Witches Chronicles

Willow's pov I always knew I was different. I’d felt it since I was a kid—like I was missing some invisible piece that would explain why I never quite fit in. But now, with my eighteenth birthday a week away, that feeling was more intense than ever, as if something big was coming for me, waiting just beneath the surface. I stood in front of the kitchen window, staring out at the familiar landscape of Glen Haven. The late summer sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything, but no matter how bright it was outside, I couldn’t shake this cold feeling deep in my bones. I hugged my arms across my chest, trying to stop the shivers creeping down my spine. Get it together, Willow, I told myself, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the strange dreams I’d been having for weeks. Dark shadows, whispers I couldn’t quite make out... and a constant, suffocating sense of something or someone watching me. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, pulling me out of my thoughts. School was starting soon. Another year. Another round of pretending everything was normal. I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, hoping this creeping weirdness would fade once I was back at Glen Haven High with my friends. As soon as I walked into the crowded hallway of Glen Haven High, the familiar smells of cheap perfume and pencil shavings hit me, but everything felt... off. It wasn’t like school had changed. It was me. Every sound, every voice felt too loud, like I was suddenly tuned into a different frequency. It was disorienting. I spotted Layla and Evie near our lockers, chatting like they hadn’t seen each other in years even though we’d all been texting nonstop over the summer. Evie, with her blonde curls bouncing, waved the moment she saw me. “Willow! Over here!” Evie called, her usual high energy on full display as she practically bounced on her feet. She was always like that—full of life, like she couldn’t sit still for a second. I forced a smile and walked over. Evie pulled me into a hug that was way too tight for this early in the morning, while Layla stood back with her usual serene expression, offering a softer smile. Layla always had this calm, composed vibe about her, like nothing ever really rattled her. “How was the rest of your summer?” Layla asked, her dark hair shining under the fluorescent lights as she leaned against her locker. “Same old, same old,” I said, trying to sound normal. “Stayed home, did some reading. You know, nothing special.” Evie rolled her eyes. “Please tell me you did something besides hide in your room.” “I went out,” I lied, because what else could I say? That I spent most of the summer feeling like something was creeping up on me? Like I was waiting for something I couldn’t explain? Yeah, that would go over well. Before anyone could ask me more, the bell rang, signaling the start of first period. Evie groaned dramatically, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Why do we have to start the year with history? Couldn’t they have given us something easy, like gym?” “Come on, Evie,” Layla said, her smile soft but knowing. “You know you’re Mrs. Davenport’s favorite.” Evie rolled her eyes again, but we all headed off to class together. The hallway was packed with people, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of being... watched. I glanced around, but there was nothing unusual, just the same crowd of students shuffling to their classes. Still, that chill crawled up my spine again. History was just as dull as I remembered. Mrs. Davenport stood at the front of the room, droning on about something I couldn’t focus on. My mind kept drifting. The weird dreams, the odd sensation that had been haunting me all summer... I shifted in my seat, trying to shake the discomfort, but then I felt it—like a prickle at the base of my neck. My fingers gripped the edge of the desk as my pulse quickened. The room seemed to blur for a second, the voices fading into the background. And then, I saw it. A snake, coiled right in the middle of the classroom floor. Its scales gleamed in the dim light, and its eyes... they locked onto mine, cold and menacing. My breath caught in my throat as the room tilted slightly. The world slowed down. The snake’s forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air, and I swore it was real, that it was actually there. But in a blink, it vanished. I gasped, my hand flying to my chest, heart pounding like I’d just run a marathon. “Willow?” Layla’s voice cut through the fog. “You okay?” I blinked rapidly, the world coming back into focus. The snake was gone, and the classroom looked normal again—well, as normal as it could after what I just saw. “I... I’m fine,” I whispered, but the words felt hollow, like I was lying to myself. Something was happening, and I had no idea what. Before Layla or Evie could press me for more, the door creaked open. Everyone in the room turned to look as a guy I’d never seen before walked in. He was tall, lean, with dark hair that fell perfectly into place, giving him an air of effortless cool. He had this... intensity about him, like he knew exactly who he was and didn’t care what anyone thought. The kind of guy who wasn’t afraid to draw all the attention in the room without even trying. “I’m Jace Blackwood,” he said, his voice smooth and sure. “I’m new.” Mrs. Davenport gave him a stiff nod, clearly thrown by the interruption. “Well, welcome, Mr. Blackwood. Please, find a seat.” Jace’s eyes swept the room, and for a moment, they landed on me. I froze. There was something about his gaze that sent another shiver down my spine. It wasn’t just that he was good-looking—he was, undeniably—but there was something... more to him. Something I couldn’t put into words. As Jace walked to an empty seat near the window, he paused again. His gaze slid back to me, and the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. I blinked, feeling that strange, electric energy pulse through me again. Mrs. Davenport went back to her lecture, but Jace interrupted, his voice slicing through the quiet. “Actually, the Treaty of Verdun didn’t divide the empire quite that way. The political maneuvering was much more complex.” Everyone stared at him. Even Mrs. Davenport seemed caught off guard. “You’re right,” she admitted, clearly flustered. “Good observation.” Jace just smiled, but it wasn’t just a normal smile. It was... knowing, like he was holding some secret the rest of us weren’t in on. The bell rang, snapping everyone out of their daze. As we gathered our things to leave, I glanced out the window and froze again. Outside, parked near the school gates, was a sleek black muscle car. Leaning against it was a man, dark-haired and sharp-featured, his posture casual but his presence commanding. He looked like he was waiting for something—or someone. Jace walked outside and headed straight for him. The two exchanged words, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. All I could see was the tension between them. Jace's expression hardened, but the other man just smiled, like he had the upper hand in whatever they were arguing about. Then, just like before, the man turned and looked straight at me. His eyes were dark, intense, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. He smiled, slow and deliberate, and a shiver ran down my spine, cold and sharp. “Willow!” Evie’s voice pulled me out of my trance. She was smiling, completely unaware of what had just happened. “You’re coming to the back-to-school party, right? You have to! It’s going to be amazing.” I tore my gaze from the window, my heart still pounding. When I glanced back, the car—and the strange man—were gone. But Jace was suddenly right next to me, his presence so close I could feel the air shift. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice low and smooth. “You’re Willow, right?” I nodded, my throat dry. His eyes held mine, intense and unwavering. “I’m Jace,” he said, offering his hand. I hesitated for a second before shaking it. The moment our hands touched, a chill ran through me—like static electricity, but deeper. My breath caught, and I stared at him, wide-eyed. “Are you coming to the party?” Evie asked, her voice breaking the strange tension between us. Jace glanced at her, then back at me. “I don’t know. Depends,” he said, his smile faint, teasing. “Will you be there?” I swallowed hard, feeling like I was being pulled into something I couldn’t explain. “Maybe.” Jace smiled again, that same knowing look in his eyes, and walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart racing. “You have to come to the party now,” Evie teased. “That guy is totally into you.” But I couldn’t focus. I stared after Jace, feeling the strange energy buzzing under my skin. Something was happening, and whatever it was, it was only just beginning.