Page 9 of Their Witch Bride

Hide? Just the thought of me hiding and running from this whole thing makes my legs twitch. But, nope, there’s no hiding from this.

“Oh hush. I don’t want to hide. I want to prove myself. I want her to know I’m good enough and not a fuck-up.” I try to sound all confident and sure of myself, but I sound a little like a very brave mouse.

“Prove I’m a fuck-up.” Now, she’s teasing me. Something I desperately need to lighten the mood.

“Can’t you ever just be serious?” I smile at Wisp, grateful for my little friend.

“Serious?” she asks, like the notion is ridiculous.

“It’s just that I don’t know what role I’m going to play in the coven. I want to be a help, and I want to be used in the best way possible, but my mom doesn’t see me. She doesn't see who I am.”

I have some value. Don’t I?

“Help mom see.”

“Exactly.” I smile at Wisp. “That’s exactly right. I want my mom to see me.”

I’d do anything to just be useful and needed and wanted.

I smooth my dress with my hands and take a deep breath, gathering the courage to make tonight different. Tonight’s going to go well. It just has to.

Rising to my feet, I head to the door. I turn the handle, then throw it open and head out.

Someone smacks right into me, slamming her shoulder into mine so hard I’m nearly knocked off my feet. Ouch. How can that hard of a blow be accidental?

The witch walks around me with a smirk, heading in the opposite direction.

“Nice running into you!”

She looks back at me and gives me the finger.

Okay, alright, I can feel the love already tonight, but I’m not going to sweat it. The other witches don’t like me. They haven’t liked me in twenty years, so they probably never will, and they’ll consistently go out of their way to make me miserable, if I let them. Which… I give it my all not to let them.

Screw them, they’re not going to make my day worse!

This time, I look around me before taking another step. The halls are bustling with witches of all ages and positions in the coven heading to the ceremony. They’re all wearing beautiful dresses that shimmer with magic or glint with gems. It’s the event of the season, and everyone wants to look their best.

Even though they avoid my eye contact when they go down the hall.

I’m not surprised. Yes, my poor control of magic makes me a bit of a pariah, but my mom also worked hard to isolate me my entire life. My classes were taught privately, instead of with the others, and one of her favorite punishments was to isolate me for days, or weeks, at a time. And that’s when she wasn’t laughing with the other girls about me. So, not all these witches are leaving me out just to be cruel. Many of them, best case scenario, genuinely don’t know me, whereas they’ve created close bonds with each other.

But… I want friends too.

I see Edna and some other witches all leaving out of the same door. They’re smiling and laughing together, but stop when they spot me. They must have gotten ready together. Tension sings between us as they stare, probably waiting to decide what I’ll do. Part of me wants to run and hide from Edna after the whole naked lake thing, but the other half of me knows that I’m going to have to face her, and that I’d rather do it now than wait until we’re on stage together during the ceremony.

The hell with it. I scurry to catch up with them, painting on my brightest smile. “Did you all get ready together? Darn, I would’ve joined you if I knew.”

“You weren’t invited,” Edna sneers before cackling and walking along with her friends.

“Ah, true. Going somewhere you’re not invited to is rude anyway.” I hurry to keep up with them.

“Like at the lake?” Edna asks, glaring. The other two girls giggle.

My cheeks feel hot. “Precisely. Sorry about that. I didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.”

“I’m sure,” she says, flipping her hair.

I smile at the three of them. They’re really dressed up. Edna’s long blonde hair has been brushed until it flows around her shoulders. She’s wearing a long red dress with a low neckline and tons of gems on golden chains around her neck. Clio’s short blonde hair has been brushed so that it’s rolling out from her rounded face, and she’s wearing a long pink gown with flowers that makes her short frame look just a little longer. Lilac is wearing a purple off-the-shoulders dress that shimmers and glitters in the light from the torches in the hall. Her long blonde hair with purple streaks in it is almost impossibly straight. It makes her thin, long frame look even longer. All of them had chosen outfits that complemented them, the perfect looks for such a special day.

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