Bella the Witch (2021)

Chapter 5: When I Wore A Younger Man's Clothes

"I'm sensing something, though I'm not sure what." He replied. 

"A power? What could you be feeling all the way out here?" Edward answered another unasked question. He was reading Eleazar's mind!

I willed myself back to body but I got slammed back so viciously, I felt a harsh pain down my back and neck. My hands couldn't stop shaking, so I put them under my arms and took calming breaths. 

My witch's glass chimed and I eased myself up. I was getting an incoming call from my best friend. I accepted it and there she was in all of her glory. Her box braids that went past her butt were tied in an intricate style. She was Black, curvy, tall and had the brightest brown eyes I'd ever seen. 

"Thank gods, you picked up. These magical brats are getting on my nerves." She said in a whispered voice.  She looked to be in a classroom and there was a commotion in the background. 

I giggled. "You're only a teachers aide, how bad could it be?" In exchange for her to continue her formal magic training, she agreed to help out at a magical school for youngsters. Spell Master Maya's School For Magical Youngsters as it turns out.

"Ooh, you'd think so. I have a set of twins who keep giving each other snouts and I-" In the background there was a heavy thud and glasses shattering. A bunch of oohs and ahhhs came from young voices off glass. She gritted her teeth when a small voice called. "Ms. Zariah?"

"Please hold." The mirror went dark and after some yelling and some more clattering, she was back but in a lounge instead of the classroom. 

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

"Yes, for now. But promise me that I never have to go back?" She pouted. 

"That, I can't do but what I can tell you is that you look very pretty even prettier than the last time I saw you."

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand. "Thank you for stating the obvious. But how are you? You better be drinking your water, and doing your skincare. How are you settling into that small, cold, little town? Are there any cute boys, girls?" She waggled her eyebrows.

I sighed. "Things are not as simple as I thought they'd be." I laid everything out for her. My first day, my recon, all of my fears of what could happen in a town with seven vampires. 

"If Edward could read my mind, he'd know everything and in turn tell his family. It seems like he is trying to figure me out so that can't be the case. The same goes for his sister Alice."

"The psychic?" She asked.

"Yes. If Alice's "fuzzy" vision is any indication, I'm safe because I'm a witch but I'm still vulnerable to her premonitions when I'm not using magic." I stopped pacing and looked at her. 

"This...is a lot to unpack, babe. Seriously, only you, Bella could move to small town and stumble onto a family of vampires." she chuckled.

"I know, I have the greatest luck known to witch kind. What do you think I should do?"

"I think keeping an eye on them is a great idea, using their blindspots to your advantage should help.  Their gold eyes are what's throwing me though; since there aren't any vampires here, it's not like I can go up to one and ask them." She played with the end of one of her braids. Her long nails had a purple and blue galaxy theme with gold detailing of suns, moons and stars, light bounced off them as she played with her hair. Zariah was right however, no vampire had ever resided in Itheria or it's many sister realms. Why that was the case, was left up to theory. 

"I'll ask my teachers to see if they know anything and I'll let you know what I find out." She grinned.

"Thank you. I'd ask Grandma but she is completely unreachable." I shrugged. 

"How about the Coven?" She asked. "I know Lupe can be a bit much but I'm sure if you asked her mom she'd help you out. They have that massive library at their estate in Barcelona."

I shook my head. "Nah, I don't want to bring the Coven into this unless I really need to. I can't even remember the last time I spoke to Lupe, let alone Adriana. We don't need this to escalate."

"Copy. And you don't have evidence of the Cullens doing anything wrong anyway, so they might just be laying low in a small town."

"But they're feeding somehow and until I know how, I won't be at ease."

For the next hour or so we caught up, she was off for the day after the commotion in the classroom. Apparently, one of the kids knocked over shelves of potion ingredients and the actual teacher came back from break to handle it. She told me about the adventures she had gotten up to with the students who despite what she said, she really cared for. But that was Zariah, a big heart with a cool exterior. We first met when I was terrified and alone in Itheria for the first time. While Mom and Grandma argued if I should go in the first place, I snuck off.  

Larger boys had surrounded me in a secluded corner of a market place, I had at most five spells under my belt but none of them were defensive. Zariah swooped in and kicked major ass. She was beyond skilled; at the time I'd only seen Grandma that good at magic so seeing someone my age be that talented pushed me to be the best witch I could. We became fast friends after that. 

When Dad pulled into the drive way we blew kisses to say goodbye. "I love you, Z."

"I love you too, B. Be careful and if it turns out that the Cullens do have a diabolical plot, don't deal with it yourself. Let me know and if I have to kick some vampire ass, I will figure out how to do it." 

"I know you will and I promise." 

Talking to Zariah did help me take my mind off the Cullens and having her support meant everything but I was still firm in my mission and no one could tell me otherwise.