Under the Moon - Book 1 in the Bewitching Moon Series

Chapter 2

Walking to your next class in Westview High was torturous, the hallways were always so crowded. All I wanted to do was get to math class on time, we had a big test today, and Mrs. Jameson said that if we were late she was going to deduct points from our grade.

I was so focused on trying to get to class on time I didn't see Jake come up next to me. He shoved me lightly but since I wasn't paying attention I ended up tripping over myself and almost fell to the ground.

"Hey! What was that about?" I said furiously.

"You know, you don't always have to act like a know-it-all. No one likes a know-it-all."

"So this is about me beating your ass again in the spelling bee? You know, maybe you don't have to be best at everything," and with that, I turned and went back on my way to math class.

"You know it's with that attitude and your ugly looks that you don't get a good man like me," Jake says almost too loudly from behind me. I try to cool my anger, Jake is just being petty. I fail though and turn around.

"You have no right putting my love life or my looks into this argument, you are just a petty jerk. Maybe that's why you can't catch a good girl and only bring home bratty hoes." I played at his own game, not expecting the reaction I was going to get. Everyone in the halls stopped to see what the argument was about. Jake's face got bright red with anger, and obviously looking for an ego boost, he slammed me into the locker behind me.

"No one talks to me like that!" He spat in my face.

"Well, no one talks to ME like that. Now get off me!" I shouted, not realizing I had gone out of control. I shoved Jake, not realizing the out-of-control part of me used my telekinesis. I had "shoved" Jake into the crowd behind us, which was at least four feet away from us. It was going to be a miracle if I could slip out of this one. I have made slight mistakes in the past, but most were small and easy to cover with an alibi. This one was going to be a bit harder.

"How the hell did you shove me that hard?" Jake said with rage.

"Well, maybe I'm stronger than you as well," I said, trying to conceal the fear in my voice. A few people had taken their phones out to record, this was definitely going to end up on the internet. I decided that I was over with this and picked up my stuff so I could get to class. I was already late, and so was everybody else that was in the hallway watching, so it would be soon before they started heading to class too when they realized that there wasn't going to be a bigger fight.

***

"You're late Marabella," Mrs. Jameson said in a hushed but intimidating tone, "That will be ten points off your grade."

There was no point in arguing so I got to my seat and started the test. I needed all the time in the world because math didn't come to me too easily.

***

I passed in my test just before the bell rung, hoping that I would at least get a good grade with the ten points being deducted for being late.

As I walked down the hall I noticed that everyone was staring at their phones and whispering amongst themselves. I snuck a quick glance over someone's shoulder to see what they were looking at. They had Instagram opened and the video that was playing was none other than the video taken of me shoving Jake four feet away from me. This irritated me as I walked down the hall to study hall period. As people looked up from their phones and saw me, their eyes widened and they stepped back. As soon as they were behind me I heard them whispering though. This was going to be a really hard mess to clean up.

***

I sat in the library reading a random fantasy book that I had picked up because I was bored. I had finished my English homework but there were still fifteen minutes left in study hall.

I slammed the book shut and slide it across the table. The way this book portrayed witches was awful and I was offended. This is why when I read fantasy books I stick to mermaids or dragons. Although I don't really understand why any books that have anything to do with witches, is considered fantasy. We are obviously real. I took a deep breath to calm myself before taking out my phone. Any social media platform I opened had the video of me and Jake all over it, the video had gone viral. This was all too much so I just got up and walked out. It was only a few minutes left till lunch anyways.

The bell rang as I walked the empty halls, causing it to flood with students once again. I got to the cafeteria and paid for my lunch. I knew that if I was going to eat in the cafeteria I was going to get stared at, so instead, I took my lunch back up to the library to enjoy some peace and quiet, and maybe come up with a plan to fix this mess.

As I bit into my slice of pepperoni pizza, I heard footsteps behind me so I turned my head to find a guy with nicely tanned skin, broad shoulders, and blonde hair which he swiped away from his grey-blue eyes.

"Hey, I'm Aiden," the guy said a bit awkwardly, waving his hand. "I saw the video online and thought that it would be nice to meet you."

I internally groaned, couldn't I get a break from this video.

"Hey Aiden, I'm Marabella," I say, trying to clear any annoyance that might be in my voice from the mention of the video.

Aiden took the seat next to me as I took another bite of my pizza.

"So uh, it was pretty brave of you to stand up to Jake I guess. No one ever does that."

"Well, it was about time somebody did. The guy's a jerk with an ego that's so big, no skyscraper could even try to compete." Aiden chuckled at this.

"You got that right. So how were you able to shove him that hard? You had him crashing into the crowd behind you."

I shrugged trying to quickly form an alibi in my head. I was hoping that I would at least get home before someone asked me that. Then I would've had more time to think of an answer.

"I don't know, I guess I just had an adrenaline rush or something. I mean I really hated the dude so it's no surprise." I tried to sound casual and hoped that Aiden would believe it. I really couldn't afford for people to get suspicious, especially when death could be on the line. An excruciating one at that.

Before Aiden could give a response, an announcement went over the intercom.

"Sorry for the interruption. Could Marabella Cooper please come to the front office? Marabella Cooper, thank you."

Oh great, now I was getting in trouble.

"Well, I guess I got to go," I said, standing up and collecting my stuff.

"Yeah, I'll see you later," Aiden said as I walked off to face my doom.