The musky smell of moonlight whipped around the Killingsworth house. Serena
was filled with an unrecognizable emotion she kept masked by her impassive
face: fear. One look at Jimena and she knew that the lives of the Daughters
would never be the same. She stole a quick glance at her brother, Collin.
He seemed to be rifling through the possibilities as well.
Jimena began to notice the stares encircling her. She bent over her cake. What was happening to her? Why couldn't she remember anything?
"What is it, guys?" The unmistakable sadness overcame her as she picked at her food with a long, silver-painted fingernail. She was not one to play around.
"Nothing, we're just so happy that it's your birthday," Vanessa lied. One look at her face betrayed the truth: something was very wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it, but somehow Jimena felt disconnected from her friends.
"If you don't tell me what's going on right now, Voy a correr." Her throat tightened but she kept her words steady, focusing on the unblinking eyes of her best friend Serena.
Serena hesitated. What were the consequences of telling Jimena the truth? Maggie had never said what would happen if the Daughters reminded Jimena of her past life. The question was, would Jimena believe her?
Catty seemed to be thinking the same thing. She leaned over to listen to Tianna, who was fiddling nervously with her black hair. "Should we tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Jimena snapped, and jumped up angrily. Her black leather jacket whipped dangerously around her slim body, and Serena caught a glimpse of the Goddess she once knew. She smiled sadly.
"Nothing," answered Tianna. The tension was mounting. Collin stood up and took Jimena in his arms, comforting her with every ounce of his being. He willed himself to stay strong.
"Let's just celebrate your birthday, mi bruja." He snickered lovingly. All of a sudden, he drew in his breath sharply. Bruja meant witch. That used to be his nickname for Jimena. What would she think now?
But Jimena didn't seem to notice. She rocked slowly in Collins strong, surfer-boy arms. He smelled of salt and sand, and the wafting scent of icing traveled through the air. The Daughters breathed easier now. They knew they could count on Collin to fix the situation.
"What do you say we go to Planet Bang and celebrate, eh?" shouted Tianna. The other Daughters whooped and cheered. "Yeah Jimena, what do you say?" remarked Vanessa. Their smiles revealed no disappointment, only infectious happiness. Jimena couldn't refuse. "Sure, mis chicas guapitas, vamonos!"
The four remaining Daughters tumbled up the stairs, whisking Jimena up with their delightful squeals. They made it to Serena's room and began rummaging through her clothes. Serena pulled out a pink micromini, and a black aviator jacket with silver studs all over the back. A pair of black stiletto boots and some red spike gel completed her punk rocker look. Vanessa went classy, a long red dress with silver sequins dotted up the sides. Catty and Tianna matched each other, wearing skintight leather pants and gold and black halters. They looked every inch a Goddess.
Jimena automatically felt inferior when she put on her camoflauge miniskirt and black tube top. Had it always been this way?
Suddenly, a cold air whipped around the five girls, sending Jimena tumbling into Serena's red butterfly chair. The four Goddesses sensed something Jimena could not. What was there that Jimena could not see?
Jimena began to notice the stares encircling her. She bent over her cake. What was happening to her? Why couldn't she remember anything?
"What is it, guys?" The unmistakable sadness overcame her as she picked at her food with a long, silver-painted fingernail. She was not one to play around.
"Nothing, we're just so happy that it's your birthday," Vanessa lied. One look at her face betrayed the truth: something was very wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it, but somehow Jimena felt disconnected from her friends.
"If you don't tell me what's going on right now, Voy a correr." Her throat tightened but she kept her words steady, focusing on the unblinking eyes of her best friend Serena.
Serena hesitated. What were the consequences of telling Jimena the truth? Maggie had never said what would happen if the Daughters reminded Jimena of her past life. The question was, would Jimena believe her?
Catty seemed to be thinking the same thing. She leaned over to listen to Tianna, who was fiddling nervously with her black hair. "Should we tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Jimena snapped, and jumped up angrily. Her black leather jacket whipped dangerously around her slim body, and Serena caught a glimpse of the Goddess she once knew. She smiled sadly.
"Nothing," answered Tianna. The tension was mounting. Collin stood up and took Jimena in his arms, comforting her with every ounce of his being. He willed himself to stay strong.
"Let's just celebrate your birthday, mi bruja." He snickered lovingly. All of a sudden, he drew in his breath sharply. Bruja meant witch. That used to be his nickname for Jimena. What would she think now?
But Jimena didn't seem to notice. She rocked slowly in Collins strong, surfer-boy arms. He smelled of salt and sand, and the wafting scent of icing traveled through the air. The Daughters breathed easier now. They knew they could count on Collin to fix the situation.
"What do you say we go to Planet Bang and celebrate, eh?" shouted Tianna. The other Daughters whooped and cheered. "Yeah Jimena, what do you say?" remarked Vanessa. Their smiles revealed no disappointment, only infectious happiness. Jimena couldn't refuse. "Sure, mis chicas guapitas, vamonos!"
The four remaining Daughters tumbled up the stairs, whisking Jimena up with their delightful squeals. They made it to Serena's room and began rummaging through her clothes. Serena pulled out a pink micromini, and a black aviator jacket with silver studs all over the back. A pair of black stiletto boots and some red spike gel completed her punk rocker look. Vanessa went classy, a long red dress with silver sequins dotted up the sides. Catty and Tianna matched each other, wearing skintight leather pants and gold and black halters. They looked every inch a Goddess.
Jimena automatically felt inferior when she put on her camoflauge miniskirt and black tube top. Had it always been this way?
Suddenly, a cold air whipped around the five girls, sending Jimena tumbling into Serena's red butterfly chair. The four Goddesses sensed something Jimena could not. What was there that Jimena could not see?