Chapter 15 (DÉJÀ VO)

Phoebe was running with vampire speed towards a specific flower store; she arrived without breaking a sweat; when she entered the store, she was overwhelmed by the number of customers swirling around; she saw Lizzie, her coworker, trying her best to attend to the customers as quickly as she could but couldn't; when Lizzie saw Phoebe standing at the entrance, she signaled her to come over and help.

Phoebe quickly changed into her uniform and began helping Lizzie with the customers; after almost fifteen minutes, the shop was nearly empty.

"Hear, take these; this would make your girlfriend fall for you all over again," Phoebe said, handing a guy a bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you; you're a lifesaver," he said, taking the flower before taking his leave.

"Damn! Why are people requesting flowers all of a sudden?" Phoebe asked, slumping on a chair,

"Have you forgotten that the witches start the eclipse celebrations at night, and I think the eclipse would appear by midnight and tomorrow," Lizzie said, rearranging the out-of-place flowers on the shelves.

Lizzie is a kind witch who goes to the same school as the girls. She loves spending time with the girls, but they always give her space due to their secrets. They could not risk their secrets getting exposed because Lizzie and Mrs. Grace have a strange relationship.

"And by the way, why are you so late for work?" Lizzie asked, still focusing on her work,

"It's nothing; I just had detention," Phoebe said, crossing one leg over the other.

"I can't believe you got detention," Lizzy chuckled, "and where was Mira when you got detention?"

"No, she was out talking with your mom while I stayed there all alone. I could have sworn that I felt my very soul die due to boredom," Phoebe told rolled her eyes at herself,

"For the nth time, she's not my mom," Lizzie spat,

"How would I know when you refuse to tell anyone what relationship you have?" Phoebe said, making Lizzie roll her eyes at her.

"Fine then, do what you want, but just know that I won't answer you when you call me that," Lizzie warned, but Phoebe just shook it off with a shrug.

"Phoebe!!" Mrs. Ani was fuming red as she walked towards Phoebe, who didn't move from her position.

"Why were you so late?" "I don't think I'll pay for you to come here whenever you like and leave all the work to Lizzie, and look at how you're just lazing around while Lizzie does all the work; at this rate, I'll be motivated to fire you," Mrs. Ani said in one breath.

"Mrs. Ani, please pay attention; I had..."

"I don't want to listen to any of your silly excuses, Phoebe; take this as a warning," Mrs. Ani said, cutting in on Phoebe's words. Phoebe just nodded her head, already used to her words and empty threat.

"And before I forget Phoebe, STOP FLIRTING WITH THE COSTUMES," Mrs. Ali said before taking her leave.

"What? but I wasn't even... even...urgh " Phoebe sighed, almost pulling her hair in frustration.

"Don't take what she said seriously, Phoebe; you know how she can be," Lizzie said to Phoebe, feeling a little guilty that Mrs. Ani scolded Phoebe because of her.

"Oh, don't worry, I know how she can be; I and Mira have lived with her for almost three years now as neighbors, so yes, I very much know how annoying she can be," Phoebe said, waving the matter off. Lizzie just smiled at Phoebe's carelessness.

Lizzie walked over to Phoebe to ask her about something, but all of a sudden, Phoebe yelled,

"Lizzie, get down," cried Phoebe, running towards Lizzie and pushing her to the floor as an arrow flew by, nearly hitting Lizzie.

Phoebe instantly stood up, removing the arrow that got stuck on one of the shelves. She had a complicated look on her face as she fiddled with the arrow in her hands.

"Thank you, Phoebe; you are indeed a lifesaver," Lizzie said, pulling Phoebe out of her trans.

"That was nothing, Lizzie; it was just a coincidence," Phoebe said, going back to her seat.

The bell suddenly rang, and a customer walked into the shop. He was wearing a very goofy and weird hat that made him look like those green witches in cartoons that have long noses with a mole on them. He walked up to the girls while removing his hat before slightly blowing his head at them.

"Greetings, ladies, "Do you by any means have a..."

"Mountain ash, a unicorn horn, and a mermaid scale," Phoebe blotted out.

"Yes, indeed, that was what I was looking for, but if I may ask, fair lady, how did you know that was what I wanted to say?" He asked curiously.

"I don't know, but ever since I woke up this morning, I've been having this strange feeling of déjà vu."

******

At the Starlight Orphanage,

"You always wanted one of them, right?" Mira asked just to be sure.

"Yes, thank you, Mira, but I didn't give you anything for your birthday." Rosie's excited face dimmed almost instantly; she lowered her head, not wanting to meet Mira's gaze.

"Nonsense, Rosie, I didn't need any birthday gifts from you, and by the way, you did give me a birthday gift," Mira said, smiling at Rosie.

"I did? when?" Rosie asked thoughtfully,

"Yes, your cute smile," Mira said, tickling Rosie, making her unable to contain her laughter. Rossi begged Mira to stop, but Mira didn't stop until tears fell from her eyes. Rosie tried glaring at Mira, but it just made her smile upon seeing how cute she looked, but all of a sudden Mira's smile died when she saw Rossi looking in a particular direction. When she followed her line of sight, she realized that Rossi was looking at a demon.

"Can you see that?" Mira asked, 

"Yes, but what are you talking about exactly?" Rossi asked just to be sure.

"The monsters,"

"Wait, you can see that monster over there." Rossi pointed in the direction of the monster, surprise written over her face.

"Yes, I can," Mira said, looking at Rossi for a long time with so many thoughts running through her mind.

"So you're just like me," Rossi said, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Yes," Mira was perplexed; she felt as if something very important had been taken away from her.

"I'm scared," Rossi said as a tear fell from her eye. "I'm scared of them, and no one seems to see them." Sometimes they say I'm going crazy anytime I tell anyone about it, that's why I stopped trying to tell anyone about my dream, but now that you're here, can you please take me away from here? I don't want to stay here any longer. Mira hugged Rossi tightly as tears fell from her eyes.

After hugging for what felt like forever, they pulled away from each other. Mira straightens Rossi's long, dark, shining hair while also wiping away the tears from her ocean blue eyes; looking at them, one would think that both of them were related.

Mira saw her younger self in Rossi. All the fear she had to face all on her own—the fear of the unknown, the fake smile she had to keep on her face every time because of the fear of how people would see her after they saw her fears, and the dip scars it left—Mira knew it all. Even now, she still hadn't healed fully, and seeing Rossi go through the same thing made her want to cry.

"I'll talk to my boss and try my best to take you out of here; it may not be permanent, but I promise you this: you won't stay here tonight," Mira promised, determination shining bright in her eyes. "I won't let you go through the same thing I had to."

****

The next day,

Mira was in class listening to the teacher explain; she felt restless for leaving Rossi at home all alone; she wasn't sure if she did the right thing by taking Rossi home; she thought about enrolling Rossi in a nearby school, but she didn't have the right to do so yet; Mira felt helpless, but one thing was for sure, and that was that she would do everything in her power to protect her. But for the time being, she would concentrate on the lesson.

Mira's body, from the moment she saw a demon standing a few steps away from her, had a mind of its own. She began to sweat profusely as her heartbeat also picked up speed.

"Are you alright, Mira?" Sam asked with concern in his eyes.

"Yes, I am," Mira quickly said, forcing a smile on her face.

But Sam could clearly see that her smile was fake and that something was really bothering her. Mira saw another monster coming from behind, and in seconds, both monsters were very close to Mira, making her body stiffen in fear,

Sam was saying something to Mira, but Mira could not process anything he said due to all of the pressure on her. Mira stood up from her seat but didn't move. That single act of hers brought back a memory to her, but the memory left at the same speed it came, making it impossible for Mira to grab anything.

"Are you alright, Mira?" The teacher asked her after a full minute of standing,

Mira then realized that the whole class was waiting for her to answer the question that was asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry for that," Mira said, sitting back down in her chair.

"Tell me, Mira, are you alright?" Sam inquired again, seeing his friend's condition, but Mira was unable to respond due to both monsters standing directly behind him.

Mira was looking at the monsters, anticipating what they would do next, but seconds passed and no word came out of their ape-like mouths; they just kept staring at Mira like stunned students. Mira's fear soon turned to anger, so this was what she had been running from all her life. Her jaw clenched as she stared at the motionless creatures in front of her,

"What do you want from me?" Mira screamed in her head, feeling frustrated and angry; but all of a sudden they moved,"

"Rossi, she's in trouble." Mira flinched as she heard that voice in her head. It felt spooky and weird, but she heard the voice loud and clear.

Mira's eyes suddenly fell on Sam, who looked as if he had seen a loved one die, but Mira didn't have time to explain anything to him, especially in such a critical condition. Mira tore a piece of paper and wrote something on it quickly; she then squeezed it and placed it in his palm.

Mira gave him a gaze, telling him not to ask any questions, and thankfully, he obeyed. Mira got up from her seat and went towards the teacher to ask for permission, and of course, he agreed. Mira pulled out her phone from her pocket and called the landline, but there was no response. She tried again and again, but nothing. These made her both anxious and angry at herself, but she didn't have time to blame anyone or herself for the past, so she quickly walked through the hallway, but before she could pass through the exit, something slashed her on the back.

"Argh!" Mira cursed as she supported herself by holding onto the wall; she could feel her blood oozing out of the wound. She felt as if she had had this experience before, and before she knew it, her body had suddenly moved; when she looked up, she saw a man standing there holding a glowing dagger. Seeing that peculiar dagger brought a particular memory back to her.

"You killed me, didn't you?" he said, running like a maniac toward Mira, but this time Mira remained calm as she watched the man run toward her. The instant the man was close enough, Mira gently but quickly placed her hand on his head.

"Not if I kill you first," Mira said, making the man's eyes widen, but before he could say anything, his brain had been blown off, making a mess in the hallway. Mira whipped away the blood that stained her body with a handkerchief. She wondered how she would hide the body, but she also had to look for Rossi.

She stuffed the kerchief back into her pocket, but her hair stood up as goosebumps burst through her skin. Mira turns around to see daggers approaching her at breakneck speed, and she quickly moves away from the dagger. She looked up to find the source but found nothing.

She looked at the wall that the daggers hit moments ago but found just holes, and she turned around to find a girl with short dyed hair leaning beside a locker; she had a smug smile on her face as she fiddled with the glowing dagger in her hand.

"I'm impressed by you, but I don't like your kind, especially after you just killed my friend."

The said girl was charging towards Mira like a beast, and Mira just raised her hand, ready to kill the girl, but as she aimed for her chest, the girl caught her hands by the wrist midway.

"You must be a fool to think you could kill me the same way you killed my friend," the girl said as she stabbed Mira with the dagger. Mira instantly kicked her off before she could stab the dagger for the second time, and Mira covered her wound with her hand to prevent blood from wasting.

She stepped back, holding her wound with a pained expression on her face. She was trying to find the right tactic to get rid of the girl in front of her. The girl kept a murky smile on her face, which angered Mira, but Mira tried her best to remain calm; she couldn't afford to show the girl her weakness.

Mira threw a trash bin that was lying beside her at the girl, but unfortunately, it didn't go far, the bin fell halfway towards the target, then the bin rolled slowly towards her but stopped few steps away from the girl.

"Was that supposed to hurt me, weak lean? I don't even need to use my full powers to defeat you," she sneered.

Mira ran towards the girl, balling her first, the girl just chuckled at Mira's very predictable move. She then threw a blow at Mira, which Mira easily dodged, Mira then kicked the trash bin toward the girl, bringing her to her knees. Mira then quickly picked up the dagger the other man had lying on the floor and stabbed it through her head.

This time Mira didn't look back; she just picked up the handkerchief that fell during the fight and covered her bleeding wound before running out of school.