Chapter 28
High School:
"Mellie, what's wrong?" Pandora asked as she closed her locker to see her cousin dazing off in the distance. She smirked as she folded her arms, "Who is he?"
"Huh?" Melinda turned her head and wondered why her cousin is smiling like that at her. She knows that smile. It's similar to Paige's and nothing good can come from that smile from a Matthew-Mitchell. "What?"
"Who is he?"
"Who's he?"
"That's what I want to know."
It took Melinda a moment to understand where her cousin was going with the conversation and stared annoyingly at Pandora. She scowled, "There is no guy."
"Yes there is. You have that look 'is he thinking about me like I'm thinking about him?'" Pandora asked leaning against her locker in a dramatic mood. However, Melinda didn't find that funny.
Melinda scowled, "I'm getting my lunch."
"Mellie, come on." Pandora yelled as Melinda started to walk to the lunch area. "I was kidding but you were thinking about guy."
"If I say yes, will you leave me alone?"
"But I haven't even started!" Pandora whined and Melinda rolled her eyes. She sometimes wonders if Pandora and Patty switch personalities during the day just to annoy people. "Come on, we always help each other with our guy problems. We're cousins."
"Have you ever thought that even if I did have a guy problem, I probably wouldn't want to talk about it? Especially with you and everyone else. There are some things that I don't have to tell you guys all the time." Melinda told her and notice Pandora's hurtful look.
The half witch sighed, "I didn't mean it like that, Pan. It's just…it's something I can't tell you because it's not my secret to share. You know what? I lost my appetite I'm going somewhere else."
"Mellie?" She turned around to see her cousin give her one of those wise looks that she inherited from their biological grandfather, Sam. "He's just a guy. It's not like it's a life and death situation. And I get it. We don't have to tell each other everything but…be careful. And by the way, you just admitted that there is in fact a guy."
Melinda shook her head, laughing a bit before she started walking in the hallway. She didn't know where she was going but she didn't want to sit with her cousins at their table or with her friends. 'James' advice helped her a little bit, but not enough. He didn't understand how it felt like to kiss Caleb's lips or how it felt to have your heart beating so rapid that it might jump out of your chest. He didn't understand that most of her nightmares would involve losing someone she cares about.
Melinda looked up surprised that she was in front of her English class but luckily, there was no one inside it. So she went to her seat by the window and stared at the beautiful view. The young witch knew that her words with harsh towards Caleb but they also spoke the truth. Besides, he was harsh to her too. Maybe they both need a reality check. It's not like she expected Caleb to declare his feelings for her and pursue a relationship with her.
"Do I have feelings for him?" Melinda wondered, letting out a confused sigh as she leaned her chin against her palm.
"Melinda," The half witch turned her head around to see Mr. Blake walking inside the classroom and putting down a set of papers on his desk with a smile on his face. She couldn't help but give him a smile back. "You're here early."
Melinda laughed softly. "What can I say, teach? I love English."
Mr. Blake smiled but it turned into a concern frown, "Is everything alright, Melinda?" She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She closed it back and realized he called her by her first name again. "Whatever it is, I will listen." He added.
"I will probably bore you to death," Melinda smiled sadly but the teacher wheeled his chair towards her desk. His body language was screaming at her that there is someone who is willing to listen who doesn't even know the truth. Still, she decided to take the opportunity. "Is it wrong to say the truth to someone even though it hurts their feelings?"
"The truth is never easy to hear especially by someone they trust." He answered for her and placed his hands underneath his chin. "I'm guessing you said something to a friend of yours and how did your friend react?"
"He reacted…almost violently. I've known him my whole life and lately, I've seen signs of him that surprises me and scares me. I don't want him to change but…he's changing in front of me and I feel so powerless because I can see what it's doing to him."
"You're worried about him and that's perfectly normal, Melinda. Now does your friend know the reason why you are doing this?" He asked her,
"I shouldn't have to spell it out for him!" Melinda yelled and folded her arms on the desk so she could use her chin to lean against them. "Something has changed between us and I don't want things to go back to the way they were before. And I know that's selfish of me."
Mr. Blake started to chuckle. "I don't think you could be selfish even if you wanted to."
"Not unless I'm under some spell or transform into an evil witch," Melinda thought dryly.
Suddenly, Melinda flinched back when he flicked her forehead. "The truth isn't always wanted to be heard but sooner or later, he will listen. Give it time, Melinda." He said to her with a happy smile but then, turned it into a frown when he noticed that she was looking at him strangely. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, sorry." She apologized, shaking her head. "It's just…I got the exact same advice last night from a friend."
"Well then, your friend must be pretty smart to give you advice like that." He smirked and flicked her forehead again before rolling back to his desk. Before Melinda could get up, Mr. Blake revealed two sandwiches from his briefcase, "You hungry?"
"Where's Melinda?" Patty asked as her twin sat down at their table but they were missing a family member. Cameron and Alex sat with the other seniors except Patty could see Cameron excluding himself from the group, reading a large and torn book.
Pandora shrugged, "She wasn't hungry. Patty, what are you doing?"
"Doing research on Cameron's family," She answered but noticed the looks from her sister and cousin. "What? I know I shouldn't but what if his family's death wasn't an accident?"
Annabelle's eyes widen, "What makes you say that?" She said, horrified by that suggestion.
"Cameron was the only survivor from that fire and in the report –"
"Please tell me that you didn't hack into the police system, Patty." Pandora interrupted her.
Her twin smiled sheepishly at her. "Anyway, here's the thing, all of their doors and windows were locked and the water wasn't working. Someone must have planned the fire because who in their right mind would turn off the water in the house? And oh! They found strange markings inside the house and they look…I think something demonic killed his family."
"Patty that's a large accusation," Pandora said to her twin.
"What if someone magical did kill his family? It wouldn't be the first time that an innocent or their family died because of a demon. I don't think –no, I know it wasn't a coincidence that Cameron moved in with us. There was a reason and we can help him."
Annabelle sighed helplessly as she looked at Cameron, reading his book and taking a bite from his apple then went back to look at Patty. "If what you say is true, then how is he alive? Demons don't let anyone live."
"I don't know. Maybe Cameron managed to hide or he does remember but his mind is blocking it. It always happens to traumatic kids when they undergo a traumatic event."
Annabelle sighed, shaking her head. Patricia would make a good detective or maybe a profiler. "Let me see," she said, grabbing the small laptop but seconds later, gasped as a vision came forward.
Grey smoke covered the bright sky as a house was covered in flames and smoke. Suddenly, a young boy came out in the front lawn with a small figure on his back covered in a blanket. He carefully put the boy down on the grass and breathed a sigh of relief to see he was still breathing. "You're safe now. I'm sorry I couldn't have done anything sooner." He said and lifted his head to hear the sounds of sirens coming in closer. With one last glance at the unconscious Cameron, he ran away covering himself away from the onlookers.
"Annabelle!" Cameron and Alex turned their heads to see Patty smacking on Annabelle's back as she coughed for air. Cameron put his book down and walked towards them with Alex behind him.
"What happened?" asked Alex.
Annabelle shook her head as she tried to control her breathing. She's had visions that were very effective but this vision felt more realistic because she felt like she was not only witnessing it, but being a part of what happened. She drank the water her cousin handed to her as she fast as she could but her eyes caught Sean talking to his brother, Ian, in what it looks like a hush conversation. Annabelle narrowed her eyes at Ian and for a moment, remembered that the boy in her vision has the same eye color as he does but only lighter. Patty said that Sean told her that the fire wasn't an accident and she met Ian at the night of the dance…
"Annabelle!" Cameron cried out as he quickly caught her from her head hitting the ground. "What the hell is going on?"
"Good job, little brother." Ian commented and turned his body around as if the cafeteria doors looked interesting to him. Sean watched as the Halliwell girls tried to wake Annabelle up. "We got them right where we want them."
"You mean, where he wants them." Sean angrily hissed at his older brother. "You know this stupid and dangerous. This is your fault. If only you haven't broken the rules –"
"Oh I know," Ian casually said and turned his head to see his brother looking at him. He smirked, "Have you ever thought that I just don't care?"
Cameron lifted Annabelle up in his arms and announced he was going to take her to the nurse and started to walk. He slowly stopped as a man held the door for him and Cameron locked eyes with Ian for a few seconds and went inside the hallway. "Where have I seen him before?" He thought. "Something about that guy and Sean doesn't feel right."
Phoebe and Coop's House:
"Coop, will you stop laughing please? This isn't funny." Angie scolded at the Cupid as she watched him try to control himself. She sighed as she leaned against the couch, it was either Coop or Phoebe and as much as she loves Phoebe, she didn't want to explain how her nephew admitted his feelings to her. "I really don't see how this funny."
"I know that Wyatt has feelings for you but I didn't think he would tell you until Christmas. It looks like I lost the bet to Henry." Coop commented.
"Coop!" Angie yelled as she threw a pillow at him which he caught easily and she took it back. "Will you please help me?" She whined.
The Cupid managed to calm himself and looked at the young beauty in front of him. She was hugging the pillow like her life depended on it. "You told Wyatt you would give him an answer in a few days," Coop said and Angie nodded her head. "You're afraid that you say yes, it will be a mistake but if you say no, you will hurt his feelings. If you say yes, you will hurt him if you don't feel the same way.
"That's the problem: I don't know what I feel." The Angel of Life confessed. "Wyatt has been in my life…forever and to learn that he has feelings for me since high school…. I'm scared on what to do with this information, Coop."
"Angie, that is perfectly normal. You are scared to purse a relationship with him because you've been in each other's lives since you were babies. Don't you think Wyatt feels the same way and that's why it took him so long to confess?"
"So you think I should yes?" Angie asked, looking down at her feet, feeling like a child.
"If you want to –not out of guilt," Coop warned.
When Phoebe first told him everything about the other Chris from a different future to save Wyatt from becoming the Source of all evil, he didn't know what to think. It was so hard to believe that the little guys he met went through so much in another timeline. He thought for sure that Chris and Angie would be a couple in high schools but that didn't happen –even though they were meant to be with each other. He tried to interfere but with one look from the sisters and Amanda, he backed off.
Speaking of Chris…
"How did it go last night with Chris?" He asked.
Angie lifted her head and Coop didn't miss the smile that bright up her face. "Thank you for helping him with the rooftop. Last night was perfect."
Coop couldn't help but smirk to see that she was blushing a bit. Something must have happened between the two of them besides an apology. "Do you want to other guys?" He asked and her eyes widen. "Angie, what do you want?"
"I want Wyatt to be happy."
Coop chuckled sadly, "I mean for you. You have a kind heart and always put others before yourself and that's what makes you so wonderful. But if you don't feel anything romantic towards Wyatt, say no. If you say yes, then you will not only hurt him, but also yourself."
"The last thing I want to do is hurt Wyatt. He's one of my best friends and I don't know what he'll do if I say no. If anything, maybe he is my soulmate. Who knows?"
Coop sighed, "Wrong brother," he thought miserably. "Destiny sure likes to play games with love. But this is also a sign that we need to tell them the truth before those demons can."
"I'm not going to make your decision for you, Angie. But if you were in his shoes, what would you want to hear?" Coop questioned.
Suddenly, the house phone started to ring and Coop answered. "Hello? Yes, this is he. Is she okay? May I talk to her? Thank you." Angie looked at the Cupid in confusion as he put the phone down and put it on speaker. "Annabelle, what happened?"
"It's not the first time that I fainted, dad." Annabelle said.
"The nurse told me that you were coughing and wheezing. What happened?" Coop asked his middle daughter.
"I had a premonition," She replied lazily.
"What did you see?" Angie asked.
"Ang? Dad, why am I on speakerphone again?" Annabelle whined but Coop cleared his throat for her to continue talking. "Patty was looking up information about Cameron's family and how they died. We think something demonic killed them."
Angie whistled, "That's a big theory and a dangerous one. What if they were really killed in a fire?"
"But they weren't! There was a boy in my vision –a boy that saved his life. Dad, something in my gut is telling me that something magical was involved and I think I know who we can talk to." Annabelle said, "Someone that was involved that wasn't Cameron."
"Annabelle, stop." Angie demanded as she rubbed her forehead, feeling a huge headache coming. "I'm going to look more into Cameron's past that Henry didn't find but I want you to stop."
"But –"
"Angie's right. I don't know what started all this but if you give Cameron false news about a sensitive topic in his life, he will be devastated." Coop agreed. "Let Angie and your cousin do the rest because their jobs are used with this type of stuff. Now, I want you and your partners in crimes to give this up."
"But -!"
"Give us till Saturday," Angie said, giving Coop a look. Honestly, he's been in this family how long?
"After Mellie's birthday?"
Angie laughed, Melinda's 17th birthday is this Saturday and it also means Halloween night. "After her birthday –and if we don't find anything, you can do the detective stuff."
"Deal," Annabelle said and after a few seconds, she hung up.
"Do you really think you can find anything at work?" Coop asked.
Angie sighed, rubbing her forehead again. "I hope so. But it's rare for demons to live child victims behind but if there is something magical happening, then it must mean that his family has something to do with magic or made a deal with bad demons."
Coop sighed as he put a hand over his face, "This family isn't catching a break this year."
Piper's restaurant:
Chris lay on the couch in his mom's office as he threw the tennis ball up and caught it with his free hand. He couldn't stop thinking about today's lecture –more like obsess about what he learned. Is Angie doom as a magical creature forever? Is it her fate to be with her soulmate only to lose him? How can she find him?
"Destiny likes to play games."
Chris snorted as he caught the ball, "No shit."
The bad news was that he didn't even have any leads about his dreams. Is the professor right that they are connected to his past life? But the idea of time travel….
"Chris!" He jumped off the couch to see his mom at the door with an angry look on her face. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Get out of here and do your job. Just because it's slow doesn't mean you can slack off, mister! Go! Go!"
Chris groaned but did as she said and got his apron and small notebook from the back to walk to the tables but stopped to see the Phoenix tattoo woman at one of his tables. Chris frowned; this has to be a coincidence…right? "Hello my name is Chris and I'll be your server for today," he politely introduced himself and the woman laughed, seeing his face. "So still not going to tell me your name?"
She shook her head with a smile, "Nope."
Chris chuckled, "Okay then. Are you ready to order then?"
"Yes, I'll have a steak, medium rare with fries and lemonade." She said.
Chris nodded his head and walked to the kitchen to put his note up and turned around to see his mom. "Do you know that girl?" She asked.
The half Elder sighed, "Not every girl that I talk to mom is my girlfriend or potential to be girlfriend."
"That wasn't the answer I wanted, Chris."
He looked down at his mom with a frown. "No I don't know her personally. I bumped into her at school that's all."
Piper nodded her head and told him to keep working as she walked back to her office. However, the Charmed One glanced to her right to see a Phoenix tattoo sticking out on skin and the woman reading an old book. Piper paled when Chris went to the table to give her the drink. Then, she felt her heart jump in her chest when brown eyes caught hers and a smirk on her lips. "Hello Piper," she mouthed.
"Bianca was five years old, so it's a possibility she does remember if there was a spell involved." Piper said to her sisters who were on video chat with her from her computer. "I don't understand how…I mean, why –what if she remembers everything?"
"Piper, deep breaths" Paige said.
"Can't –we have a big problem here."
Phoebe sighed from the video and took off her reading glasses. "Piper, there's a bigger problem than this one. We had more than three warnings in the last two months and it's time to tell the kids. If Bianca remembers, who knows if she's an ally?"
"What do you mean?" Paige asked. "She came to the past because Wyatt ordered her to bring Chris back to their future. She was always in an ally when it came to Chris."
Piper grimaced, "Mellie's birthday is this weekend and Chris's is also coming up –"
"Should we wait till Thanksgiving dinner?" Paige asked sarcastically.
"Piper, I have to agree with Paige on this one. Yes, the kids' birthdays are coming up but Agues and Lukas are planning something and they are getting stronger. The fact that we can't find them is troublesome to think about." Phoebe said to her older sister. "They have an advantage if we don't tell them anything. Last night, Adriana had a nightmare that she was burned to death."
"Hey Chris, cute girl!" One of the waiters said to him as he passed him.
Chris laughed, "Yep got a name and a number."
"Lucky bastard," The waiter mumbled.
Chris laughed again as he felt the crumble napkin in his side pocket. He not only got a name but also her cell number. "But how am I supposed to tell if Bianca hasn't?" Chris heard his mom say inside her office. Chris frowned again. His mom couldn't possibly know that the mysterious woman's name is Bianca. "Who knows what she said to Chris today?"
Okay, not a different Bianca.
"Piper like I said before, this is another warning." Phoebe said. "Leo even told us that Angie has Henry Jr doing research about the Angel of Life because of her dreams. The dreams she was supposed to have are mixing with her memories. She doesn't know what she is meant to see."
"So she can easily remember her death…both of them." Paige commented.
Chris's frown deepened and push the door open to see his mom jump up and try to freeze him. "My shift ended," he told her and noticed that she was having a live video chat with his aunts. "If there's anything else…"
"No, it's okay. You can go home, peanut." Piper smiled sweetly at her second child.
He nodded his head and said his goodbyes to his aunt and left the room, to walk to his locker. He took off his apron angrily as he took out the napkin from his pocket that had Bianca's number on it with red ink. His mom and aunts are hiding something and he knew that his uncles were in on it too…then that must mean even his grandpa is too. At first, he thought it has something to do with Agues and Lukas…maybe it still does but what about Bianca? And Angie's death was mixed into it?
He needs answers…now.
A/N: So sorry it took me so long to update but here it is! Also, I put a poll up for this story so please vote! I know I'm dragging this story but trust me, it will get interesting!
Comment please!
-DisneyRBD
