The Seventh Member - The Secret Circle

Chapter 26

I'm sick so that's fun.
Happy Halloween!!

Evie:

I woke up and got dressed for school. I wore black skinny jeans, a black cropped racer back tank top, with black heeled boots. I put on a silver heart necklace, mascara and a little lipstick, and curled my hair.
I drove to the school, and went inside. I was at my locker, when suddenly it was slammed shut. I looked up, to see a boy I recognized but didn't know. Obviously I'd seen him around school, but never actually met him.

"It's been months. Where's Luke?" He asked, even though it seemed to be a statement.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied and looked around, trying to see if I could spot my friends.

"I think you do. You see, I know something's off about you. Your.. beauty can fool anyone here but me. You threw my boy into a wall and made his nose bleed then one day," he made a motion with his hands, "poof. Gone."

"I seriously don't know what you're talking about. Yes I knew Luke, yes I punched him, but I didn't abduct him if that's what you're suggesting. Now, unless you have something solid, this bell is going to ring in a few seconds and then you'll be late to class," I shrugged. And indeed, the bell rang. He ran off, and I smirked for a moment and then it went away. I found an empty classroom, and texted my friends to meet me there.

"What is so important you had to pull me out of biochem for? Mom's going to get on my ass," Faye groaned.

"Someone suspects me of having something to do with Luke's sudden disappearance."

"What? Who?" Adam asked.

"I don't know his name, but he was one of Luke's football buddies. Dark skin, buzzed hair, dark brown eyes, built, maybe six foot?"

"Kaden Baker, runner back," Faye responded. "I may have a bit of a history with him."

"Oh?"

"Don't look at me like that. I led him on and then ghosted him to put it short."

"Well, he basically suspects Evie of abducting or killing Luke, and he's not going to stop until he gets evidence she had something to do with it," Diana said. "We all could be in danger of getting exposed."

"What are we gonna do?" Cassie asked. "It's not like we could just eliminate the problem like Luke, that's murder and we aren't killers."

"No one said we had to kill him," Adam responded. "We could do that freezing spell on him, like what Amelia did to Heather Barnes."

"What? No!" I said. "We were smart enough to wake her and reverse the spell, what if someone does that to Kaden and then he comes after us?"

"Evie's right," Faye said. "But we have to figure something out."

"Ooh, what if we erase his memories?" Cassie asked. "I'm sure Kate can make him forget about Luke and suspecting Evie of anything."

"Cassie, I love you." Diana said as she walked out of the room. "I'll call her."

                                       ******

We went to the boathouse after school and I got my usual latte order.
"There's a winter dance Friday night, I'll be helping Sally set it up. Y'all wanna join?" Cassie asked me, Diana, Melissa, and Faye.

"Sure," Diana responded.

"Can't," Faye replied. "I have a thing."

"You have a thing?" I asked.

"Yeah, don't question it."

"Okay then," I said. "Well, I'll be there."

"Great," Cassie smiled.

"How's Jake?" Diana asked. "We haven't seen him lately."
Adam tensed at the mention of Jake, but remained silent.

"He's fine, I guess. I haven't seen him since Kate arrived."

"That's odd," Cassie said in an unusual tone, though I thought nothing of it.

"I'm sure he's fine," I responded shortly. "I have to go, I have homework," I said. I grabbed my bag, latte, and car keys, and went outside to the parking lot. As I got into my car, I saw that man again. The one I used to see when I first moved here.
By now it doesn't scare me, only confuses me. He's a witch, who was in the boatyard fire, who's alive, and is using magic as a way to contact me for no specified reason. I ignored it, and drove home. I walked up to my door, only to find it cracked.

Slowly walking inside, I entered my living room from the corridor, and jumped.
"Jesus Jake, what the hell?"
He stood in my kitchen, eating one of my apples from the basket of fruit on my island.

"Sorry, door was unlocked, I guess I forgot to close it. I was looking for you."

"Well I'm here and I have homework so, out."

"But I'm bored."

"That's not my problem. Go to the boathouse or the docks, or go back home and pretend to- I don't know- do magic or something."

"What's got you so stressed?" He asked.

"Maybe finding someone in my house!"

"Mm, nope that's not it." He plopped down onto my couch. I set my bag down and threw my keys onto the table next to the door.

"Have you and Cassie hung out lately?" I asked, sitting down on the couch beside him.

"Why? Jealous?" He smirked.

"No, just curious."

"I won't lie to you, if that's what you're trying to prove. Yes we have, but strictly things related to magic."

"Oh okay," I shrugged.

Jake:

I didn't want to tell her about asking Cassie to dive into my memories. My mind is something I don't want to open up to Evie, it's dark and painful. She's never seen me that way, she's always seen the good in me, and I don't want to ruin that. But I wasn't going to lie to her if she asked.

"Was it bothering you?" I asked.

"No, she just seemed off at the boathouse earlier when Diana brought you up."

"Why did Diana bring me up?"

"She was asking why you haven't been around lately, and I'm kind of wondering as well."

"I've been dealing with some things, figured I'd keep my distance a bit. And since when do they care? They don't even like me."

"I don't know," she shrugged. She was silent for a couple moments, and I tried to study her expressions. Her eyes were distant, her mind in space, racing. Her chest rising and falling quickly, she was anxious. Her face still, tense.

"Will you go to the dance with me Friday night?" She randomly blurted out, her eyes shooting over to meet mine. I was ultimately stunned, and so was she it seemed. Her eyes looked anywhere but at mine now, as her mind hit millions of thoughts at once.

I quickly responded without control, "Yes." She seemed surprised, and my hand softly touched her chin, calming her racing head and stalling her eyes in one specific direction.. mine. She looked directly at me with wide eyes, but her anxious symptoms gone. She was relaxed, calmer. All I had to do was touch her.
I brought her face closer to mine, stopping when she was only inches away from my lips, and without patience, our mouths connected. My hands pulled her waist, bringing her small body closer to mine. Her chest was still, her breath halted.
We parted to catch our breaths, the beautiful gleam in her eyes capturing my attention as I couldn't look away. Everything about her was gorgeous and enthralling. Captivating.

I left her house, with an ache to stay. Her smile, the brightest light to have shined upon my life. I couldn't stay away from her even if I tried, and I knew defying the witch hunters would cost me, probably my life, but it would be worth the time I had to be with her. It would be worth keeping her alive. I couldn't betray her again, and this time, I wouldn't make the mistake to let Eben manipulate me.

This chapter isn't long, but oh well. I'm tired but I'll be back next weekend.