WITCHCRAFT

CHAPTER 8

To add insult to injury, the Cullen kids weren't at school on Monday.

Until he had invited her over to see her again she would have thought he'd avoid her and now his children weren't at school, all of them.

When she got out of the car in the school parking lot the sun already shined brightly down at her, immediately putting her in a good mood. She made her way to her classroom where the school secretary already stood outside to give her a slip of paper.

Alice, Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie had all been excused from classes by their father, Carlisle Cullen, for a camping trip.

"And we just accept that?", Lucy tilted her head at the secretary.

"I don't even know at this point", she rolled her eyes and shrugged, "But I suppose, when you look like Carlisle Cullen you can do just about anything and get away with it."

She walked away, off to the kids' next classes and with a scoff Lucy went into her classroom. Classes were uneventful that day. Angela had her last class with Lucy and stayed seated in her chair until everyone was out of the room as Lucy packed up her own things.

"You never told me how your date went", Angela spoke up, a frown on her face.

"What?", Lucy halted in her work. She hadn't told Angela that she had been on a date.

"Lauren and Tyler got into a fight so she didn't want to come to La Push with us", Angela told her, like that explained anything, "She went to do homework at the coffeeshop instead. And she said you were there, too. With a hot blond guy."

"Ange-"

"I thought it was you and me against the rest of the world", Angela immediately interrupted her, "And now you aren't even telling me when you're out on dates. Last year, Ricky Teller, you told me everything about that date, we laughed so much. Why can't I be your sister anymore?"

"Because he means more to me", Lucy said quietly, "Ricky Teller was a terrible date and we could laugh about that. But with Carlisle, I actually feel something. Like it could be something more longterm."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I'm responsible for you now, Angela. I can't introduce you to every boyfriend, tell you about every date and involve you in everything because anything could impact your life. And you should just enjoy life without sparing thoughts to your boring sister's love life."

"Luce, you're not boring", Angela muttered, "I only have you."

"Anyway, the date wasn't great", she shrugged, deciding it was best to just tell her now, "But I really like him so I'm seeing him again on Wednesday and I'm hoping- I don't know what I'm hoping. But I'll tell you when I get home after."

Little did Lucy Swan know, there was no way she would be telling Angela what she'd find out on Wednesday.

But Tuesday came around before that. It was another beautiful sunny day and the Cullens were still on their camping trip. Lucy began to doubt that she'd even find anyone at the address Carlisle had given her.

She went home in a bit of a sour mood that day. But all that changed when she arrived and found Charlie outside their front door. Angela skipped to him, greeting him with a short hug before unlocking the door and going inside.

"I'll get the key replicated tomorrow, I feel like you should have one", Lucy said in greeting.

"Oh, I have one", he half-grinned, "I just figured you'd be scared to find someone in your house when you get home, no matter who it is. And believe it or not, I didn't exactly want to give you a heart attack."

"That's very considerate of you", she smiled, leading the way inside.

He put a bottle of white wine into the fridge and opened the junk drawer for the pizza leaflet.

"I'll have the pepperoni if you're ordering", Lucy called out as she made her way up the stairs, "I'll just get into something comfortable and then I'll come back down."

"I'll have quattro formaggio", Angela called out from her room, "Are we doing your room today?"

She peaked her head into Lucy's room to find her pulling her college hoodie over a sports bra and some short sweats, "Yeah, you can help if you want. But after you finished your homework."

Angela nodded retreating into her own room, almost having a heart attack when she turned to see Charlie waiting in the upstairs landing area, "Jesus Christ, Charlie."

"See, this is why I didn't use my key", he deadpanned, "Are you dressed?"

"Yeah, come in", Lucy replied.

"Holy shit", he breathed out when he entered the room, "This room still looks like it did twenty two years ago."

"So you see why I feel the need to change it."

"Yeah, not a lot of kids wanting to sleep in the room they were conceived in", he raised a brow, nodding.

"Urgh, Dad, seriously", Lucy distorted her face into an expression of disgust, "I can't un-think that."

"What?", Charlie put his hands on his hips, "What do you think we did? Go out into the woods just so the baby we accidentally conceive doesn't have to think about it in her twenties? We were sixteen, Lucy, Jesus Christ."

"Okay, what is it with you two and Jesus today? Did I miss some spiritual awakening?", Lucy sidetracked, unwilling to keep talking about the accident her parents had that led to her.

Charlie chuckled, finishing on that note, "Right, the bed is different, I'm assuming you want to keep that."

And so the trio started into an afternoon of painting Lucy's room, up-cycling and building some furniture as they ate pizza and drank wine (and ice tea).

On Wednesday, it was raining. And the Cullens were back at school.