The principal's office was boring. The walls were plain, the desk was covered in neat little stacks of papers, and the only sound in the room was the annoying hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Cassie swung her legs back and forth, her sneakers tapping lightly against the chair, just loud enough to annoy Mr. Fletcher without getting a proper scolding.
He sat behind his desk, pretending to read something important, but Cassie could see him sneaking glances at her over his glasses. He looked tired. More tired than usual, which made her wonder if the floating pencils had finally been the thing to push him over the edge.
It was the last day of school, which, in Cassie's opinion, meant she shouldn't be in trouble. She'd made it through almost the whole year without getting sent here! But apparently, her "magic show" had been the final straw.
Cassie bit back a grin. It had been worth it, though—seeing everyone's faces when she made the pencil float. A few coins here and there for her "show" didn't hurt either. It wasn't like they knew it wasreal.
The office door creaked open, and Cassie's grin faltered. Her mum was here.
Marlene Turner walked into the room with her usual air of calm authority, like she already knew how this was going to go. She didn't even glance at Cassie as she shut the door behind her, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.
Uh oh. The heels. That was never a good sign.
Cassie straightened in her chair, trying to look innocent as her mum sat down beside her. Mr. Fletcher leaned forward, clasping his hands together like this was some kind of courtroom.
"Ms. Turner," Principal Fletcher began, his voice tight, "thank you for coming on such short notice. I'm afraid we've had another… situation with Cassandra."
Cassie wrinkled her nose at the sound of her full . She hated it. No one ever called her that unless she was in trouble. She didn't dare roll her eyes—not yet—but she slouched in her chair just enough to feel rebellious.
"Cassie," her mum corrected calmly, her voice polite but firm.
Principal Fletcher didn't even blink. "Yes, been involved in several incidents throughout the year, but this one, I'm afraid, is particularly serious. She was charging other students to watch a… magic show."
Cassie snuck a glance at her mum, but her expression didn't change. It rarely did when she was in "calm but terrifying" mode. Still, Cassie could see the slight narrowing of her eyes, the faintest furrow in her brow. Uh oh.
Mr. Fletcher adjusted his glasses again and sighed. "We received reports of… unusual activity. Floating pencils. Disappearing crayons." He said it like he didn't believe it himself, but his face was still pinched, like he wanted to yell and couldn't.
Cassie bit her lip to hide a grin. She glanced at her mum again, but this time, her mum's eyes were fixed on her, sharp and warning. Cassie quickly looked away, rocking her chair back and 's mad.
Her mum's voice was cool when she spoke. "Floating pencils and disappearing crayons?" she repeated, arching an eyebrow. "Next thing you'll tell me, she conjured a dragon in the gym."
Cassie had to press her lips together to keep from laughing. She could practically see the dragon in her mind—huge, green, and stomping around the gym while the other kids screamed. She wondered if she couldactuallydo something like that. The thought made her smile, even as Mr. Fletcher cleared his throat, clearly not amused.
"This isn't a joke, Ms. Turner," he said stiffly.
"Of course not," her mum replied smoothly, her tone unreadable. She turned her gaze on Cassie again, and this time, Cassie could feel it—The Look. The one that said,You are in so much trouble.
"It's not my fault if people think they're real," she said sweetly, flashing the principal her best innocent smile.
Her mum gave her a sharp look, and Cassie froze. Oops. She'd pushed it too far.
Principal Fletcher sighed again, sounding even more tired than before. "Regardless, this is the fifth incident of disruptive behavior, and the school has decided that Cassie would be better suited to a different educational environment."
Cassie tilted her head. That was a fancy way of saying she'd been kicked . She glanced at her mum, but she still didn't look angry—just tired.
Her mum reached for the paper on the desk, signed it with quick, decisive strokes, and stood. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Fletcher," she said briskly. "I'm sure the next school will appreciate her talents more than this one."
Cassie smirked as she hopped out of her chair, but her mum's hand shot out, gently pushing her forward toward the door. "Let's go," her mum murmured, her voice low and firm. Cassie didn't argue.
Cassie followed her mum out into the hot afternoon air, squinting as the sun hit her eyes. She kicked at a rock on the sidewalk, letting it bounce ahead of her with each step.
Her mum stayed quiet, walking ahead of her with that same cool, calm posture she always had when she was mad. Not yelling-mad, though. Worse. Quiet-mad.
"I didn't even do anything that bad," Cassie mumbled, breaking the silence.
Her mum didn't stop walking. "Charging money for a magic show? Making pencils float? Disappearing crayons? No, not bad at all," she said, her voice sharp.
Cassie flushed. "It's not like anyone got hurt."
Her mum sighed, finally glancing down at her. "Cassie, that's not the point. Do you know how dangerous it is to draw that kind of attention? You can't go around doing things like that. People will notice."
Cassie frowned. "What's wrong with people noticing?"
Her mum stopped walking. For a moment, she just looked at Cassie, her eyes unreadable.
"You're too much like your father," she murmured, her voice softer now, almost like she hadn't meant to say it aloud. Cassie opened her mouth to ask more, but her mum's gaze silenced her. Not now, it said. Maybe not ever.
Her mum sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let's just get home," she said, her voice quieter now.
She hated when her mother did that. Said something about her father, who she never met, and then end the subject. Cassie tried to push it a couple of times before, but, it never ended well.
She dragged her feet across the gravel of the parking lot, letting her sneakers scuff noisily with each step. She knew her mum hated it when she did that. She glanced up from under her lashes, expecting Marlene to snap, but instead, her mother walked ahead silently, keys clutched tightly in her hand.
That wasn't a good sign.
By the time they reached the car, the silence felt heavier, pressing down on Cassie like the humid summer air. She slid into the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt in deliberate slow motion. Her mum didn't say anything, just turned the key and let the engine roar to life.
They pulled out of the school parking lot, the car rolling through the quiet suburban streets. Cassie leaned her elbow against the window, watching houses blur by, one after another, all looking the same. Boring. Like this whole place was allergic to fun.
She glanced sideways at her mum, who was gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. Her jaw was clenched, her gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead. Cassie could see the faint lines around her eyes that only seemed to show up when she was mad—or worried.
Good, Cassie thought defiantly. Maybe she should be mad. It wasn'therfault that the other kids couldn't handle a little harmless fun.
"So," her mum said finally, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm—too calm. That was never a good sign. "What were we just talking about last week? What did I say about mentioning magic outside our home?"
Cassie stared out the window, watching a bird hop along a telephone wire. "I didn't say it wasrealmagic," she said casually, her breath fogging up the glass.
"Cassie."
That single word, sharp and precise, made Cassie turn her head. Her mum was looking at her now, one hand still on the wheel, her eyes narrowed just enough to show she meant business. But there was something else there too—something Cassie couldn't quite place.
"Mum," Cassie said innocently, widening her eyes. "It's not my fault if they think it's real. I just gave them a show. Theychoseto believe it."
Marlene sighed, but Cassie caught the flicker of something in her expression—pride? Maybe? Just for a second? Cassie tried to hide her grin, but her mum wasn't done yet.
"How on earth did you manage that?" Marlene asked, her tone softening slightly.
Cassie shrugged, twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger. "I dunno. I just… wanted it to happen. Really badly. And then it did. Isn't that how magic works?"
Her mum pressed her lips together, like she was trying not to laugh—or scream. "No," she said plainly. "That isnothow it works."
Cassie frowned. "But it worked for me, didn't it?" she pointed out.
Marlene glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. "You're not supposed to be able to do that yet. Not without a wand. Not without training."
Cassie perked up at that. "So I'm special?"
"That's not what I said."
Cassie grinned and leaned her forehead against the window, drawing squiggly lines in the fog with her finger. "Still sounds like I'm special," she muttered under her breath.
The car fell quiet again, and Cassie stole another glance at her mum. Marlene was staring straight ahead, her face carefully blank, but Cassie could tell when her mum was thinking too hard. It was the way her fingers tapped against the steering wheel, the way her shoulders tensed just a little more than usual.
"Mum?" Cassie said tentatively, breaking the silence.
Her mum blinked, like she'd been pulled out of a daydream. "Hmm?"
"Why can't we talk about magic? I mean, it's cool, isn't it? Who cares if we're…" She hesitated, the word still feeling strange on her tongue. "Witches?"
Marlene's jaw tightened, her gaze fixed firmly on the road. "Because it's not as simple as you think, Cassie."
"It'smagic,Mum," Cassie shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. "How is that not cool? Or fun? Why do we have to pretend like it's some kind of bad secret?"
Her mum exhaled sharply through her nose, like she was trying very hard to keep her patience. "Because people don't understand, Cassie. And when people don't understand something, they get scared. And when they're scared, they can be… cruel."
Cassie frowned, watching her reflection in the glass. "So what? We just hide forever? What's the point of having magic if we can't even use it?"
Marlene didn't answer right away. Instead, she slowed the car as they approached a stoplight, the red glow casting a warm hue across her face.
"It's not just about us," Marlene said finally, her voice low. "It's about keeping you safe. That's all that matters to me."
Cassie turned to look at her, trying to make sense of the emotions flickering across her mum's face. There was something deeper here, something she wasn't saying.
Safe from what? The words rattled around in her head as her fingers stilled against the glass. Her mind drifted back to the first time it had happened—the first time she realized something was different:
The evening light painted the kitchen in soft golds and oranges, but Cassie barely noticed. She sat at the table, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, glaring at her mother. The pasta on her plate was long forgotten, shoved to the side. Her stomach churned too much to eat anyway.
"It's not fair!" she burst out, her voice sharper than she meant it to be. But she didn't care. She was sick of this—sick of the rules, sick of the secrets, sick of being treated like a child when she was clearly not one.
Across the table, her mum sat with that infuriatingly calm expression that Cassie hated. It was like she wasn't even listening. Her hands were wrapped around her glass of water, her thumb absently running along the rim as though this was just another regular argument.
"Why can't I go to Johanna's sleepover? Everyone else is going!" Cassie pressed, leaning forward in her chair, her fists tightening on the edge of the table.
Marlene sighed and finally looked up. "Cassie, I've told you already—it's not… safe."
Cassie slammed her fists on the table. "Safe fromwhat,Mum?" she demanded, her voice rising. "What's going to happen? Is the boogeyman going to come crawling out from under Johanna's bed?"
"Cassie," her mum said sharply, her voice edged with warning.
"No!" Cassie barreled on, unable to stop the words now. "This is stupid! You're being stupid! Nothing bad is going to happen! It's just a sleepover!"
Marlene's jaw tightened, but she stayed calm, her voice steady. "Don't call me stupid," she said, her tone low. "And watch your attitude."
"Oh, my attitude!" Cassie snapped, throwing her hands in the air. "Maybe I wouldn't have an attitude if you treated me like a normal kid for once! Do you know how embarrassing it is to be the only one who can't do anything because my mum is paranoid?"
Marlene flinched, just barely, and Cassie saw it—her mum's fingers tightening around the glass. For a moment, Cassie almost felt bad. Almost.
"Enough, Cassie," Marlene said, her voice sharper now. "You don't understand."
"No,youdon't understand!" Cassie shot back, standing so quickly that her chair scraped loudly against the floor. Her chest was heaving, her hands clenched into fists. "You treat me like a prisoner! Like I'm made of sugar or something! I can't go anywhere, I can't talk about anything, I can't benormal!"
"You don't know what you're talking about!" her mum snapped, her calm composure finally cracking.
"I KNOW YOU'RE LYING TO ME!" Cassie screamed, tears burning in her eyes now. "I KNOW YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING!"
Her mother's hand clenched tighter around the glass, her knuckles turning white. "Cassie, that isenough!"
Cassie's eyes locked on the glass, her anger boiling over. She could feel it—hot and sharp in her chest, pushing against her ribs, flooding every inch of her body.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. But most of all, she wanted that stupid glass to justexplode.
And then it did.
A deafening CRACK filled the kitchen as the glass shattered in her mother's hand, the shards flying outward in every direction.
Marlene yelped, jerking back as the shards rained down on the table.
Cassie froze, her breath caught in her throat as she saw blood dripped between her mother fingers. Her eyes darted to her mother's bleeding hand, then to the jagged shards of glass scattered across the table and floor. Her heart pounded so loudly it drowned out everything else.
"I… I didn't…" Cassie stammered, but her voice faltered. Her mind was racing too fast to form words. She had wished for it—she had wanted it to break. And it had. How?
Cassie stumbled backward, her chest heaving. "I didn't touch it!" she gasped, tears spilling over her cheeks. "I didn't even touch it, and it just—" She gestured wildly at the shattered glass, panic rising in her voice.
Marlene grabbed a dishtowel from the counter, wrapping it tightly around her hand to stop the bleeding, and then she crouched in front of Cassie.
"Cassie, stop," Marlene said firmly, but Cassie barely heard her.
"It's not fine!" Cassie cried, her hands flying to her head. "I made a glass explode just because I was mad! I'm a freak!"
"Cassie—"
"I didn't mean to!" Cassie wailed, her voice breaking. "I don't even know how I did it! What's wrong with me?"
Marlene grabbed her by the shoulders. "Cassie, look at me," she said firmly.
Cassie blinked through her tears, her gray eyes locking onto her mum's.
"Are you hurt?" Marlene asked, her voice steady.
Cassie shook her head, her breath hitching. "No, but you—"
"Don't worry about me," Marlene said quickly, cutting her off. "It's just a scratch. Now listen to me. What happened wasn't your fault. Do you understand me?"
Cassie shook her head violently, her tears spilling over again. "Yes, it was! I wanted it to break, and it did! I was mad at you mum—I'm so sorry"
Marlene's face softened, and she pulled Cassie into a tight hug, holding her she sobbed into her shoulder. How was she so calm?
"I'm a freak" she whispered between sobs
"You're not a freak," Marlene murmured, her voice gentle but firm. "You're not, Cassie."
Cassie clung to her mother, her mind spinning with questions and fear. "Then why did it happen?" she whispered.
"You're not like other people, Love."
The words echoed in her head. "Well, clearly" Cassie said, whipping her tears and her mother smiled
"Well, I'm also not like other people. We're witches. Real witches. What just happened? It was magic, real magic. It is a part of who you are—it's in your blood."
Cassie stared at her mum, her throat dry, her mind stuck on that one word: witches. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she struggled to find something to say. Finally, her voice cracked in a whisper, "Witches? Like… pointy hats and cauldrons?"
Marlene smiled faintly, but her eyes stayed sad. "Not exactly, honey. No pointy hats. But magic? Magic is real. And you…" She paused, brushing a strand of Cassie's hair back behind her ear. "You're already showing signs of it."
Cassie shook her head as her tears welled up again. Her hands trembled as she wiped at her face. "But I don't— I don't understand," she stammered. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Her mum's hands tightened over Cassie's, warm and steady, though her voice wavered. "Because I was trying to protect you," she said, her tone low and raw. "I wanted you to have a normal life, love."
Cassie pulled her hands back, her jaw tightening as her frustration bubbled up again. "A normal life?" Her voice cracked as she stared at her mum in disbelief. "How is it normal to—" she gestured wildly toward the shattered glass, her voice rising, "—to break stuff just because I'm mad?"
Marlene winced, her face folding with guilt, but Cassie couldn't stop herself now. "You said you were protecting me, but you've been lying to me this whole time!
"I wasn't lying," she said finally, though her voice sounded tired. "I was protecting you."
"You've let me think there's somethingwrongwith me!"
"There's nothing wrong with you, Cassie," her mum said sharply, her voice cutting through Cassie's tirade. "You're not broken. You're extraordinary."
"Extraordinary?" Cassie repeated bitterly, her voice shaking. "That's just a nice way of saying I'm a freak."
Her mum's expression hardened slightly, and Cassie braced herself for a lecture. But instead, Marlene raised an eyebrow, her voice dry but soft as she said, "A freak who can break glass without touching it? If that's not a cool party trick, I don't know what is."
Cassie blinked, caught off guard. She wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. Cassie's lips twitched, but she frowned stubbornly, crossing her arms. "It's not funny."
"You're right," Marlene said, though her lips quirked at the corners. "Breaking stuff isn't funny. Next time, you should make something float. Much less dramatic."
Cassie sniffled, her anger softening into something quieter, more curious. She glanced at the wand in her mother's hand, then back at her mum's face. "Can I do that?" she asked, amazed.
"Well, yes, with the proper training…"
"So… you can do magic, too?"
"Yes," Marlene said simply, "I've been doing it for most of my life."
Cassie tilted her head, studying her mum like she was seeing her for the first time. "Does that mean… did Dad have magic, too?" The question came naturally, slipping out without her even thinking. "Was he… was my dad a witch, too?" she asked hesitantly, her voice quiet and unsure.
Marlene hesitated, her eyes softening. "We call them wizards, love," she said gently. "And yes… he was."
Cassie sat quietly for a moment, letting the words settle. She still didn't understand everything—not even close—but she felt like a piece of the puzzle had clicked into place.
Cassie leaned forward, her tears forgotten for a moment as her mind latched onto this new piece of information. "So… magic is real," she whispered. She bit her lip, her brow furrowing as she tried to process it all. "And I'm not… broken?"
Marlene reached out, brushing her fingers gently across Cassie's cheek. "No, Cassie. You're not broken."
"So… that's why you've been hiding stuff from me?" Cassie asked, her voice trembling. "Why you won't let me do anything fun?"
"Yes, love, I was worried that something likethatmight happen"
Cassie nodded, her heart pounded in her chest. She felt like she was standing on the edge of something huge, her entire world tilting on its axis. "Magic," she murmured, her voice tinged with awe. "So… can I fly? Can I make stuff explode again? On purpose this time?"
Her mum's lips curved into a bittersweet smile. "With a broomstick, you could fly. And yes, with the right spell, you could make things explode. But…" Her tone turned more serious. "Magic isn't something to play with, Cassie. It's powerful, and it's complicated. It's not a toy."
Cassie blinked up at her mum, her curiosity burning brighter now than her frustration. "Can you show me something? Please?"
Marlene hesitated, glancing toward the kitchen door as if someone might be listening. Cassie was sure she would have to plead, even beg, but to her utterly surprise her mother nodded.
"Just one thing," she said quietly.
Cassie's breath caught as her mum reached into the kitchen draw and pulled out a thin, polished stick—a wand, Cassie realized. Marlene held it delicately, like it was something precious. Cassie's eyes widened as her mum whispered, "Lumos."
A soft, golden light bloomed at the tip of the wand, casting a gentle glow over the kitchen. Cassie stared, her mouth falling open. The light flickered and danced, and for a moment, it felt like the most magical thing in the world.
"That's…" Cassie's voice faltered, awe filling every inch of her. "That's amazing."
Cassie reached out instinctively, her fingers stopping just short of the glowing light. It felt alive, like something out of a dream. She wanted to touch it, to feel the magic buzzing in her own fingertips.
Her mum smiled faintly, then whispered, "Nox." The light vanished, leaving the room dim once more.
Cassie leaned forward, her eyes shining with excitement. "Can I try? Is it like the spells in my storybooks?"
Marlene shook her head, though her smile didn't fade. "Not yet," she said gently. "You're a bit young for that."
Cassie frowned, her curiosity tinged with impatience. "So… when can I learn?"
"When you're ready," her mum said, her tone firm but kind. "For now, you need to promise me something, Cassie."
Cassie tilted her head, wary. "What?"
"You can't tell anyone about this," Marlene said, her voice serious. "Not your friends, not your teachers. No one. Do you understand me?"
Cassie hesitated, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. She didn't like keeping secrets, especially not one this exciting. But the look on her mum's face—the fear behind her calm voice—made her nod. "I promise."
Her mum's shoulders relaxed slightly, and she reached forward to tuck a strand of Cassie's hair behind her ear. "Good girl."
The room fell quiet again, the air between them heavy with unspoken words. Cassie stared at her mum, her mind still spinning. Magic was real. She wasn't broken. She wasn't normal, either, but maybe… maybe that was okay.