Twisted Bloodlines || Secret Circle Show

One: New Arrivals

Unedited.

Feel free to comment corrections, but -- please -- be nice.

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Update (1/3/22) There is some restructuring happening. Don't mean to mislead you all with these false updates. Apologies. 

***

It was another typically cloudy day in Chance Harbor when Cassie Blake arrived on her grandmother's doorstep. Several people had been anxiously awaiting her arrival. Though the circumstances were less than ideal and soaked in tears of grief, news of the new girl had already swept through the group by sunrise.

Sunbeams had only just begun to creep through the gaps in the drapes when Luce rolled out of bed. Light poured though the skylight -- a new addition to the antique house. The Carreno-Howard family had lived in the residence for decades and renovated aspects of the house as the years kept by -- which would explain the creaking of the floorboards in the attic room.

Luce tread lightly across the floor to avoid the older floorboards. The room was covered in intricate patterns, plants, and crystals littering the tables. The attic room was by no means small and by no means clean. Every little trinket had its place, but to the outside world it appeared to be a cluttered mess.

Luce quickly tended to her plants before releasing her mane from its ponytail and prepared for the day ahead of her. She pulled on a dark pair of jeans and a black tank top before pulling on her heeled combat boots. Her rucksack was swung across her shoulder before she headed for the door.

She paused at the doorway. Her eyes roamed the room one last time. The serenity of the room was inviting, but she had places to be.

***

A lukewarm cup of coffee was nestled in Luce's fingers by the time she made it to her locker. She deftly pulled open her locker without having touched the dial or having spilt the dark drink.

The dark roast washed over her tongue -- one creamer, one sugar. She switched out a few of her textbooks and raised the cup back up to her dark red stained lips, but it was snatched out of her hand.

"Gross," the cup was pushed back into her fingers. "You still drink your coffee like that?"

"Yes, Faye." Their dark eyes met. Faye's shadow -- Melissa Glaser -- stood by her side. "It might just be so people don't take it, but I should've known that something as dark as your heart would only draw you in."

"Aw, come on, don't be like that." Her lips were quirked up into a mischievous smirk that seemed permanently etched onto her face. "Sharing is caring."

"Mmmm," Luce let her locker close with a small thud. In her hands, a notebook with scribbles decorating it's cover and her coffee -- which she was now debating throwing at the brunette in front of her. "I only share with people I trust."

"You don't trust me?"

"No," she stared her dead in the eyes. "Like trusting my boyfriend with a girl who I though was my friend?"

The smirk stayed on Faye's lips, but Melissa fidgeted beside her friend. Her fingers had begun to twirl her hair as she avoided eye contact with either girl.

"If so, both are dead: the relationship and the trust. I really couldn't care less about sharing, Faye."

Luce pushed her way passed Faye slowly slinking down the hallway to her first period and leaving the trouble-seeking duo behind.

***

It seemed the bell above the door would never stop ringing as another customer entered the Boathouse. Luce paid it no mind and strung up the order of an elderly couple.

When she turned around to acknowledge the new visitor, a petite blonde was standing just passed the entrance talking with Mr. Conant and looking quite uncomfortable.

"Adam," she called toward the dark haired boy. "I think your dad is trying to scare away your destiny."

"Cut it out, Luce." He opened his mouth to acknowledge her comment further, but his eyes landed on the blonde talking with his father and he quickly made his way over with Luce in tow. "Dad, what are you doing?"

"Yeah, Mr. Conant," Luce piped up. "No drinking before dinner. That was the deal."

The group made awkward eye contact before Adam handed Luce his dad's glass. Her eyes narrowed on the glass and she turned to look at the boy with an eyebrow raised. He nodded his head away from the group and she disappeared taking the glass with her. She made her way to the bar's sink where there were piles of glassware. She took the time to wash those as well.

"Luce, do you mind taking Cassie's order?" Adam asked as he approached the girl.

"On it, chief." She mock saluted as he disappeared around the corner to deal with other things. Luce grabbed her notepad and made her way back out to the diner's main area. As she neared the blonde's table however, Cassie had already grabbed her purse and hastily exited leaving Faye and Melissa sitting in the booth gazing behind her.

"What did you say to her, Faye?" She demanded.

"I didn't say anything she didn't need to hear."

Luce glowered at her.

"Well, keep chasing away our customers and you won't be welcomed here anymore."

She made her way back behind the counter to retrieve the order of the elderly couple she had been waiting on earlier. Luce lowered her tray to her side after serving the two as watched the meddling brunettes from the corner of her eye. They had moved toward one of the diner's windows overlooking the parking lot. Following the girl's eyesight, her vision immediately locked on the smoke beginning to rise from a blue car.

Luce watched the ordeal before realizing that their were hands pounding on the window from inside and Cassie's face soon come into view. She quickly backed up swiveling her head around.

"Adam. Adam!"

"What, Luce?"

She grabbed his head and angled it toward the window. His eyes widened after landing on the scene and he bolted for the door. Luce followed behind him but stopped to grab a fire extinguisher on the way out the door. She was full out sprinting once her boots hit the asphalt and already angling the fire extinguisher toward the vehicle. A white cloud poured out of the valve and onto the fire that had sprouted, successfully dousing the fire as Adam finally pulled the car door open and yanked Cassie out.

The trio retreated from the hazardous scene. Their lungs yearn for air fresher than the smoke they had been inhaling. Luce sat on the ground. She could hear Adam repeatedly questioning Cassie on whether she was okay.

"Adam!" She finally shouted. "I think, she'll live. Give the girl some room to breathe."

The group fell into silence as they waited for Cassie to calm down. Luce let the two migrate toward the back of Adam's truck and said her goodbyes.

Her shift was over, and she did not get paid enough to be dealing with fires on a regular basis.