"Hey, Zev." Tabitha approached Zevina the next day during lunch in school. Zevina was Tabitha's age, and had brown hair and green eyes.
"Hiya, Tabitha." Zevina smiled. "What's up?"
"Nothing much... mind if I sit next to you?"
"Not at all!" She smiled again. "How are you?"
"Great..." Tabitha said, hardly paying attention. She was looking for anything that might be a charm.
"Tab... Tab? TABITHA!" Zevina yelled, trying to get Tabitha's attention. "What are you looking for?" She asked suspiciously.
"Nothin'..." Tabitha sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.
"As long as you say so." Zevina took a bite out of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Suddenly, Tabitha spotted something.
"Hey, Zev... what's that necklace you're wearing?" Tabitha asked, pointing at the glowing stone.
"I don't really know. The people at the orphanage told me that my birth mom gave it to me." Zevina swallowed the glob of bread in her mouth. "I never did tell you about the orphanage, did I?"
Tabitha shook her head. This should be interesting, she thought.
"Well, it began when I was born, of course. My mom had me, but realized that she couldn't tell her family, and she couldn't take care of me. So she left me in an orphanage in Connecticut. But she didn't just leave me, Tab. She left me with a note and this necklace." Zevina's voice started to quiver slightly. "I remember the note exactly. It smelled of bubble gum. It said 'To my dear Zevina, I love you so much, but I can't bare to tell my family about you. I will find you when I am ready to take you back. Love always, Mommy.' And that was that. Ever since that day, the necklace has been glowing this same green color. I never took it off. Not even to go to sleep. It's a piece of my mother, Tabby. Perhaps the only piece I'll ever own." She started to finger the necklace, closing her eyes, remembering the mother she never knew. Tabitha was silent. "You don't understand, Tab, how hard it is to live without a mother. Sure I had foster parents, but it isn't the same. I just wish I could meet my real mother..." Zevina's voice trailed off when she spotted Tabitha staring at the necklace.
"Can... can I see it?" Tabitha asked.
"As in wear it? I won't take it off... but you can hold the stone."
Tabitha held the stone... it was cool in her hands. But suddenly, the stone got brighter, warmer... both girls were in a trance. "What's it doing?" Tabitha asked, not taking her eyes off of the stone.
"I dunno..." Zevina stared at the brightening color, "It's never done that before!"
Tabitha instantly knew it had to do with her witchcraft. But just to be sure, she asked another girl, Nancy, to try to hold it.
Nancy held the stone lightly... the green color faded into a deep red. Tabitha was confused. Zevina was shocked. Nancy was relieved. "Guys, it's just a mood stone." She piped up.
Tabitha and Zevina knew Nancy was wrong. They just nodded, cleaned up their lunches, and headed for a nearby empty classroom. They were determined to find out the meaning to the stone...