A few weeks have passed, Amanda begins to doubt if she'll receive an acceptance latter to Evermore Academy. A small piece of her begins to believe Sophie is correct about a potential letter. To Claire, Amanda's ignorance toward the hidden letter happens to be a selfish relief for her. Another day begins, Amanda awakes and prepares for school.

"Good morning sweetie". Claire closes a fridge door and places a jug of orange juice on the counter.

"Morning mom". Amanda reaches the end of the staircase. She appears in the kitchen, displaying a casually plain attire.

"I've got muffins toasting". Claire begins to collect a circular white plate from a cabinet.

"Good. Thanks. Can I ask something?". Amanda hangs her backpack on the back of a dining room chair.

"If the inquire begins with Evermore Academy, just forget it" Claire informs her.

"Mom, if you don't have to be embarrassed about your youthful past" Amanda assures her.

"If it were only that easy," Claire comments.

    Once breakfast is complete, Amanda leaves. In the large two-floor school library, her friends occupy a bright red couch. Amanda heads into the library and up the nearest staircase to join them. Sophie and Connor halt their conversation as Amanda comes into earshot. She greets them, sets her bag on the gray carpeted floor, and proceeds to sit the arm of the couch.

"Hey A. How's it going?" Connor asks.

"Fine..." Amanda answers.

"Still no letter" Sophie assumes and Amanda nods. "It's only been a short period of time. The guaranteed acceptance is still up in the air. Maybe Evermore Academy begins at a different time of the year".

"Just don't fixate on it," Connor advises, staring elsewhere.

The girls exchange a look and Sophie shrugs.

"Better get to class,". Connor gets up as the first bell rings. "See you two later,"

Later the girls head to the cafeteria for lunch.

"Is Connor okay? He seemed odd. What were you two conversing about?" Amanda half asks.

"Usual things. General life stuff. School, weekend plans". Sophie crosses her arms and pauses in the doorway.

"What else? Soph, c'mon. I can read you pretty well. You're holding back something. Tell me" Amanda replies.

"It'll complicate things". Sophie heads into the cafeteria. There is a brief moment of silence. "Look, Connor won't come out and admit it. But I don't think he wants you to go to Evermore".

"Then if that is true, why doesn't he just express it?" Amanda asks.

"Probably, because he knows you're excited about it". Sophie steps forward in the lunch line.

"So, what is your stance on it?" Amanda asks, curious to know if Sophie secretly held the same notion.

"I won't lie. It would suck to not have my best friend to see every day. But I think you deserve to be happy. If being enrolled at Evermore would make you happy, then I'm all for it" Sophie explains. "You always state, how you don't believe you belong here".

    The lunch line moves forward again. Soon, they each receive their portion of lunch, pay, and carry their green plastic trays to the first empty table they notice. Amanda sets her tray down and pulls out her chair. Sophie sits down, beside her. For the entire duration of the lunch period, Connor is absent. But Amanda decides to not let the absence of Connor bother her.

           During her lunch break at work, Claire goes home to have lunch and complete a few chores. She opens the door to Amanda's room to bring in some clean laundry. Then she decides to exit, only to see the small wooden box sitting on the nightstand out of the corner of her eye. She stares at the box, believing it looked familiar. But She decides to hold off her concerned notion, which would lead her to begin going through her daughter's belongings. She exits the room and closes the door behind herself.

"So, do you think you'll do it?" Sophie asks, while the girls leave the building for the day.

"Transfer to another school,...". Amanda glances away and then down to the paved sidewalk. "I'm still undecided".

"Really A, I wouldn't be mad at you if you did" Sophie swears, before Amanda replies to how Connor would mad about it. "He would be unhappy, and he'd get over it". They continue venturing down the sidewalk. "I'm sorry if I seem pushy toward the whole transfer to a new school thing".

"You're not pushy. You just know me too well to know I don't do things much for myself" Amanda tells her.

    As the girls happen to disappear out of sight and closer to the downtown area of town. Josie remains sitting in her car, outside the school. Originally, she had intended to spend time with her niece. But she wasn't interested in angering Claire again and so she ventures home.

"I know you still have no idea about a guaranteed acceptance. But have you researched the school further?" Sophie asks, curious.

"No. Not really. The whole Evermore topic has been a touchy subject lately" Amanda answers.

"Well, don't you deserve answers though" Sophie points out.

"To a point, yes I do. But my mom has been a mood. I'm not really interested in pushing that mood" Amanda expresses.

"Are you still maintaining a distant relationship with Josie?" Sophie asks.

"Sort of," Amanda answers.

"Yet, you don't want that. I can tell. Be direct and get your answers already. You deserve to know what your mother has against Evermore Academy. You deserve to be able to have a relationship with Josie, even Evermore Academy happens to be a piece of Josie's life" Sophie explains.

"Sophie, I understand your point. But can you just drop it for now" Amanda replies. "I really just to put Evermore out of my mind".

"Fine, but you know I'm right". Sophie pulls open a glass door, which leads them into a small café.

    During Saturday evening, Amanda arrives home from the local diner. Which she had meant her friends at for dinner. She makes a quick trip to her room, gathering a stack of unfinished homework. She decides to complete her homework in the dining room. She begins with history, which didn't take long to complete. Then she moves on to the next class assignment. With a dull pencil in hand, Amanda exits her seat and goes over to collect a pencil sharper from the desk. The drawer is pulled open, displaying the neatly organized items on one side and the secondary side appearing to be an absolute mess.

   The drawer is searched to reveal no pencil sharper. After closing the drawer, she opens the top of the desk. Infront of the small blue plastic pencil sharper, rests an unopened letter addressed to Amanda with the words: Evermore Academy scribbled in cursive on the top right corner of the letter. For the longest time, she finds herself staring at it. Excepting her mom to enter the room at any minute.

    She takes the letter back over to the table and stashes it underneath an open notebook. As she continues to complete her assignments, her gaze repeatedly falls to the letter. Her curiosity proved to become a very annoying distraction. Was she going to Evermore Academy? Was she not accepted to Evermore Academy? When did the letter actually arrive? Was Claire being overprotective or just selfish with hiding the letter?

    Finally, Amanda manages to complete all her homework. She takes everything upstairs and places the completed assignment folder into her backpack. She catches herself staring at the letter again, which now seems to tauntingly reside on the end of her queen bed. A part of her is torn, she contains a great desire to immediately open the letter and discover the result. Another part of her is informing her, that she should open it alongside her mother. Even if her mother disapproves an acceptance to the school. The unopened letter is placed in a drawer in dresser, underneath a pile of dark colored yoga pants.

    In the morning, Amanda awakes early and collects the letter from the hiding place. She holds the letter between her hands; desiring to open it and discover the contents, but she feels hesitate. There is a knock on the door. Amanda jumps.

"Sweetie, are you up?" Claire asks.

"Yup". Amanda quickly hides the letter under a pillow, while the bedroom door opens.

"Do you have any plans tonight?" Claire asks.

"Don't know. Maybe, hangout with Sophie" Amanda answers.

"Could you inform Sophie to relocate your plans for another time? Josie wants to come over for dinner tonight and I said she could" Claire half asks.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, I'll let Sophie know" Amanda answers.

"Or if she wants to, Sophie is more than welcome to join us" Claire replies.

"Okay, I'll let her know" Amanda states, reopening the drawer to gather some clothes for the day.

    A couple hours later, Josie and her daughter's arrive at the house. Annabelle and Matilda disappear into the living room, while Amanda reaches the end of the staircase. She greets her relatives. Then Josie informs she has something for Amanda.

"You brought me a newspaper" Amanda notices, beginning to unfold it.

"That is the Spell Caster's gazette. A newspaper that every Evermore student should have. I have a yearly subscription. But I thought you'd like to see it" Josie explains.

"Well, thanks aunt Jo". Amanda refolds the newspaper and places it on the antique coffee table.

"If Claire allows me to, I'd would also like to take your to Spell Caster's Ave to gather school supplies" Josie tells her.

"Please, don't put pressure on her Jo. She doesn't know if she got in yet" Claire replies.

"Mom is right. We don't want to look to far ahead" Amanda adds.

"Is Sophie joining us for dinner?" Claire asks.

"She had plans" Amanda answers, hiding the fact she hadn't invited Sophie.

"That's okay, we'll still have fun" Josie comments.

    The family dinner consists of the usual chatter. Amanda serves a second helping of mac and cheese to Annabelle, who sits across the table from her. Josie informs that Evermore Academy is open for school tours before the semester begins. Amanda nods.

"I know an acceptance is still unknown. But just something to think about" Josie tells her. "Though I'm surprised, letters would've already been sent out by now".

"I'm sure if we're meant to get one, it'll appear" Claire comments, exchanging a look with Amanda.

"Yeah, probably" Amanda replies.

   Finally, Amanda decides to open the acceptance letter to discover the result. She opens the letter and unfolds it.

Dear Amanda Lynn Davenport,

We are pleased to inform you, that you've been accepted to Evermore Academy. The next semester is meant to begin September first. We suggest that you arrive a couple days early and prepared for you upcoming studies. Attached to this letter is a list of materials that you'll be requiring for a successful school year ahead.

Sincerely, Evermore Academy staff.

Evermore Academy school supplies

1 broomstick 1 sleeveless white gown

1 cauldron 1 black long-sleeved gown

1 black robe 1 black witch's hat

Grimoires required:

Perfect potions A beginner's guide to simple spells

Broomstick care: How you should care for your broomstick

-Pets- Students are allowed to have a pet on campus. But every student must register their pet with the school staff and be aware, that pet care is their responsibility.

     Amanda stares the sentence, that defines her acceptance. She has been accepted to Evermore Academy and her mother has happened to keep it a secret from her. Her eyes begin to water. She feels angry. Aware that Claire is still at work, Amanda ventures off to Sophie's house. Now a letter is tossed on the bed. Sophie glances at it and inquiries about it.

"It's my acceptance letter to Evermore Academy". Amanda stands by the closet door with her arms crossed.

"A, you got it. That's great. Isn't that what you desired?" Sophie half asks, after reading the letter.

"My mom knew about the letter. She knew I received it and hid it from me" Amanda informs.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you" Sophie assures.

"She didn't tell me. Why didn't she tell me?". Amanda paces across the room.

"To protect you," Sophie presumes, shrugging.

    Amanda sighs and lays down on the bed. A couple minutes later, she sits up on the bed, takes out her phone and dials a contact.

"Hey aunt Jo. Evermore Academy is still doing tours, right?" Amanda asks.

"Yeah, I could schedule one for you" Josie answers.

"Do that. I would like to see Evermore" Amanda replies, while Sophie watches her.

"A, are you okay?" Sophie asks, after she hangs up the phone.

"Fine. I'm doing something for me" . Amanda sits on the bed.

"Okay, if you say so" Sophie replies, slightly concerned.

"Do you want to accompany me on the tour with Josie? I know you won't be attending there, but you'll probably end up visiting there" Amanda half asks.

"True. Then for that reason, I'll consider going. But doesn't this seem more of a solo thing for you?" Sophie expresses.

"Well, you don't have to come along. I was just extending the offer" Amanda tells her.

"I'll pass. So, are you going to converse with your mom? I know you're mad and you have a right to be,..." Sophie half asks.

"After the tour with Josie, I'll talk to her. She kept the letter a secret from me. So, I'll keep my acceptance a secret from her for a little bit" Amanda explains.