Chapter 1
I’m your average 24-year-old witch, and I’ve been living in Euphoria Falls. All my life growing up, I was told so many stories about witches and vampires but never believed any of them as a kid that they were real, that was until I did magic when I was 15.
From that time on, I perceived deep down that the legends were all legitimate. It causes me to speculate if werewolves are real as well. When I noticed I was a witch, I never confessed to anyone except my best friend Claire. We told each other everything. Except I've been keeping a gigantic secret from her. I want to tell her, but it's hard to talk about it.
I thought I was unique to everyone, but didn't feel why. Not only that, but I often wondered if my parents were like me. It is unclear to me why, but deep down I had an aching feeling. Was I different from my parents? We look nothing alike. It's a puzzle of confusion.
Flashback
I never knew the truth until I confronted my parents on that Friday afternoon when I was 16. We all sat down in the living room with cups of tea in hand. Taking a sip out of my mug, my eyes recoiled at the warmth of it. Separating my lips while lowering the flowered mug down on the table, I spoke. “Mum, Dad, why am I different?” I gawked back and forth at my mum and Dad.
“What do you mean?” My mum suggested.
“Over the years, I've perceived that I'm different from you. We don't share the same traits or the same hair colour. And I sensed something was missing.”
At that moment, they looked at each other with pale faces. My mother's lower lip trembled. I discovered I was correct. They were withholding something, but I didn't want it to be true.
My mum's eyes landed on me. Suddenly, she spoke in a flat, rickety tone as she lowered her head, evading my gaze. "You are adopted.”
The world stood still, and that heart-wrenching feeling was back. I thought to myself, 'Did I hear that right? No, I must have heard it wrong.'
“I'm what?” I shrieked with a hint of melancholy.
My father laid his palm on my mother's leg to reassure her, then spoke. “The minute we discovered you laying in the cot alone, we knew that you were our baby.”
My eyes moistened, and my breathing hastened. I was indignant. No, scratch that. I'm hurt and bristling. “You deceived me! Why didn't you tell me?”
“I'm so sorry. We preferred to wait until you were old enough,” my mother explained, holding back her sobbing.
“I—I need some air.” I stood up, struggling to contain my tears as I lumbered towards the exit and trod outside, closing the door behind me. I couldn't understand it. I'm bloody adopted? I can't conclude it, they kept a secret like that from me. I'm paralyzed inside, a hankering of self-apprehension scurrying through my soul.
That's why I felt different from everybody. I don't know what to do. So, I strolled to Claire's house, observing the route of split cracks in the cement. We lived three houses down from each other.
I reached Claire's home. Their dwelling was exceedingly colourful and maintained their vividly leafy trees and tidy yard. I sauntered up to the entrance, took a breather, and pressed the buzzer. I drew a step back, peering at the other houses. My heart was pounding so hard against my ribcage, like it'll burst at any minute.
Tears formed in my eyes as I heard Claire’s voice.“Mia?” I turned around to see Claire's face, warm tears cascading down my face as I tried to control myself.
“What happened?” Claire pleaded. I opened my mouth to speak, but my words failed to reach out. Claire spoke in a calm voice. “Come in, so we can talk.” I nodded my head, following Claire inside her house.
“Mum, I'll be upstairs with Mia,” Claire yelled out. I followed Claire down the hallway to her room. We stepped in and Claire closed the door behind us for some privacy. I sank into Claire's bed.
“Will you tell me what happened? Please, I've never seen you like this before.”
“I–” Stopping before speaking again, my words struggling to come out– “I found out that I'm adopted” my voice is shakier than intended to be.
“Oh!” The concern on Claire's face was sheer bewilderment. Her face was tranquil and soft at first as she veered unwittingly in her chair. “I see; you will get through this. They are still your parents”
“I know. I love them to bits, but now I realise why I'm different. I'm a freaking witch!”
Claire smiled at me as she moved closer to me. “I have the most extraordinary best friend.”
“Aww, you are the best. I couldn't ask for a better best friend.” I leaned in and gave Claire a big hug, talking to Claire always calmed me down. I wiped my tears away, and then spoke, “So, do you think my biological mother is a witch as well?”
“I don't know. So, what are you going to do now?” Claire inquired curiously.
“I'm not sure.”
“Are you going to find out who your bio mum is?” Claire suggested.
“I want to, but I don't understand why she abandoned me.”
“I'm certain she had her reasons. You should head home and chat to your parents.” Claire said.
“Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks for speaking with me. I don't know what I would do without you.”
“I'm not going anywhere.”
“Okay, I should get this conversation over with.”
I left Claire's residence and went home. I have so many questions about everything, but the more I ponder about it,; the more it makes my head pound. I anxiously opened the front door, closing it behind me. I shuffled into the kitchen. When I ceased, I acknowledged my parents perched meekly at the archipelago counter. I opened the fridge and clutched a jug of freshly squeezed apple juice.
I adapted myself on the stool before I spoke.
“Mum, Dad, I have so many questions, but I appreciate you for just needing to shield me.” I drew a sip of my apple juice. “However, it was unfair for you to conceal this from me. You didn't think I could handle it, but if you had told me directly, I would've understood your reasons." Seizing back an unsteady tone of my own.
My mum spoke in a poor, dubious cry, “We know, and we're sorry. We will explain all the questions but,” she wavered, glancing down at her palm as she carried a narrow white box with a blue streamer around it. “Mia, please sit”
"Okay"
"We had been trying for a baby for 4 years but it wasn't working. That's when I found out I couldn't have kids myself. Which broke my heart. So your father came to me and suggested we adopt. Usually, adoption takes 1 to 2 years. It didn't take that long at all. Within 10 months we found out we were getting a baby girl. We were over the moon."
She paused. "Finally the day came to meet you. We walked into the adoption centre and we were so nervous to meet you. This small blue box was left with you."
My father spoke up, "we were going to wait till your 18th birthday to tell you everything and to give you that blue box."
My mum handed the small white box with a blue ribbon over to me. I looked down at the blue box. "So my biological mother left this for me?" I asked nervously.
"Y-yes" my mum replied.
With a shaky hand, I opened the box. It was a beautiful sterling silver heart-shaped locket on a long silver chain. It was a simple but elegant locket. I ran my finger over the simple engraved detail. "Do you know what her name is?" I asked.
"No. We do know she was a teenager when she had you and we are guessing she wasn't ready to be a mother." My mother explained.
“Oh!” that's a smack to the face.
Subsequently, we ate dinner in silence and the ineptitude between us was louder than words. After evacuating the kitchen, I went up to get ready for bed. I strolled into the elegant and marvellous lavatory with the jewellery in my hand.
Taking a breather, I put the necklace on. I studied myself in the mirror, affecting the locket with my boney fingers. I felt an insignificant part was coming together. Moreover, I felt I should open the locket, but deep down I wasn't ready.
I craved to inquire so many questions, but discovering all this out has consumed me. I'm tired, and sleep bereft. I moseyed back into my suite, getting into bed with cotton blankets. I rested there, I couldn't help but fiddle with my locket. I speculate if she looks like me or if we have identical traits. Will we ever meet?
