A Witch’s Promise

Chapter 10: Not a Witch

The preschool smelled faintly of crayons, construction paper, and the strawberry hand soap the children somehow used too much of every single day. It was nearly 6pm and the last child had just left for the day. As much as Naomi loved to see the children’s smiling faces when she came after classes in the afternoon, there was something oddly calming about watching each little backpack disappear one by one through the front doors while parents lingered outside talking beneath the soft gold light of the mountain sunset.

Naomi bent down and began placing massive amounts of toys in the bins filled with soapy water. As she disinfected the toys, a waft of the minty Dr. Bronner’s soap filled her nostrils. The strong scent reminded her of Chris. The way even his sweat held the scent of peppermint was intoxicating to her. She knew she shouldn’t think of him, but she couldn’t help it. He had never been kind to her. Never had a nice thing to say about her. But, here she was thinking about the way he smelled like soap.

“Get a freaking grip.” She mumbled to herself as she went to the sink in the attached bathroom and poured out the cleaning mixture and rinsed the toys.

Today has been busier than most. One of the teachers called out sick and so a sub was brought in to assist. Like most people entering a new classroom, there was an adjustment period. And of course, the kids took advantage! With routines wrecked for most of the day, Naomi was in need of a break. A Friday night Vampire Diaries binge was exactly what she needed. There was nothing better than watching Bonnie Bennett kick ass all season long.

Naomi knelt beside a low bookshelf, reorganizing scattered picture books mechanically. Her exhaustion sat deep lately. While physically she was in the best shape of her life, emotionally, mentally, she felt exhausted. As more time spread, she began to feel something bubbling. Actually, more a rolling boil than a bubble. The feeling would constantly shrink and then expand as if alive of its own free will. Coupled with the fact that Naomi was constantly pushing Thalia to the back of her mind and refusing to shift, her brain felt in constant turmoil. Naomi was beginning to develop a near-constant unease, like there was static humming beneath her skin. She couldn’t shut off no matter how hard she ignored it.

The overhead lights flickered briefly. Naomi froze. Not again. It was just for half a second. “It’s no big deal. No one noticed.”

She was sure of it. Naomi swallowed hard and shoved another book onto the shelf.

“Control it. Ignore it. Reel it in. Pretend it isn’t there.” This mantra had become her entire life philosophy.

“You know,” a voice said casually behind her, “you really need to work on learning how to shield your magic.”

Naomi’s entire body went rigid as the book slid from her hands. Slowly, she turned around. A short curvy girl stood leaning against the classroom doorway like she belonged there. She looked to be around Naomi’s age, maybe a little older. She was beautiful in a wild, grounding sort of way. Her hair flowed in long dark waves. She had deep set brown eyes, and a calm confidence that drew people in without trying. But, beneath the femininity was an undeniable strength that was solid and unmoving. Tattoos wound down both forearms in intricate detail. Towering pines and mountain silhouettes ran down her arms along with carvings of constellations, phases of the moon, and a large bear on her shoulder. The stranger cast her eyes briefly toward the ceiling lights as they momentarily flickered again.

“Seriously,” she continued. “You’re practically screaming magical signature right now.”

Naomi’s stomach dropped.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said immediately.

The girl snorted as a sly half-smile spread across her face.

“Sure you don’t.”

Naomi stood too quickly, pulse hammering now. The girl straightened slightly at the movement, raising both hands.

“Relax,” she said. “If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn’t have opened with helpful criticism.”

Naomi’s gaze darted toward the empty hallway outside the classroom. This is her human town, with her human job, in her human college. She had come here specifically to escape this. To escape all of it. Panic began to surge as the fear of discovery increased. The stranger tilted her head slightly, studying Naomi more carefully now.

“Oh,” she said slowly. “You really don’t know how bad it is.”

Naomi’s throat tightened.

“Who are you?”

The girl grinned suddenly, easy and bright in a way that felt completely at odds with the conversation.

“Savannah Blake,” she said. “But please, call me Sav.”

Then she added casually: “And before you panic further, I’m not a witch.”

Naomi said nothing. Sav’s grin widened slightly.

“I’m a werebear.”

Silence. Naomi blinked once. “That’s not possible. They are all dead.”

Sav laughed softly at the expression on her face.

“Yeah, everybody reacts like that the first time. But hey, half dead, is still alive, right?” She pushed herself fully away from the doorway. “Long story short? Appalachia’s got more than wolves hiding in the woods.”

Naomi stared at her cautiously. Sav noticed immediately.

“You really are new to this,” she murmured.

Sav glanced once more at the flickering lights above them.

“You’re leaking magic into the room every time your emotions spike,” she said more seriously now. “Most humans can’t feel it. But supernatural creatures can. And, even humans are bound to notice the electric storm you have going on in this room if you keep this up.”

Naomi’s chest tightened instantly. Rogues. Chris. The woods. Everything she ran from came crashing back so fast it almost made her dizzy.

Sav crossed her arms loosely.

“And trust me,” she said, “witches are not always safe here. Even in human settlements.”

Naomi’s voice came out quieter than she intended.

“I’m not a witch.”

Sav held her gaze for a long moment. Sniffed the air. Then she said gently:

“Okay.”

Which somehow felt far worse than being called a liar.

Outside the classroom windows, dusk settled slowly over Flat Rock, wrapping the mountains in blue shadow. And for the first time since arriving in North Carolina, Naomi realized she may not have disappeared nearly as completely as she thought she had.

Sav didn’t move closer right away. She just stood there like she was giving Naomi time to decide whether to run or stay.

In that moment, Naomi’s fingers tightened around the edge of the bookshelf until the wood bit into her palms. Her mind was already mapping exits. The door, window, hallway, the side gate by the playground.

“You’re doing that thing,” Sav said mildly.

Naomi didn’t blink. “What thing.”

“The thing where your brain pretends you’re in immediate danger and starts planning three escape routes and a backup plan for the backup plan.” Sav tilted her head. “It’s impressive, honestly. A little exhausting just watching it.”

Naomi let out a short, humorless breath. “You don’t know me.”

“I know enough.” Sav’s gaze flicked briefly to the faint shimmer still clinging to the air around Naomi—like heat distortion over asphalt. “And I know you’re not about to attack me. So we can skip the panic portion of this conversation if you want.”

That landed strangely. Not comforting exactly. Just… accurate. Naomi forced her hands to loosen. Slowly.

Sav took that as permission to step fully into the classroom. She was careful not to invade the space, as if she was very aware that Naomi needed to feel as though she still had other choices. Naomi glanced at the scattered toys, the half-wiped tables, the sinking light through the windows.

“You work late,” Sav said.

“I clean up,” Naomi replied automatically.

“Mm.” Sav crouched slightly, picking up a small plastic animal from the floor and turning it between her fingers. “You always get stuck with the mess no one else wants?”

Naomi frowned. “That’s not...I don’t....I’m just responsible for closing duties. I actually love my work.”

Sav looked up at her then, and there was something quieter in her expression. Less teasing.

“Sure,” she said gently. “As long as you can be invisible. Even to yourself. ”

Then she said, almost casually, “You’re going to make yourself sick doing that.”

Naomi’s jaw tightened. “Doing what.”

“Shoving it down.” Sav glanced back at her. “Whatever you are. Witch, not witch, something in between—doesn’t matter. You can’t keep sealing it up like that and expect your body not to start leaking pressure.”

Naomi’s pulse ticked faster at the accuracy of it.

“I’m fine,” she said.

Sav gave her a look that was almost sympathetic. “That’s what everyone says right before things get loud.”

Several seconds passed.

Naomi didn’t respond.

Sav added, lighter again, “Mostly I was here because you’re loud. And I was curious. That’s on me.”

As the silence stretched between them, the flickering lights above began to steady, like it was listening for an explanation too.

Sav exhaled, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off tension.

“Okay,” she said. “I gotta go.”

Naomi blinked. “What?” Yea, my kid sister is going to be waiting for me.

She turned to walk out of the classroom, turned back and gestured loosely between them. “You’re scared. I get it. I show up, say ‘magic,’ your lights start throwing a tantrum, and suddenly your nervous system thinks I’m here to ruin your life.”

“That’s because people usually do,” Naomi said before she could stop herself.

Sav nodded once. “Yeah. Fair.”

She stared at Naomi for a moment before reaching into her pocket and placing a thin piece of white paper on the table. Looking back at Naomi, Sav replied. "For you," and walked out the door without looking back.

After a moment, Naomi carefully crept over to the table and peered down at it before breaking out in hysterical laughs. A sticker. Of all the things a grown woman could have in her pocket, it was a sticker of a bear aggressively hugging a bag of Takis with crumbs everywhere, accompanied by text saying: “Protecting my emotional support calories.”

That didn’t fully fix it, but it stopped the spiral from tipping over. And, for the first time, the thing under Naomi’s skin didn’t feel quite as trapped as it had before.

"I like her," Thalia stated quietly as she tested the waters for approval.

"Yea. Me too."