam’s musings were interrupted by Devon and his friends.

“Hey Sam,” Devon started, “would you like to hang out this weekend? You’re probably not doing much, eh?” Devon playfully punched Sam’s shoulder.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” Sam replied, turning his focus back to his friends. “My dad said I could bring friends over if I want.”

“Sweet,” Mason replied. “Do you have any video games?”

“Yes, I do,” Sam continued. “And I live pretty close to the park and its basketball court.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Devon declared, patting Sam’s shoulder.