V - Secrets Unfolding

"It's a shame you didn't invite me", said Karma who locked her gaze at one person.

Surprised from what she saw, Odette glanced at Tara and Kieran who were both looking at Karma. The latter raised a brow and sat beside his brother, Kieran.

"You guys are making it look like you saw a ghost", she puffed a cigarette and stared each one of them down.

"How do you know I'm here?", Kieran asked.

Licking her lips, she tilted her head and looked at Kieran as if he's joking. "I felt like you knew I was going here" she held out a cigarette and offered it to the girls infront of them.

Tara shook her head but Odette took it, fiercely looking at Karma making sure they don't break the eye contact. Karma smirked upon noticing Odette's intense gaze. She stood from her seat and walked towards Odette. The other shifted from her seat and watched Karma closed their distance.

"You need help with that?", Karma asked glancing at Odette's hand holding the cigarette.

Overwhelmed by their distance, Odette remained silent which made Karma's smirk grew bigger. She leaned closer to her, placing her other hand on her side.

"Put it in your mouth", she commanded. Karma's voice felt like a mantra, Odette caught herself doing what she says.

Karma bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. "I feel like you know nothing about that thing. Just inhale," she paused and put her cigarette back on her mouth.

Leaning closer, she connected her cigarette to Odette's to light her. A cough quickly escaped Odette's mouth after doing what she was told to. Amused from the sight, Karma snatched the cigarette away from Odette. "I guess, this is not for kids", she said, chuckling.

Odette felt the heat on her cheeks from the embarrassment she felt. She stood from her seat and glanced at Tara who's already watching her. She was about to say something when Kieran interrupted.

"Hey! Now that we're all here, why don't we invite more?" the two fairies stared at each other, knowing the trouble they put to themselves.

"I feel like we have to go now..." Odette broke.

Karma squinted her eyes. She put her arms around Odette like they are so close. "I just got here and now you want to go home?", she pouted and looked at her brother who's getting weirded out by her actions.

"Do you two know each other?" and Karma clapped as if Kieran strikes the right question.

"Yes, we kissed", she said proudly that made Tara gasped.

She looked at Odette who's now troubled. She brushed her hair with her fingers and faced Odette. "We met at the party" she whispered, almost telling her that they would talk about it later, in a language only the two of them knew.

"Alright ladies, I'm gonna call a friends" Kieran interrupted before fishing his phone from his pocket.

The three of them weren't able to do anything but watch Kieran as he excitedly texted every people he knew. His eyes met Tara. "Could you stay a little bit longer?" he reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.

At this moment, Odette doesn't know what to say. She never saw Tara being treated that way. On the other hand, Tara was shocked too but it's not like it's not the first time that Kieran shows her intimacy.

"Could we excuse ourselves for a moment?"

"Sure"

She motioned Odette to follow her which the latter gladly did. They walked far away from them to avoid being heard.

"You know, I am so confused right now" she began. She fidgets with her fingers as she tried to assemble her thoughts.

"If you are confused, so do I. I mean, what was that I saw just now?" Odette fired back.

"I wasn't expecting that he would do that. You see, I was surprised but I'm more surprised that you knew her," Tara closed her eyes from frustration before proceeding to talk. "We can't stay here now that they know about our existence" she added.

"But it would be suspicious if we leave now. Let's just wait for their other friends then we'll leave unnoticed. Is that okay with you?" Tara bit her lip and nodded. Odette smiled. "Good, let's go back"

It did not took a lot of time for the other people to arrive. Different cars came one by one spitting out a large number of noisy teenagers armed with all types of liquors. The two fairies felt the stress as they realize that these will be the type of people they are going to deal with for the next hours.

The girls were wearing small clothes almost like a bikini top. The two thought that those may be their normal clothes which made them stand out for wearing such dainty dresses. They look very different.

From afar, Karma was watching the two closely. Their unique features are very noticeable, she thought to herself. Their eyes. Their pale skin. There's something about them that makes them looks and feels different. But due to the evolving fashion of the human world, one would thought that they just wanted to be different.

"Aren't they looking a bit weird?" says someone behind her. She turned to look at the person and she saw Muse, the girl that Kieran dated.

"I mean, they look kinda cool tho" she uttered before blowing smoke in front of her. The girl glared at her before turning to walk away.

"That girl irks me every damn time", she whispered to herself.

She get herself a can of beer and proceeded to watch Odette and Tara. She scanned the two and noticed that they were both wearing a necklaces of different colours. Squinting her eyes, she tried to remember its every details. She's going to need it for later.

"What the? Are you obsessed with that girl?" she glanced at Kieran who came to her side. "What if I am?"

"I say goodluck" and he turned away to walk towards Tara.

-

"What was that?" asked Lilith who noticed something moving behind the grass. Willow looked at the direction she's staring.

Slowly, she walked towards where they saw the movements. She held out her hand, prepared to defend herself from any attack. She stopped midway after realising there was no one. Facing Lilith, she shrugged her shoulders.

"Let's go back"

-

"You seem bored", Kieran stated while looking at Odette and Tara who are obviously uneasy.

"We are good. I just don't like the noise that much", Tara defended, faking a smile.

"Do you want anything to drink, perhaps?" Tara just shook her head.

She noticed how Kieran clenched his jaw. "If you need anything, just tell me", are the last words he said before walking away from the two of them.

Odette let out a deep breath like it was such a burden having Kieran close to them. It was. "We really have to go now. Lilith might look for us", she said and Tara quickly agreed.

She looked around the place and realised everyone was busy minding their own businesses. She motioned Tara to follow her, a sign that they are now escaping. The loud noise coming from the wireless speaker goes down as they go farther away from them. They made sure that they walked away unnoticeable or else, their suspicion towards them will grow bigger.

They walked through the path they've taken before. At the end of the forest is the waterfall where the portal is. Far from them was Karma who's closely keeping a distance but making sure they are on her sight. A smile grew on her face as her theory grows clearer. "The hell are you doing?", a familiar voice made her jump. Irritated, she faced Kieran who's giving her a curious look.

She immediately held his shoulder and motioned him to come back to where they were staying. "You really can't leave you sister alone, huh?" she joked, slightly glancing back to the two fairies direction, only to realised that they are gone.

"Fuck you" she spat before chugging a can of beer.

"What in the fucking mood swing?" Kieran uttered. He roamed his eyes around trying to look for Tara.

He licked his lips and put his hands on his pocket. Realising he lost her again, he uttered a curse. "I'm going home", and he ditched the people he invited.

The two passed through the portal easily. Tara looked around the garden and saw no one. She sighed and looked at Odette who's staring at the portal.

"Something's wrong?" she asked. Odette tried to shake the thoughts away from her head.

Her long auburn red hair. The way she speaks cockily. Her plumped lower lip. Her long black lashes. She's always reminded of Karma. The thoughts felt so sweet yet bitter at the same time.

Tara let out a sigh. "Glad we made it back in time" They are walking back to Odette's house.

"Are you two close already?" Odette asked pertaining to Kieran who's obviously making a lot of effort to communicate with Tara earlier.

"He's the guy I met at the party but we didn't talk that much" Odette just gave her an amused look before clinging her arm to hers.

-

"Why were you there?", Karma snapped, glaring at Kieran who just got home.

The man sniggered and gave her an amused look. "Why are you getting so worked up?" he watched her roll her eyes and stomped on her feet. He chuckled at the sight of his mad sister.

"Don't you ever walk into my room again" she warned before finally walking away.

Kieran just shrugged and decided to walk into his room. He lays on his bed and the memories of a certain woman came rushing through his mind.

Is her eyes always that green? He thought. Her gaze felt like a magnet to him, like once you look at her, you're hooked. "Or it's just me?" he said to himself.

"What the hell did you do to me Tara?" he uttered, almost can't believe himself.

Karma rummaged through the books she collected. She scanned the pages trying to look for the picture in her mind. She stopped and stared at that one page.

The keeper's crest.

She tried to analyze the necklace shown in the books. She checked every details and realised it was different from what she saw on Odette and Tara. But she made a conclusion to herself that those were connected to what she saw in the books. She just needs more information.

-

"We should stop going to the portal", Odette declared, at last. Tara curiously glanced at her. Thinking about her personality, she did not expect her to say this.

It was actually a good thing because they have been getting themselves into trouble lately. They might get caught anytime soon if they don't stop sneaking every time they got the chance.

A knock on the door interrupted their little conversation. Odette stood up to see who's there.

"Your mother's here!" Odette shouted downstairs.

Willow examined the house as she walks inside. "Did you just got home?", she asked, glancing at Tara who's walking down the stairs.

"Hey, I was planning to go home already", Tara butted in.

"Oh great, I was going to tell you about the extra training you have to take starting tomorrow", Willow declared.

Her mother seems to be in a serious mood at that moment which made the two of them wonder why. Situation like this means something's going on or Lilith reprimanded her again. But considering the situation, Tara thought that the reason was both.

Willow faced Odette who's calmly observing things. "I'll be visiting you tomorrow morning, make sure you are here", the coldness in her voice made them shiver.

"Sure, I will be waiting", Odette responded, trying to shake the uneasiness away.

Willow motioned Tara to go outside which she did immediately.

"Mom, is there something wrong?" she broke while they were walking.

Willow sighed and paused from walking. "I am so disappointed that you have been keeping secrets from me. If you think that I do not know a thing, have you forgotten that I am your mother and I am Willow?"