𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘍𝘐𝘝𝘌

(the cursed witch, act one)

NINA'S FIRST WEEKEND IN FORKS PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT. Natalie was once again at work which left Nina to spend the majority of her time in bed with old movies playing on repeat on her small tv. She preferred it that way though – being in the comfort of her own home against being outside in the cold rain surrounded by humans.

The one thing Nina liked about the rain though was that it helped her sleep, especially on the nights where her magic felt as though it might burn her fingertips right off.

On Monday morning, Bella had driven her to school and they were both instantly greeted by Mike, Eric, Angela and Jessica.

It was colder this morning, not nearly as cold as the last place Nina had lived, but still cold enough for her to wear a warm jacket and keep her hands wound deeply in her pockets.

English passed by without issue. Luckily, Nina and Bella had finished their essays on the book they were supposed to have read earlier in the year and they had been able to turn it in with no problem – although when the teacher learned that half the class hadn't finished, she had given them a week extension.

She had yet to see any of the Cullens, not that she minded, although she was beginning to think of Emmett as a friend after her past meeting with him.

For the first time in years, Nina was beginning to feel comfortable.

Walking out of her second class of the day, she held a deep frown on her face as she looked up at the sky, small white flakes falling on her nose and hair. Rolling her eyes, she ignored the students that were shouting excitedly at one another. All Nina could focus on was the cold air that was blowing harshly against her face.

"Wow," Mike said from beside her. "It's snowing."

Nina's eyes glanced down at the sidewalk and saw it beginning to pile up. Her eyes moved back to Mike's, "I hate snow."

His eyes widened, "What? I thought you were from Canada. Don't you guys live in like... igloos?"

She stared at him for a moment, considering the best way to approach him. "Yes, and I also rode my pet polar bear to school. Just because I did that, doesn't mean I like snow."

"You had a polar bear!?"

"She's messing with you," Bella said suddenly as she walked up behind them. "And I agree. The snow is just... ew. Besides, I thought it was supposed to come down in flakes — you know, each one unique and all that. These just look like the ends of Q-tips."

"Haven't you ever seen snow fall before?" he asked incredulously.

"Sure I have." Bella paused. "On TV."

Mike laughed. And then a big, squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. We all turned to see where it came from. Nina had her suspicions on Eric, who was walking away, his back toward us — in the wrong direction for his next class. Mike apparently had the same notion. He bent over and began scraping together a pile of the white mush.

"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Bella kept walking as she spoke, grabbing Nina's arm and pulling her with her. "Once people start throwing wet stuff, I go inside."

He just nodded, his eyes on Eric's retreating figure.

"So, you see your new best friend yet?" Bella asked when they finally got inside.

Nina laughed as she shook her head, "Emmett? He's not my new best friend."

Bella hummed, "Is that so? Then why is he coming over here?"

The witches' eyes widened as she looked down the hallway and saw the burly Cullen almost skipping toward her with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Nini!" He greeted excitedly as he got closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he smiled at both girls. "I got a surprise for you."

Nina looked up at him with a confused look, "A surprise? I hate surprises."

He only grinned wider, "Then you're gonna have an amazing lunch."

"Wait, what?" Nina asked, but he was already gone. She turned to look at Bella, "I'm definitely going to die."

Bella laughed at the over-dramatic witch, "Come on. You'll be fine."

Nina reluctantly let the human girl pull her toward the cafeteria, "Bella, if I die, you have to tell my mom I love her and that it was me that set the last house on fire."

The brunette stopped in her tracks, her hand holding the door to the cafeteria open as she looked back at her friend, "You set your house on fire?"

"I didn't mean to. Besides, it was only the bathroom... and the kitchen... and I also set our car on fire – but to be fair, she does know about that one so it really doesn't count."

"Didn't know I was friends with an arsonist," Bella mused, her eyes moving across the room and spotting a table out of habit. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized what Emmett had been talking about. "Hey, maybe don't look over by the windows."

Nina hummed as she glanced down at the food line. "Why?" she asked, more focussed on the food in front of her. "God, do they really only serve salads here? Seriously, I think I might starve to death here, Bells. I'm gonna just disappear one day."

Across the room, by the windows more specifically, a brunette boy laughed softly, his hand covering a portion of his face.

"Oh, and I'm not an arsonist," Nina spoke suddenly, referring to Bella's prior statement. "I just shouldn't be trusted around matches... and flame throwers or propane tanks. Jesus, you'd think I have a problem," she muttered, twisting the truth only slightly. It had been a propane tank that started one of the fires, except, she had been the one to blow it up after her magic went haywire.

Her eyes moved back down to the food line and sighed, "I'll just buy food tonight. I think I'd get food poisoning if I looked at this bullshit any longer."

As the witch turned around, she stopped in her tracks as her eyes met his from across the room. "Oh great, Eeyore's back. Now I'm definitely going to get murdered." She leaned in closer to Bella, "Think I have time to skip town and go to Rome?"

Bella looked at her with an amused grin, "Probably not. Who knows, maybe he has superspeed and he'll kill you before you even see him coming."

Nina's eyes widened, "Thanks for that. Now I won't be able to sleep for a month."

"Maybe you should just talk to him," Bella suggested as she pulled her friend toward their table, "He's probably not that bad. I mean, Emmett seems cool. How bad can his brother be?"

"I don't know, he acted like I smelled like the football team's jockstraps all put together in a dumpster fire, so I'd say pretty bad."

Sitting -very reluctantly- next to Mike, Nina held a prominent scowl on her face, earning looks from the three other people who sat at the table and making Mike move a few inches away to create a safe distance.

"What's got her in such a bad mood?" Jessica asked, her being at the safest distance.

Bella nodded over in the Cullen's direction which earned soft laughs from her friends. "Edward really got under your skin, Evans," Mike told her, completely amused by her situation.

"He didn't get under my skin, Micheal," Nina snapped. "He was a douche. Honestly, he shouldn't be called Edward or whatever his dumb name is. He should be a Chad–"

"He doesn't look like a Chad," Angela piped in, glancing at the boy across the room for a split second.

"You're right. He looks like a dick."

Jessica looked across the room with a dreamy expression on her face, "A hot one."

Nina almost felt sick. She hadn't realized how nervous the boy made her. Not even nervous, more so unsure. Whatever it was, she didn't like it and she found it quite ridiculous that some boy could make her feel the need to leave the room.

Taking a leap of face, she granted herself one small glance at the Cullen's table. If he was glaring at her, she would skip Biology and pretend she got the flu.

Keeping her head low, she glanced beneath her lashes. None of them were looking at her, let alone in her direction. She lifted her head a little.

They were laughing. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett all had their hair entirely saturated with melted snow. Alice and Rosalie were leaning away as Emmett shook his dripping hair toward them. They were enjoying the snowy day, just like everyone else — only they looked more like a scene from a movie than the rest of the cafeteria.

But, aside from the laughter and playfulness, there was something different, and she couldn't quite pinpoint what that difference was. She examined Edward carefully. His skin was less pale, most likely flushed from the snow fight and the circles under his eyes much less noticeable.

But there was something more.

"Nina, what are you staring at?" Jessica intruded, her eyes following her gaze. At that precise moment, his eyes flashed over to meet hers.

Nina had never dropped her gaze so fast, letting her hair fall to cover her face from the embarrassment of being caught.

The unsettled feeling, however, had seemingly disappeared. She was sure in the instant their eyes met, that he didn't look nearly as harsh or unfriendly as he had the last time she'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way.

"Edward Cullen is staring at you," Jessica giggled in her ear after taking Mike's seat.

"He doesn't look angry, does he?" Nina couldn't stop herself from asking.

"No," she said, "Should he be? You didn't do anything wrong. You just... well you were just a little straight forward."

"I think he wants to kill me," Nina admitted, leaning against her hands that were resting on the table.

"The Cullens don't like anybody...well, they don't notice anybody enough to like them. But he's still staring at you."

Nina stared at her with wide eyes, "Stop looking at him," Jessica snickered, but she looked away.

The witch sighed as she pulled out her phone and saw she only had ten minutes left before the next period.

Slipping her phone back in her pocket, she stood from the table, "I'm gonna start making my way to class."

"Want me to go with you?" Bella asked, about to get up, only for Nina to shake her head. "It's alright, Bells. I'm just gonna wander around and hope I end up in the right classroom."

"If you get lost I'm sure your new buddy will help you out," Bella suggested with a smirk on her lips, her head tilting over in the Cullens' direction making the witch roll her eyes.

"Uh huh, sure. See you in Biology."

To Nina's distaste and most utter annoyance, by the time she had reached the classroom, there was one student who just happened to already be there.

About to turn around, she was stopped by a voice. "Hello," the voice said from inside the classroom. The voice was foreign, almost forced as its holder spoke it.

Cool. Cool. Very cool. I'm going to die and I'm not even wearing my favourite shoes. Couldn't he have waited for... I don't know, a Wednesday? Tuesday is not a good day to die. It's Tuesday, for fucks sake.

If I ignore him, maybe he'll leave me alone... But he's already seen me. Shit. Ooh, what if I pretend I'm mute? No, that won't work, I've already spoken to him before.

What if I set him on fire?

No, it would probably kill me too with my luck.

"Hi," she reluctantly replied, biting her tongue as she stood like a board in the doorway, watching as his lips curved upward as if he were amused by her.

His eyes slowly moved away from her as he glanced down at the seat beside him, meeting hers once again after a moment, "I believe this seat belongs to you."

"Oh, lucky me," Nina muttered under her breath, putting on a fake smile as she walked toward him. As she placed her bag on the ground, she moved around the desk and hopped onto the barstool-like chair.

Fiddling with her notebook, she avoided his gaze that felt as though it was piercing her skin.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce myself the last time we met," he spoke suddenly, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I'm Edward Cullen... You're Nina?" he asked, almost testing the way her name sounded on his tongue.

The witch nodded, glancing at his hair which was still dripping wet. If he were anyone else, she would have given him an amused smile and teased him for it. The only other person in the room was Mr. Banner who had been busying himself with putting out a microscope on each table. The class didn't start for another few minutes, making Nina even more anxious.

Edward looked so friendly as he watched her eyes flicker around the classroom before they met his again.

Had she made it all up? Had their conversation never happened? He looked as though he was perfectly happy to see her and not at all like he was planning her death.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, not necessarily thinking about what she was asking and more so thinking on whether or not she would have to make a run for it.

He laughed, making her swallow hard.

"Oh, I think everyone knows your name. The whole town practically feeds on new blood," he smiled as though he had made a joke, knowing she wouldn't understand. "Besides, my brother has told me all about you, 'the girl who got lost'."

She nodded silently.

"Would you prefer if I called you by my brother's nickname? Nini, was it?"

Nina shook her head, "No, um... Nina's fine."

He grinned even wider, "Are you not going to ask what I prefer to be called?"

Shit. Please, God don't tell me he heard.

"Eeyore has quite a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Her face went blank and strikingly pale. If he couldn't hear her fast beating heart, he would have thought she had gone into cardiac arrest.

"Relax. As hard to believe as it is, it's nice being teased once in a while. The people here are all so afraid of speaking a word about my family and I. It's almost refreshing to have someone treat me like a normal person."

"I don't think it's normal for your name to be made fun of. For the record, I am very sorry that you heard me–"

"You're sorry I heard, but not from saying it?" he asked, still smiling.

"I mean, it is kinda funny, you have to admit. And Edward is a very long name so really, Eeyore is the better version." She was fumbling for words at this point, but his amusement by her had not once faltered.

"It has the same amount of letters."

"Hmm?"

"Edward and Eeyore. They both have six letters."

She sighed, "Fine. I'll start calling you by your normal, boring name if that's what you really want."

More students had begun to walk into the classroom, each taking their respective seat but Nina hardly noticed. She was more focused on the boy beside her and the way his lips curved in delight with each taunt she made.

Pulling her attention off of him, Mr. Banner spoke, starting the class as the final warning bell rang. Nina tried to concentrate as he explained the lab they would be doing.

Working as lab partners, they had to separate the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represented and label them accordingly. They weren't supposed to use their books which made Nina roll her eyes in annoyance. And in twenty minutes, he would be coming around to see who had it right.

"Get started," he commanded, making Nina sigh as her eyes moved back to Edward who had already been looking at her.

"You don't like Biology?" he asked, seeing the distaste in her face as she took the slides out of the box Mr. Banner had placed on their desk.

"Hate it, actually," she replied. "Especially after doing the same thing about twenty times this year."

Placing the glass slide under the microscope, she adjusted it to 40X objective before taking a split second glance at it. "Prophase."

"Do you mind if I look?" he asked, and as if she had known he was going to ask, the microscope was already turned in his direction. Not noticing fast enough, his hand caught hers. His fingers were ice-cold, like he'd been holding them in a snowdrift before class. Nina didn't move. The coldness of his touch didn't make her feel uncomfortable, instead, a feeling of comfort washed over her.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, pulling his hand back immediately, making her yearn for his touch.

Her eyes lingered on his as he examined the slide, like her, for only a second. "Prophase," he agreed, writing it neatly in the first space on our worksheet. He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second, and then glanced at it cursorily. "Anaphase," he murmured, writing it down as he spoke.

"May I?" she asked, and he smirked before he pushed the microscope to her. She looked through the microscope and nodded, seeing he had been right. She held out her hand, silently asking for the next slide which was quickly placed in her hand as if he had read her mind.

Sending him a small smile as she set up the slide. Taking yet another quick glance, "Interphase," she told him as she moved the microscope over to him.

He took a swift peek, and then wrote it down. Nina had figured she would let him do all the writing, considering no one would be able to read it if she had been the writer.

They were finished before anyone else was close. She could see Mike comparing two slides again and again while Bella sat there sighing, and another group had their book open under the table.

"Are you enjoying Forks?" he asked suddenly, making her eyes move back to him.

Nina shrugged, "It's the same as every other town, really. Besides, I'll be gone in a few months anyway so it doesn't really matter."

His eyes widened slightly at the new knowledge, "Gone? You're planning to leave already?"

"I always do," Nina replied, not thinking anything of it. "I've already lived in three places this year."

"Why?" he asked curiously.

She blushed. No one had ever actually asked her why she moved around so often.

Oh, you know, my deadbeat dead fucked off before I was born and now when I try to do magic it hurts so much my heart stops. No, can't say that. Shit. Think, dumbass.

"My mom's a nurse and she moves around to different hospitals," she explained, remembering the excuse her mother had told her.

Edward nodded, but his eyebrows were creased as he glanced down at the desk. Smoke might as well have been bursting from his ears with how hard he was thinking. "My, uh, my father does the same as well," he told her after a moment. "We move around every few years, so I understand it being the same as everywhere else."

"Sucks, doesn't it? I think Bella is the first friend I've ever had... Don't tell her that, though. I don't need her ego getting huge."

Edward laughed, "I'll keep your secret."

"Well, thank you, Eeyore," she replied with a grin as he groaned, shaking his head at the awful nickname.

"For that, I might just tell her."

"You're too antisocial for that. I've never seen you speak to anyone that isn't your family."

"I'm speaking to you," he countered.

"Yes, the first person that doesn't have the same last name in how many months?"

He licked his lips, "Only a few weeks."

Nina laughed softly, happy she had been right. "You're just as much of a loner as I am, pretty boy."

If Edward could have blushed, he would have.

"It's too bad about the snow, isn't it?" Edward asked after Mr. Banner had taken their lab paper after having seen they were done.

She shrugged, "It's not too bad. I moved here from BC so anything is better than snow so high that you physically can't get out of the house."

"It must be a nice change then. We hardly get two inches of snow and if we do, it washes away with the next rainfall."

Nina smiled, "Thank god. I don't think I can deal with snow getting in my boots again."

His gaze became appraising. "You put on a good show," he said slowly. "But I'd be willing to bet that you're suffering from more than wet boots."

The witch grimaced.

"Am I wrong?" She tried to ignore him. "I didn't think so," he murmured smugly.

"Why does it matter to you?" she asked, irritated by him for what felt like the hundredth time since she had met him.

"That's a very good question," he muttered, so quietly that she wondered if he was talking to himself. Nina sighed and turned back to look at the blackboard.

"Am I annoying you?" he asked, sounding amused.

No, I am just considering whether or not I should set this whole classroom on fire so I can get out of this terrible interaction. No, Nina. "Not exactly. I'm more annoyed at myself. My face is so easy to read — my mother always calls me her open book."

"On the contrary, I find you very difficult to read." Despite everything that she had said and he had guessed, he sounded like he meant it.

"You must be a good reader then," she replied, her voice sounding somewhat tired. "Usually." he smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, ultra white teeth.

Nina hummed, her attention turning back to Mr. Banner who had begun to go over the lab. When the bell that signified the class was over, Edward swiftly rushed out of the classroom, leaving Nina to slowly pack her bag as she watched his fast retreating form.

"Did you survive?" Mike asked, walking up to her with Bella behind him, both wearing grins on their faces.

"I'm honestly not sure if he was being nice to me because he needs a friend or if he is trying to get close to me so that it is easier to murder me," Nina replied as she walked out of the classroom with them at her side.

"Probably the second. The Cullens are freaky."

Bella rolled her eyes at Mike's condensing comment, "Just because they stay in their own group, doesn't mean they are freaky. Some people just don't like other people."

"Or they are all Jeffrey Dahmer spawn."

The brunette girl shook her head, "They aren't– Nevermind. You'll never listen. So, Jeffery Dahmer's son seems to have taken a liking to you... at least he did until he left the class so fast it looked like you threatened to kill his cat."

Nina gasped, "I would never hurt an innocent little kitty. I would hurt him though..." when Mike and Bella sent her a disapproving look she added a simple, "if he deserved it, that is. I'm not a psychopath, guys."

"The fact that you have to actively tell us that, tells me otherwise, Neens."

Walking out of the school after her last class of the day, Nina was shocked to see her mothers car waiting for her. She frowned in confusion.

"Isn't that your moms car?" Bella asked from beside her as she adjusted her backpack on her shoulder.

Nina nodded, "Yeah... I guess I don't need a ride tonight. I'll see you in the morning?"

Bella smiled as she moved toward her truck, "Of course. Text me if you need me."

Walking across the lot, she saw a still figure staring at her. It was Edward. He was leaning against the door of his dark grey Volvo, unblinking as his eyes stared directly into hers.

Rolling her eyes, she opened the passenger door of her mothers car and took a seat. "Hey, M–"

"No time. You need to get home," Natalie spoke quickly, as she put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking spot before speeding away from the school.

"What's going on?" Nina asked nervously, holding onto the passenger door as her mother sped down one street before swiftly turning onto the next. "And why have you never been home since we got here? I swear I've seen you once this week–"

"Nina, there are a lot of things going on right now. A lot of things that you don't understand–"

"Well, maybe I don't understand them because you haven't told me anything. Mom, it's never been like this. We tell eachother everything. Since when did you decide to stop that?"

"I'm going to explain," the older woman told her. "I just had to find the right time and the right words."

The teenage witch sighed exasperatedly, "Is it about Dad? Wait, is Dad here?"

"No, honey. Your father is nowhere near here..."

"I thought you had no clue where he was?"

"Just," Natalie sighed, "Just wait until we get home. Please, Nina."

Nina crossed her arms but nodded as she leaned her head against the headrest and watched the trees pass by.

When they reached their small home, Natalie quickly ushered the girl inside before closing the door behind them. Pushing Nina into the living room, she told the girl to sit before she began ruffling through boxes of herbs.

Nina stayed quiet as she watched her mother with confused eyes. She knew it was best to stay quiet, especially after seeing the focused look on Natalie's face.

"Alright, honey," Natalie said suddenly after she finished mixing a concoction of herbs. "You need to drink this."

"Why?" she asked, taking the small cup that almost resembles a shot glass, frowning at the green thick liquid. "It looks disgusting, Mom."

"Drink it first, then I'll explain," Natalie told her, urging the cup closer to the teen's lips.

Nina drank it quickly, pinching her nose in an attempt to ignore the terrible taste. The attempt was clearly in vain, however, when she coughed loudly after swallowing the liquid. "That was disgusting," she muttered, still coughing.

Natalie smiled, clapping her hands together as she practically bounced on her chair. "Try a spell now."

"Mom, I really don't feel like passing out right now. I've got homework–"

Her mother ignored her and grabbed a candle off the coffee table and held it in front of Nina, "Please? Just light the candle?"

"Chances are I won't just be lighting the candle–"

"Nina."

The young witch sighed after hearing the 'mom voice'. "Fine. But don't be mad when you no longer have eyebrows... or a couch." 

"I trust you."

Nina stared at the candle and hesitantly raised her hand. She hadn't used her magic in at least a year, she wasn't even sure she still knew how.

Maybe there's a plus side to this, if I'm still in earth-shattering pain, maybe I won't have to go to school tomorrow.

Closing her eyes and exhaling deeply, she rubbed her hands together, feeling her dormant magic spark as she held them above the candle.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she took another breath before looking through the cracks of her eyes.

The candle was lit. Along with every other candle in the room.