12 | Lose Your Marbles

Seaside, California September 4, 2012

Celesta

WAKING up this morning I knew something was different. I felt it deep within me, a connection to something I was not supposed to even feel for another six months. It was unheard of for a witch to tap into magic before their eighteenth birthday.

I didn't tell my parents because I didn't know how they would react. My father was an enforcer for our coven, meaning he was strict in the disciplines of our coven. Anything out of it I did not want to know. My mother was an enforcer as well but stepped down from it to raise me. Being our coven's policing force and keeping others in the supernatural world in check; he was gone often. Unlike my father, my mother was much laid back.

From a young age, my father taught me everything about the supernatural world. With his strict teachings, I learned just about every spell there was to know. When it came to our kind, my father was the sort of fanatic who believed our species was greater, I only ever heard negative thoughts about other supernaturals. I had never met anyone else besides a witch my entire life.

I had control over my magic while Lily's magic was the complete opposite. I didn't think Lily's parents taught her much about magic. Her magic coming in early was bad. Very bad. An untrained witch with uncontrollable magic was a disaster waiting to happen. But maybe I was wrong, maybe her mother did teach her something, but it was outside of the coven's teachings no doubt.

I had already contacted Laura again; Elle's mother was going to help with our situation. God help us all. Elle's mother was not exactly what you would call orthodox.

Yet now we had to deal with this evil vampire who wanted to harm my friends. I did what Scott asked, I stayed with Zach throughout the rest of the day. Which wasn't difficult, we had all of the same classes except second and third period. The day dragged on slowly, in between classes I wanted to question Zach more about what happened seven years ago, but I didn't get my chance until our last class.

Gym.

The class where it was okay to throw a dodgeball at someone's head on purpose according to Coach Jennings. But since it was our first day, everyone just lounged around the bleachers, talking amongst themselves.

Scott had come back right before class started. He sat beside Zach, the two of them whispering to one another. While I was glued to my phone, I sent texts to Elle telling her to meet me at Lily's car. Then I messaged Laura asking about my cousin. I left out the part where a vampire wanted to, according to Scott, kill everyone.

Setting my phone aside I overheard them talking about Seana.

As they started to talk about how Seana tried to kill Zach, I felt it was time to finally ask an important question.

"Can you tell me how Lily is involved in this?" I demanded.

"The last time I saw her, her parents came to help mine," Zach admitted, his voice shaky. "It was a mission for their coven, my father had wanted Lily's father's help with it."

He was always so nervous every time he spoke to me.

I raised a brow. "And?" I asked rather sharply.

"That bitch Seana has some personal vendetta against Zach's family," Scott piped in. "It happened a long time ago, but she enjoys playing her little games to ruin people's lives."

"Lily's parents came to help mine. Seana had been killing off our pack members slowly, my father had Scott help trap her, but as you can see, it failed miserably," Zach spat. But the anger started to fade from his face as he added, "My mother died trying to save us from Seana."

"Zach, I'm so sorry," I murmured, grasping his hand into mine.

Zach glanced up at me, the pain still visible in his eyes.

"Werewolves phase for the first time when we are nearing adulthood. But the sight of seeing my mother killed, caused me to turn too early and I had mistaken Lily for Seana..." he trailed off, his hand becoming clammy.

"What did you do?" I gulped. It couldn't have been that bad, could it?

"If Scott hadn't been there, I would have killed Lily," he confessed.

I felt my body go cold; my hand slipped from his. If my eyes opened any wider, they would have fallen out. I felt myself twitch involuntarily. Is that what Lily was seeing?

Then it clicked; she didn't remember any of this and that was what she was seeing.

"Who made you erase her memories?" I seethed, glaring at Scott.

I couldn't help my tone; I was on the edge of strangling Zach to death in front of everyone. This anger was something I never felt before, something wasn't right. I feel sick.

"Her mother," he remarked, returning my glare.

Well, that explained how he and Laura knew one another. Zach's expression was still pained, it took everything to keep myself still. It wouldn't bode well for me if I tried to kill someone on the first day of school.

"Y-You tried to kill my best friend," I rasped. "A psychopathic bitch wants to kill you and her now. How much more messed up can this get?"

Both of them tensed. I wanted to fucking scream, I wanted to leave and make sure Lily was alright. Something in me snapped suddenly, so much for that self-control.

Suddenly, Zach pulled me against him, till my face was pressed against his shoulder, completely blocking my vision.

"Before you freak out, your eyes are glowing," he whispered.

"Of course they are," I muttered sarcastically.

I heard Scott chuckle behind us, "Celesta you just need to calm down, and preferably, go straight home."

No shit.

Zach slowly let me go as I angrily scooted away from them both, muttering incomprehensible gibberish to myself. I yanked out my sunglasses that Lily seemed to want to set on fire. The dark tint of them should help cover whatever glow my eyes were giving off, sliding them on, I got up from the bleachers.

"I am perfectly calm!" I hissed as I threw my bag across my shoulder. "But do me a favor and stay away from Lily. I don't want her dragged into any of this shit."

Scott's expression darkened, while Zach just sat there staring at me. By the sounds of it I know what he did was an accident, but knowing he was capable of doing that and did do it just made me want to punch him more.

Just as I was about to hightail my ass out of this prison, Zach stood in my way. I felt my blood starting to boil.

"Celesta, you still need to know—" Zach began, till an invisible force pushed him against the bleachers. But as he fell, he flopped against them and crashed onto the floor.

Scott looked like he wanted to murder me now.

Zach just glared at me saying nothing.

"Sorry!" I gushed, then bolted out the door. As I ran, I felt an adrenaline rush kick in. I just did not want to be at this school right now. Or you know, ever.

I was running like a madwoman to Lily's car. I already saw Elle and Kenny waiting there for me. I had to take them home since their mother couldn't make it.

Maybe I could ask my mother to home-school me, whatever was going on with Lily and me was unnatural and it scared the shit out of me.

"Celesta, are you okay?" Elle asked.

"Yep, everything is great!" I chirped sarcastically.

"Why are you shaking?"

What was with all these damn questions?! We need to get the hell out of here!

"I got my magic, my crush tried to kill my best friend years ago and now some psycho wants to kill everyone!" I burst out.

"Cool," Kenny deadpanned.

"Uh—" Elle muttered then tried to stifle a laugh, "I think you've lost your marbles."

I rolled my eyes, "We don't have time for this, get in the car kids!"

I went to unlock the car till Elle grabbed the keys from me, "I'm driving, you can't even think straight!"

"Fine," I sighed.

"Shotgun!" Kenny shouted. You little shit!

Elle unlocked the car and Kenny hopped into the passenger seat. Did they not realize that my height did not fit well with the backseat? I was taller than both of them.

As we pulled out of the parking lot, I saw Zach getting into the passenger seat of a black Camaro. I did regret what I did to him, but I couldn't help it. The training I received from my father didn't teach me any self-control after all.

Or my newfound bursts of happiness.

When a witch gained magic on their 18th birthday, it would be like a burning sensation through your veins. Some say it can be painful. Then the witch would be initiated into the coven, their magic is bound to everyone else's, strengthening the coven, and a witch's power.

Whatever it was, I was going to question Laura on everything, I hoped she could find a solution, because even though I did not want to be at this hell hole of a school; I still needed to graduate. A magic fluke wasn't going to stop my ass from walking down that aisle to get my diploma. Elle pulled up to their house. Kenny got out and left without a word.

I was expecting Elle to also stay home, but I figured she would want to be involved in what was going on at Lily's.

I finally got into the passenger seat; my legs were no longer as cramped. Pulling up into Lily's driveway, Cynthia's van was parked beside Laura's black SUV. The gray walls of their Mediterranean-style house held so many memories inside, it was my second home.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered. We walked up to the front steps; I opened the large brown wooden door. I heard the faint voices of Laura and Cynthia in the dining room. I took my sunglasses off and set them on the table in the foyer. Elle dropped the bags off at the head of the stairs and walked into the dining room.

"Hey Mom," said Elle, I looked at the pile of paint colors on the table, most were various shades of blue and green. Cynthia turned, she looked identical to her daughter, just 20 years older. Laura glanced at me, her expression turning worried.

"Hey sweetie, how was your first day?" Cynthia asked, smiling.

Elle took the seat beside her. I remained in the entryway.

"It was interesting," Elle smirked.

"I uh, have something to say," I began. "I have my magic as well."

"What?!" Laura shrieked.

"Thank god, at least now I'm not the only freak around here," I heard Lily chuckle. I saw her as she walked in from the other dining room entrance. She didn't look as bad as she did earlier, but that can change at any given moment.

Why was I acting like this? For some reason, I just couldn't help myself.

"Well, I mean I'm not passing out or anything like you," I grinned, "So you are the only freak here."

"Shut up!" she snapped.

"Enough girls," Laura sighed, then turned to Cynthia, "Do you think your plan will work?"

Elle's mother smiled, "Of course it will."

In other words, we were screwed. That woman practiced some really weird magic. Like dark voodoo shit. I thought of her as an aunt and all, but some of the stuff she could do scared me. My mind began to get fuzzy, like when you would start to feel a buzz from drinking. Before I knew it, I saw the table coming a little too close to me.

Maybe Elle was right, I did lose my marbles. Then I blacked out.