Hazel was working on the potion in the middle of the woods so her mom couldn't find her. She just wished the potion didn't take over a month to make. Everything was so complicated, just like her life.
Her and Frank haven't talked much since the night they kissed. If they did, it was about the potion. But she wanted to talk to him more about, well, anything.
She did try, but Frank always cut the conversation short before going to do some chore her mother told him to do.
Hazel finished what she needed to do for the day and hid her potion under a hollow boulder, ones that were used to hid a house key but she enchanted it so the cauldron could fit.
She headed back for the house when the hairs on the back of her neck started to stand up. Turning around, she saw no one there.
Her pace quickened but the feeling didn't leave. She turned around again to face an empty forest.
"Who's following me?! I know you're there!" Hazel shouted. Her arms were up, ready to blast anything evil with a spell.
A forest spirit presented herself to Hazel. She looked familiar to her. Like she has seen from somewhere or in someone.
She started speaking but Hazel couldn't understand. She placed a spell on the spirit so they could talk, the same one she used on Frank.
"A-Are you Hazel?" The spirit asked.
She nodded.
"I-I'm looking for Frank. Word was spreading that he's your slave."
"Oh, uh, I know where he is. And he isn't my slave, he's my mom's." She felt stupid for saying that.
The spirit's eyes lightened up. "Can you take me to him? I haven't seen him in a long time. He's my son."
"You're Frank's mom?" She asked.
The spirit nodded. "Can you bring me to him?"
"No, my mom is home right now. But she'll be gone tomorrow. I can bring Frank here then."
A smile appeared on the spirit's face. "Thank you."
That night, Hazel went to find Frank. Usually he hung around the garden since he felt more comfortable there.
But he wasn't.
Hazel went around the house, trying to find him but it was no use. He wasn't there.
"Trying to find something?" She heard from behind her, causing her to jump.
She turned around and saw her mother. "Just going to get some water."
Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
"Yes mom."
Her mom started to circle her. "So you wouldn't be looking for the slave I captured."
"Why would I be looking for Frank this late?" She asked.
Her mom stopped in front of her and looked into her eyes. "Because, I know you're his soulmate."
Hazel's heart stopped for a moment. Did her mom figure out that she put a camouflage spell on Frank's arm? Probably.
"So, you fell in love with a spirit, huh? I can not allow this, Hazel! My daughter will not be a disappointment!"
Hazel backed up a bit, her mom was towering over her.
"Do you want to be shunned from the community?"
"I don't care about that. I just care about being a good person." Hazel told her.
"Being shunned means your powers get stripped away and your ability to see the magical world is gone too."
Her heart went faster. Is that what happened when people got shunned? She never heard of that before.
"It's not like I'm in love with him mom." Every single word hurt her. "He must like me or something."
Her mom glared at her. "You better not. From now on, you're not allowed to see the spirit at all." She walked back to her bedroom.
Hazel took some deep breaths, trying to think how she was going to keep her feels down and keep her promise to Frank's mom.