November 2025
Salem, Massachusetts
Eliza stood in front of the mirror in Lilith’s bedroom, adjusting the dark purple sweater for what felt like the thousandth time. Lucy sat on the bed behind her, scrolling her phone with one hand while popping Apple Jacks in her mouth with the other.
“You look just fine. More than fine actually.” Lucy said, setting her phone down to analyze Eliza’s outfit. “You just need to add Lil’s black leather jacket with the studs, and then you’re good to go.”
Eliza didn’t feel "just fine," not in the slightest. The sweater was softer than any fabric she’d worn, but it felt too fitted, too revealing of her curves. Even after a week in 2025, she still felt exposed in these clothes.
“Art thou—are you certain this is appropriate?”
“For the millionth time, yes.” Lucy flicked her gaze back down to her phone again. “It’s just coffee. You’re overthinking this, babe.”
But Eliza couldn’t help it. She was about to spend time alone with Becca, the red-headed girl with the green and gold-flecked eyes who made her stomach churn and mind race in ways she couldn’t entirely articulate.
“Lucy, remind me. What if Becca asks questions of which I cannot answer?” Eliza adjusted her ponytail.
“Then you do what we practiced. Keep your answers short, redirect with a question of your own. Girls love a good listener.”
Eliza shot her a glare as Lucy smiled and finished crunching her Apple Jacks. “What!? It's true! Anyway, if you get really stuck and need me, just go to the bathroom and text me. Send me an emoji thumbs up, and I’ll tell Aunt Ivy to come drive me to rescue you.”
Lucy set down her phone. “But honestly, you’ll be fine. Becca seems sweet. And plus, she’s a total cutie.”
“She is sweet,” Eliza said as she stood, her cheeks heating up.
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Lucy immediately noticed. “Oh my God. You actually like her, don’t you?”
“She’s a friend, yes.”
“No silly, I mean like her, like her.” Lucy hopped off the bed, grinning. “Lils is going to die when she finds out that not only did she miss out on a coffee date with her crush, but let her Puritan ancestor swoop right in and...”
“Lucy, that’s enough.” Eliza’s voice came out sharper than intended. “Please, I’m excited to meet my new friend. No more of this nonsense.”
Lucy’s expression shifted slightly. “You’re right.” She walked over and applied a dab of dark-tinted lip gloss to Eliza's top and bottom lips. “But seriously, just let me add some tint and mascara, ok? You’re naturally pretty, but a tiny bit of makeup never hurt anyone.”
◆◆◆◆
Eliza studied her reflection in the mirror one last time once Lucy finished. The hair, the dark lip gloss, the mascara she’d been talked into. It all looked... shockingly good on her. This reflection was so very different from the person who’d fled through those woods in 1691, dirty and terrified. Her hair was clean and shiny now, pulled back with one of Lucy’s plain black bands. Nearly perfect ringlet curls were on full display in her ponytail. Her skin had lost its pale winter pallor and she looked almost...pink and flushed. Modern, even. Like she belonged here.
Aunt Ivy’s Jetta wove through Salem’s streets, past the shops Eliza had slowly been learning to recognize. The Witch Museum, still strange and unsettling with its sharp, dark facade among the modern buildings. The stores all around selling crystals, tarot decks, and various types of ouija boards. Even though Eliza had fled before the trials began in earnest, she’d learned the horrifying details from Aunt Ivy and her History class. What had once meant death had become mere commerce.
“Nervous?” Aunt Ivy asked from the driver’s seat, chuckling. “First dates can be nerve-wracking.”
“She is a friend,” Eliza repeated, same as she had earlier.
Aunt Ivy’s tone suggested total skepticism. “Mmm hmm. Well, just a friend or not, remember that Becca asked you out to coffee. That means she already likes spending time with you, all you have to do is be present. And let her handle paying.”
They pulled up in front of a small café with large windows and a hand-painted sign that read, “Gulu Gulu Café.” Through the glass, Eliza could see mismatched furniture and warm lighting. As she scanned around for Becca, she noticed that the walls were covered in patchwork, colorful artwork.
“This is it,” Aunt Ivy said. “Text me when you’re ready to be picked up, okay?” She waited until Eliza met her eyes. “And hey, have fun. You deserve to have fun until we figure out how to get you back home.”
Eliza nodded, her palms clammy with sweat. She climbed out of the car before her courage could completely fail her.
___________
The café smelled like roasted coffee beans and something sweet. Vanilla, maybe? Music played overhead from speakers, a woman’s voice crooning softly. Several people were scattered throughout the space at tables and giant chairs, most staring at their glowing phones or at laptop screens. Eliza noticed Becca sat at a corner table by the window, holding a coffee mug. She looked up as Eliza approached, and her whole face lit up.
“Hey Lils, you made it” Becca stood, beaming. "I thought Friday would never come."