All I saw was red. The embarrassment flowing through my veins boiled into a fiery wrath. My heart raced as it begged me to let my fury out.
The situation may have been cliche, but it was no less a nightmare. Damn the witch who invented the concept of baby photos and damn my no-good siblings for getting them out! And if un-earthing them wasn't bad enough, they then had to show my girlfriend each and every one of them!
My brother and sister should consider themselves very lucky that they survived that night.
"Edric! Emira! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I snapped while crossing my arms. Despite me angrily hovering over them, those bastards began to laugh.
"What?" Edric snickered. The smugness shining in his golden eyes made me want to knock his fangs out. "Luz wanted to see the family photo album".
"You knew this was going to happen someday, Mittens," Emira added while looking down at her nails. "Your girlfriend seeing your baby pictures is just a part of the dating experience".
"And what would you know about the dating experience?" I snipped back to the single witch. My sibling let out a fake hiss of pain.
"Harsh. Fair, but harsh".
"If it helps," my girlfriend jumped in nervously. "I think you were a very cute baby".
That didn't help, not in the slightest. But, then again, I couldn't be angry at Luz even if I tried. The human's wide brown eyes melted my heart every time I saw them. She looked so guilty but in a purely innocent way, like a child who just got in trouble for something they didn't know was wrong.
"That's very sweet of you" I admitted in a bit of a calmer tone. "But I'm still going to tie those two to a tree and let the fairies take care of them".
"Don't listen to her, Luz," Emira purred. "She always says she's going to brutally murder us, and then nothing happens".
"Yeah," Edric added. "If Amity really wanted us dead, she would've killed us a long time ago".
As my brother and sister continued to be insufferable, my eyes wandered to the photo album they had open. Unfortunately, they had already looked through all of the really embarrassing stuff from when I was really young. Now they were at my first couple years of school. There was a picture of my first day, and one of me with an award I got for my attendance, and…
The sight of one of the photos froze me like ice. My angry scowl fell into a pained gape. My eyes glimmered in the light of the manor as they shot open as far as they could.
"Amity," Luz asked while worriedly anticipating my response. "Are you, okay?".
"I…". I tried my hardest to say, "I'm fine", but what ended up coming out was the complete opposite. "I… I need a moment".
I turned around to walk to the staircase, but my dismay made me run instead. The sound of quick footsteps followed me. I knew who they belonged to without having to look backwards.
Luz followed me into the bathroom, both of us stopping by the mirror. The sight of my reflection soothed me slightly, but the sting of what I saw was much stronger.
"I'm sorry, Amity," the human started frantically. "I should've never asked to see those pictures. I just wanted to see you as a cute little baby but that's no excuse, and I didn't mean to hurt you, and you can tie me to a tree if you want".
"It's okay, Luz" I said as I chuckled at her last sentence. My quick smile then faded as reality came back into view. "It's not you I'm mad at".
"It's the twins".
"No. Well, I am, but I'm more mad at myself".
Luz placed her hand on my arm and gently turned me to face her. She made sure I was looking deeply into her wide worried eyes.
"Why would you be mad at yourself?" she asked.
I struggled to answer her. I didn't really know why. I mean there was the whole, I was a coward who let her mother turn her into a monster. Or there was the, I helped the cruelest hellhound in Hexide corrode the self-confidence of the best friend I'd ever had. And then there was the, I almost got the love of my life gutted. But none of those things had to do with the photo I saw… well directly anyway.
"I… don't know. I saw this one picture and all of the bad things I'd done over the years just started coming back to me all at once".
"Which picture?" Luz pressed. It took me a moment to answer, my fear of it hurting me again making me hesitant.
"It was a photo of when I first dyed my hair green" I finally murmured. "I guess, when I saw it, I kind of realized that the witch in the photo and I were the same person".
"But why would that make you angry? I mean, yeah, your mom forced you to dye it that color, but then why aren't you angry at her?".
"Well," I began with a sigh. I had to look away from Luz before I could continue. "When I went against mom and changed my hair color to lavender, I sort of started seeing myself as a different witch. I'm kind and I have a bunch of people who care about me, unlike that green haired hellhound who hurt everyone she met. But I am that green haired hellhound, Luz".
"Not anymore" my love intervened. "You've changed a lot since then".
"I know I've changed. But everyone goes on and on about how I'm a new person now and that's not true. I can't be a new person. No matter what I do, I'll be Amity for the rest of my life. And that picture was a painful reminder of that".
Luz took a moment to just stare at me sadly. Her warm freshly calloused hands grabbed onto mine, which were frozen in comparison. I could feel her heart ache as her longing to help me grew stronger by the second.
"Amity's not a bad person to be" she hmmed with a tender smile. "Yes, she can be a little mean, if you test her, but she's also very sweet and caring once you get to know her".
Despite how kind they were, Luz's words didn't make the shame burrowing inside of me go away. I was able to give my girlfriend a smile, but it was weak and short-lived.
"It just sucks that people are hurting because of me," I admitted softly.
"But there are also people who are happy because of you," the human responded as she leaned into me. "I know I am".
I soaked in my girlfriend's warmth, trying my hardest to focus on it instead of the remaining hurt I felt. Yet my guilt stubbornly sat there, totally immovable.
I wasn't a stranger to feeling bad about things I should or shouldn't have said and done. There had been weeks where I couldn't look at a mirror without feeling ashamed of myself. But that was before Luz came around and convinced me I could be better. Before I changed.
But, like I told Luz, all the awful decisions I'd made would be a part of me forever and so would the shame that followed.
"Te quiero, hermosa. (I love you, beautiful)" Luz went on after I didn't reply. Unlike literally any time else, I didn't instantly melt in my love's foreign words.
"I love you too, Luz" I uttered in an attempt to convince the human I was alright. She didn't believe me one bit.
A knock on the bathroom door pulled our focus away from each other.
"Mom'll be home in five," my sister warned.
When my gaze went back to Luz, I think my heart cracked a little. She looked desperate to stay. She wasn't done comforting me and she didn't want to leave me in the state I was in. But the last time my mother and Luz crossed paths, the woman nearly killed her.
Luz grabbed my head with both of her hands and planted a kiss on my forehead. She then brought our gazes together. I don't think I'd ever seen the girl look so serious.
"I know you've made some mistakes, mi amor, but you are an amazing witch. Never forget that".
…
It was always hard sitting in the dining room with the rest of my family. It had gotten easier, what with me and my siblings being on better terms with each other, but I still had to tolerate mom and dad.
Dad was there for dinner and absent at the same time. He was physically sitting in front of us but he was too busy swimming in his own mind. I didn't quite know how to feel about that. He was my father, but he seemed more like a stranger who wandered into Blight manor and hung out for a bit.
Whatever. If he was stuck in his own head, then he was too busy to be a problem. Mom, on the other hand, had all of the time in the titandamn world. You see, everything that happened throughout her day, my mother saw as an opportunity. From the moment she got up to the moment she fell asleep, all of them were a vital time to gain more power. Supper time was no exception.
"Has anyone done anything interesting today?" the woman asked as we all sat down.
I didn't say anything aloud, but my glare was enough to silence my two siblings. They wouldn't have said anything anyways. By telling mom and dad about the photo album, they'd risk giving my and Luz's secret away.
Of course, my parents didn't know. If they did, my girlfriend would be killed immediately. Mom already tried to do it once, and Luz was only my friend at the time.
"I almost escaped a forty-foot drop without a scratch" Edric bragged with an undeserved smug grin.
"Key word is almost" Emira huffed un-amusedly.
"Hey, a scraped knee isn't bad for fifty feet".
"First of all" Emira scoffed. "You said it was forty a second ago. Second of all, you limped all the way home like you were coming back from war".
"Excuse me for limping after falling forty-fifty-whatever feet".
My mother decided to do the smart thing: not pry into whatever dumbass thing her son did earlier that day. Instead, she turned towards me.
"And how was your day, Mittens?".
Her question made me pause. I had to be careful about answering. If I left even the slightest bit of room for her to, my mother would strike like an enraged sea serpent.
"My day was nothing special" I stated. "I went to school, then I came back home and did some studying".
"Is that all?". The hint of irritation in my mother's voice sparked dread in me. She was internally angry at me. For what: only the titan knows.
"What else would there be?" I went on. "That's normally what I do every day unless I have work".
"I've noticed you've been hanging out more and more with the human". Shit. She knew Luz had been over. I didn't know how, but she knew. "What has she been up to lately?".
I had to stay calm. Any sign of weakness, and my mother could easily break me.
"That's Luz's business. I shouldn't go around sharing it with everyone".
"We're not just anyone". My mother's tone got heavier. She began tapping her fingers on the table. "We're family".
"That doesn't mean I have to tell you all of my friend's secrets".
"I just want to make sure you two aren't getting into any trouble. But since you're so insistent about not talking, I could ask Luz herself–".
"Stay away from her!". With all the strength I had, I slammed down on the dinner table. My fangs instantly came out. Though they were still small there was a lot of furiosity behind them.
I had snapped, to say the least. Between seeing that old photo of me and having my mother prod about Luz, my nerves were shot.
"How come every time I find someone who actually likes me for me, you have to do everything in your power to ruin it! I'm friends with Willow, then you make me stop being friends with Willow and start hanging out with Boscha. All so I could become a hellhound like her and get the emperor's coven to notice me, even though it's filled with assholes who would do anything just to get what they want!".
"Settle down, Amity. There's no need–".
"And then a miracle happens, I find a human who actually gives a shit about me, and Willow decides to give me a second chance! But then my mother decides to get them both expelled, and then tries to kill one of them! And don't give me the whole "I was trying to help you be successful" because the only thing you did was help me be miserable! All of my problems are…TITANDAMMIT!".
I couldn't say it. Despite my rage, I still couldn't solely blame my mother for everything. Yes, her actions were her fault. She got Willow, Gus, and Luz expelled, then nearly killed the latter. But all the mean things I said, that I did, were all mine.
My mother may have swayed me to do it, but she didn't physically make me. In the end it was my decision, and I chose wrong.
I shot up from my seat, the chair scratching the floor as I pushed away from the table. Before the rest of my family could object, I marched towards the vestibule. I needed to get some air. I needed to get as far away from the situation as possible.
I didn't feel the slight chill in the air or the wind brushing up against me. All I could feel was bad. The last seven years was a wound that just started healing, and tonight not only tore it back open but also poured salt into it.
I know I'm the reason that wound was there and I was trying my hardest to make sure it never happened again. But the damage was already done and even more damage could happen if I weren't too careful.
One mistake. That's all it ever took.
The ground beneath me became rockier and rockier until only stone was left. The gaping mouth of a cave welcomed me, pulling my attention to my surroundings. Where was I? I couldn't have strayed that far from my home, but I'd never seen a cave this close to Blight manor before.
The dark opening silently called out to me. Every part of me tried its hardest to get me to walk away, yet I summoned a small fire spell and walked forwards instead. The light didn't help me one bit. No matter how strong the spell was, I was still surrounded by thick darkness.
Doubt rose through me, quickly taking the reins and finally turning me around… and then turning me around again… and…where was the exit?
I hadn't walked that far in and hadn't made any turns. It should've been right behind me. But I saw nothing but nothing. I wandered around blind like a newborn cerberus. The only thing I could see was the fire I held out in front of me. And soon I couldn't see that either. It was as if the darkness was swallowing me whole.
And then, a blink later, I was at Hexide.
I rubbed my squinted eyes as they tried to readjust. The lights in the hallway were such a stark contrast to the extremely dark cave, the sounds of students chatting so different from the sounds of the woods.
My mind was stunned. I couldn't remember going back home, putting on my uniform, and then flying to school. But I was at school, in my uniform, so I had to have done all that.
"What was that, half-a-witch?".
I see Boscha was partaking in her favorite activity: being an ass.
The triclops stood but a few inches from my friend, Willow. The raven haired witch shrunk away from her tormentor. Her ears went flat like a cornered cat.
A crowd formed around them as they all gawked in interest. That sadly gave Boscha what she wanted. All she was ever interested in was attention.
"I–". The bully slammed her fist against the locker behind her.
"Say it!" she snarled.
"And what is it you want her to say, half-a-bitch" I hmmed while I walked to Willow's side. Said witch turned to me. Her green eyes lit up, my arrival making her confidence double.
"Bitch?" Boscha echoed after she thought about it for a second.
"It's the human word for hellhound," I informed just as confused. Luz and Co. had called the witch that before. She should've known what it meant.
"You mean you hang with that scraggly ass girl that's always begging in the marketplace?" Boscha snickered.
"You… what?".
As far as I knew, Luz wasn't taking to the streets to beg for money or food. Ever since they found the selkidomis, Eda, King, and Luz were doing just fine financially. And I had just seen my girlfriend last night. She didn't look "scraggly" in the slightest.
"Pretty sure she's the only human here. Ever since she lost her mentor, she's gone from being a trash collector to a full-blown hobo".
"...What the hell is going on?". This had to be some joke, or dream, or whatever. Nothing was making sense!
"I'll tell you what's going on," Boscha sneered. "Half-a-witch here thinks she's the best witch at this school. So, I'm doing us all a favor and putting her back in her place".
"I just said I got an–".
"Shut it!".
"No, Boscha, you shut it!" I snarled. "Willow's clearly the strongest witch here, because she's had to put up with your griffin shit for so long. And if she's such a nobody, then why do you spend so much time putting her down? For titan's sake Boscha, get a life!".
My words surprised my former friend. Her three eyes went wide for a moment before she tried to hide her shock with a scowl.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" she growled.
I hid my surprise too. How could she not know who I was? We'd hung out for years, we were on the star grudgby team together!
But I didn't let that phase me. Yes, everything had just gotten pretty weird out of nowhere, but I had to show Boscha I wasn't going to break.
I crept up to her, my golden eyes as sharp as a knife.
"Keep testing me, and you'll find out".
In response, Boscha spat on me.
I grimaced as I wiped her silva off with my sleeve. The anger that I pushed down as I walked through the woods bubbled inside of me as my blood boiled. Without taking a moment to think about what I was doing, I reared my arm back then slammed my fist into Boscha's face.
The triclops flew backwards, hitting her back against the lockers behind her. She instantly sat up and held her nose. Blood slowly trickled from it.
I turned towards Willow, who was staring at the ordeal in front of her in awe.
"Titan, that was so unsanitary" I griped. "What was that all about anyway?".
"I told someone I got an A on an assignment. Then Boscha just came out of nowhere".
I scoffed at the situation. That sounded about right. Any time Boscha felt threatened by someone, she caught them in the hallway or in the classroom when the teacher wasn't looking and became the biggest hellhound she could.
Boscha rose from the ground. All three of her eyes fell on me, each filled with fiery ire. She began trudging over to me and opened her mouth to make a threat but a yowl made her stop in her tracks.
Everyone's focus moved away from Boscha and I, towards a more interesting scene a bit up the hallway. My brother was laying on the ground, struggling to stay on his hands and knees, while my sister hovered over him like a vulture. She leered at him menacingly, her patience only seconds away from snapping.
Once Boscha caught sight of the older witch, she gave me one final glare and rushed away. All the other students backed away from the sight too. It was as if they were all afraid to get close to the two twins.
"Really?" Emira snapped. "This is the third time you've fallen in the past hour".
"I told you, my back is hurting" Edric hissed while the pain shot through him.
"And that's your fault, isn't it?". Emira let out a sigh that failed to let out any of her anger. "Just because you did something stupid and got yourself hurt, doesn't mean you get to lay around all day and do nothing. Now get up!".
My siblings' confrontation seemed almost unnatural. My brother had a habit of getting hurt, but Emira usually helped take care of him afterwards. Using healing magic to help with the pain, helping him change his bandages, and making sure he stayed out of trouble while he was recovering, she would never be this cold towards Edric.
Edric tried to rise to his feet, but he instantly collapsed with another yowl. He tried again and again, Emira's gaze making him grow frantic. I, on the other hand, wasn't scared of my sister, even if she was acting uncharacteristically cruel.
To everyone's surprise, I strode forwards, squeezed in between the two, and pushed Emira back. I then grabbed Edric by the arm and slowly pulled him up.
"Back off" I huffed.
Everyone around us gasped, horrified. But Emira? She just stared at me and smiled.