Witch Hunt

Chapter 4

I look around my little room, pleased with all the work I've done to it.

For the past two days, Edward has not been in school and Alice is a little more distant than she was when we first met. It bothers me more than I care to admit.

Being able to work on my basement was a relief of a distraction.

In one day, Charlie has helped me fix the leaks, move in a couch and small table, and some shelves that I refused to tell him what are for.

Now with a new lock on door, I have my own, private, hideaway.

I kneel in front of my parents' old trunk, running my fingers over the locks and listening in satisfaction as they each click open.

Inside is a variety of odd things like different herbs and strange jarred things.

I leisurely set the pig ears next to the eyes of newt and continue on with my dwindling supply. On the next shelf I set the different colored and shaped bottles of pre prepared potions.

I then set up the bookstand but take the thick, old, book with me to the nice couch to settle into.

My Book of Magic- my favorite thing that I had inherited from my biological parents other than my magic itself.

Last year, I found out that I came from a long line of witches. Real, magical, spell casting, potion brewing, witches.

The Blackwood family tree goes way back all the way to the Salem Witch Trials, until seventeen years ago, when my mom fell in love with a sorcerer, combining two magical family trees.

Their combined family crest was burned into my arm the first time the chest opened for me, and now I have an inky black tattoo on the inside of my wrist.

Honestly, I think it's quit cool. I've been wanting to get one, I just didn't know of what.

It's a crescent moon with little stars dotting around it and wrapping slightly onto my palm.

I thought I was going crazy until the first time I read a spell out loud from my Book of Magic. After that day, I read as much as I could and learned some of my family's history.

I need to go to go to an occult shop soon, though, because I'm running low on supplies. I also need to pick up four protection crystals to place around my new room.

Sadly, I can't really carry bags on my bike, so either Charlie or someone else will have to take me. I'd have a hard time coming up with an excuse though as to why I need that stuff...

I find it hard to believe that even Charlie won't ask questions if he sees the odd thinks I'll be purchasing.

For now, since I don't have any wards up yet, I lock my family book back in the trunk and walk up the stairs to start making dinner for Charlie and I.

...

I look up in surprise as someone slides into the seat across from me during lunch. Jessica had not tried to get me to sit with her since the first day (I think I offended her somehow), and the boys have finally given up on trying to get me to sit with them as well.

It had been weeks since Edward's odd behavior/disappearance and Alice's more distant attitude. Now here she is, grinning apologetically at me.

I raise an eyebrow, shooting a glance at the Cullen table to see that Edward has returned.

"You talking to me again?"

"I was never not talking to you, Isabella." She says sheepishly.

"But you were never going out of your way to either," I point out. "What happened, we were so on our way to the awkward friendship phase."

She rolls her eyes at me, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, you didn't go out of your way to talk to me."

"Your brother hates me; I can take a hint when you obviously change your behavior to distant. You didn't hurt my feelings by ignoring me, Alice: we are not friends yet. Now if we were friends, then that'd hurt a little bit. A little dying right here." I say patting my chest. She, again, rolls her eyes.

"He doesn't hate you; it's something else completely unrelated and I'm sorry for being distracted, I was worried about him." She defends.

"Alright," I shrug. "What ever."

"You really don't let anything get to you, do you?"

"If I were to let every little thing get to me, I'd be a blubbering, crying mess." I say offhandedly.

We sit in some silence while I eat more of my pizza. I notice that she doesn't have any food and wonder if she's hungry any. She's watching me eat like I'm the eighth wonder of the world.

"So," she says, her startlingly gold eyes meeting mine. "In apology for my recent rudeness, you want to go shopping with me?" She pleads, pulling out those all too familiar puppy eyes.

Only hers are far more adorable. I find myself slightly dazed as her eyes grow wider and glisten dangerously.

"Damn, that's not fair," I say, sighing. "Where are we going; I might as well pick up the stuff I need while we're out?"

She cheers happily, even doing a little fist pump.

"Okay, cool, so I'll pick you up on Saturday at nine to go to Seattle; its farther, but has better stores."

I smile slightly at how excited she's getting, internally pleased to make her smile this wide.

She seems to catch sight of something as I reach for my bottle of lemonade, and she catches my wrist.

I jump slightly in shock as that tingling energy tickles the back of my skull again, and she smiles apologetically.

"What's this?" She asks, pushing up the sleeve on my left arm to expose my, so far, hidden tattoo.

Her cold fingers burn my skin as she slowly traces the crescent moon and then connecting the stars all the way over my palm. I find myself watching her flawless face as her dark eyelashes flutter behind her bangs that are falling in front of one eye. The rest of it is still in its chaotic mess of strategically placed spikes.

"I didn't know you have a tattoo," she frowns.

"Neither does my dad, and I mourn the day he finds out."

She flicks her topaz eyes to meet mine and her lips pull back in a smile.

"What does it mean?" She asks, still tracing the stars circling my palm. It's quite distracting.

To think straighter, I watch her hand instead.

"It's my family symbol. Not Charlie or Renee's, they don't have one, but my real mom and dad's. Well, Charlie and Renee are my real mom and dad- but I mean-"

"Your birth parents? You're adopted?" She, thankfully, stops my rambling. Her voice is surprised, and I have a feeling that she's not surprised a lot.

"Yeah," I say. "I wasn't even a year old when they died, only a few months, and they adopted me. Everyone here thinks that I'm Charlie's real daughter."

"I'm adopted too," Alice says tentatively.

I look up to see her sad eyes. "We all were, but I can't remember anything before Carlisle and Esme."

I take her hand that is still lightly tracing, and give it a small squeeze.

"People say you can't miss what you don't remember, but there is always that 'if' factor."

She looks like she understands all too well, but before the atmosphere can get any heavier, I pull back, crossing my arms over my chest and slumping in my seat.

"So, what are you wanting to shop for?" I ask.

A/N: Next chapter; I hope you like it. Please review!

~Silver~