Charmwood Academy

by S C Thomas

  Her eyes widened in shock at his statement. “I need to what?”

  “Learn control.” He shrugged and looked down, reach up to thumb through a book on his desk, uninterested by the conversation at hand. Or maybe just acting like it, Emma couldn’t tell the difference. “Just shape up your control and that won’t happen again.”

  “So, I did do it?”

  He nodded, bending over to examine a page he’d opened the book to, humming slightly to himself.

  “Uncle Marcus!” She screeched, eliciting a look of surprise as he shot his head up, eyes wide at her tone. “Please talk to me,” She begged. “I don’t know what’s going on. I feel like I’m going insane here! You’re the only person who can give me answers right now and I want to know what’s going on!”

  His eyebrows burrowed together, looking at her in confusion. “I assumed your mother told you. About being a witch. Did she teach you about spells, about magic?”

  Emma blinked, staring at him with her mouth partly open. “What?” She shook her head, trying to make sense of what he said. “Okay, maybe I’m not the one going insane here. Maybe it’s you.” She accused, shaking her head violently one more time. “That’s insane! I’m not a witch.”

  He gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m not dear. Your mother never told you?”

  Emma glared at him, but through the food caking her face, she wasn’t sure he could really see her doing so. “She didn’t believe in magic.” She stated simply and got a grimace from him. It filled her with momentary delight to see real discomfort come from him.

  “She said that?”

  Emma shifted her feet and shrugged. “Not exactly, but she never said she believed either. So, I just assumed, especially since she wouldn’t let me read books like Harry Potter or anything else to do with magic and witches and wizards and all that.”

  He stood suddenly, rounding the table. “Never let you?”

  Emma shrank back, eyeing him, and shook her head. She couldn’t speak with him towering over her now. It wasn’t like back in the foster home. Here, he seemed to radiate a different kind of aura. Something that her fearing for the need to distance from one another. He stopped inches from her, looking at her curiously.

  “How odd.” He murmured, then turned and returned to his previous position at his desk. “How very odd. I never thought she would actually go to such extremes to keep you from knowing.” He muttered, but it was loud enough for her to hear. Either that or his voice just echoed in the massive room really well.

  She glanced around, taking in the bare black walls that matched the door. Not a single photo to depict his life hung there and when she looked back at the desk, she noticed how there still wasn’t one. As if he didn’t want his outside life crowding his work area or he just didn’t have one in general. But even if he didn’t have one, where was a family picture? One of his parents? He had to have something to show he had some sort of family, didn’t he? Emma convinced herself that he did, but there was no picture at all to depict who was in his life.

  “Don’t you have family?” She asked curiously, looking around again as if searching for something she had missed, though she was sure that all the walls had been blank.

  “Hmm?” He looked up at her, a half-dazed look in his eyes. He blinked and then realization of what she had asked dawned on him. “Oh, well you’re my only family. It was me and your mother for the longest time. Then you came along. Now it’s just me and you.” He shrugged, bending his head over the book once more.

  “Just us?” Alice asked in confusion, her heart twisting.

  If he was telling the truth and it really was just the two of them, what did that mean for their family? How could it only be the two of them? There had to be more. Maybe her uncle had kids he just didn’t know about, a woman who hated him dumping her so to punish him had kept his children secret. Yeah, that had to be it. It just had to be.

  He nodded again, but he was immersed in whatever he was looking at, he barely even acknowledged her existence as still being there for the moment.

  “I still don’t understand,” she pressed, intent to get his attention back on her and answers given instead of more questions popping up beforehand. “Witches and wizards and whatever, magic, only exist in books. Not real life. I’m not a witch.”

  He sighed, his head drawing up, eyes assessing her coolly. She’d finally got his full and undivided attention. “Your mother really didn’t tell you.” It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyways. “Haven’t you noticed the signs then?”

  She looked at him wearily. “What signs?” She asked, already regretting that she even bothered asking. She wasn’t sure she was going to like this answer either.

  She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to believe him or not. It seemed farfetched, something brought out from a storybook or something. She couldn’t exactly, but it was made up. It had to be. It just didn’t seem real enough.

  “The signs. I dunno, they’re different for everyone when your powers are making an appearance, but if you’d known about them you would’ve recognized the signs.” He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. “For one, what you did today, was magic. It wasn’t a trick, the windows were opened, and no gust of wind could make that happen. Actual signs such as a tingling sensation or something strange and unique that you just can’t explain happening.”

  She blinked, realizing what he was talking about, that it had happened to her. The strange tingling sensation when she had entered the grounds of the school. How she had felt excitement, or at least chalked it all up to excitement. It had seemed so easy to just think it was excitement and nothing more.

  “Strange things?” She echoed, scrunching her eyebrows together, a memory drawing in her mind. “Like- Like making a pool heat up. A regular pool, not a hot tub.”

  His eyebrows shot up, a pleased grin crossing over his face. “A pool? Now that’s wonderous.” He nodded, complimenting her ability, which only flushed heat across her cheeks and she ducked her head to keep him from seeing her blush. “When did you do that?”

  She bit the inside of her cheek and looked up at him slowly, fiddling with her shirt. “The- erm, the day my mother and I got into the accident. I took off my necklace and it happened.”

  He titled his head, looking at her curiously, almost too curiously. She shifted in her spot, trying to look away from him, but everywhere she looked was just bare wall. There was nothing to look at. Finally, she had to force herself to look back at him, waiting for him to speak as she didn’t know what she was supposed to say.

  “You have a lot of catching up to do.” He finally said, lowering his arms to clasp his fingers in his lap. “A lot.”

  She looked at him in confusion. “Catch up for what?”

  “Your lessons. Magic. Control. Everything.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Kids your age- “

  “I’m a teen.” She interjected, huffing. “Not a kid.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Teens your age, are in their third year of classes. Your about two years behind everyone your age.”

  Her heart sank. “Two years behind?” she said softly. “I’m two years behind? In exactly what am I behind in?”

  “Magic,” he huffed, his chest falling heavily. “Your academic depends where you were in regular schooling, but your two years behind in everything magic. And if you don’t get caught up, and quickly I might add, you won’t be able to participate in the Familiar Trials.” He grimaced, as if that were the worst thing in the world. His scar twitched at the movement.

  “The Familiar Trials?” She questioned; her interest piqued once again. “What’re those?”

  He shook his head, making that waving movement once again. “Not now, Emma. You need to focus on catching up first. You don’t need to worry about the Trials if you aren’t caught up. Once you get caught up, then we can talk about them.” He nodded, his head bobbing like a bobble head. “We’re going to have to get you help, but we’ll figure out the detai
ls for that later on.”

  Emma frowned, crossing her arms over her chest again, glaring at him. Which only seemed to thrill him, and he chuckled, shaking his head. “You are just like your mother.” He mumbled, turning to fiddle with a drawer in the desk.

  Emma’s heart lurched, pinging in pain. “I’ve been told.” She said dryly, looking down at her food covered shoes. “What happened between you two?”

  Silence and she looked up underneath half closed eyelids. He was staring at her, jaw set as if trying to contemplate on what to say. Or lost in a memory he didn’t want to yet talk about. Clearing his throat, he turned his head, slamming the book shut. “Maybe another time, Emma.” He murmured.

  She frowned, eyeing him. “Another time? Seriously? That’s your answer for everything, isn’t it?”

  He cleared his throat, shaking his head as he rubbed his head. “Not now, okay?”

  She pursed her lips together but didn’t press on the subject. She wanted to know things, needed to know what had happened and why he had been kept a secret from her. Maybe he knew why her mother had always run, why they always packed up and left. If he knew, he could tell her, and she wouldn’t feel like she was going insane making up answers that just didn’t make any sense whatsoever in her head. If he knew, he could tell her everything. That’s what family was for, wasn’t it? To help one another. But her uncle didn’t exactly seem so forthcoming with answers or to even be a family. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve accused him of feeling obligatory to take her in, to allow her to be at the school. Maybe he did because he did want family, he just didn’t know how to go about the whole thing of having any around him. It’d had to be a while since he’d had any. She’d never met him, which mean whatever had happened between his and her mother’s relationship had happened before she was born. Nearly sixteen years of no family had to bring forth some kind of damage in that area, especially since he didn’t have a girlfriend or wife or any kids (that he knew of anyways).

  “Why didn’t you come sooner?” She finally asked, pushing for more answers to a different subject this time.

  His eyes flicked up at him. “What?”

  “My mother died over three months ago. I was left to be in those horrible homes. Why didn’t you come sooner for me? I could’ve caught up a lot sooner.”

  He pressed his lips together and sat back, his seat creaking, groaning at the movement. “I would’ve, if I had known sooner. With your mother’s estrangement, I wasn’t exactly notified the minu- “

  “Don’t lie!” she said loudly, her face heating up, but only in anger this time. “I remember. Do you think I don’t? I dream about it every night; I remember nearly every detail. My memory is intact.”

  He paled, dropping his gaze to his hands. “You do?”

  “Yes! You were there, you were at the crash! So why did you wait three months to get me? You knew what happened, you were there at the crash. You pulled me out of the car! So why didn’t you take me sooner? You knew!”

  He cleared his throat, shifting in his seat, looking quite uncomfortable and pulled himself to a standing position. “I see.” He breathed, shaking his head. He rubbed his face, muttering beneath his breath, words that were incomprehensible. “Look, Emma, maybe now really isn’t the time to discuss this…”

  “Then when?” She demanded, stomping her foot.” You keep saying that, but when exactly? You bring me to this weird school, tell me I’m a witch or whatever, and then refuse to give me answers? I need answers, Uncle Marcus. You’re the only person who can give me them! My mother is dead, remember? And I have no clue on my father anymore. I always assumed he was dead. Is that even true though? I don’t know!” She threw her arms up in exasperation, tears budding in her eyes, but this time mostly from the frustration she felt.

  “Emma, you will get the answers you deserve; I promise. But in due time. You just have to be patient. Things are working out, alright? You just have to have faith, that’s all.” He sighed, running his fingers through his jet-black hair. “Look, I’m not good at this family thing. I’m really not. I’m sorry, but I do swear I’m trying. I will give you the answers you deserve in due time, when it’s the right time. But right now, isn’t.”

  As she opened her mouth to reply, a knock on the door echoed in the room and a heart shaped face popped in, looking worried, her eyes on Marcus only. “Sir, the girl is hurt pretty badly. You need to come see to her.”

  Emma’s eyes widened realizing who she was talking about. She breathed in a rough breath, her chest tightening. “Sherice? She’s hurt?”

  The girl flashed her eyes to Emma and nodded, dipping out of the room as she closed the door behind her. Emma turned to her uncle, her hands trembling.

  “I-I didn’t – I didn’t mean to hurt her.” She stammered.

  Marcus looked at her in bewilderment, his eyes half glazed over, as if he had left the attention of the world for the moment. “I know you didn’t.” He said airily, waving her off, and stepped around her. He paused with his hand on the door and turned back to her. “Look, Emma. I know things aren’t easy and it’s going to take time for you to adjust to everything, but I promise it’ll straighten out soon. Once you figure out your place here, you’re going to fit in just fine. Haven’t you wanted to fit in before?”

  She hesitated, but then nodded realizing how true his statement was. She had never felt at home, anywhere. It didn’t matter how long they stayed in a place, she always felt like the outcast. She may’ve mastered how to blend in, but it wasn’t her place to be and deep inside, she had always known that. She had always been a misfit. She just never admitted it to herself until now.

  He nodded in response. “See? You’re going to fit in here just fine. You’ll finally have somewhere to call home, trust me.”

  She did trust him. That was the odd thing about it all. She did trust him and couldn’t help it. Despite him vagueness and his refusal to answer most of the questions she voiced, she did trust him. Maybe it was because he was family, maybe it was because he had saved her from a life she just didn’t want to be, couldn’t be, in any longer. Whatever it was, trust was a must to have and she had it for him.

  “Okay,” she agreed and smiled softly when he grinned at her, watching him leave and left her alone.

  She stood in his office, unsure what she was supposed to do now. She guessed she was meant to go back to her dorm. Maybe if she talked Kelyn into it, she could bring her something to eat. Or sneak down later. Her stomach gurgled, reminding her of just how hungry she was. She wanted to eat but going back to dining hall didn’t exactly seem like the most appealing thing to do in the world. Not with how things had ended and despite Sherice being out of there, no doubt everyone would be looking at her if she made another appearance. She really didn’t want more attention then was necessary at this point. Because it would be the talk of the school for quite some time.

  And she just needed to focus on her schooling, get caught up, however she was going to do that. He had said he was going to help her get help, a tutor probably, but she suspected she was on her own for the night, and she really needed to get out her dirty clothes and get a proper shower in. Get all the grime and food out of her nails and from beneath her undergarments where food just didn’t belong. That would have to be the starting point, then she’d go from there.

  Seven

  The schedule was crumpled between her fingers, the letters slightly smudged from tears of stress that fell from her eyes. It was far more intense than a regular high school schedule. This one was littered with her day classes, shifting between regular academics that were obviously needed to survive in the world on a daily basis, and magic classes that had names that made no sense to her. She would switch between them, one day in academics the next with magic. A regular A and B schedule like she’d had in the high school she’d left behind. But go figure that this morning her first class would be a magic one. Of course, it was! She had been thrown in her, given information about the world revolving a
round magic, and she was some kind of witch and now this. She just couldn’t seem to get a break, could she? She knew nothing about any of this and was now expected to just head off to class and do whatever she needed to do to pass.

  This was going to be fun. Wait, no it wasn’t. How could it be fun when she didn’t even know what she had done yesterday? How could it be fun when she didn’t have control, just like her uncle had proclaimed? She needed an extra day, just to get acquainted with things, to maybe even study in her books. Not to be thrown right into a class where she would have absolutely no idea on what she was supposed to be doing. Did her uncle really expect her to just fall in and know it all? Couldn’t she be excused until she knew what was going on? Doubtful. If that was possible, she doubted she’d be headed off to her first ever magic class the day after having arrived and learning what she was.

  “You clean up well.” Kelyn commented, startling Emma who jumped nearly a mile back in surprise at opening her door to the voice.

  Kelyn grinned, looking at her shyly beneath hooded lids. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve been waiting for you. I didn’t want to knock, I thought it would be rushing you on your first day.”

  Emma eyed her, lips pursed, but didn’t move towards her. “Why were you waiting for me?”

  “To walk you to your class, of course.” Kelyn shrugged, her arms folded around a leather-bound book, holding tightly to it.

  Emma stepped forward cautiously, biting her lips before she peered out around the door, making sure no one else was waiting to give her another near heart attack. “Why?” she asked curiously, eyeing the girl once again.

  Kelyn’s grin faltered, but she forced it to stay on her face as she looked at her curiously. “Because isn’t that what friends do for each other?”

  Emma blinked, taken aback by the proclamation and then nodded slowly. “Sure.” She agreed, not wanting to admit to this girl she had no idea what friends did for each other.