Cursed (Book # 3 of Hunted)

Wic

Phoebe ordered oatmeal with medjool dates and honey. I got a tofu scramble with sautéed potatoes, spinach and cherry tomatoes. The Brownie could do things with tofu that would turn a lion vegan.

We sat down at our usual table and I glanced around. There were about fifty people in the hall, more than we had seen in the last four days. Some were wearing their uniforms, mostly the young ones, while the older students were dressed much like Phoebe and I.

There was a quiet buzz of conversation. As I looked around at the younger students sitting alone, I became increasingly grateful for Phoebe's presence. I would be miserable if I had come to this school alone. Then I found myself wondering how unusual it was for there to be so many Hunters living in Jasper Lake. The Six Chicks, Colten and Malick had been residents for years. No...that wasn't right. Ginny, Kendra and Sofia had come later. Peyton came back to school at the beginning of sophomore year and suddenly there were six instead of three. There was a rumor they met at some exclusive camp over summer. Maybe that was here. How had I forgotten that? They had always been the Six Chicks...but they hadn't. I wondered if...

"Lori!"

"Hm?" I mumbled turning to Phoebe. She was halfway done with her oatmeal, while my food sat untouched before me. I quickly piled some scramble on a slice of lightly buttered toast and stuffed it in my mouth.

"That nervous, huh?" she asked dipping her spoon into her oatmeal. I swallowed the food in my mouth and asked, "How long have the Six Chicks been the Six Chicks?" She looked at me in confusion and then replied, "I don't know. Since like fifth...grade." Her brow furrowed and she looked down at her food. She mumbled something under her breath and said, "No...Peyton and Avery. We've known Peyton and Avery since fifth grade. Amenti wasn't around until the second semester of eighth grade and the other three...they've only been around for like the last year!" She glared down at the table and whispered, "What the fuck?"

"And Colten and Malick!" I exclaimed, "We've known Colten and Malick since we were teeny tiny. Almost as long as we've known each other. But they disappeared. Remember? They were yanked out of school halfway through sixth grade and didn't come back until the summer between ninth and tenth. Everyone said they went to some fancy boarding school."

Phoebe shook her head and blinked rapidly saying, "That happened...but I can only like half remember it. Why?" I looked around and the brightly lit hall suddenly didn't seem as friendly as it had. I could understand why the Hunters would modify peoples memories, for the same reason the Ministry of Magic modified the memories of Muggles in Harry Potter. Hunters were supposed to be a secret from Humanity; a force for light working silently in the shadows. Perhaps now that Phoebe and I were here, the truth was falling back into place.

"Ooh!" Phoebe grumbled stabbing violently at her oatmeal, "I might go home this weekend just to give Colten and Malick a piece of my mind." I nodded in agreement.

We finished our breakfast and went back to the dorm to get ready for our first day.

***

"Still think you should have worn the skirt," Phoebe said as we left the dorm. I rolled my eyes and replied, "The uniforms are embarrassing enough." Phoebe shook her head and raised her finger saying, "There is nothing embarrassing about a pleated skirt, Lori." She smiled deviously and continued, "Especially if you had let me doctor it. A snip-snip here, a pair of flattering thigh high stockings there."

I blanched and said, "This isn't an anime, Phoebe." She scoffed and adjusted her shoulder bag. We stopped right outside the dorm building and I said, "I'm gonna pop back in during lunch to switch books. Do you wanna meet up?" Phoebe nodded and said, "Sure thing." She leaned forward and hugged me tight before turning away and heading towards the Witches side of campus.

I heard whispering behind me.

"What's Wic doing here?"

"She lives here...I've seen her on the second floor. Didn't know she was a Wic."

"Why?"

"Don't know."

I glanced back at them and saw two girls and a boy. One of the girls, tall with short brown hair smiled awkwardly and gave a little wave. I hesitantly waved back then started towards building 3. It was probably strange for them seeing a witch in the Hunter dorms. I wondered what 'Wic' meant, if it was offensive or just slang.