It was lunch, no class to focus on, no boring teacher rambling on, and no reason to care what was going on, which I more than appreciated. I liked school, it wasn't that. I was the kind of good student every teacher wanted. Does her homework, studies nightly, always seated in class on time, takes notes, offers up answers, and never back talks. But still, I was a loner. I was the girl in high school that sits at lunch alone with her books, walks to classes with nobody to gossip with about the weekend, and sat in the back corners of all her classes. Part of me didn't mind. If you met some of the brain-deads that went to Orange Glen High than you would see what I meant, but I didn't always like the silence.
It wasn't always like this. My freshmen and sophomore years were filled with friends. Friends that the other brain-deads could never replace. They, or should I say we, were so much more than they are. I come from a long line of witches. I, being the youngest, needed the most help with the new life. When turning 13 my family receives their powers fully. I could always do the little stuff like making a cookie appear in my room to 'ruin my dinner' in spite of my mom, or if someone made me mad they would 'accidentally' trip. But 13 was the year that would prove if I was really apart of my heritage. I had a little trouble keeping what I was a secret so my mother, Sara, had my cousins enroll in my high school to 'watch' me. At first I dreaded it but soon realized they were ok. Eventually we became actual friends, especially Kathleen. Sadly, seeing how they actually have already been through high school and where 18 and 19 when they enrolled, they couldn't stay but two years. I was plenty capable of controlling my powers now, but not my social life.
There always has been a small part of me that pained. Pained for company. Yearned for what they had. The same part that wondered if my cousins didn't come, would I have had friends then? I was never sure if the reason I was alone was because of me, my family, or them. Did I automatically turn people away? Did they know I was unhappy without Kathleen and the others? Or did they simply not care? I sat in my usual seat at lunch pondering this again. My lunches were always spent the same way, either studying, reading another of my many books, or thinking, but they were always in solitude.
I looked across the cafeteria and my eyes fell to the table that I believe that I would be at if not for my 'gifts'. There sat Amanda, Alyssa, and Matt among the other people I was once 'close' to. Amanda, Alyssa and I were as close to best friends I ever got in my youth. I went to their houses for sleepovers, we went to the mall, and we talked. But something was always wrong. We never were allowed to get that close, my mother's input, and they never got to go to my house. Matt was pretty much the same. But he was more. Matt was the boy that I thought understood me. We 'dated' in elementary school and the beginning of middle school. We never were that close in a relationship way considering we didn't know what a real one was. But I was happy with him. Eventually they caught on that I was different and when I tried to tell them what I truly was they wrote me off as a freak. Sara found out what I did and erased the moment that I told them, but not the time they made the decision to forget me. She thought she couldn't risk our relationship getting to close to the point that I told them our secrets again. Part of me knew that she was right, but I still resented her for it, for I always longed to share my secret with someone.
My mother and I never truly got along. Don't get me wrong, I love her dearly and I respect her for being the strongest woman I have ever known, but there never was that good of a relationship between us. Most of the time we were together we fought. We had different views on the world and were both stubborn.
It was then that I realized that I had been staring at their table the whole time I was thinking. Amanda noticed my stares and whispered to Alyssa something that made the both of them laugh hysterically. Matt then looked at them saw were they were looking and followed their gaze to my burning red face. Matt joined in on the laughter. As they laughed and I stared with hatred something happened. Matt started to choke and everyone's attention was put on him.
I grabbed my books and purse as fast as I could and half ran out of the cafeteria to the bathroom, their laughter still in my mind. This wasn't the first time that they left me an embarrassed mess, or that I created a diversion such as that to escape, so I knew exactly what to do. I slammed the door of the nearest stall and found my cell phone in my purse. I called Kathleen like so many times before.
"Hello? Alycia what's wrong? What spell did you use and whom did you do it on? Do you need help?"
"Hi Katie. No, it was just a small choking spell this time. By now they'll all be laughing at the faces he made while choking."
"He who?"
"Matt…"I heard a sigh on the other end. "I was caught staring their way again and I had to get out of there."
"I know I know, but next time think about what you do…" It was that motherly voice that she used so much that got me nervous, "Those poor kids have had so many spells put on them their brains might melt soon." She laughed which made me immediately at ease.
"Yeah your probably right." She always was, that's why I called her.
"So what do you need, was it so bad you want me to get you?" The motherly voice returned but in a more comforting way this time. "I'm sure Sara wont mind, ill make something up."
"No, no I'm fine, I have a Latin test anyway. I just wanted to talk and calm down, but thank you."
"No problem Lycia, you know I'm always here when you need to talk. Bye."
"I know, that's why I call. Thanks again. Bye." The phone went dead. I closed my phone and swiftly dropped it back in my purse. I opened the stall and saw that my hair was doing a weird not thing from me running my hands through it with stress. I grabbed my brush from my purse and quickly set it right. It was then the bell rang indicating that I was late for my 6th hour class. I quickly snapped my purse closed again and flew out the door for my class.
I walked into my Latin class two minuets late with an embarrassed expression. My teacher, Mr. Conley, told me that he would let it slid this time do to being such a good student, but to watch the time more carefully next time. I silently slipped into my usual seat and quickly started to scroll the answers to my test.
I finished with time to spare, like always, and sat twirling my hair like I do so much. I started to daydream about what would life be like if I was 'normal'. The bell rang telling me that it was time to wake up and realize that I would never truly be normal. I packed up my books and headed to leave my class.
I dreaded my next class. P.E. not only was it a bad enough class on its own, but Amanda, Alyssa, and Matt were all in there. I walked with slow deliberation. I wanted to run, to skip class, to never come back to this school again. What was the point of a high school education when you can make anything go your way? Without even realizing it I was in the locker room. I started to change a careful distance from Alyssa's and Amanda's eyes. They couldn't see me but I could hear them.
"So what was up with that weirdo Alycia staring at us again?" Alyssa started. "Does she really think that freaking people out will make them want to be friends with her? She's so clueless." I could just hear her rolling her eyes.
"I don't know, she's always been weird. I hate how we have this class with her. Thank goodness semester is almost over and we wont have P.E. with her anymore." She said smugly. She had no idea how much I appreciated this fact as well.
"How do you know? What if she has another credit to go like we do and we're still together?"
"Because, She took P.E. over the summer. This is her last required semester. Unless the freak has some reason like she actually likes this dreadful class…" They left the locker room.
I sat down on the bench next to me to put my shoes on. I wanted to stay in the quit room by myself thinking about what a waste I was but I couldn't afford being late to two classes in a row. I got up and walked slowly to the gym. I stood in the back of the crowd listening to the coaches.
"…Ok so pair up and lets try and be careful." Oh great, pairs, now what? I decided on the only safe route. The nurse.
I walked up to my teacher and asked for a pass. I saw the look of disbelief on his face so went with the easiest lie.
"I'm having really bad cramps, I'm sorry sir." Using sir was planned. It showed that you respect an adult and adults don't expect to be lied to then. He wrinkled his nose, not sure if he really believed me, but handed me a pass nonetheless. I decided that there was no real need to go to the nurse when I wasn't really sick. I headed the opposite way back to the locker room to change back and grab my books.
Ten minuets later I was on the road to my house, the days events running through my mind once again. I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. 2:34. My mom wouldn't be home. At least something was in my favor.
I pulled into the driveway and got out of my car. I walked up the same driveway that I had my whole life, but something was different. I felt the eyes of someone on me. I knew that in these times it wasn't a good idea for me to be just standing outside so I quickly found my key and went inside. I walked straight up the stairs and dropped my books and purse on my desk. I turned on my stereo, kicked my shoes off, and switched into some sweat pants. I slumped onto my bed and lost myself in the music.
Next thing I knew I could hear my mom yelling for me to come downstairs for dinner. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was now 6:47; I had been asleep for over 4 hours. I pulled myself from my warm bed and dragged myself in a zombie state down to the dining room. My mom was there setting the salad on the table. I sat down and started to dish myself some food. My mom sat and tried in her usual way to start some kind of friendly conversation.
"So how was school today?" she asked with what I figured was fake interest.
"fine." The only answer I ever gave to that question.
"Anything exciting happen?"
"No, it was the same as any other day." If only she knew how true that was, and how pathetic as well.
She gave up any attempt at a conversation at that point and we sat in silence as usual. I ate quickly, barely tasting the food, trying to escape the awkwardness of the dinner. As soon as I was done I told my mother that I had a lot of homework. It was a lie. I hardly ever had much homework.
I went upstairs and laid in bed again. Knowing I shouldn't sleep, I grabbed a book from my shelf. I started to read the familiar pages that I had read many time before. I longed to be one of the characters in my book. They had love, they had life, they had excitement. Here I was, a real honest to god witch, but unlike all the witches, warlocks, and sorcerers in my books, I was worthless. I had yet experienced any of the types of things that the others had. My mom worked at a hospital, saving people. They called her the magic healer. If only they knew how right they were. My aunts and uncles worked at places here and there such as charities, clinics, and research labs. They were all working to make the world better and all I could do was make a teenager choke long enough to hide in the bathroom. In all honesty, most the time I hated being a witch and resented my powers. That was the same part that made sure to use them as little as possible.
Sometimes, on the other hand, they're rather handy. I glanced at my computer and it started to do my English report due tomorrow. Technically it wasn't cheating considering that they were all my ideas and it would be exactly what I would write, I just don't have to sit there and type it out like the others. I flicked my hand and all the things on my floor went to their rightful places, I had been meaning to clean up after all. I heard the printer finish and I got up to stick the report with the rest of my books, I wasn't completely lazy. I was getting a little hot so I decided to sit on my roof. My window slid up easily and I stuck my head out inhaling deep. I climbed out into the cool air and sat on my roof, like I did every time I wanted to think. But this time something caught my eye. There was a moving truck in the house across the street. I thought it that was odd, considering it had been empty my whole life, but didn't dwell on it.
I then realized that it was past 11 and that I should be asleep. I climbed carefully back into my room, and shut the window. I went to the door and turned my light off. Then crawled back into my bed and was instantly asleep due to the exhaustion that still lingered from my nap.
