Caught in the act/ Withdrawal

Friends forever, nothing and no one will come between us,"

little Charlotte's voice echoed in Charlene's head as she stared at the heart-wrenching scene before her. Jace, her boyfriend, was passionately making out with Charlotte in the washroom.

Shock, fear, and anger surged through her veins. She never could have imagined anything like this happening.

"W

hat is going on here?" she managed to whisper, fighting back tears. They both disengaged and turned to face her.

"Oh,

best friend, I'm so sorry you had to find out this way," Charlotte smirked without remorse.

"This isn't happening, right?" Charlene muttered, tears trickling down her face.

"Heartbeat, don't you think it's time to tell her?" Charlotte nudged Jace.

"Heartbeat?" Charlene asked, tears streaming down her face.

"Damn, why are you so dumb and slow-witted, bestie? Isn't it obvious that Jace and I are together?" Charlotte stated with an eyeroll.

"Jace, this isn't true, right? You both are just joking, right? Knight, say something," Charlene cried.

"I'm sorry, Charlene, but it's the truth. You're too naive for my liking," Jace replied, showing no remorse.

"Y

ou...you said you love me, you said I'm special, you said..." Charlene was saying when Charlotte cut her off.

"Stop reminding him of what he said or didn't say. Stop being a baby. The signs were glaring enough; you were just too blind to see it," Charlotte spat in disgust.

"Not you too, Charlotte. You promised that we'll be friends forever. You said no one will come between us," Charlene cried.

"Oh, please, Charlene, stop it. Just stop," she snapped angrily.

****

"It's going to happen, any moment, I can feel it," the shaman smiled, looking at a surface.

"Don't you think it might be dangerous? Like, what if she gets killed?" the man he was speaking with asked.

"You worry too much, Arnold. If it's the will of the deity, then so be it," the shaman replied with a smile.

"What about the girl with the scent? The one capable of breaking the curse?" Arnold asked.

"Time will tell, son," the shaman replied, staring into space.

****

"I hate you!" Charlene screamed at the top of her voice, and all of a sudden, the mirrors in the washroom began cracking, and the walls began to crack as well. Her voice echoed throughout the washroom.

"What's going on?" Charlotte mumbled in fear.

"Charlene!" Jace screamed in horror, and a glare from her sent him flying across the wall, hitting his back roughly. He yelped in pain.

"Why are your eyes red?" he managed to ask before losing consciousness.

Unable to watch the terrifying scene anymore, Charlotte scurried out of the washroom in fright.

"What have I done? How did I do this?" Charlene cried and grabbed a piece of broken glass. She began cutting herself, intending to hurt herself, but instead of bleeding, the wound healed up without leaving any scars.

"Ah!" she screamed in horror and passed out.

****

[Next morning]

(INFIRMARY)

"What am I doing here? How did I even get here?" Charlene yawned and tried to stand up from the bed when a strong headache gripped her.

"Ouch," she moaned and sat upright.

A horrified look appeared on her face as the events of last night flooded her memory.

"That was a dream, right?" she muttered, fighting her emotions. "I didn't do any of that, right? No!"

She screamed, and the chandelier in the middle of the room came crashing down.

The school doctor and nurse, who heard the noise, rushed into the ward and gasped at the sight before them. Charlene's eyes were red, which was quite strange.

"What happened here? How did it reach the ground?" the nurse asked in horror.

"I...I...I saw her glare at the chandelier as she yelled, and suddenly it came crashing down," a sophomore who was also in the infirmary stuttered.

Charlene froze on the spot, obviously shocked that someone else saw what happened.

"I don't know how it happened, I swear," Charlene cried.

"I'm so sorry, Miss, but you'd have to come with me to the disciplinary committee," the doctor said, trying hard not to freak out.

***

"The time is near. I really can't wait," Hazel giggled, jumping on her bed and laughing crazily. Anyone passing by her room at that moment would think she's a maniac. She was extremely excited. Well, who wouldn't be? She came to Vintage on a mission, and less than seventy-two hours later, the mission is almost accomplished. She grinned widely, throwing her legs in the air.

****

Some hours later...

Mrs. Craig and Charlene were seated before the disciplinary committee. When the doctor reported what happened at the infirmary to the committee, the CCTV footage was played. After satisfying their curiosity, they requested that her parents be invited.

"Any traces of sorcery in your family?" a staff asked, and Mrs. Craig sighed.

"There's really no need for these questions. Just pass your judgment so my princess can know her fate," she said, losing her patience.

"We would have loved to leave her here while we make proper investigations, but on second thought, she's dangerous, and letting her stay here will endanger the lives of other students,"

another staff said harshly.

"What...what are you insinuating?" Charlene stuttered, tears streaming down her face.

Merely looking at her daughter in such a vulnerable state and knowing she couldn't do anything about it made slow tears start to brim at the corners of Mrs. Craig's eyes. She squeezed Charlene's palm lightly, trying to calm her down, knowing exactly what the lecturers were implying.

"What she's trying to say is that we can't have, or rather keep, a monster in our school. Mrs. Craig, kindly withdraw your daughter from Vintage College, or else she'll be rusticated, and no other school will take her," a mean-looking lady who seemed like the head of the committee said harshly.

Charlene began sobbing slowly, unable to look her mom or anyone else in the eyes. She was scared of making another scene, scared that if she cried loudly or stared at any of them, something dangerous might occur, and her mom would be even more disappointed.

"Thanks for the discrimination,"

Mrs. Craig said sarcastically.

"That's not the point, ma'am. You expect us to keep her here, knowing fully well that she's possessed? Parents may freak out and withdraw their kids, so please do the needful,"

another staff stated logically.

"Mum, let's leave. I guess I really am possessed,"

Charlene muttered sadly and walked out of the boardroom with her mom.

Mrs. Craig stared affectionately at her daughter, who looked scared and sad at the same time. Her face held too many emotions, and sadly, Mrs. Craig couldn't decipher them. No matter what, she couldn't abandon her daughter.

So what if she broke the chandelier with her eyes? No matter how dangerous anyone claimed Charlene was, to Mrs. Craig, she would always remain her little princess.

To Be Continued...#