W.I.T.C.H

Chapter 9

Crossroads

Heatherfield

Irma and Hay Lin walked through the park on the way home form school. Winter was over, and the buds on the trees were just starting to come out. Not surprisingly, this was Hay Lin's favorite time of the year. Everything was seemed brand new, and the world was full of hope. All the mistakes and hardships of the winter had disappeared, and the slate was clean.

"Hay Lin?" Irma asked.

"Yeah?"

"Um, is the Silver Dragon, um, you know…"

"Invisible? On fire? In space? What?"

"No, no! Are you guys, you know, hiring?"

"Hiring? Why?"

"I need a job." Irma mumbled.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear you…"

"I need a job!" Irma said. "Happy? I, Irma Lair, am forced to work."

"How come?" Hay Lin asked trying vainly to hold back a smile.

"Have you checked the concert listings recently?" Irma asked.

"Oh, Karmilla. My parents are getting me tickets. Once I convinced them it was safe." Hay Lin said.

"Yeah, I know." Irma said, arms crossed. "And Taranee's parents are buying her tickets, and Will has a job and Cornelia's rich. But I of humble means, and no job, have to work for it. So how 'bout it? Are you hiring?"

"Sorry, Irma." Hay Lin said. "But ever since Caleb, my parents say that no more of my friends are allowed to work at the Dragon."

"Stupid Caleb. I'm unemployed because he can't tell the difference between a steak and a bowl of soup."

Hay Lin's ringing phone interrupted her laugh. She took her phone out of her pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" Hay Lin said.

"Who is it?" Irma asked.

"It's Cornelia." Hay Lin said. "Looks like we got trouble."

Balsilide

23 Years Ago

Three students sit in various positions in Endrano's dorm room. Endarno sits on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall in concentration.

Jez lies back on the bed, tossing a ball of paper in the air over and over again.

Endarno's best friend, Mikhael, sits at the desk and scribbles notes on a piece of paper. Endarno had met Mikhael a couple of months ago, shortly after he had met Jez. They were in the same class, both incredibly smart, and had quickly become close friends.

"You're not going to get it." Jez says as she catches the ball. "It's impossible."

"Nonsense." Mikhael says.

"No, not nonsense." Jez says as she throws the ball back in the air, "This is literally impossible. Cordner designed this project to be uncompleteable. It is the definition of impossible."

"Uncompleteable? Is that even a word?" Endarno asks, still staring at the wall.

"I'm tired, cut me some slack." Jez says, throwing the ball at Endarno. "Besides, I'm not the only one. You're both exhausted. Listen to me: It. Is. Impossible. Cut your loses and get some sleep."

"The only things that are impossible are the things we're unwilling to try." Endarno says.

"She's right about one thing though, I am exhausted." Mikhael says, crumpling up his notes. "I'm heading home. We can work on this tomorrow, O.K?"

"Fine." Endarno says. He waves as Mikhael heads out the door.

"I'm going too." Jez says. She puts her hand on his knee as she sits up.

"Hey," she says. "You'll get it."

She gets up and begins to head towards the door, but stops when she feels his hand on her shoulder. He spins her around, and kisses her on the lips. She returns it. It is the first time they've ever kissed. They hold it for as long as they can, neither wanting this precious moment to end.

"What took you so long?" she asks when the kiss is done.

"I finally decided to try." He says with a smile.

"Good choice." She says.

Then she pulls him close, and kisses him again.

Heatherfield

Will looked around the living room with a wide grin. Guests had arrived, the food was delicious, and her dress was stunning. The necklace she had ordered for her mother had arrived just in time, and Susan was now proudly displaying it. The party was a huge success.

"Will," Susan said, giving her daughter a hug. "I don't know what to say…"

"Then don't say anything." Will replied. "Just enjoy yourself."

"Thank you so much Will." Susan said with a tear in her eye. "You're the best daughter a mom could have."

Will smiled even wider as her mother walked back to her friends. Will knew she wasn't even close to being the perfect daughter, but it was nice to see her mom smile again. It had been a long time coming. She wondered if this is what it was like to live a normal life. Instead of giant battles, did people live for these moments, for the little victories like successful birthday parties? Would she ever life a normal life again? Did she want to?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. There was no way she was going to be thinking about questions like those on a day like this. This was a party, and she was going to have fun. She was making a return trip to Irma's cake when she heard a familiar song playing from her room. Her heart sank. It was her cellphone ringtone. More specifically, it was her ringtone for Cornelia. Why? Why was she calling? Cornelia knew this was when Will was holding the party, and she didn't want to be disturbed. Why would she be calling? Unless…

She took a deep breath. She was just being paranoid. Cornelia probably just wanted to find out how everything was going. Yes, that was all. She wandered through the crowd of guests towards her room. She reached for the phone and picked it up.

"Cornelia, this is not a good time."

"I know Will, and I'm sorry…"

"Cornelia, if the next words out of your mouth are 'we have a problem', then I may have to hurt you." Will said. She tried to sound calm, but she could feel the fear rising in her.

"Okay," Cornelia said slowly, "we have a situation."

"No." Will said defiantly. "No situations. No problems! I've spent weeks trying to organize this party, and I'm not leaving half way through. I don't care who's attacking what, I'm not going anywhere!"

"Will, you know I wouldn't call you if I didn't think it was important." Cornelia said.

"One day. Just one day to be normal." Will said quietly.

"Will?" Cornelia said, concern in her voice.

"Why can't someone else deal with it?" Will asked

"You know no one else can do what we do." Cornelia asked. "It has to be us."

"We've given to much." Will said, her voice getting stronger and stronger. "I've given to much. Let me have this day! Just one day, Cornelia."

Neither of the girls said anything for a while. Will could feel her emotions taking control of her.

"I can't force you to come." Cornelia said after a while, "But if you don't, you know that innocent people, people we care about, are going to get hurt and probably die."

Another long pause. Will looked out of her door at the party still going on in the other room. She wanted to scream.

"It's up to you." Cornelia said. "The rest of us will be in Meridian. Make your choice."

Balsilide

22 Years Ago

Sunset falls on Balsilide, as Endarno and Jez sit watching it. They sit atop a hill, underneath a large tree. The city beneath them is lit up like a jewel. Endarno has his arm wrapped around Jez's waist. It was their one-year anniversary, and they were celebrating it in style. A dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town, and an evening together watching the sun go down.

"It's beautiful!" Jez says, sliding closer to Endarno.

"My mother used to bring me here all the time." Endarno says. "I haven't been here since."

"Why not?" Jez asks.

"I guess I was just waiting for someone special." Endarno replies, looking into her deep, dark eyes.

She leans over and gives him a kiss. Two of them sit watching until the sun disappears behind the city.

"Thank you." Endarno says.

"For what?" Jez asks as she looks up at him, puzzled.

"Before I met you, I didn't think I had anyone to rely on." He says "I thought I had to do everything myself. I know I can, but now I don't have to. Now, I have you. So thank you."

"I'm glad to be here." She says, smiling.

They share another kiss as the cold night air softly blows around them, offering relief from the heat of the day. The two lovers embrace is soon silhouetted against the full moon rising behind them.

Endarno does not know that twenty-two years from now, he will look back on this day as the happiest of his life. For now, it feels as if this moment will never end. For now, all that matters is the touch of her skin, and the feel of her hair against his face. For now, he is content.