1: Willow

She gazed down at the book in her lap, her fingers tracing the intricate stitching on the cover. She had never seen such a book before, nor felt the immense power that lingered within its pages. Its tan leather cover hummed beneath her touch as her fingers curled over the edge, ready to lift the cover.

Nothing.

She tried to pry open the book, but it simply wouldn't budge. A golden glow enveloped her vision, and a whisper danced inside her mind.

Lily.

---

Willow woke with a start, her heart hammering away within her chest. Sweat dripped from her chin and her body ached from the tension that had built up in her sleep. She shut her eyes as she hoped to regain the knowledge of the dream she just had, but the only reminisce she could gather was the name that was left behind.

 

Lily.

The name didn't ring any bells as her eyes drifted to the thick curtain that hung before her window. She could vaguely see the thin outline of the sunlight pressing against the fabric. Birds softly chirped from behind her window, only confirming the start of a new day.

 

Willow tossed her lightly damp covers aside, teetering out of her bed, and pulled back the curtain. She groaned softly as the sun crashed against her face, blinding her instantly. After a few seconds of regaining her vision, she peered out the large window. It had always been her only gateway to the outside world while she was at home, aside from school, that is. She sighed deeply at the thought of going to school.

 

"I don't know how much longer I can take this." She whispered as she closed the curtain, darkening the room once more. She turned toward her nightstand and pulled the string to her lamp. A dull light brightened the room, revealing the small quarters she had been living in for so many years. Her bed lined up with the wall across from the window, showing off several self drawn portraits above the bed. Each portrait was an image of her dreams that had come true so far.

 

Willow crossed over to her broken dresser, tugging hard on the drawers in order to gain her clothes from inside. After dressing herself, she looked around her dreary room once more before closing the door behind herself. She stepped across the narrow hallway to the bathroom, the wallpaper peeling in the corners and yellowing with age. She splashed her face with cold water, shuddering at the chill. Her eyes roamed her tired face in the mirror as she brushed her short, black hair. Her eyes latched onto her wrists as the sleeves slid down slightly, showing off thin scars on her skin. A heavyweight settles in her chest as she shifts her sleeves to cover them.

 

Freak.

Willow shut her eyes tightly at the word, her hands gripping the sides of the chipped sink. She knew she was different compared to the other students at her school, even amongst her other sisters and brothers of her coven. But a freak? She couldn't help the fact that only her mother was a Witch and her father was a regular human.

 

"But I'm not..." her voice came out in barely a whisper, but she couldn't deny the emotion she felt the longer she thought about it. Just how much longer could she possibly handle this?

 

After gaining some composure, she descended the creaky and crooked wooden staircase and made her way into the small kitchen. She peered into the living room as she passed it by, taking notice of her aunt Ruth sitting in her rocking chair, her head tilted back and her mouth agape while snoring. Willow could hear the box tv still rambling on before fading away as she reached the kitchen. She ignored the molding food still in the sink from a couple of days ago and started making her toast when a Calico cat hopped up onto the small table.

 

"Good morning Teeka." Willow ran her fingers over the cat's head and along her back. Teeka purred softly, brushing against her fingers. Willow smiled lightly, relaxing in the feline's presence, and continued making her breakfast.

 

As she ate quietly, her eyes wandered around the kitchen, taking in the peeling wallpaper, the molded food in the sink, and the clutter surrounding the garbage can. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach, forcing her to lose her appetite.

 

It had not always been like this.

She cleaned her plate and cleaned the other disgusting dishes her aunt left behind. She attempted to be as quiet as she could, but it didn't stop her aunt from bellowing from the next room.

 

"Keep it down already!" She shouted, startling both Willow and Teeka. Willow sighed as she shut off the water, leaving the rest of the dishes behind, as she picked up her book bag and slipped out the back door. The chilly air kissed her nose as the October morning continued to light up the sky. She peered around her backyard, settling her eyes on the garden off in the corner, and made her way toward it. A few bushes lined the fence as she stopped before a wooden box. She knelt before it, running her fingers over the Lavender, Chamomile, Feverfew, and Saint John's Wort. She ran her fingers over the leaves of the Feverfew, glad that it was ready to be prepped, when she felt a buzzing in her back pocket, making her jump.

 

"That might be Roy." She said after calming down her heart and pulled out her phone. Her home screen of Teeka lit up, showing the text notification.

 

Mornin' sunshine.

 

Willow smiled to herself, sending a quick reply. Roy had been the only boy at her school to show her any type of kindness. If she had to admit it aloud, she couldn't deny she had a growing crush on him. A part of her wanted to believe that maybe he was her knight, willing to save her from the Hell she called her life.

 

He replied once more than she left her garden behind, leaving through the wooden gate that was beside the house and began her trek to school. She shivered as she walked, regretting to have left her jacket or a thicker sweater behind, but the longer she talked to Roy, the longer the cold didn't seem to bother her.

 

As she reached campus, a horn blared beside her, nearly throwing her phone from her hands. Followed by the horn was obnoxious laughter as an orange jeep pulled up beside her. Willow kept her head down as she continued walking, wanting nothing more than just getting to first period.

 

"Hold on there, Witch." A voice hissed her title, making her internally groan. She didn't enjoy being called out like that. Werewolves and Vampires, though were not afraid to mingle and coexist with the Humans, kept to themselves in their private packs or disguised themselves to blend in. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have that type of luxury. After the events of the Dark Witch Karmina all those years ago, everyone in the Supernatural community and even the Humans looked down on them. If it wasn't for their leader of the Light Witches, Miss J, she wouldn't be able to live where she was now.

 

"Where are you going?" The same voice asked, the clicking of heels sounding behind her on the concrete. Willow stopped, keeping her gaze low as she slowly turned to face the one that called out to her. A manicured hand reached out, lifting her chin forcefully until she was looking at a dark brunette with hazel eyes. Her cherry lips pulled back into a sly smile.

 

"I just want to go to class, Amanda." Willow told her, her eyes looking away from the woman before her. Amanda smirked, pushing Willow's face away, a part of her nail scratched Willow's chin. She forced herself not to wince at the minor cut.

 

"Not until you give me what you owe me first." She held up her hand expectingly. Willow looked down at it before reaching into her bag and pulled out a small stack of papers and handed it over.

 

"Everything is there, including the proper citations." Willow informed her as Amanda thumbed through it, giving small nods of approval.

 

"So you are good for something. Get out of my sight." Amanda hissed at her, and Willow quickly walked away before they detained her even more.

 

Everything would be better if I just go away. 

Her normal reoccurring thoughts swam through her mind as she trudged through the halls to first period. As normal, she was the first to arrive, taking her seat near the back.

 

"Willow, here early again." A soft, kind voice spoke up from the doorway, drawing her attention to a tall man wearing a blue wool vest and a dark blue long sweater beneath it. His chestnut hair combed back as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and gave her a warm smile.

 

"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized to him as she sat down. He rested his own bag on the desk at the front of the classroom, his coffee in his other hand.

 

"No need to be sorry. It's nice being able to see at least one of my students wanting to learn." He chuckled softly before looking at her and his brows came together. "Are you alright?" He asked her worriedly. She touched the thin cut on her chin that Amanda left behind, but it shouldn't be visible from his distance.

 

"Yes, why do you ask?" she asked him. He inclined his head as he walked over to her and sat on the desk beside her. He wasn't a very imposing man, not with the aura he was giving off, but Willow felt an odd sense of longing coming from him. It frightened her, and she didn't know why.

 

"You seem tired is all. Is everything going okay at home?" He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. She gave him a smile that felt far off, even for her.

 

"Yes, of course. I just had to put in some extra hours to get my history paper finished." She told him, which wasn't a complete lie. It just wasn't her paper to do. The teacher nodded slowly in understanding, standing up straight once more.

 

"At least it was for your education and not some late night party." He attempted to joke with her. She laughed halfheartedly.

 

Right, a party. How hilarious.

Several students filed in from the hallway, forcing the teacher to take a step back from her. She inclined her head, but didn't want to think too much into it.

 

He probably just didn't want anyone seeing him getting close to the Witch.

Willow let out a sigh as the bell rang to start class and forced herself to focus.

---

After fifth period, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

 

Lunch in the courtyard?

It was Roy again. She smiled as she changed her direction for the courtyard when the same manicured hand clamped down on her shoulder a little too roughly. Before she could say anything, her phone had been pulled from her hand and thrown to the floor, followed by a sharp heel to the screen. The glass shattered, minor sparks flew up before it died completely.

 

"Oops." Amanda sneered before walking past her toward the courtyard. Willow watched after her, her hair swaying like a delicate curtain against her black sweater. She felt a sharpness in her chest that she didn't recognize before as she watched the girl that continuously tormented her.

 

Die.

The thought scared Willow so much that she felt the sting of tears threatening to expose themselves. She picked up her broken phone and walked out to the courtyard. In her surprise, she found Amanda talking to Roy and another sharp pain triggered her. Amanda was playing with her hair flirtatiously while Roy was holding his backpack to his chest. She admired the boy with the black hair and almond-shaped eyes. Everyone liked him for his kindness and genuine heart, so she wasn't all too surprised to find Amanda attempting to work her own magic on him.

 

"Party. Halloween night. My place." Amanda stated her invitation openly to him. Roy smiled at her.

 

"Maybe I already have some plans made up." He told her. Amanda pouted at him before catching Willow staring out of the corner of her eye. She clicked her tongue in annoyance before strutting away. Roy shook his head before looking toward Willow, and his smile dropped instantly as she sat down beside him.

 

"Willow, what's wrong?" He asked her, but she couldn't meet his gentle gaze. She clutched the phone in her hand.

 

"I dropped my phone." She lied. Roy cocked his head, holding his hand out for it. She passed it over to him to examine.

 

"You dropped it? It looks like someone took a hammer to it." He pointed out, looking at her again, "Did Amanda do this?" He asked, a hint of anger in his tone. She finally looked at him and found herself caught in his eyes.

 

"It's not that big of a deal. I can get a new one." She told him, trying to take the phone back, but he held it out of range.

 

"How long do you plan on letting her walk all over you?" He asked her.

 

"For as long as I am a Witch." She said weakly. Roy finally gave up her phone, and she tucked it away in her book bag.

 

"You're different, though. You're not like the others." He tried to console her.

 

"You mean like the Dark Witches?" She asked him. His lips formed a thin line, "Or because I'm just a half Witch?"

 

"Come on, Willow, you know I didn't mean it like that." He rested his hand on hers. It was warm on her skin. She looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity in them.

 

"I know. I'm sorry, I didn't sleep well the other night." She admitted, while he pulled out a sandwich from his backpack and started eating.

 

"Is it one of those dreams again?" He asked her. He was the only one outside of her coven that knew her special ability.

 

"Yeah, but I don't understand it at all. It told me a name and showed me a book, but I couldn't open it." She told him.

 

"What was the name?" He asked with a mouthful of bread, turkey, and cheese.

 

"Lily." She spoke the name tenderly, as if it truly had some meaning to her. Yet she had met no one by that name before. Roy finished his sandwiched, sighing contentedly to himself.

 

"It's a pretty name, I'll admit that. Was there a face to the name?" He eyed her carefully. "Did you bring food?" He asked her. She shook her head. After the outburst from her aunt this morning, she rushed out of there before she could make herself anything. Roy got to his feet and gestured to the doors of the cafeteria.

 

"No face, but maybe I'll get one later. I'm curious about this book, though. I couldn't open it, but I felt a powerful aura come from it." She mentioned as they walked back inside. She tried to ignore the eyes that followed her every move.

 

Does Roy feel the intense staring like I do? Does he feel bothered walking alongside of me?

She stole a glance in his direction while they got in line, yet he maintained focus on the array of food displayed before him. Her eyes trailed down to his forearms as he pushed up his sleeves, revealing a tattoo she hadn't seen before on him. It was intricate and looked fairly new as the black ink still shimmered vibrantly in the light. He glanced over, catching her staring and smiles.

 

"One of my cousins did it, said he needed a dummy to practice on." He told her, shrugging a bit. She smiled, but something about the tattoo seemed off to her, but she ignored it. She knew Roy since middle school. He got along well with everyone he met, and was never seen dealing with gangs or criminal behavior.

 

"That was nice of you." She commented as she gathered a few things onto her tray before checking out. Roy held up his hand to stop her, pulling out his own wallet, and paid for her food.

 

"Don't look at me like that. Nothing wrong with letting a man pay for your food." He smiled at her. She felt herself swooning for a moment before she collected herself. After sitting down, Roy looked around the cafeteria.

 

"You know you can go sit with your friends." She told him as his eyes captured a small group of football players. He raised a brow at her, his forehead wrinkled slightly.

 

"It'll just be a moment." He told her before getting up and walking over to the group that was waiting for him expectingly. She watched him from afar as the loneliness settled in deeper. He smiled and laughed with them.

 

He makes it look so easy.

She rested a hand over her chest, wishing to gain the confidence she would need to just say a simple hello to the next person who crossed her path. As time perceived it, two girls walked by her table, chatting about the essay that was due later in the week. Willow opened her mouth to speak, but something grabbed hold of her throat so she couldn't speak up.

 

They'll fear you.

Willow felt the stinging in her eyes once more as the girls walked away, closing her mouth. Why is something so simple the hardest to say?

---

When she arrived back home, the sky was quickening with darkness when she walked through the front door. The living room light was finally on and aunt Ruth was in her usual spot in the chair, her grey hair pulled back in a messy bun. She wore a light blue nightgown, her slippers halfway off of her feet when she makes eye contact with her. She grimaced at the sight of her before removing her gaze and focused back on the TV in front of her.

 

Even my family is disgusted by me.

Teeka rubbed against her legs, her purring vibrating against her jeans. She picked up the cat and made her way up to her room. After getting past the threshold, she quietly shut the door behind herself and crashed onto her bedding. That was cold to the touch. She nearly forgotten that it was soaked in her sweat from this morning and a part of her didn't care to sleep in it, but she got herself up anyway and worked on her laundry.

 

"My life was never this bad, Teeka. Why did it have to turn out this way?" She asked the cat as she sat in the basement. The washer swished around loudly as she attempted to do her homework in peace. Teeka inclined her head at Willow's question, flicking her tail.

 

"It's not like I asked to be a Witch. It just turned out that way, you know?" Willow complained a bit, tapping her pencil against her leg. Her eyes shifted to a small spider crawling along the wall before disappearing into the crack.

 

"Would it be easier if I just disappeared? Would that make everyone happier?" She asked out loud, but no response came to her. Teeka rubbed her cheek against the back of Willow's hand affectionately. It was the only thing that helped calm the sadness in her heart.

---

His fingers traced her collarbone, the graze of his touch heating her skin in a way that was both intoxicating and frightening. His other hand dipped between her naked thighs, while his lips left kisses along the arc of her neck. Her heart thundered in her chest, accelerating further as he pressed his naked body against hers. She gazed up at the man as he pulled his mouth away, his gold and red eyes smoldering as his lips pull back into a handsome smile. Her eyes drifted from his eyes to his lips, spotting the two slightly sharpened canines. Though her mind raced and panic, her body surrendered beneath him as his mouth closed in on her neck once again.