Time for bravery

Chapter 1 - The Day of the Ceremony

"BEEP. BEEP. BEEP."

"Make it stop, Eileen! It's been going off for four minutes straight. Just wake up already!"

And then—bam. A pillow hit me square in the face.
Thanks for that, Sophie.

I cracked one eye open and immediately regretted it. Too bright. Too loud. Too early. Groaning, I reached out blindly, tapping at my phone until the alarm finally shut up.

When I finally found the strength to sit up, I spotted Sophie already dressed, studying at her desk, a plate of toast and scrambled eggs beside her.

I smirked.
"Any chance you made breakfast for me too?"

"It's in the kitchen—though it's probably cold by now. I seriously don't understand how you can sleep at all today. I mean... it's today! The beginning of everything! Aren't you excited, Eileen? I woke up at 4 A.M. the day of my Calling and Revealing Ceremony!"
She sounded like she was performing a monologue on stage. Sophie always did have a flair for the dramatic.

As much as I loved her, I needed some space. I swung my legs out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. I'd barely taken two steps before she practically bounced across the room, giggling as she pulled me into a tight hug.

How could someone be so awake at seven in the morning?

I was going to need at least two more hours before my brain even considered functioning. Honestly, sometimes I wondered how we were even related. We were opposites in every possible way.

Sophie's two years older than me—tall, lean, athletic, with dark hair and eyes that match. She looked like she belonged in some magical hero academy brochure. I, on the other hand, was barely 5'1", curvier, with dark blue eyes that almost looked grey, and hair my family insisted was "amber-blonde."
To me? Just dark blonde.

And that's another thing—I'm not particularly girly. Not a tomboy either. Just... me.

When I was six, Mum tried the whole bows-and-dresses routine. I'd come home every day with tangled hair and dirt-streaked ruffles. She gave up eventually, but I actually loved the bows. I just had... other priorities. Like climbing trees and making potions out of mud and leaves.

Sophie still had her arms wrapped around me when she asked,
"What color do you think you'll be?"
Her voice softened with hope.
"I think you'll be a Blue. You've always been so brave. The first Blue in the family—can you imagine that?"

"Maybe," I muttered, trying not to think about it. "I'm going to shower. Thanks for breakfast."

Steam curled around me as the hot water hit my skin. I let my thoughts flood in.

Pain. Shame. Fear.

Maybe this was a bad idea, I thought, trying to shove everything back into the locked box in my brain where I usually kept it all.

Today, everything would finally be out in the open. No more hiding. It was terrifying—and weirdly, a little freeing.

I closed my eyes and imagined a different life. One where there were no witches and wizards and I was just... human. Where instead of a "Calling and Revealing Ceremony," I got to choose my own path. Pick a career. Go to university.
I think I'd have studied psychology. I've always been fascinated by what makes us tick—our choices, our fears, the lies we tell ourselves.
But that's not my life.

God, I really hope Sophie's right and I'm just a Blue.

Breathe, Eileen. Breathe.
Light witches that are Reds are soo rare. The odds of me being a Red are practically zero.

...Right?

I got dressed in tight dark jeans, black boots, and a deep purple blouse—formal enough for the ceremony. When I walked into the kitchen, the whole family was already there.

"Hey, hun. How'd you sleep?" Mum asked, trying—and failing—to sound casual.

"She slept like a log," Sophie answered for me.

"Well, I'm glad," Mum continued, placing a plate of chocolate-drizzled waffles in front of me. "Today's a big day. You need to be ready. You know we'll love you no matter what, right? It doesn't matter what color you are."

Her eyes said more than her words. I could tell she didn't expect me to be a Brown like the rest of the family.

I didn't know what to say, so I just smiled and focused on the waffles.

Everyone was watching me like I might burst into flames at any second. I sat down and started eating, silently begging someone to change the subject. Thankfully, my older brother Fred started grumbling about his last job and how it got sabotaged by some Dark Wizards.

Classic Fred.
I let myself soak it all in: my family laughing, bickering, joking over breakfast. I wanted to remember this—really remember it. Because if I came home as a Red, things would change. No matter how much they loved me, it wouldn't be the same. People tread carefully around Reds. They're powerful, short-tempered, and unpredictable.

The tension in any room shifts the moment one walks in.

I stood up, grabbed my bag and jacket.
"Bye. See you at the ceremony."

Mum frowned. "Hey, hey, hey—you've still got two hours!"

"I know. I'm meeting Pey, Lucas, Rob, and the others before it starts."

"But today is so special... you'll see them all at the party tonight, and at the Academy after and—"

I cut her off gently.
"Mum, I'll come straight home after the ceremony. We can celebrate over lunch. Okay?"

She hesitated, clearly torn. I hoped—really hoped—we'd have something to celebrate.

"Okay, okay. But not so fast. Come here and give us a proper goodbye. It's not every day our little Eileen discovers who she's meant to be."

I smiled and hugged her tight.

And this time, I paid attention to everything—the scent of Mum's soft perfume, Dad's trumpet-patterned tie, Sophie's overwhelming smile, and the quiet way Fred looked at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention.

When I stepped outside, the cool morning air helped settle something inside me.

No matter how today goes, it can't be that bad... as long as I can still come home to them.

Right?