Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I'll try to keep the
story as interesting as I can until it is completely finished!:-D
Jack and Annie froze, wondering what Melanie was going to do or say next. But surprisingly, she came in closing the door behind her and sat down on the bed.
Annie, still shocked, decided to try and explain. "Uh, Melanie-"
Melanie held her hand up and shook her head. "Annie, it's okay. You don't have to explain anything. So you know that my mother and me are witches. Big deal. It's about time someone found out."
"So you don't care that we mortals know?"
"No. The only reason why my mother cares is because she still thinks that someone is going to come get us and hang us."
"What? That's crazy. They haven't done that since like the 1600s," Jack stated.
"I know. And I told her that, but she still doesn't feel completely safe."
"But how would anyone know that you're witches? I mean, that doesn't make any sense."
"I don't know. I stopped trying to figure out mother a long time ago. I guess she's just afraid that someone could find out some how."
"You mean, like we did?"
"Yeah. Only, I guess she didn't see you as a threat for some reason. And I guess the more she does some good humanity, the less suspicious people will be. I mean, aside from the hanging thing, she doesn't want people to know anyway. Because even if people don't hang witches anymore, then she said it would be bad news for people to find out."
"Well, do you care that we know? I mean, we would never say anything about it," Annie said.
"Oh, don't worry, I believe you. Just don't say anything more about it. Not even between the two of you. Because you never know who might be listening."
"Like you, for example?"
Melanie smiled. "Yeah. Just thank your lucky stars that it was me and not mother."
"Yeah, thank goodness for that. One more question though, what are you planning to do about Adam?"
Melanie's eyes grew wide. "How do you know about Adam?"
"Well, I was thinking that it was a bit of a clue when I saw you talking to him the other night outside of my window," Jack replied.
"And we know the whole story, about how he was your one true love and how your mother turned him into the tiger," Annie added.
Melanie started rubbing her fists together tensely. "How did you find out all of this?. Oh my god, you talked to mother, didn't you? You're on her side, aren't you? What kind of sick game are you guys playing here?!"
"No! Melanie, we haven't talked to your mother! We-"
Suddenly Gina appeared in the doorway, which startled everyone.
"Well, Melanie, I see you're getting to know our guests better. So what's the topic of conversation in here?" she said.
"Uh, nothing, I was uh, just trying to talk the girls into playing a game of baseball with me, Clu, and Carey," Jack replied quickly.
"Baseball? Oh, how nice! Melanie why don't you go play with them. I'm going to go cook lunch with Molly and then we'll call you kids in when it's ready. Sound good?"
Everyone just nodded and smiled, not quite sure what to say.
"Good. I'll see you kids later," she said, going out the door.
"Dear god, it's like she's keeping watch on me 24/7 or something," Melanie commented.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she didn't hear anything, right?" Annie asked.
"No. If she did then she would let us know, believe me."
"Well, okay. Let's go play some baseball, then," Jack stated.
"Wait a minute, I don't think Molly is going to let you play something like that when you're still recovering," Annie said.
"Annie, chill. I actually feel fine. And I promised that I wouldn't do anything strenuous for a while. I'll just be the catcher or something. Now let's go. We don't want her mother to get suspicious." **
About fifteen minutes later, Jack, Annie, Melanie, Clu, and Carey were all out playing baseball together. It was Melanie's turn to bat right after Carey had made a homerun, and obviously hadn't played before to Jack's noticing.
"Uh, Melanie, have you ever played baseball before?" he asked.
"Um, no, not really. What gave me away?"
"Well for starters," Jack said, taking the bat from her and flipping it, "you were holding it upside down."
"Oh. Well what do I do, just swing it?"
"When the ball comes towards you, you would want to make contact, yes. Just bend your knees slightly, hold the bat with your hands like this," he stated placing her hands in the correct position. "Then when the ball comes toward you, swing with all your might. Got it?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Good. Okay, ready, Clu!"
Clu nodded and threw the ball Melanie's way. And much to everyone's surprise she hit it- very hard. In about five seconds it went from the bat clear up in the sky and out of sight.
"Dude! What do you have, some kind of magical powers or something?" Clu said.
Melanie looked at him with wide eyes and was getting ready to say something when Jack put his hand on her shoulder.
"He doesn't know anything. It's just a figure of speech. Trust me."
Melanie nodded, and suddenly heard Molly's voice from the house.
"Time for lunch, kids!"
"Okay, mom, we'll be there in a minute!" Jack yelled back. "Melanie, don't worry. Everything's all right. Only Annie and me know. That's it. Your secret is safe with us."
Melanie nodded. "I believe you."
"Good. Let's go eat then." **
About ten hours later, Annie, Jack, and Melanie went off to a separate room, Annie pulling her aside to talk.
"Melanie, we want to help you with Adam. Are you going to be-"
Suddenly Molly came in and smiled at them. "Are you guys going to bed soon? It's kind of late."
"Yeah, don't worry, mom. We'll be up in a second," Jack stated.
"Okay. Good night then. And make sure you don't get to bed too late, Jack. You're still healing remember?"
"I know, mom. Don't worry."
"All right. Good night, baby," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight guys," she said to the other two before going upstairs.
"'Night, Molly," Annie replied. As soon as the coast was clear, she turned back to Melanie, who was now gone. "Where'd she go?"
"I don't know," Jack replied.
"Wait a minute, I bet I know!"
She started running to the door, Jack rolling his eyes and sighing. "Annie, come on, just leave her alone!"
He sighed and reluctantly followed her, both of them soon ending up in the back of the house, seeing Melanie feeding Adam like the night before.
"Melanie, is this Adam?" Annie said.
Melanie looked up startled. "What are you, following me now? What if mother saw you?"
"Oh, but mother already has," Gina said, coming up behind them.
Jack and Annie froze, wondering what Melanie was going to do or say next. But surprisingly, she came in closing the door behind her and sat down on the bed.
Annie, still shocked, decided to try and explain. "Uh, Melanie-"
Melanie held her hand up and shook her head. "Annie, it's okay. You don't have to explain anything. So you know that my mother and me are witches. Big deal. It's about time someone found out."
"So you don't care that we mortals know?"
"No. The only reason why my mother cares is because she still thinks that someone is going to come get us and hang us."
"What? That's crazy. They haven't done that since like the 1600s," Jack stated.
"I know. And I told her that, but she still doesn't feel completely safe."
"But how would anyone know that you're witches? I mean, that doesn't make any sense."
"I don't know. I stopped trying to figure out mother a long time ago. I guess she's just afraid that someone could find out some how."
"You mean, like we did?"
"Yeah. Only, I guess she didn't see you as a threat for some reason. And I guess the more she does some good humanity, the less suspicious people will be. I mean, aside from the hanging thing, she doesn't want people to know anyway. Because even if people don't hang witches anymore, then she said it would be bad news for people to find out."
"Well, do you care that we know? I mean, we would never say anything about it," Annie said.
"Oh, don't worry, I believe you. Just don't say anything more about it. Not even between the two of you. Because you never know who might be listening."
"Like you, for example?"
Melanie smiled. "Yeah. Just thank your lucky stars that it was me and not mother."
"Yeah, thank goodness for that. One more question though, what are you planning to do about Adam?"
Melanie's eyes grew wide. "How do you know about Adam?"
"Well, I was thinking that it was a bit of a clue when I saw you talking to him the other night outside of my window," Jack replied.
"And we know the whole story, about how he was your one true love and how your mother turned him into the tiger," Annie added.
Melanie started rubbing her fists together tensely. "How did you find out all of this?. Oh my god, you talked to mother, didn't you? You're on her side, aren't you? What kind of sick game are you guys playing here?!"
"No! Melanie, we haven't talked to your mother! We-"
Suddenly Gina appeared in the doorway, which startled everyone.
"Well, Melanie, I see you're getting to know our guests better. So what's the topic of conversation in here?" she said.
"Uh, nothing, I was uh, just trying to talk the girls into playing a game of baseball with me, Clu, and Carey," Jack replied quickly.
"Baseball? Oh, how nice! Melanie why don't you go play with them. I'm going to go cook lunch with Molly and then we'll call you kids in when it's ready. Sound good?"
Everyone just nodded and smiled, not quite sure what to say.
"Good. I'll see you kids later," she said, going out the door.
"Dear god, it's like she's keeping watch on me 24/7 or something," Melanie commented.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she didn't hear anything, right?" Annie asked.
"No. If she did then she would let us know, believe me."
"Well, okay. Let's go play some baseball, then," Jack stated.
"Wait a minute, I don't think Molly is going to let you play something like that when you're still recovering," Annie said.
"Annie, chill. I actually feel fine. And I promised that I wouldn't do anything strenuous for a while. I'll just be the catcher or something. Now let's go. We don't want her mother to get suspicious." **
About fifteen minutes later, Jack, Annie, Melanie, Clu, and Carey were all out playing baseball together. It was Melanie's turn to bat right after Carey had made a homerun, and obviously hadn't played before to Jack's noticing.
"Uh, Melanie, have you ever played baseball before?" he asked.
"Um, no, not really. What gave me away?"
"Well for starters," Jack said, taking the bat from her and flipping it, "you were holding it upside down."
"Oh. Well what do I do, just swing it?"
"When the ball comes towards you, you would want to make contact, yes. Just bend your knees slightly, hold the bat with your hands like this," he stated placing her hands in the correct position. "Then when the ball comes toward you, swing with all your might. Got it?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Good. Okay, ready, Clu!"
Clu nodded and threw the ball Melanie's way. And much to everyone's surprise she hit it- very hard. In about five seconds it went from the bat clear up in the sky and out of sight.
"Dude! What do you have, some kind of magical powers or something?" Clu said.
Melanie looked at him with wide eyes and was getting ready to say something when Jack put his hand on her shoulder.
"He doesn't know anything. It's just a figure of speech. Trust me."
Melanie nodded, and suddenly heard Molly's voice from the house.
"Time for lunch, kids!"
"Okay, mom, we'll be there in a minute!" Jack yelled back. "Melanie, don't worry. Everything's all right. Only Annie and me know. That's it. Your secret is safe with us."
Melanie nodded. "I believe you."
"Good. Let's go eat then." **
About ten hours later, Annie, Jack, and Melanie went off to a separate room, Annie pulling her aside to talk.
"Melanie, we want to help you with Adam. Are you going to be-"
Suddenly Molly came in and smiled at them. "Are you guys going to bed soon? It's kind of late."
"Yeah, don't worry, mom. We'll be up in a second," Jack stated.
"Okay. Good night then. And make sure you don't get to bed too late, Jack. You're still healing remember?"
"I know, mom. Don't worry."
"All right. Good night, baby," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight guys," she said to the other two before going upstairs.
"'Night, Molly," Annie replied. As soon as the coast was clear, she turned back to Melanie, who was now gone. "Where'd she go?"
"I don't know," Jack replied.
"Wait a minute, I bet I know!"
She started running to the door, Jack rolling his eyes and sighing. "Annie, come on, just leave her alone!"
He sighed and reluctantly followed her, both of them soon ending up in the back of the house, seeing Melanie feeding Adam like the night before.
"Melanie, is this Adam?" Annie said.
Melanie looked up startled. "What are you, following me now? What if mother saw you?"
"Oh, but mother already has," Gina said, coming up behind them.