On winter break, nearly everyone at Afterglow Academy traveled to Snow Beach. So named because the sand at Snow Beach was white as snow and the city was the coldest in Afire, though never cold enough to warrant a jacket.

Students from Afire traveled with their friends or families. Students like Clove who were new to Afire traveled with the school.

Clove spent the majority of her time on her vacation at Snow Beach in her hotel room, studying so that she could get better grades than Oleander and become this year’s August Witch. She rarely left her room. She rarely saw her roommate Allspice who only returned to the hotel room to sleep. Clove felt that her vacation was very enjoyable.

But Clove made the mistake of leaving her room one day to get the hotel breakfast. And she ran into Regina.

“Hi, Clove!” Regina said. “It is so good to see you! We’re doing a craft today, and I’d really like for you to participate! Don’t you love scrapbooking! I think you will just love this craft!”

“Hi,” Clove said.

Regina stepped closer to Clove and whispered in her ear. “This will be a good opportunity for you,” she said, “to prove that you can get along, to prove that you have what it takes to be an August Witch.”

Clove stared at Regina.

“Well then!” Regina said. “I’ll see you there!” Then, Regina walked away.

Clove had had no other choice but to go to the craft event.

But she had shown up, and the plans had changed.

“We were going to make a craft,” Basil said, “but now we’re using magic to build towers. The goal is to build a tower that could never stand up without magic. There’s your group.”

Clove looked at her table. “Uh uh,” she said. She flinched as if to turn around and leave.

But then she saw Regina watching her.

She turned back toward the table and walked toward it with her chin up. She pulled back her seat and sat down. She grimaced at Oleander.

“I guess I’m on your team,” she said.

Oleander and his girlfriend Ginger were gluing googly eyes to their robot.

“No,” Ginger said.

“Excuse me,” Clove said.

“Pick another table,” Ginger said. “You’re not wanted here. After the way you’ve treated Oleander, I can’t believe you show your face here and dare to sit at our table. Go away, please.”

“I was sent to this table,” Clove said.

Ginger glared at Clove. “We don’t need you,” she said.

Clove looked anxiously around the room and made eye contact with Regina.

Regina smiled at Clove.

“I could seal the robot at the end,” Clove said.

“Show off,” Ginger said.

“Excuse me,” Clove said.

“Aren’t you showing off your sealant magic,” Ginger said. “Usually, you downplay it even though anyone at Afterglow Academy would love to have the advantage that you have.”

“Oleander,” Clove said. “Will you accept my help? We could work together this once?”

“I would like to enjoy my holiday,” Oleander said.

“Oh, just go,” Ginger said, “you’re just an orphan.”

“I have a great family,” Clove said.

“Well, where are they?” Ginger laughed.

Clove lunged at Ginger. Then she remembered Regina and stopped herself. She looked over and saw Regina engaged in conversation. She sighed. She lost balance and fell into the robot. The robot toppled to the floor.

Oleander groaned. “All of our hard work,” he said.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Ginger cried.

A few of Ginger’s friends gathered around her to comfort her.

“How could you?” they said. “You’d better watch your back at Afterglow Academy after this. We stick together.”

Clove just stared at them.

She thought about apologizing or coming up with an explanation.

Instead, she gritted her teeth. “I think you’re the ones who will need to watch your backs,” she said.