MAGIC and All Other Deadly Affairs | COMPLETE!

ONE | Normative.

ONE | Normative.

Feet sank into soft dirt.

Roots rose – thriving around me but not with ill-intent.

The Empress has protection among her forest.

"Wake up."

Silver eyes.

I awoke so viciously my body shook and sweat flew off me in heavy droplets. With a racing heart and heaves for air so hard my lungs burned my attention was turned to survey the world around me. Rather, my room – teal walls, a dark rug. I had to chant to myself that I was safe.

Almost 19 and the simplest dreams caught me into a horror frenzied. But, I don't think it was my fault. The dreams started only a few weeks ago – and every night since then. A sigh escaped my lips, my eyes falling to the analogue clock beside my bed. Almost four in the morning.

There was no point in fall back asleep. My hand reached to push my thick framed glasses onto my face and I pushed myself up and out of bed. Herold the cactus on my desk seemed to call to me and I opened the windows to allow sunlight to bathe him today.

"Good morning Herold," I mumbled as I did ever morning.

He said nothing and I smirked slightly. I'd shit myself if he spoke back. With that, I threw on a pair of demi shorts and a sweater knowing as soon as mom got up in a few hours she'd go to the A/C first.

Then I did the walk of shame to my mirror – my dark brown hair hung just below my ear which seemed to refuse to grow any longer, my blue eyes hid behind my glasses, and if one were to guess by my flat chest, no booty and missing curves that I hadn't hit puberty yet they'd be right. I was almost 19 and still no period – mom wrote it off as me being a late bloomer but I had different conspiracies. The main one was I was an alien. God knows I didn't get my boring looks from my mom or dad.

"It's whatever," I told myself quietly.

I couldn't start to feel bad – I had no reason to shame myself in anyway. Well, at least I made Yuma look even prettier when we went out. Not that she needed it. That girl was a practically an Egyptian goddess. Bastet better watch her back – or more appropriately her tail. I giggled at that.

"Maeve, are you up?" Mom's voice floated through the thick oak door to bring my attention away from the mirror.

It didn't surprise me mom was up so early, normally (as a surgeon) she'd be home for a day or two then she'd be heading back to work for three for four days leaving just before dawn. It didn't bother me to be alone, I think she became a surgeon after my dad died fourteen years ago.

Another sigh left my lips.

"Yeah, I'm up," I called back.

Not even a few minutes later, my door popped open a jar and the blonde woman's bright blue eyes and smiling face.

"Mom! I could have been naked!" I cried.

She rolled her eyes, "Sweetie, you don't have any merch to cover up."

My eyes narrowed as a frown plucked onto my face and she laughed at me.

"I just wanted to let you know, I'm heading out and I'll be back in a few days – don't burn the house down, I love you, Yuma can sleep over if you want."

"Mom, I'm nineteen," my scold went to deaf ears.

"You're eighteen not nineteen yet, barely finished your first year of university, living at home," she retorted sharply, my eyes looked down, "I love you have fun!"