The Lost Witch

Chapter twenty-six

It took two days before Mr. Mendes and the school board finally decided on a punishment. As expected, it wasn't good. She had been hoping for a suspension. Detention for the rest of the year. Community service.

Not this time.

Expulsion.

Just great. The maximum punishment. An undeserved punishment, considering she had only been reacting to the boy that posed an immediate threat. But as far as the rest of the world was concerned, Aaron hadn't been anywhere near the incident. Mr. Mendes wouldn't even listen to her.

Aaron was popular, charming, well-liked, and she, well, she wasn't.

On Thursday, Shane left for work early. He's been working a lot recently, probably due to stress, but Paige couldn't help the nagging feeling that he was trying to avoid her. Apart from speaking in passing, he's hardly uttered a word to her in days. She knew he was angry. No, disappointed, but she didn't know how to approach him.

Just give him time, she thought as she cleared the table after a breakfast of toast and jam. She didn't have enough ambition to make anything more than that. She had just finished stacking the dishwasher when she heard a sound. It was faint at first, hesitant, then grew to a full-on pounding.

Paige left the kitchen and approached the front door cautiously. Surely Aaron wouldn't waste time in knocking on the door if he came to finish her off. He would have enough strength to tear the door from its hinges. Maybe toss it into oncoming traffic.

Paige peered through the peephole and released the breath she didn't realise she was holding. Her lungs ached as she swung the door open. The first face she saw was Kendall. No surprise there. What was a surprise was that Lucas stood a few feet behind her, hands stuffed into his pockets awkwardly.

"What?" She knew she was being rude, but she couldn't help it. Expulsion had been the last nail in her coffin. She wasn't just irked. She was enraged. Tired. Defeated. Aaron had won, but she had the feeling that he wasn't done with her just yet. "Shouldn't you guys be in school?"

"Yeah, like that'd happen now," Kendall snorted, strolling past Paige with a determination that wasn't like her. Paige followed her in through to the lounge. Lucas followed, closing the door as he entered. Last she heard, he was in hospital, but he didn't look that bad now.

Kendall spun around to face Paige, her heels digging into the carpet. "I've been calling you for days."

Paige lifted her shoulders. "I've been avoiding you."

"I figured. Why didn't you answer?"

Paige only stared at her. Kendall's eyes were wide, fearful, innocent. Her usual bubbly persona was gone, replaced with an intense, sullen front.

"Paige," Kendall said softly. "Lucas told me what happened."

Paige sat on the edge of the couch. She waited for Kendall to say more, for Lucas to finally speak, but it seemed they were waiting for her to speak instead. Paige looked over at Lucas. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a look in his eyes. The usual spark had dimmed from his intense eyes. Being attacked can have that effect on people.

"Lucas . . ."

"I don't remember much," he finally snapped, his eyes angry. "I remember speaking to you, then being on the ground, bleeding. I saw Aaron . . . he pinned you against the wall."

Hope raised in her chest. A witness. Finally. Someone to back her claims. Someone to see Aaron for the beast he truly was. Even though, despite his testimony, she doubted Mr. Mendes would believe him. Aaron had an influence over this town. Maybe it was part of his powers. His charms. Who knows.