The Emerald Witch

Chapter 2

"Why do they need all the seniors. I hate being in front of such a large crowd." Cassie folded her arms over her chest as she walked beside her friend, who strutted along with his hands in his jean pockets.

"Seems like the opposite when you play sports though. You love that attention. Especially when you hit a home run in softball, or get an ace in volleyball. Everyone can practically see you glowing from the attention." As the two walk and talk, Kayden nudges his shoulder into hers.

It wasn't a hidden fact that Kayden was smitten with Cassandra. She knew this, and he knew that she knew. But she didn't want to ruin their friendship in that way just yet.

The two descend the staircase and walk towards the loud gym.

"That's because I'm a competitive player. It's different."

As the two walk towards the gym, a head peaks out of the door and darts back in and then all sounds from the gym stop. Looking to her friend Cassie furrows her brow in confusion and walks into the now dark gym once she steps onto the waxed floor, the lights click on and loud booming cheers erupt in a poor rendition of happy birthday.

Looking around at the gym Cassie spins to leave but runs into Kayden's chest as he grabs her arm and drags her to the middle of the gym. Cassie fought at first but eventually went limp, letting Kayden drag her dead weight as she cussed under her breath the whole way.

She was brought over to a small group of people that were cluttered in the middle of the gym, which consisted of the principal, vice principal and the schools superintendent. As well as few other students who shared the same birthday month, standing there awkwardly. Also not wanting to be there. She stood up finally and crossed her arms over her chest embarrassed to be in front of the whole school like this.

Tapping on the microphone that the principal had, she begins to speak but mic interference rings out loudly, piercing everyone's ears. Cassie covers her ears from the noise as do many other students.

"My apologies students. But since it is the last day of school. You all know it is tradition to celebrate every one of our students  birthdays at the end of the month. Thank you all for singing a lovely birthday song to your wonderful friends."

The principal turned and began clapping at Cassandra and the other three students standing on the gym floor. "So happy birthday to you four!"

Cassie stood with the three other students, arms folded over her chest as anxiety slowly crept up on her.

"And a special happy birthday to Miss. Cassandra. She is our senior this year. Let's give her and all of our seniors a big Lion roar everybody! Seniors come on down!"

Cassie face palmed as she stood next to the principal, who had wrapped an arm around her shoulders giving her an awkward side hug. As the rest of the students cheered the other seniors came down from the bleachers, Kayden being one of them. He made his way over to Cassie and pulled her away from the principal, seeing she was uncomfortable.

Once the rest of the seniors were gathered around, Cassie and Kayden stuck in the middle the principal started talking again about something, but Cassie couldn't hear anything as her heart pounded in her ears.

To many people, they're too close. Can't breathe. Were voices that rang through Cassandra's head as her eyes darted around the crowd of seniors around her.

Her chest started to rise up and down heavily as she began to panic. Hands clutching onto the hem  her shirt tightly.

But just before her panic attack got worse, she felt warm arms wrap around her tightly and pull her back through the cluster of seniors until they were standing a few feet from them. Getting a few strange looks from the other kids in the process.

"Cas, your okay. Take some slow breaths." Kayden was Infront of her, he had let go of her and held his hands out Infront of her in case she needed something to hold onto. Her green eyes met his as she let go of her now stretched shirt and held onto his hands. She closed her eyes and took a few slow breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth, until she was calmed down.

"Thanks Kayden. God this is embarrassing." Letting go of his hand she covered her face with her hands and rubbed her eyes. Folding her arms around herself she could feel Kayden's eyes still on her and she looked too him. Seeing the concern for her plastered on his face.

"You gonna be okay Cas? They are serving cake. I can get you a slice if you wanna go wait in the hall." Kayden said as he saw the cafeteria staff around a table with a large sheet cake the school must have ordered.

"Yeah, I'll be okay, thank you Kayden." Cassie gave him a smile and the two stood their, waiting for a few minutes before they got their slices of cake. The school had gotten a few of these sheek cakes to make sure every student that wanted some got some. And Cassie was never happier when they were dismissed to leave the gym.

She and Kayden took their cake back up to the art room and she plopped down into her chair with a sigh, setting her plate on the table.

"Oh, Kayden. Did you wanna come over after school? My mom wanted me home right after school. And then we're probably going to get dinner for my birthday." Cassie sat up in her chair and slid her slice of cake to her friend as he sat down in his chair. He looked at her puzzled but took the cake anyway and took a bite of his own slice.

"Shit, you knew it had coconut in it didn't you?" Kayden said as he chewed his bite of cake. Cassie only nodded as she watched her friend eat it.

"Yeah it's in the frosting. You think they wouldn't do something like that. There are a few people in school that are allergic to coconut. It's on our damn records and shit." Cassie grumbled and instead grabbed the sandwich Kayden had thrown at her this morning.

"I'm just glad you noticed and didn't eat any of it. I can't afford to loose my best friend. And about going over after school. I can't right after but I can come over later. I have to help my mom at the shop for a bit today, then I'm free."

Kayden pushed his shaggy hair away from his eyes as he took a bite of his chocolate cake. His carmel coloured eyes closing as he hummed at the delicious taste of the cake.

Cassandra nodded at his comment as she took a bite of the breakfast sandwich she was gifted. Talking with a full mouth she set the sandwich down.

"That's no problem. I'm sure it would be a while before we go out anyway." She swallowed her large bite and gave him a grin. "How is the shop doing anyway? Getting a lot of odd folk wanting witchy stuff lately?"

Kayden rolled his eyes as he swallowed the last bite of his cake as he moved onto the next slice.

"You know how it is. City spiritualists needing more crystals and cleansing sage. And a few rowdy teen wanna be ghost hunters looking for stuff to help protect them." Kayden chuckled as he absentmindedly fiddled with the locker his mother makes him wear around his neck 24/7.

His mother owned a store called "Good for the Soul", it was a quaint little shop that sold crystals and candles. Herbs and ingredients as well as a few books about Paganism. She also sold a few homemade anti aging beauty products. Which Cassandra swears works, with how young Kayden's mom looks for her age. But pretty much anything you'd find in a witch's store.

"You sure your mom still isn't a real witch?"  Cassandra asked.

"You know my mom is Pagan but it doesn't mean she's a witch. She just sees the world in a different point of viet and wants to help make it a better place."

"Yeah I think that's awesome. She's an amazing woman. " Cassandra spoke genuinely about his mother. She cared about both of them, they've been in a large part of her life so she's really proud of anything that they do.

Kayden soon finished both slices of cake and threw the garbage in the trash.

He clapped both of his hands together loudly as he sat back down.

"Right! So what do you need help with in here cause there is no way I'm going to any classes today."

Cassandra chuckled and nodded. "Me neither."

The two quickly got to work organizing and cleaning the art room to help ease a little bit of Mrs.V's summer stress.