Becoming A Witch (Raya Book 1)

Chapter 11

     Raya didn't want to be a bother. She texted Shane Thursday morning wishing him all the best. She sent him her hopes that he would get better sooner rather than later. That whatever it was that he was coming down with wouldn't keep him away too long. She refused to allow herself to text him again, telling herself that he would respond when he was able. 

     She wanted to tell him how much she missed hearing his voice already. She wanted to tell him that she couldn't wait to see him again. She wanted to give him an update on her progress.

     Now that she was confident with controlling her glowing quirk, she started trying to control that whole pesky blowing-things-up thing. 

     Thursday afternoon, once Mavis left, and she finally got rid of the dog, she went to the local craft store and picked up a bunch of small balls of different materials and sizes. She was determined to go on about her life without thinking about the way Shane still hadn't responded to her text from that morning. She needed to keep her mind occupied now that her friend was gone, and the dog was no longer an issue. When she got back home, she figured it was too late in the evening, and instead of moping about, she took a long hot bath until just before retiring far earlier than she usually did.

     Friday morning, after allowing herself to text Shane just once, Raya lined up balls made of wood, styrofoam, plastic and rubber along the livingroom floor. She didn't have anything to work on, so she planned on spending the entire day trying to hone her magic.

     She sat cross legged three feet away from the disorderly line. Starting with the furthest end, Raya stared at the green styrofoam ball. She breathed deep,slow, even breaths. She felt the tension leave her shoulders. She could feel the familiar weight of magic pooling in the bottom of her stomach. She could hear the soft whoosh of the ceiling fan as it circulated air currents around the room.

     Alas, her vision began to tunnel until all around her disappeared. Raya gently reached out and splayed her fingers toward the ball. With one last deep breath in, she released it in a quick audible huff. With her exhale, she forced the magic through her body, through her palms, and toward the ball.

     To her great pleasure she saw the swirling ball of white light lunge out of her hands across the space.

     To her even greater displeasure, once the magic wore off, and her vision cleared, Raya saw the ball was still intact.

     Instead of hitting her intended target, she managed to send the magical orb of energy into the planter against the wall behind the row of balls. Soil, bits of leaves, and pieces of the clay pot were scattered all over the floor. She dismissed it with a roll of her eyes, and tried again.

     By the time the sun started setting, and the living room was cast in shadows, Raya successfully blasted nearly the entire wall leaving wreckage all along the floor. She was able to count three balls that actually exploded when she tried. Three.

     With her spirits beginning to wain, Raya finally gave up and began cleaning her colossal mess.

     Raya slid the couch over the tile floor to block off the holes in the wall until she was able to have it patched. Maybe tomorrow if Shane is still sick. She thought.

     She was in the middle of moving the coffee table when there was a determined knock on the door. Raya looked over, but it was too dark to see through the colorful frosted glass.

     Raya checked the mirror to make sure her magic was gone, and reached for the handle. She flipped the light switch for the front porch and called out, "Who is it?"