Chatoyant College Book 3: The Inner Circle

Chapter 44: Gratitude

Corrie waited for others to express their gratitude. Edie went next. "I'm grateful for wonderful, helpful teachers," she said. It was all Corrie could do not to laugh. Not because what Edie had said was funny--but because she was surely the only other person in the room who knew that Edie was not talking about academics. Judging by the puzzled expressions on Payton's and Chandra's faces, this was not what they had been expecting as an expression of gratitude.

"I'm grateful for the safety of this circle," said Meg. Another odd comment, but if she felt safe here, who was Corrie to try to stop her?

There was another pause. Corrie wondered if Payton and Ash were both waiting to go last. They had little frowns on their faces. Finally, Ash said, "I'm grateful for the continued life of this circle through adversity."

That was certainly interesting. Did the adversity have something to do with the people who had been skeptical of Corrie and Edie's intentions to join the club? Whether it did or not, though, they'd probably brought it on themselves.

Finally, Payton announced with a little smile, "I'm grateful to Chatoyant College for attracting and accepting all of us and being a welcoming space to have our club." She nodded in a final sort of way. "Now we will move in a circle to raise energy."

She started moving left, as did Elena, and soon the whole circle had to move or be knocked over. They were moving clockwise, the opposite way that the cup had gone around the circle. Corrie started to trip over her own feet, then looked at the way the others were stepping--the right foot behind the left, the left to the side and a little forward--and copied that. Once she had stopped focusing on her feet, she looked up and noticed Edie's face out of the corner of her eye. Her roommate's eyes were wide and her mouth was twisted. She wasn't having any trouble walking, though her steps seemed a little different. Corrie was about to ask if she was all right when she snorted and burst out in giggles.

The circle quickly came to a halt. "Are you all right?" asked Elena. "I think maybe we should do a grounding exercise..."

Edie shook her head, dropping the hands that she held. Corrie quickly dropped Chandra's hand as well. Edie said between giggles, "It's just--we're doing the Hora! Why are we doing the Hora?"

"The Hora?" said Elena blankly.

Corrie looked around the circle. No one else seemed to have any idea what Edie was talking about either. That just made Edie laugh harder. "Is it the Goddess' bat mitzvah?" she cried. "Or--I know--the Goddess and God are getting married! Right?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Ash, staring like she thought Edie was crazy.

"It's a Jewish thing?" Corrie asked. She'd caught the phrase "bat mitzvah" and, while she hadn't really known many Jewish people growing up, she'd heard of the coming-of-age ceremonies.

Edie nodded, her laughter starting to calm down. "None of you have ever heard of it? It's a traditional Jewish dance..." She held her arms out and began to step to the side, going right this time. Corrie watched her feet. As she stepped each one went behind the other. She sang, a little wobbly: "Hava nagila, hava nagila, hava nagila ve nis'mecha..." She stopped. "I don't remember the rest of the words. But that's how the dance goes. Around in a circle." She looked around at the silent, blank faces. "I guess we weren't supposed to be doing the Hora."

After a moment of awkward silence, Elena shrugged and gave a small smile. "Well, laughter honors the Goddess, too. Perhaps that was a sign that our ritual is over, and She is pleased with our work tonight."

"Er... yes." Payton seemed to shake herself. "Let us formally close the circle, then."

Elena nodded, and once again they spoke together. "May the circle be unbroken and remain with us all. Hail, Guardians of the East, South, West, and North, and be free until we call you again." They, and the other girls, turned to face the outside of the room. Corrie and Edie followed suit. For the first time, Corrie felt the energy in the room change, and she turned back slowly. The ritual must be over.

"We can still do a spell, if anyone has one for tonight," said Elena.

"I don't know about you, but I'm tired," Chandra said, walking back to the couch she'd help push back and sitting down.

Payton nodded. "That was a fine ritual."

"All right, well, we'll see you all tomorrow, then," said Elena with a nod.

Corrie and Edie helped move the couches back into their proper places, and were about to leave when Elena put a hand on Corrie's shoulder.