Perfect Revenge Read Free Page A

on me?”
    â€œUh, no. But I heard you crying and I climbed the tree by the fence to see what was wrong. You’re not physically injured though, are you?”
    I heave a sigh and say, “You wouldn’t understand.”
    She plops down on the lawn and says, “Try me.”
    I look at her and think this is incredibly weird because
she’s
incredibly weird. She’s not the sort of person I’d normally ever talk to. I’ve seen her around a few times since she moved in next door, but one look ather was all I needed to know she wasn’t my type. I mean, the kid dresses like a Raggedy Ann doll. She’s so thin she looks like a collection of twigs. And her hair! It’s this wild mass of black curls that frizz around her head like an alien life-form.
    But I start talking. I tell her everything that happened to me, and she listens. Really listens. When I’m done talking, I feel better but also a little worried. Is talking to someone like her yet another sign that life as I’ve known it is over?
    â€œSounds like that Rachel girl is really mean,” Stella says. “Why would she do something like that to you?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I sniff. “But I’ll tell you this. She’s going to pay. I don’t know how yet, but I’ll get her back.”
    Stella grins. I blink to avoid the flash off the metal, but it doesn’t happen this time. She looks at me sideways and says, “I know what you need.”
    â€œYou do?” I ask.
    â€œOh yeah.” She nods. In that gesture I find some hope. Her nod is so certain.
    â€œSo tell me,” I say.
    â€œYou need to work a little magick,” she says.
    I stare at her. “Magick? You’re making fun of me?”
    â€œNo. I wouldn’t do that.” She shakes her head. “I’m totally serious. I know some magick. My baba has been teaching me.”
    I roll my eyes. “Your baba? What’s that?”
    â€œMy grandmother,” Stella says. “She’s from the old country and she knows plenty.”
    â€œYou are serious, aren’t you?” I ask. “I mean, you actually believe in this stuff?”
    â€œFor sure I believe it. I’ve seen it work.” Stella frowns and bends her head to pluck at the grass. “Although, I’m not really supposed to tell just anyone about it.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause,” she says, “it’s sort of a family secret. Well, maybe not just for blood family, but for those who have respect. It’s not a game.”
    Of all the things Stella might have said, this bit about secrets and respectsounds convincing. “So you’re saying that if I learn how to do this, I could get back at Rachel?”
    Stella nods her head vigorously. “I know the perfect revenge spell.”
    Perfect revenge
. The words waft into my steamed brain like a cool breeze. Ahh. The dreary darkness of misery parts to make way for hope. I start to imagine things. A wart on Rachel’s nose—a giant fuzzy wart. And tufts of hair growing out of her ears. Oh, and what about armpits that pour smelly sweat? I’m just warming up when Stella cuts in.
    â€œYou’ll have to learn a few basics first. The revenge spell is tricky.”
    â€œTricky?” I ask. “What do you mean?”
    â€œI mean,” she says, “whatever you send out magickally, will come back on you threefold.”
    â€œSay what?” I ask.
    â€œIt’s like this.” Stella hesitates, then begins to twirl a tuft of hair in her finger. No wonder it looks like an alien life-form. The twirling is intense. “When you workmagick you’re working with the power of nature. It’s like shaping or bending the energy to your will. But before you draw power from the source, you need to align with it. Does this sound complicated?”
    â€œUh, yeah.”
    â€œDarn,” she says. “There’s a lot to