Chapter 1

I look up from my book when the bell for the end of class rings, which worsens my already massive headache, and quickly shuffle out of the room. A few girls my age bump me against the wall and keep walking, cackling to each other. I glare at them, but head for my locker. I spin the combo lock. "Sup, Gwen?" My semi-friend, Katy Lace, hisses through her green braces as she leans against the locker beside mine. I nod as my reply and open my locker, stuffing my notebooks in and grabbing my dark purple iPod. I place the Beats headphones around my neck and follow Katy out of the school. "A couple girls and I are having a study session tonight. Want to join us?" She sniffles and in the process, makes a tiny whistling sound which rings like wind chimes in my head.

"No thanks, Kat. I'm busy tonight." I rub my temple, mentally smacking the pain away. It shoves me back and the world almost spins like a top. "Maybe you should go rest. You look really pale." Katy touchs my forehead. "Yep. You've got a fever." I shrug. "I woke up absolutely dandy this morning." Katy shakes her head. "Go home and sleep. Oh and think about staying home tomorrow. I'll text you the notes for Thursdays exam." I smile and hug her. "Thanks, Kat. See you later." I say over my shoulder as I head for my dark blue 2014 Avalon Hybrid. "Hopefully without bloodshot eyes!" She calls. I take out my keys and open the drivers side. Tossing my book into the passenger seat, I start the car and pull out of the parking lot . A sharpe pain shoots across my forehead, practically digging into the center. I stop the car and put my hands on my head. "Fuck you migraine." I mumble and focus on the road.

I drive down pass two story houses and pull into the driveway of a light blue and white two story house. A woman in a light green sundress sitting in the shade of the porch looks up from her magazine. I shut off the car and step out into the blinding sunlight. My migraine punches me next to my right eye and I use the car to hold me up. "Are you alright, Gwendolyn?" Asks the woman. I nod, putting on a straight face. "Peachy, Mother." The woman nods, her dark brown high-bob bouncing. I roll my clear blue eyes at her 70's hairdo, which earns me another backhand from my headache. "Hurry a get cleaned up. Your Father will be home soon from the church to tell us his big news." I nod carefully and shuffle into the house. I climb the steps up to my room gingerly. Once in my room, I snap open a bottle of 800mg Ibprophin and gulp down two pills with a chug of Pepsi. Next I strip off my white v-neck, faded jeans and match grey bra and panties and head for my shower.

I tug my waist length dark chocolate brown hair into a tight ponytail and then braid it. After my shower, I had slipped on a turquoise v-neck with long sleeves, low-cut grey jeans and white flats. I clip on my Wiccan pentagram choker and head down stairs to the dining room. Mother was setting up the table when she looks up at me and gasps sharply. "Gwendolyn! What in the lords name are you wearing?" She shrieks, glaring at my choker. I blink innocently. "Grandmother gave it to me before she passed. I don't want to forget her, so I wear it." Mother makes a face, as if torn between her passion to her God and letting me keep her Mothers gift to me.

I help her set up the table by placing wine glasses wear she's set the plates. My older brother stomps down the stairs and pats my head. "Ew! Gwen, what is in your hair?!" He shouts, wiping his hand on his black jeans. I scowl at him. "It's called Leave-in-Conditioner, you spiky haired freak!" I snap. He glares at me and pats the tip of his short spiky hair. "Jared, stop picking on your sister and go get the Champagne from the wine cellar." Jared's green eyes brighten at the sound of alcohol and he makes a mad dash in that direction. I shake my head. "Boozer." Mother scowls at me and I focus on the silverware.

I hear the front door open and my foused expression turns to stone. "I'm home!" Shouts my dad. "In the dining room, Henry!" Mother calls and dad pokes his head in. He sidesteps over to mom and gives her a wet and noisy one on the lips. I quickly swallow back the rising vomit. "How's my little girl doing?" Dad says, kissing my cheek. I slide out of his reach. "I'm fine, dad." I clear my throat as I pretend to straighten the table cloth. I hear him cough in embarrassment. "What smells amazing?" He breathes in and sighs. Mother smiles. "Chicken with mash potatos and rice."

She states and becons him to the kitchen, leaving me alone. I sit in a chair, sighing. Ever since I started with my practices of Wicca with my Grandmother, dad has been different around me and I him. He just doesn't get that I don't want to live up to his expectations. I hear mom and dad giggling like teenagers in the kitchen and shove my earbuds in my ears, not wanting to witness the make out scene that was about to happen.

At dinner, Dad a Jared were discussing the collage he wanted to go to after he got out of Broken Arrow. I shove a forkful of mash potatos into my mouth. A small pain at my right temple was getting bigger and I mentally suppress it. "Mother? May I go grab myself a pain pill?" She raises an eyebrow at me. "I thought you were against those?"

I grab the sides of my head as a sharp pain slices across my forehead. I stand up to walk out of the room. That was a horrible mistake. The floor pitches forewardand and I stumble, slamming into the door frame. Nausea waves over me and I slump to the hard wooden floor. "Gwendolyn? Can you hear me?" Dad shouts, but I keep holding the sides of my head. What the fuck?! I feel dad lift me and rush me to my room. Mother was being frantic downstairs, saying she was calling the family doctor.

I didn't hear Jared, but I didn't really care at this point. When dad lays me on my bed, the pain recedes some, but I curl up into a ball and groan in pain. Mother walks in. "She'll be hear soon." She tells dad and sits beside me. "When you came home today, you looked paler than usual. I asked you if you were okay, but you said you were fine. Why, baby?" I open my mouth to reply, but end up vomiting onto my blue shag-wall to wall carpet. "Shit!" Dad curses and leaves to get cleaning supplies. Mother lifts my empty plastic wastebasket to me and I say goodbye to my dinner again.

Mother leaves to get me some tea and I breathe easy and slow. My head is going to explode and my right hand hurts! Must of bumped it. What else could go wrong? My door opens and I open my eyes to see Jared standing over me. I blink a couple times. He is staring wide-eyed at me. "W-what?" I choke out.

He points to my mirror. I, straining, stand up and slide over to my vanity mirror. I blink to clear my vision and gasp loudly. Smack dab in the center of my forehead is the dark purple outline of a crescent moon. I stumble backwards and press against my wall. "No...this isn't happening..."

"What isn't happening?" Mother asks, walking into my room and looking at me. She screams and runs from the room, yelling for dad. "Mom! Wait!" I shout. Jared catches me as I fall forewards and lifts me up. "I know where to take you. Just hang on, sis." He says, his voice getting faint. I nod once before blacking out.