Ariella's biggest desire in life has always been such a simple one. She wants to be 'normal.' Unfortunately, that one simple wish has never been within her grasp. Coming from a long line of witches is bad enough, but she's even more different than t...
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Sometimes in life, things happen that can change you to your very core. One minute life is predictable, same as it's always been, but then in one moment, everything can change. I had a lot of moments like that the year I was seventeen... it all started one seemingly typical night, and nothing was ever the same again.
Sitting silently on the edge of my third-floor window sill, as I had been doing for the past two hours, I tried to push my dejected thoughts aside enough to focus on the book lying open in my lap. The summer storm raging outside my window was a perfect reflection of my mood, seeming to encourage my negative thoughts to swirl faster. Finally accepting defeat, I tossed the book aside and pressed my forehead to the warm windowpane as the staggering loneliness and boredom became too much to allow me to focus on anything else.
My parents had remodeled the third floor of our house into my own personal little apartment. Still, despite the endless sources of entertainment they had provided, I often found myself disinterested and wishing for more out of life. I had everything I could possibly need up there, but somehow, it still wasn't enough.
No amount of material belongings could replace the human contact I was sorely lacking. Despite my parent's best efforts, none of the things provided could make up for everything I was missing as I watched life pass by from the third-story windows of our home.
A car horn suddenly broke through the roaring of the storm, drawing my attention to the driveway below just in time to see my little brother and sister run across the front yard laughing as the rain soaked them both. They jumped into the waiting car, and an awful pang shot through my chest at the sight. I wasn't sure if it was due to the nonexistent relationship with my siblings or because they were off to another fun night out with their friends while I was stuck on the third floor like the family's dirty little secret.
Venturing off my floor for the first time in days, I jogged down the stairs in search of my parents, planning to confront them for the millionth time now that my siblings were gone. The sounds of pots and pans clanging together led me to the kitchen.
"Where's Dad?" I asked, startling my mother and causing her to drop the pan she held. Without thought, I dashed across the room in a blur of movement and caught the pan before it hit the floor, saving the contents from spilling onto the pristine tiles.
My mother held a hand to her chest, breathing slowly in an attempt to calm her racing heart. Staying quiet so as not to anger her more, I waited patiently. Once calm, she shot me a reprimanding glare.
"I've told you not to do that," she said breathlessly.
"Which part? Sneaking up on you or moving so fast?" I asked sarcastically, referring to the unnatural speed I'd used to cross the room.
"Both, and to answer your first question, your father is in the living room watching the news."
"I didn't do it on purpose. Not my fault you didn't hear me coming. As for my speed, I thought that was the whole point of me never leaving the house. It's so that I'm free to be myself, right?" I asked in a slightly mocking tone, already knowing the answer. We had been through it all before.
