I’ve never had as much fun as I did last night. I’ve pranked the frat house for four years in a row, last night was the fifth time – and the last – but it was also the best prank ever. And the fact that Hunter was there with me made it even more special.

When I went to college, there was this guy I kinda liked. We tried doing a few spells together, but his fraternity brothers decided that anyone pretending they could do magic were lying, and they convinced him to stop. I’ve been proving them wrong every Halloween ever since.

It’s always the same show I offer them: illusions of light and sound, icy bursts of wind. None of it would harm a fly, but it always spooks the frat boys and their party friends. But this year, with Hunter at my side, it was on a whole different level. We combined our skills and made up an entire army of ghosts wailing their way into the frat house, crashing the Halloween party there. Hunter added some thunder claps that sounded as loud as though lightning had fallen right outside. I raised a phantom wind that rattled the windows.

It was just moments before people started running out screaming.

It wasn’t much longer after that when we started hearing police sirens.

This was the craziest night of my life – or at least the craziest night to date. I have a feeling that this might not be the last time Cole invites me along for a wild ride.

For the past week, he’s been teaching me new magic spells – more impressive ones – and pushing me beyond what I thought I would be able to do. He always says I have more raw power than he does, but he’s had years to practice and hone his skills. I didn’t even know I had the potential to do magic until I met Cole and he told me about it. It’ll take me many more lessons before I get to the point where Cole stops telling me I can do better.

Then again, I don’t exactly mind spending time with him, so I’m in no hurry.

Tonight was the most magic I’ve done to date, and the most magic we’ve ever done together, too. It was Halloween, and he asked me if I’d help him prank this frat house at the university he attended. He didn’t say why he wanted to prank them, but it’s not all that hard to imagine. He’s a loner. Frat boys would be pretty much the opposite of who he is. Clashes sometimes leave scars; revenge can be a soothing balm…

I said yes – of course I said yes – and when he drove us down to campus, he told me that he doesn’t know anyone in that frat house anymore, but he’s been pranking them every year on Halloween; it’s his own little tradition. This year, he wanted to make it beyond anything he had done so far: a grand finale of sort before he moved on, and he wanted me to be part of it.

He parked across the street and we got out of the car to stand in front of a large, wannabe-Victorian mansion. We could hear music from across the street; clearly they were having a Halloween party. Cole looked at me and grinned. He asked if I was ready. I was – or at least I thought I was. I never expected things would turn out so great. Or that we’d end up running from the campus police.

Well, that’s it. It’s time. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time -- for more than one reason. So many things could go wrong… and that’s not even counting the magic.

I’ve checked and rechecked great granddad’s calculations to make sure the alignment is indeed taking place tonight. Everything checked out, of course; he knew what he was doing. I went to the clearing two days ago to make sure the circle was undisturbed. While I was there, I marked the trees to find my way more easily. By day, I could get to the place with my eyes closed, but the last thing I want is to get lost in the woods tonight. Hunter would never let me hear the end of it. I’ve packed, unpacked and repacked my supplies twice. I keep thinking that I’m forgetting something but no, it’s all there: sleeping bag, candles, three jars of colored pigments. Lube.

I almost forgot the lube.

I guess we don’t need lube, not it we keep things simple, but I rather hope we will need it. I hope Hunter won’t try to run off once he realizes why I brought him there. Not that he could run off, not before the spell is complete, but he might try.

How is it possible to know someone as well as I know him and still have no idea how he’ll react?

Maybe I should just go alone and do the spell on my own. That way I wouldn’t risk losing my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him.

But what if it works like I hope it will? What if I don’t lose him? What if we become more than friends tonight?

It’s got to be worth the risk…