Regular

The Girl I Used To Be

Issac suggested I take a walk--but have two people go with me. Like, bodyguards or whatever. As much as I hated the idea of being treated like I was some fragile, clueless person, I just saved the arguement and had Fay and Erica come with me. I needed a break from Issac and Darnellel. Darnellel, especially. Plus, Erica was mu friend. Fay was on her way to the friendship level. I'd talk to her later about why she hated me so much.

"Kate!" I heard someone call.

The three of us stopped and turned around. Ryder was running towards us.

"Ryder? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Anabelle's hurt. No magic of mine will help her," he said.

"Take her to the hospital, you dumbass!" I slapped his head.

"She won't make it there, bitch!" Ryder hit me back.

"Well, then, where is she?!" I yelled.

"Follow me," he said and took off.

"I'll be back," I told them as I followed Ryder.

Apparently, they wanted to see this, because I could hear them running after me. I knelt by Anabelle, who was bleeding from her stomach. She was crying her eyes out, probably hoping that I would save her. Anabelle loves life. She lived every day to the fullest. I quit thinking about that, and racked my brain for the spell that healed bleeding.

Master's words replayed in my head: In my eyes, you've already been training others. I don't know if you see it, but when you perform your magic, everyone else tries to mimmick you.

I tuned the rest of the world out, and only thought magic. I moved my hands six inches above the and closed my eyes. I whispered a healing spell I knew, but it wasn't in English, as I made my hands move in a circle above Anabelle's wound. I set my hands down and looked at Anabelle, whose blood had disappeared. She sat up and felt her stomach where the blood had been.

She ambushed me in a hug and I chuckled. "Did you try to fight wolves again, or something?"

"No," she shook her head and looked at me. "I fell and cut my arm on a tree and as soon as I started bleeding, a group of vampires came... Apparently, I would taste good."

I looked over at Ryder and tilted my head. "Ryder? You said that you've fought off a whole coven of vamps before. Why couldn't you heal Anabelle?"

He shrugged. "I-- I don't know... Look, just leave me alone about it, okay?"

Ryder stood and walked away. Instinctively, I followed him. He put his head in his hands and sat in the grass. I sat next to him, confused.

"Are you okay, Ryder?" I asked him.

"I know why my magic doesn't work," he sighed.

"Why?" I asked.

"I... Kate, I don't have any magic. I'm nothing. I'm...human," he said ashamed.

"Wha--?"

"Kate," he looked at me. "You can't tell anybody. I'm only able to call myself a worlock, because I know a few tricks. I have no magic. My parents just didn't want me and dumped me here."

"Ryder, I'm so sorry," I whispered, wanting to cry.

"Don't be sorry, Kate. Please, just don't be," he shook his head.

"Who do you live with?" I asked.

"No one," he shrugged.

I couldn't take it anymore. I hugged him tightly, and we just sat there for a good thirty minutes of pure silence.

"Hey!" Fay called.

We flinched and I looked at her. "What?"

"I teleported Anabelle home. What's, uh... What's going on here?" she pointed at me and Ryder.

"He's a friend, Fay," I stood.

"Sure," Fay winked.

We all went back and I went straight to my bedroom. I had an overwhelming migraine that not even three bottles of pills could cure. I curled into a ball under the sheets and blankets and let my eyes rest. The games had begun, but I knew that this had just gotten started.

First the challenge started, then Nathan accused me of cheating--while he was cheating himself--then I met my brother, he wouldn't surrender his magic, Nathan and I ended our relationship, Darnellel and I got together, Molly hurt me--I still hate saying the "r" word--Darnellel propsed, and now this! Ryder was a human!! Wow!! I could only imagine what would happen next!

Maybe Fay would tell Darnellel that I was cheating on him with Ryder! And who knew where that would lead to! Maybe one of us would end up killing ourselves! And now that I thought about it--it didn't seem like a terrible idea. Maybe that was the solution to it all--just leaving. Leaving would mean that I wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again.

But no matter what I tried, no matter what thought.... I couldn't bring myself to go through with it. I couldn't bring myself to do anything I wanted anymore. When I was in school--when I was with Nathan--I could do anything I wanted. If I wanted a higher grade, they'd give it to me. If I wanted a few extra minutes to get to class, I'd get it.

But that life was over. I didn't know if I'd ever go back to school. I wanted to. I wanted to be normal again--or as normal as I could be. I wanted to just be Kate White--the girl who had the perfect life. The girl I used to be was fun, outgoing, sensible... The girl I used to be had a boyfriend that didn't want to get married at seventeen.

I took a deep breath and picked up my phone, dialed a familiar number, and waited for the line to connect.

"Hello?" he asked into the phone.

I cleared my throat. "Hey, Nathan. It's Kate."

"Kate? You're actually calling me?" he laughed.

"Yeah, I... I wanted to know if you could get me out of here," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because.... I can't take it. And... Issac didn't really give you a chance to talk. I mean, I'm still mad about what you did, but...I want to hear your side--hear what you want."

"Is that what you want?" he asked.

"Only one way to find out," I laughed uncertain.

"See you in an hour," he said and the lines disconnected.

Was I doing the right thing here?