Simple Magic {Michael Clifford}

Chapter 1: When You Play With Fire...

I can't tell anyone. No one will understand. They will burn me at the stake. Haven't you ever seen the Blair Witch Project.

All these thoughts run through my brain as I look around my room. There were several candles placed neatly on my desk, each holding a small flame. A flame I had created. Let's just say, not with a match or a lighter.

I wonder what else I can do.

Slowly, I lift my hand towards my bookcase. Closing my eyes, I wiggle my fingers and simply tell the book to come towards me. Before I had time to think otherwise, the familiar feel of a book becomes present in my hand.

Amazing. What else?

I race down the stairs to the kitchen, almost tripping over my lazy black cat, Jace. I get a glass of water and set it on the counter, waving my palm above it before snapping. Small bubbles begin to rise to the top of the glass and steam is produced above it. With another snap, it becomes ice. Giggling, I look down at my palms. They were producing small beams of purple light. I wiggle my fingers, which causes me to unintentionally open the cabinet beside me. With another wiggle, it slams shut again.

Suddenly, headlights shine through the kitchen window, signifying that my mother was home from work. I quickly snap one more time, causing the water to liquify. Pouring it into the sink and running back upstairs, I hear the front door open and close as soon as I reach my bedroom. Footsteps travel up the stairs and towards me. Panicking, I run towards my bed and cover myself with the blanket, making it seem like I had been there the whole time.

"I'm home." My mother coos, opening the door to my bedroom, a radiant smile on her face. Her gaze shifts from me to the candles on my desk, then back to me. Before she looks back to the candles, I quickly run my fingers through my hair, causing the flame to extinguish.

"Hey mom. How was work?" I quickly say, taking her attention away from the candles, which she was now staring at. Her smile had dropped.

"F-fine. Um, I'm going to make dinner. What do you want?"

"I dont really care. Something tasty." I giggle, wiggling my eyebrows towards my mother.

"Gotcha. I'll tell you when it's ready." She says in response before shutting my door. Once her footsteps fade down the stairs, I loudly exhale, falling back onto my bed.

I loved my mom to death, after all, she was all I had left. Since my dad had left us when I was just a baby, it had basically been my mother and I my whole life. She was my rock and the only thing that kept me sane. The only other people I had in my life were my 3 best friends: Ronnie, Celia and Beth. I also had my step brother Ashton. The point was that no matter how much I loved any of them, this had to be kept my secret.

"Only 1 more year and I'll be 18. Then I can move out." I think to myself, pulling the blanket off of me and standing up. Studying my reflection in the mirror, my sweatpants hung low on my hips and my cami had rode up so you could clearly see my stomach. My long red hair was loosely in a bun on the back of my head and my massive black glasses had slid down to the tip of my nose.

They always seemed to do that, no matter how many times I had them adjusted. Ronnie would always push them back up for me, joking that I looked enough like a librarian just by wearing them. My ice blue eyes stare back at me from the mirror, and I tell myself I look fine.

If I say it enough, maybe I'll believe it some day. 

I pull my phone out of my pocket and send a group chat message to the 3 girls.

The woods? I'll bring the drinks. -G

Of course. Meet ya there in 15! -R

Fine. But not too late. Homework. -C