“Hey Savi, perfect timing. Dinner is just about ready!” Cooper called out as I walked past the kitchen on my way to my room.

  “How did the paperwork go?” Rachel asked, placing a plate on the table.

  “Huh? Oh, it went fine. They ended up having the wrong form and needed me to wait for a new one.”

  “Did they get the right one cuz you’ve been gone all day? They should pay you for the time it took away from work.” She added another plate across the table.

  I swore under my breath, trying to keep my composure while lying through my teeth to my friends. "Yeah. They should.” I rubbed my neck and felt the weight of everything bearing down on me. “I’m gonna call it a night though. I’m really tired from all the waiting, and those chairs damn near killed my back. I’ll see you guys in the morning.” I turned toward my room.

  “What? But I made your favorite! I thought you’d have some good news from today, so I made extra sure I had everything to celebrate. I even got those little lemon cake slices you like.”

  I paused but didn’t turn; the crushing weight shifted from my neck to my chest. My heart ached as I took a deep breath in, letting the aroma of the chicken parmesan waft through my senses. I took another step down the hall. "Sorry, I’m beat. Save me some for tomorrow?”

  I could hear the mix of worry and frustration in his voice as he said, “Yeah, sure. Well, get some rest. If you need anything, let us know. You’re sure you’re okay?"

  “Just tired, Coop. That’s all, I promise," I said as I worked my way down the hall. The witch’s magic overwhelming me was nothing compared to what this was doing. This would drag me down quicker than anything. But I had to stay strong. I had to figure this all out, if only for myself.

  My bed was cool beneath my face as I slammed down on it. A shiver ran through me as it reminded me of the cold shock I had felt twice now.

  ‘Maybe Aster wis right. I’m a witch. But how would I know? How could I be certain, given I knew nothing of my past? Nothing of anything.’

  I chucked a pillow across the room and loosed a slight roar from my chest. This frustration. This anger. It was all unlike anything I had dealt with before. I thought I knew it well. I thought I had gotten it down to a science. I knew my triggers in therapy. I knew what line I walked every time I tried hard to remember. It was a line I could easily see and was willing to cross every time I wanted to search for more. But now… now felt different.

  Now felt raw and more intense. I had the possibility of answers within my reach that were once again yanked away. I thought at first hearing what Aster said—that I was magic—that I was a witch would cull the anger for a while. Give me something to focus on. Give me something to spend more energy on, but it only stoked the flame into a pyre. My core blazed.

  This would have to mean something. It had to. It had to mean more than just more unanswered questions. But I knew the only way that I could get answers to the plethora of new ones would be to go all in. Accept Aster’s offer. But that would mean more of today. More going against my word to those I cared for most. Those who actually cared for me most.

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  ‘Maybe Theo is right… I have people who love me, and that could be enough.’

  I stared at the wall beside me, tears standing at the ready. The flames inside lapped at my core again.

  'No.'

  If they truly cared and loved me, they would be willing to do anything, go any distance to find those answers. If not for me, then at least with me. They would do whatever it took to hunt them down and cure my sorrows.

  'No.'

  They would let me do whatever it was that I needed to do to cure myself.

  'Yes. Yes, that’s it.'

  I bolted up in bed. Whispers. I could hear whispers. I strained my mind to silence the world around me to make out what was being said. Nothing. They disappeared as quickly as they had come. A familiar chill ran through me again. Magic.

  'What was that? Was that me? My own magic? I must be delirious at this point. One hour after learning I’m some sort of witch, I'm already imagining my powers? Savi, you can’t be serious. Get a grip.'

  Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I swirled my head toward my closet. Nothing was there.

  Again.

  Movement from the left drew my head spinning toward my door. I sprang from the bed and stared at it, taking a step back.

  Again, nothing.

  Nothing but darkness as the light from the hall illuminated the gaps around all four sides. I peered longer, harder. The cold chill arched through me once more. A twitch in the darkness made me gasp as I continued my stare.

  'Man, I'm tired. Now I'm seeing things.'

  I shuffled my feet to the door, and as I approached, I could hear voices. I pinned my ear to the gap and strained to hear more. It was Rachel and Cooper. They were talking at the kitchen table. I could barely hear what they were saying, but I made out my name. They were talking about me.

  I slid my hand down the door and gripped the knob. I rotated it, trying not to make noise, and eased the door open a hair—enough to let more sound echo in from the hall. I heard my name again—or what I thought sounded like my name—and I pulled the door a little more until the hinge creaked beside me. They stopped talking, and I shut the door, trying not to make another sound. I didn’t breathe until I felt the click of the latch resting back in the frame.

  Listening for movement, I remained in place. Once I realized they weren’t onto me and coming to check, I loosed a long sigh and peered around in the darkness of my room. I made out where the pillow had landed and went to pick it up. My muscles ached as I stood upright, so I fell onto my bed.

  'This is crazy, Savi. They don't know anything. You don't need to eavesdrop. How could they know about today anyway? It’s not like they have magic too and can tell you were lying through your teeth. No, apparently I’m the only one in this house who has magic. And now I can’t tell anyone else. Not until I know what I’m going to do.'

  I rolled onto my side and tucked the pillow under my head. The decisions I would have to make, and soon, blared through my mind. Magic. Magic was real. It wasn’t all hocus pocus like Rachel and I thought. Actually real. This could change everything… but it would also change me. I had to make the right choice here - if there even was a right choice. Either one I made, someone would get hurt.

  ‘If I choose to learn my magic, I hurt my friends, but if I choose to stay away, I could hurt my chances of knowing what it meant and more.’

  An impossible choice. The pyre within me died down to mere embers as exhaustion surged through. Sleep. I would sleep and try to weigh my options with a fresh mind. A new day may bring new possibilities I hadn’t thought of yet.

  Sleep found me swiftly, and I didn’t even change my clothes or tuck myself under my blankets. A deep sleep of nothing but darkness.