In a lifetime

Chapter 57: Veronica Thompson

Yesterday was peaceful, a little too peaceful. Don't get me wrong I would love days like this but with Laurel, anything could happen. 

I texted Nessa as soon as I woke up to see if she's found anything. She says she hasn't but we should meet up anyways.

I get changed and before I head down to eat breakfast I look at my phone deciding whether or not to text Joseph to see how he's doing even though I would pose as a distraction.

I break and text him but all I get is "message could not send" I guess the witches' grounds have no reception, whatever he's fine.

Going downstairs I notice that my mom left a note saying she has breakfast for me in the microwave and that she loves me. It makes me happy that she still leaves notes and I go ahead and warm up my food.

While I'm eating I can't help but feel like I'm being watched. I turn around quickly but there's no one here or outside the windows, I must be going insane.

Once I finish I put on my shoes and head over to Joseph's. The entire time I swear I could feel eyes beaming into the back of my head, even with super hearing I can't hear anyone, no footsteps or heartbeats near me.

I shake it off when I get to Joseph's, Nessa lets me in.

I sit down on the couch as Nessa clears her throat, "I've done a lot of research but I can't find anything to stop Laurel" she says and we all look at each other expecting one of us to have an idea.

Come to think of it I might have one, "while me and Joseph were...out, we were tracking down trees infused with the dark magic Laurel has and Joseph said that once he destroyed them Laurel would be rendered defenseless to be killed" I say and Nessa looks at me with a bit of horror on her face.

"We're not going to do that, I was just saying that maybe we can use that plan but take out the killing part" I continue and now she's relaxed but I can tell that there's a massive hole in the middle of this idea.

Daniel gets our attention saying, "remember what that woman said to Joseph before he...killed her, she said that Laurel re-hid three things, if we find them then maybe we stand a chance" wow I guess no one wants to talk about the dark times.

It's not a bad idea but again there's a hole in the middle, where do we even find them. 

Joseph was the one looking for them but he's not here so I guess the best thing to do is wait.

Realizing it now Joseph is the main part, I mean we already knew that but really thinking about it we can't do anything without him, no plan will work without him.

We agree to wait for Joseph to come back but we will still think of something before he does, considering that we have no idea when that is.

We all decided to hang out for a while and Eli stands up. I'm guessing he's going to say something important.

"So yesterday I uh, I told Tristan about us," he says and everyone is in shock. 

Damn didn't expect that. "Are you happy with that decision?" Nessa says and he nods in response.

"After I told him I felt relief and joy and it feels like a thousand weights have lifted so yes I'm happy with what I did and now I feel less stressed," he says and we're all happy for him.

I just hope nothing happens to him because the last person we let in was killed.

Spending a little more time with each other, playing games, and talking, I can feel the group's morale boost.

Something on Eli's neck catches my eye, "um Eli, did you know you have a hickey?" I say holding in my laughter.

Looking at me in horror he pulls out his phone to look at it himself. "You can barely see it," I say trying to make things better but he just panics.

"If my parents see this they're going to kill me," he says but now I can't keep in my laughter.

As I'm laughing everyone does too, eventually, Eli joins in and relaxes. We give him suggestions on how to hide it and now he's finally calm.

I'm the first to say I'm leaving and everyone else stays. Walking home I again feel someone watching me, is it Laurel? No, if it was I don't think I would be standing here.

No matter how many times I turn around no one is there. I don't know if not telling the others was a smart move, probably not, but I want to make sure if it is in my head then I deal with it.

Getting home I immediately lock the front door and head to my room to relax, the only place I can't be watched.

I don't bother getting dressed in my comfy clothes. I lay down and slowly fall asleep.

Letting my worries drift away.