Avery gave her a weak smile and said, “I knew it since the first time I saw you sitting alone in the library. One of my powers lets me see the auras of other witches. They all have different colors and shapes, depending on their personality and abilities. I haven’t seen many auras besides my family's in a while, but yours… yours was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It was dark and deep. It swirled around you with such delicate precision, like someone was playing the world's saddest song composed just for you. It was just so captivating, I couldn’t take my eyes off you. Until I realized I was staring for too long, bordering on creepy, and that’s when I came up to talk to you.”

Beatrix felt a shiver run down her spine as he spoke. She remembered the first time they met, how he approached her with a friendly smile and a compliment. She thought he was just being nice, but now she realized he had an ulterior motive. Betrayal twisted her stomach, but it also piqued her curiosity. What the fuck? He's a witch too? His powers are so strange... What's he really after? Fuck, I'm such an idiot... Although, he did just tell me the truth... It's not like I'm in a position to be picky with friends, especially another witch.... Should I trust him? Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face, searching for a hint of deception or sincerity.

“So you’ve been lying to me this whole time? Pretending to be my friend, when you really wanted to find out about my powers?”

While still keeping his eyes on the foggy road of the parkway, Avery adamantly shook his head and said, “No, no, tha- that’s not true. I mean, yes, I was curious about you, but once we started talking I also genuinely grew to like you. You’re the whole package dude, you're smart, cute, funny, down to earth, and to top it all off, you're just the perfect amount of weird. Witch or not, I wanted to be your friend. I couldn't just walk away from the 'what if' of you. But I also wanted to help you. I know being a witch is not as easy as it sounds. There's not many of us openly out here, and I know it can get lonely, and maybe that’s more about me than it is about you, but it’s the truth." He reached for her hand, pleading, "You have every right to be mad at me. I'm really, truly sorry. I should have told you right away."

She wanted to stay upset, yet she couldn’t help but understand where he was coming from. His voice was warm and sincere just like his hand pleading for hers on the arm rest between them. She squeezed his hand and before letting go she said, “I've never seen an aura before. What does yours look like?”

Avery finally exhaled, and chuckled with relief “My aura is blue, like the sky on a hazy day. It's kinda like a fuzzy static around me. Auras are related to our strongest abilities. I can manipulate the weather. Clouds are surprisingly tricky, but I have a knack for electricity. Which, as you can tell, is a helpful skill when you need a distraction."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Beatrix was torn between awe and curiosity as she listened to Avery’s revelations. "Wow. I'm like, legitimately thunderstruck. And yes that pun was absolutely intentional. I guess you should know something about me first. My mom has tried to keep me sheltered from other types of magic. I've only been around a few other dark shadow witches. Mainly my mom's friends from 'back in the day'. And I've only heard bits and pieces about light vail witches from sneaking in on my mom's conversations..."

She paused collecting all the thoughts running at light speed in her head. Avery was honest with her, and she wanted to return the favor without sounding too excited or coming off as too crazy too soon. Lowering her defenses and exposing her true self usually was the reason all of her attempted friendships were short-lived. The honest, strange, and unapologetic Beatrix, was used to staying hidden behind the walls that she built, living between reality and her own world. Somehow, despite only knowing each other for a few hours, Avery found a way to seep into the cracks of those walls. Unknowingly her defenses weaken around him. Maybe he won't be like the others. Maybe he'll actually stick around. After a few seconds she continued. "The kind of magic you're telling me you have, I've only read about in a few books. It's not something that's widely written about. I know weather manipulation is a light magic ability. But aura readers are extremely rare, that ability is neither light or dark. I don’t want to stir the cauldron before it boils, but it kinda sounds like you're an unclaimed?"

His mouth slightly fell open, stunned by her assumption. He recovered quickly and replied, "Holy shit, you are such a Ravenclaw!"

Beatrix rolled her eyes. Ha, Ha, Ha, how original... That wasn't the first time a Harry Potter reference was used by someone to describe her. This time she let it go, she was way more interested in his answer.

"I have soooo many follow up questions, but I'm gonna save those for later. Seriously though, you shouldn't second guess your cauldron stirring abilities. When I first saw you struggling with Algebra, I didn't know I was in the presence of a magic historian."

Beatrix was right! She lightly slapped her knee in celebration while whispering to herself, "I knew it!" Casually glancing over to Avery, she proudly admitted, "Thanks, I know I'm a nerd, and I'm convinced Algebra is the work of the Devil himself."

He chuckled at the unexpected confidence in her response. "You're welcome. Maybe one day I can change your mind about Math, but I'm honestly impressed that you know anything about unclaimed witches. And you're not the only one who's curious about what my dark ability is. I've always felt like something was off about me. Like a part of me was missing, something I couldn't explain. Maybe you and your archive can help me figure it out."

She immediately wanted to help, and while in the process also learning more about him and his powers. At the same time she felt a nagging pang of guilt and fear infiltrating her exploratory thought process. That familiar sharp violin note echoed in her mind. Hello Mother. Her mom would never approve of her being with someone as reckless and open with magic as Avery. Even more so now that he's the reason she skipped school. She knew her mom had a dark past, that for some reason was kept hidden. A reason Beatrix was deprived of all her life. A life she spent with answers mostly from books. Revealing themselves more trustworthy than her own blood. She knew deep down her mom didn't trust her with the truth. But just as strongly she knew her mom loved her. Fuck it, if Mom can have secrets, so can I.