“Hello?” Ruba picked up her phone and answered it. Not recognising the voice, Ruba sounded questionable.
“Ruba. It-It’s Willow.”
“Oh! Hey Will! How you doing?”
“Good! Haven’t spoken to you in quite some time.”
Ruba walked into the living room and grabbed the control and switched the TV on. “Yeah, it has.”
“Well, I rang to see if you were busy. Everyone’s coming round mine in about an hour, if you wanna come?”
“Do I? I’ll be there. See you soon!”
“See you!”
Ruba tilted her head back and exhaled. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
My life right now…
Kaitlin walked in and interrupted Ruba. “Who was that?” She questioned.
“Oh, Willow.”
Kaitlin walked in further and sat next to Ruba, facing her. “Then, why so glum?”
“Because mum…” Ruba inhaled quietly and let out a loud sigh. “They’re a bad influence on me…”
Kaitlin took a moment to understand. “Oh… I see.” Kaitlin gave a they’re-witches-aren’t-they? look.
Ruba widened her eyes as a response to her mother’s look.
Kaitlin placed a hand on Ruba’s leg. “Well, how about you go and see how it goes?”
“Suppose…” Ruba commented.
With that, Ruba was off of the couch and heading for the door. Before she left, she quickly popped into the bathroom and looked over herself: Good clothes, presentable hair…
She grabbed her keys and left the house.
On her way to Willow’s she was thinking how it would be. Would it be awkward with her friends? She hasn’t seen them in quite some time. She was worried that maybe they won’t speak to her; she was also worried because she thought they were going to hurt her. Maybe they found out about her going to church?
* * *
Ruba knocked on Willow’s front door. Everything looking so distant from her. Willow’s brown door with golden door knobs and a mail box right at the front of her house. Ruba heard footsteps ascending from behind the door.
Willow opened the door and greeted Ruba with a hug. “I missed you!”
Ruba gave an awkward smile. Maybe Ruba didn’t miss her friends… maybe she was happy without them…
“Come, follow me… everyone’s upstairs in my room.”
Ruba followed Willow and then something crossed her mind.
Amy.
The last time they were together, it didn’t exactly end so well. Ruba was thinking of how rude and bitchy Amy had become. The way she pretended to help Ruba just so she can throw all her witchcraft books, so she can become the better witch.
Shallow.
Ruba pushed it by her and decided that, if Amy is there, to just get along.
Willow opened her bedroom door and the talking stopped. Michael and Joseph rose from the ground and Amy’s head snapped towards the door. She glared at Ruba and got up.
Joseph and Michael walked towards Ruba, in shock that she was actually standing there.
“Whoa, is that Ruba? “Joseph prodded Ruba.
Michael slapped Joseph’s arm and turned to Ruba. “Hey Ruba! Long-time no see! How have you been?” Michael hugged Ruba.
“Oh, good. I know, it’s been quite some time. I’ve been good, mainly busy… helping my mum with things…” Ruba lied.
Amy barged past Michael with a dirty look on her face and gave Ruba a hug. Amy whispered in her ear. “Liar…” and an evil smirked escaped Amy’s lips whilst she pointed with her fingers towards her head.
Mind reading.
As Ruba walked in the room even more, she noticed that Willow’s pentagram was revealed on the floor. They all headed to the pentagram and sat down. Ruba on the other hand was still standing as if she were scared of the pentagram.
“You silly… just because we haven’t seen you in ages, doesn’t mean you can’t sit with us… come.” Willow smiled.
Ruba gave a weak smile and clapped her hands and gave a you-got-it look. “Right…”
Ruba placed herself next to Willow and Michael.
“So, what have you been up to Ruba? Any spells?” Joseph curiously asked.
Ruba gave a mischievous glare around the circle; a smirk approached her mouth, slowly growing as she looked at everyone. “Lots of them!”
They all smiled and joseph, who was intrigued, carried on. “What type of spells, Ruba?”
Ruba gave a smirk to Amy and she blocked her mind so that Amy couldn’t read it.
Ruba sat comfortably and began. “Well… I brought new fortune cards and tried them out on this Christian girl and it totally scared the crap out of her, I charmed my dreams because I was getting haunted by these black shadows; every time I would do a spell, they would come…” Ruba stopped for a brief break and continued. “Ah, let’s see what else I done… Oh, I also went to this place for a few days, where you meet this person and you enter this insane world where he can help you develop your powers and make you powerful!” Rube threw a few lies in there, but she didn’t care, she could lie as much as she wants because she blocked Amy from her mind and the others are like amateurs to her.
No, they just have the decency not to read people minds.
Amy scowled at Ruba, the jealousy she once had for her was building up again, and the feeling that she couldn’t read Ruba’s mind was bothering her. “… Well… let’s do a spell then…”
“Oh, I don’t kn-“Ruba started.
“Oh, come on! What have you got to be scared of? You are powerful and you know way more spells than us…”
“Nah, it’s not a goo-“Ruba was cut off again.
“Yeah, Ruba! Let’s do one!” Michael protested.
Ruba looked around her. “Okay, fine! But you guys choose the spell and I’ll join in.”
Willow picked herself off of the floor and headed towards her desk. She picked up five candles and placed them in the circle. She then lit them and turned off the lights.
One by one, they started humming, when it came to Ruba’s turn they all opened their eyes and gave a look at Ruba as if to say carry on.
Ruba gave them all a stare and had forgiveness in her eyes. She couldn’t do a spell. She felt bad. She’s been trying to stop. She knew that going to Willow’s was a bad idea.
They’re temptation.
Ruba looked around the circle one last time; as if she were telling them that she’s through with magic. But she kept that to herself and walked out the room saying sorry.
Ruba left Willow’s room and the rest of them were still sitting down, shocked that Ruba left.
“Liar! You run home to Mummy! She’ll make everything better!” Amy shouted.
Ruba ran home and slammed the front door shut. She walked to the kitchen and got herself a black plastic bag which she took to her bedroom where she started throwing out her spell books, candles, charms, crystals, powders, amulets…
Ruba’s mother walked in her bedroom and questioned. “Ruba, what are you doing?”
Ruba placed spell books, after spell books in the black bag. “I’m throwing all my stuff away.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. I could also use the support!”
“As long as you think it’s the right thing to do, then go ahead. I’m supporting you.” Kaitlin smiled.
Ruba flashed a smile and handed Kaitlin the bag, now full of all her witchcraft things. “Thanks!” Ruba handed her the bag.
Kaitlin took hold of the bag. “Okay… I’ll dispose of it.”
Ruba nodded and walked past her mum and downstairs to watch some TV.
Kaitlin’s mouth was open; shocked that she was actually that strong to get rid of her things. But she knew she wasn’t that strong, that’s why she hid the plastic bag in the attic.
Kaitlin did support Ruba, but she knew somewhere inside of her, that Ruba was weak on the inside and portrayed a strong, fearless girl on the outside. That’s why she hid her witchcraft things.