Chapter 20: Invoke the witch within you


"Thank you so much for coming!" Esme said politely to mom and dad.

"Well, thank you so much for hosting the party of the year." Mom laughed and shared a hug with Esme.

After dad had shaken hands with Carlisle, I waved at Edward, Randall, Rosalie and Emmett who were perched on the couch. They waved back -Edward blew me a bold air kiss- and I followed mom and dad out of the Cullens house.

Most of the guests had left except for some neighbors, who I assumed lingered for some more champagne and chit-chat. Mr and Mrs Denali had taken Sasha home fifteen minutes ago.

"We need to talk." Sasha had whispered to me while her mom waited for her.

Mr and Mrs Carter -Heidi's parents- caught up with my parents and they broke into a hushed discussion about the grand party as we walked to our house. Heidi rolled her eyes at her parents and nudged me.

"What did Sasha say before she left?" Heidi asked, her green eyes twinkling.

"She wants to talk." I said dully and emphasized it by kicking the gravel road.

"Me too," she cut in immediately. "I want to know EVERYTHING!"

"Hush, idiot!" I elbowed her when both our parents turned to stare at us. They shrugged and went back to their conversation.

"Sorry." She apologized sheepishly.

I shook my head. "We can't talk here. Can we meet somewhere tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Christmas. Where do you think the whole town will be?" Heidi puffed her hair with her famous eye roll.

"Church," I sighed and shrugged. "Just because we go to the church with our parents doesn't mean we have to sit with them during the whole mass. How about we meet at the backside of the church? No one will be there."

Heidi stared at me as if I had gone mad. "There's a graveyard there. No way I'm coming there after all the things that had happened."

"It's not like we're going in," I shivered and gave her a wobbly smile. "We're just going to stand near there and I'll tell you everything."

Her eyes lit up at the word 'everything' and she smiled widely. Our parents stopped in front of our houses, which was just next to each other.

"D'accord." She winked and followed her parents into her house.

I had taken French class only for three months during my sixth grade summer holidays but I was able to translate what she said. Agreed.

I threw on the dress that mom had gifted me for Christmas and nearly sprinted down the stairs. Dad was nursing his hot coffee and mom was digging through her satin clutch.

I was relieved to see that they were ready to go to the church. Mom usually took an hour just to pin her hair up on top of her head.

"Merry Christmas, honey." She pecked my forehead, while she tried to balance her coffee mug in one hand and clutch in the other hand.

"Same to you," I kissed her cheek and skipped to the kitchen.

Dad greeted me on the way and stared at me with an amused smile as I hummed and drank my usual glass of juice.

"Someone's cheerful this morning," chuckled dad.

"Yep," mom continued meddling with her hair.

"How do I look?" I stood in front of her and struck a pose.

'Mmmmm," she eyed me with a smile. "My selection is always the best. That blue tunic goes well with your skin and the black tights are a perfect fit."

"If you have finished fawning over Bella, Renee, kindly inform me so I could take you both to the church." Dad coughed and rolled his eyes in my direction.

Mom scowled at dad and "accidently" knocked his head on the way to the car. I stifled a laugh at dad's confused face.

We reached the ancient beautiful church in twenty minutes and got out of the car. While dad went to find a place to park his car, mom struck up a conversation with Mrs Denali.

The roof of the church was covered with snow and the fountain in the middle was coated with glistening ice. I quickly shrugged into my warm fleece coat before I could turn into an ice sculpture.

"Merry Christmas," Sasha hugged me and we exchanged kisses.

Heidi soon found us and greeted us warmly. Sasha had circles under her eyes and I knew immediately that she hadn't slept well last night. Even I had circles, but it had nothing to do with last night drama. I went to sleep only at 1:00 AM as we had left the Cullens house a little after midnight.

I searched the large crowd for the Cullens, especially for Edward, but they were nowhere to be seen.

Disappointment washed over me but it was forgotten soon when Sasha dragged me inside the church. We sat where all the children usually sat.

At the back.

As soon as everyone settled down, the mass began. My patience wore off approximately after ten minutes and I nudged a sleepy Heidi and Sasha.

"Let's go." I whispered to them.

I wobbled slightly as we stood up. A strict stick-up-her-butt woman sitting on the bench beside us, turned to face us with a disapproving glare. Heidi matched her glare and we stifled laughter as we sneaked out of the church.

"You should have seen her face!" Heidi cried and we giggled into our gloved hands.

We walked quietly to the back of the enormous church. Heidi and Sasha cast disgusted and scared looks at the graveyard surrounding the border of the church property. I didn't even glance at it, instead I picked at my nails like they held the solution to all the problems.

"How did it all start? Tell me from your point of view." Sasha said finally, her tone frazzled.

I filled in about everything that had happened and they gaped at me when I mentioned the unwanted dip Edward and I had taken in the frosty cold lake in the 'Dark forest' during the History camping.

"So that was the day you found out?" Heidi asked, as I continued my rambling.

"Yeah," I nodded and kicked at few dead dry leaves near my feet. The depth of the snow -shockingly- reached our ankles.

"You should have told us, Bella." Sasha shook her head.

"You wouldn't have believed me," I sighed in exasperation. "You wouldn't have believed Rosalie too if it weren't for the little fire trick Alice did. Admit it."

"Guess you are right," she agreed reluctantly.

"But one thing doesn't make sense," I rubbed my temple. "How did the spell book suddenly appear in my house? You guys clearly saw me keep it back. How did it come to my bedroom of all places?"

"And..." Sasha shifted warily. "The spell was read by Heidi during the Halloween dance, the day the Cullens breathed again. Maybe..."

"Maybe what?" Heidi barked, her green eyes darting between Sasha and me.

"Heidi, Alice mentioned yesterday that you were a witch. What if you really are? You woke them!" I cried in shock. A single snowflake fell on my cheek.

"No, no, no," Heidi shook her head vehemently. "I am not a witch. I'm pretty sure the spell works even if your guys read it. I am not a WITCH."

"Keep it down, will you?" Alice emerged from the back door of the church. It was usually locked, so I wouldn't be surprised if Alice had opened it with her "magical powers".

"Alice, tell them I am not a witch," Heidi begged Alice. "You were joking yesterday, weren't you?"

"Heidi..." Alice swallowed, her face contorting in sympathy. Heidi covered her mouth with her palm, turning a light shade of green.

A sudden strong wind blew, lifting our skirts and tangling our hair.

"Oh My God," Sasha squealed, trying desperately to get hold of her scarf.

Another wind blew, this time stronger and very cold. Few dead leaves from the graveyard flew out, forming a small cyclone near our feet. It grew and grew till it had reached our height. It looked like a mini tornado of leaves.

"What is happening?" I screamed, bending down on my knees. My hair flapped all around my face till my entire vision was blocked.

It was the most insane thing I had ever witnessed including the fire debacle Alice had done yesterday night. A huge ball of snow started rolling toward us with the wind.

"Heidi, stop it!" Alice yelled at Heidi, who was crouched behind a tree -in an attempt to escape the howling wind- looking terrified. "Your emotions are causing this. Control it. Stop it right now! Control your yourself! Stop. It. Now!"

Heidi closed her ears and cried out. For a few seconds nothing happened...then the wind abruptly died and the snowball stopped moving.

I was the first one to stand up. "What the hell just happened?" I breathed.

"Heidi's power happened," I watched as white mist came out of Alice's mouth as she spoke. The temperature had dropped a degree.

"I am really a witch?" Tears started rolling down Heidi's rosy cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

"You shouldn't be sorry about being a witch," Alice said firmly. "You have an amazing talent and power. Look at the mini storm you just caused and you weren't even aware of it. Then think of the things you can do if you were aware of your powers and knew how to control them?"

More snowflakes started drifting to the ground and I pulled on the hood of my fleece jacket. The others did the same.

I let out a deep breath and blinked when white mist came out of my mouth too. I couldn't even believe that Alice was a witch, how was I going to handle the face that Heidi was a witch too?

"So now what?" I broke the silence. "Is there going to be a coven?"

Alice smirked, inspite of the panicked look Heidi shot her, and shrugged. "No, unless there is an increase in number."

She said the last part suggestively, her gaze lingering on Sasha and me.

I rubbed my temple again. I felt like someone had cracked open my head and filled it with unwanted things-like a bucket of sand and dirt.

"Edward and his family are last century people, Heidi and Alice are witches...what am I and Sasha now? Ghouls? Vampires?" I shook my head wearily.

"I could handle being a she-wolf." Sasha tried to hide her fear but her shaking hands said it all.

"You are humans," Alice smiled softly, "the luckiest ones."

"Jeez, thank you." I rolled my eyes and bumped my shoulder with Sasha's.

"So, am I excluded from your group now?" Heidi asked, betraying a hint of panic.

"Yes," I nodded. "Only humans are allowed. That's why we kicked Alice out of our circle, remember?"

"What?" Heidi and Alice cried at the same time.

"She's kidding." Sasha giggled, inspite of herself. But there was obvious nervousness in the sound.

I rolled back my shoulders. "I am going to attend the rest of the mass. After all, I have witches and zombies as my friends. So the least I can do for being on the evil side is plead to God to forgive me."

"Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen." Sasha finished with her palms pressed together.

Alice and Heidi faux-glared at us and I could already feel alliances forming. I just hoped I wouldn't lose Heidi to Alice.

I didn't know if Alice was a good or a bad witch, but she sure was a bitch.


Any thoughts? I know this chap was kinda boring because Edward wasn't there but I promise that the next chap is loaded fully with him :D

-BEJL