Secretly Witch

Chapter 4 - Hello, Police

Alana Winters came back home in a police car.

Despite the circumstances, it was kind of cool, to be honest. Apparently, police didn't need to follow speed limits.

At one point through the ride, Alana even tried to have a conversation with the policeman next to her. (Because it isn't every day you get to be in the same car with one)

"Hey, Mr. Policeman guy," Alana said, biting down her smile when the policeman grunted. "Can you do this everyday? You know, pick me up from school."

Going home early in a super fast car was one of the things Alana didn't mind doing forever.

The policeman grunted, his moustache quivering.

"You don't talk much, don't you?"

The policeman grunted.

"We're going to my house right?" Alana asked, recognizing the way home. "How do you even know my address?"

Alana heard a groan from the front seat.

"Tell her to stop, John," the policeman driving grumbled.

"Oh, so you do talk!" Alana exclaimed, pleased. "Is it true that you get free popcorn at the -"

"Stop," the policeman with the bushy moustache ordered.

Alana sighed. "I'm in trouble, right?"

"Big trouble," the policeman in front agreed.

"Just so you guys know, I didn't hurt him on purpose -"

"ALANA!!"

Alana looked up and saw her mum and dad running towards the car.

Mrs. Winters' black hair was frazzled and wild, her glasses falling of her nose. Her dad's brown hair was equally rumpled, his tie crooked - which was a thing that rarely happened to the clean-freak her dad was.

The policemen stopped the car right outside the Winters' quaint, white house, and Alana's adopted parents immediately rushed towards her.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING," her mother was shouting. "HOW COULD YOU HURT SOMEONE LIKE THAT?!"

"Young lady," her father was shaking his head, his voice barely audible over his wife's screaming. "You've never been brought up like this, how could you -"

The bushy moustache policeman held up his hand and gestured for her parents to come in the car too, switching places to sit next to the policeman driving.

Apparently, they were not going home.

"Mum," Alana said as her parents squashed into the back of the police car. "Where are we going?"

"YOU ANSWER TO MY QUESTIONS, ALANA!! her mother practically shrieked. She massaged her temples with her pale fingers. "You left a innocent boy practically dying for no reason at all!"

Alana's violet eyes flashed at the word innocent. Tom Jenkins was the opposite of innocent. Possibly the most un-innocent. "Mum, it wasn't on purpose... and he was -"

"THEN WHY DID YOU DO IT?!"

"I... I -" Alana was lost for words. She didn't burst out like that on purpose, but how was anyone going to believe her if she said it was because of her magic? That was the main reason she never told anyone, after all. And he was bullying my friend sounded like a pretty lame reason, considering that Tom was in the hospital, barely living on breathing machines.

Okay, maybe Alana felt a LITTLE guilty.

Alana's dad silently handed her a newspaper clipping.

'TEENAGE GIRL ATTEMPTS MURDER AT RIVER BROOKS HIGH'

"Attempts murder?" Alana gasped. That's what people thought it was?

Her eyes caught onto the author of the article: Smith Jenkins. Tom and Louise's dad. Most famous journalist in town

Alana slumped against the leather seat. She felt like throwing up.

But she read it anyway. She needed to know what everyone thought of her. Plus, she didn't want to answer anymore of her mum's questions.

As she read on, it was clear that all this was what Smith thought of her.

A few choice words of Smith's were:

"Rebellious cannibal."

"Undeserving rat."

"Weird eye freak."

Normally, words like these didn't affect Alana, but these stung. She wiped her eyes - her violet eyes.

Her dad saw her reading and attempted to take the paper away, but Alana pushed his hand away. She was already in it so deep, how could it be worse?

Then she saw a familiar name.

Isla Banks.

Her best friend was on the paper?

It was an interview section, Alana realized. She read more quickly. Surely, her BFF had some good things to say about her.

Smith Jenkins wrote:

"It was horrible." Isla Banks told me when I asked. "I don't know why I became her friend in the first place! She's a murderer and I will never talk to her again."

Alana sucked in a breath and her eyes stung.

Her best friend said that about her?

Well, Alana thought angrily.

If that's what she wants, I will never talk to her again too.