Spellbound Secrets

Chapter One: A New Start

I felt the water fill my lungs. I didn't fight it, though my body told me to.

Move.

I let my body sink. It just felt like I was floating on a cloud.

Move.

The sounds of the ocean disappeared as a constant ringing took its place. A burning sensation fills my ears, but my body is too weak to react.

MOVE.

My body remained limp as I continued to sink into the bottomless ocean. The ambient noise resurfaced as the ringing faded into nothing. I watched the bubbles float to the surface before shutting my eyes.

I was finally at peace.

"SIRA!" A shock ran through my body as I felt it slam down onto my bed. I jump up and frantically look around my room until my eyes land on my mother. I scan my nightstand for my glasses, glancing at the clock on my desk. Shit. My eyes adjust to the prescription of my glasses as I look up to see my mother's face scrunched up and her hand tightly gripping a spatula.

"Jesus, I called your name at least five times since six o'clock. How do you not know how to get up by yourself?" I huff and rub my temples. She turns and makes her way down the hall, the wood groaning under her weight until it fades to silence. I slide off the bed and grab the towel at the foot of my bed.

I quickly make my way to the bathroom, peeking into my brother's room to see him rummaging through his bookbag. His room was neatly put together despite his habit to trash it every other week. I shower and take care of my other hygienic routines before running back to my room, shivering from the cold air touching my exposed legs under the towel.

I change into my premade outfit and grab my bookbag off my table. The sound of feet rushing into my room made me quickly turn to see my brother trying to catch his breath. He attempts to talk through his heavy breathing, but each time a wheeze would escape instead.

"Take all the time you need, please. I have ALL the time in the world." He took one more deep breath before sighing and finally speaking.

"I wanted to catch you before you walked out. Opinion on my outfit?" I did a once-over of his outfit before chuckling at his sweater. He looks at me smiling though I feel the negative aura radiating from him. "What's funny? Is it that bad?" Looking at his face again, I feel bad for laughing and shake my head in response.

"Nasir, I promise it looks good. You just need a few changes, you know?" His smile dips a little, but it returns brighter than before. He nods his head and sprints out of the room and down the hall, the floorboards creaking with each step. I make my way downstairs and catch a waft of pancakes and bacon from the kitchen.

Light footsteps quickly make their way to me as a calico cat appears in front of me. I smile and reach down to pet her, the vibrations from her purrs coursing through my arm like venom does blood. "Good morning to you as well, Niesha." I hear my mother scoff as I continue to make my way into the kitchen.

"Remind me why we still have that dumb cat? She doesn't do anything but sleep, eat, and take up space." I scowl as I grab the closest plate and sit on the barstool in front of the island. I mouth a thank you to my dad as he hands me a fork from the drawer.

"Remind me as to why we keep you if you act just the same." She keeps her eyes on the stove, but I watch as her grip tightens on the pan. If it isn't evident yet, my mother and I don't have a good history with one another. She has always put my brother as her top priority and me as the very last thing on her mind. The fact she has remembered my existence up until now is more surprising than anything she has done for me.