Thanks everyone who read/followed/favorited this story! I really appreciate it. This chapter is going to be a little bit depressing, I'm sorry for that :S
Trigger warning: Suicide attempt, blood.
"Cordelia!" Misty shouted, running upstairs. She bumped into two older boys, accidentally dropping their books "Oops, sorry." she mumbled without stopping. She ran through the halls of the school, excitement traveling through her body. She had two black envelopes in her hand, both of then with silver words written on them. She finally arrived to the last corridor she had to go through before arriving to her room. The space, shared with three more girls, was bigger than the whole hut she had in the swamp. The walls were painted in black and green, with the school's coat of arms drawn in one of them. Cordelia, one of her roommates and her best friend, was lying on one of the beds, her earphones on and her eyes closed. She was singing a soft, sad song.
I've been good and I've been kind, Mother,
Doing only what I learned from you.
Why then am I left behind, Mother,
Is there something more that I should do?
What is wrong with me, Mother?
Something must be wrong.
I wish-
"Cordelia!" Misty exclaimed, running through the room to the corner of Cordelia's bed. The girl gasped with surprise, feeling her heart beat fast inside her chest. Suddenly Misty was sitting on the bed next to her, with a smile on her face. "Cordelia, look! I'm going to do professor Goode's test next week! Here's yours." she said, giving one to Cordelia. "Maybe we could do it together!"
"Oh god, that would be wonderful!" Cordelia answered. She had known the girl for five years, and still was amazed at how Misty got excited by everything, even a small thing like a black envelope. Cordelia knew that Misty didn't care of entering the club of professor Goode's protégées, but she knew that Misty had made an application just to be with her best friend. Cordelia opened her envelope and read the letter. "Dear Miss Cordelia Goode, I'm sorry to inform you that you have not been accepted for the Seven Wonders test held during the fifth year on the school. There is rigorous competition to do it and your application was not among those that I accepted. I encourage you to apply to other magical classes and I wish you success with your studies and beyond. Yours truly, Fiona Goode."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm not doing the test. I haven't been accepted."
"But professor Goode always accepts everyone. There's must been an error or something."
"No, there's not." Cordelia snapped. "I'm not powerful enough to be a Supreme, everyone knows that."
"But you are. I think that you are an amazing witch!"
"Misty, stop it. I am not a Supreme. My only power is to make potions, and that's not even a good skill. You are a necromancer, I just can grow plants."
"That's not true. I know that there's something inside you that is really capable of doing something great. Remember when you told me that you had that weird feeling with the chandelier of Mrs. Dreadson's classroom and that same day it fell off the ceiling? Or when you knew what questions were going to be asked in Mme. Morrison's test? Maybe you haven't discovered it yet."
"Do you really think so?"
"Of course, Dee. I believe in you. Do you think I'm going to pass the test?"
"Of course you will. You're a great witch. You saved me, remember?" she said, grabbing the girl's hand carefully. They were sitting with their legs crossed, facing each other, like she usually did for hours, studying and reading books together. Being the only two orphans at the school, they understood each other like no one else did. Misty's gaze focused on Cordelia's wrists, now covered with small bandages. "C'mon, let me see." she said, slowly turning the palm upward and caressing it with the tips of her fingers. She slowly began to take the bandage off, revealing the scars hidden under it. "Look at that. They're almost gone." she said with a warm smile on her face. It had happened less than a month ago, during Christmas.
- DECEMBER 25TH, 1996 -
Misty was returning the library, walking carelessly with some books on her hands and listening to Stevie with the music player that Cordelia had given to her. Edge of Seventeen was playing when she entered her bedroom and saw Danielle and Ginevra, her roommates, banging on the bathroom door.
"What's happening?"
"It's Cordelia. She got in there more than an hour ago and she won't open the door."
"Delia?!" Misty quaked, pushing the girls aside and starting to bang on the door. "Go and find some teacher. Now!" she ordered one of the girls. "Cordelia! Cordelia, please, open the door!" she shouted. She knew exactly what had happened. Hank Foxx had been Cordelia's boyfriend for over a year. For what Misty knew, he was three years older than her and had wanted to sleep with the witch since the start of their relationship. Cordelia, on the other side, didn't even want to think about it, she didn't feel prepared. That stupid asshole, I'm going to fucking kill him. On the other side of the door, Cordelia didn't answer. "Delia, please, open the door! Delia!" She stepped aside and studied the door. Mahogany. Swings inward. Oh God Cordelia… C'mon Misty, think, think, think! Damn, this door is probably built to last a hundred years. Oh God, what is she doing there? Is she… Misty stood sideways, with her right leg close to the door. She kicked it, again and again in the exact same spot, until the door fell to the floor. Misty heard Danielle scream behind her, but her mind was focused on Cordelia. She was lying on the floor, her eyes closed and her skin as white as snow. She was still wearing the school's uniform, with her shirt stained with blood. A small blade was on the floor. "Cordelia!" Misty screamed, running towards the girl and kneeling next to her. "Cordelia. Cordelia, please, say something." she said, approaching the girl's body to hers and taking her in her arms. "Cordelia, please. Open your eyes. Don't leave me alone." She heard footsteps approaching the room. "Don't leave me!" she cried as she felt energy travel through her body. Tears were running through her face, blurring her vision. She suddenly felt weak, she could feel the room began to spin. She closed her eyes, falling unconscious at the same time that Cordelia opened her eyes.
