Uprising

Chapter 8

"Danny?"

"You mean like crystals, candles, and spells?" He eventually asked, as if his head had processed my comment finally.

Yes, play it down as a human practicing witchcraft like that. Don't tell him...

"No." I answered despite my brain's protest to protect him. After all, when I turned eighteen, who knew what craziness would follow me and what he'd be wrapped up in with me? It was better to lay it out for him. "I'm the real magic witch, not the type that practices Wicca, Pagan, or whatever else." I told him honestly. "My magic is more elemental, but as I get stronger, I'll learn more. Normally, by now, I'd have learned more than what I know if I'd lived in a coven."

"Elemental? Coven? Real witch?" Danny broke off and looked at me. "Magic isn't real, Isabelle."

I let out a slow breath and looked at him. I should have seen this coming a mile off. I should have known he'd not believe me. He didn't believe in much without actual proof

"If it's not real, then how come I can do this?" I asked as I opened my hand and showed him nothing in it, then closed my eyes for a moment and felt the wetness of water in my hand.

I heard crashes and opened my eyes as the ball of water formed in my hand but Danny had crawled backwards away from me, crashing into the table and knocking stuff off it.

I closed my hand around the ball of water and it vanished. "I'd never hurt you, Danny." I whispered lightly to him. "I'm still me..."

"How is that..." He seemed lost for words and broken by my revelation.

"Possible? I don't know. I was born into this life. That is my normal way of life. Just like you were born into a magic-free life and that is your normal." I shrugged in hopes he'd understand. I knew it would be a lot for him to take in; I understood that. I just had to hope that he'd now accept me.

"Is that how you survived the fire?" He asked as if suddenly everything made sense now. "I mean, no one can hide in a fire and come out without burns. And your mum... was, is, she the same? What about Cordelia?"

"I'd argue people can walk away from a fire with no burns." I told him softly, as I could see the panic and fear in his eyes. He won't accept me. I let out a small sigh and looked away. "Yes, it was partly the reason I survived. Yes, my mum was the same and yes, Cordelia is the same too. She became my mentor after we ran away after the fire."

"Ran away?"Danny looked up at me. "No, I can't... I can't do this. You are not my Isabelle, who I fell in love with. I don't know you; you've lied to me these last two years... Your nothing but a freak all of you. What are you going to tell me next? Vampires are real."

"Why are you being so cruel? I'm still me. I'm still the person you met and fell in love with."

"Just get out, Isabelle, if that's even your real name."

"I was born with that name." I could feel the very hurt and pain I'd wanted to avoid washing over me. You knew it was coming; you only have yourself to blame for this.

"I don't give a crap. Your a freak, Isabelle, and you and me... we're over. I'll get someone to pick up my stuff and drop yours off."

"Please don't say that, Danny." I muttered quietly. "Give it time... Maybe... maybe you'll be able to accept this and me." I got up from where I was sitting. I had to get out. I couldn't let his words cut any deeper than they were right in this moment.

"I'll never change my mind. Your a freak and you can stay away from me." He snapped. I winced away from him, walked to the door and went back out into the cold night air.

I stood, turning my face to the wind and closed my eyes to gain composure. I wouldn't cry; he just needed time to let it all sink in his head. Everything would turn out ok in the long run. It had to. Maybe it won't.

I took a deep breath and then began to walk to my car. Half way down the pathway, I stopped dead as there was a person standing on the opposite side of the road watching me. This had been strange, as not many people were out at this time of the night.

I dug into my coat pocket and clenched my hands around my keys, still frozen in place, when my phone began to ring, making me jump. I let go of my keys and grabbed my phone, took it out, and put it to my ear, breaking my gaze from the figure for a moment.

"Hello?" I returned my gaze to where the figure had been but it had vanished.

"Izzy." I could hear the relief wash through Eric's voice when I'd answered. "Umm, where are you?"

I switched hands, got my car keys out, ran to my car and got in once it was unlocked. I sat in my seat and locked the door. "I'm on my way home." I finally answered when I knew I was safe in my car. "Sorry, I was just trying to find my car keys."

"One, what are you doing out so late and two, don't go home, please?" Eric's voice was filled with relief yet again, despite his attempts to sound casual about the conversation.

"One, it's complicated and two, why? All I want to do is go home and go to bed. Three, where am I meant to go?" I glanced around looking for the figure again but I didn't see it, so I took a slow, deep breath to try and get rid of the tension I'd felt in my stomach.

"One, we'll talk about it later; two, because I'm asking you to trust me; and three, Jake's place. I don't want you driving too far and mine is way too far for you."

"It's a good job I know to trust you." I muttered as I started my car. "Where does he live?" This had not been how I'd planned on ending my night. I hadn't planned on spending anymore time with Jake, yet here I was being thrown into whatever was going on.

"Put me on loud speaker and I'll give you directions from where you are."

"Just tell me his address, Eric. I'm really not in the mood. I just want to go to sleep." I snapped at Eric. I hadn't meant to; I was frustrated with everything that was going on tonight. I just hoped Eric did actually have a good reason to send me to Jake's.

Eric gave me the address and I was pleased to find it was only a five-minute drive from where I was. "I'll be there in five. Do you want me to ring you when I get there?"

"No, just get inside and tell Jake I sent you. He'll probably call me to find out what's going on so I'll tell him then."

"Fine." I muttered and hung up. Men, who needed them? It felt like I certainly didn't need them tonight, as they were more trouble than it was worth. I got belted up and drove the five-minute drive over to Jake's.

I got parked up with ease and I killed the engine as I took out my phone and looked at it as I turned over in my head what to do with Danny. I pulled up the messages from him and began to type him a message, then stopped.

No, I had to give him time. I had to let him come around when he was ready. I couldn't force this on him. What if he doesn't come around?

I snatched my keys out of the engine at that thought in frustration and got out, slammed my car door and locked it. I ran up the pathway and knocked on the front door. When Jake never answered, I began to hammer on his door harder this time.

"Ok, ok, ok, I'm coming; no need to hammer my door down. Someone better be dying out..." Jake seemed to break off as he opened the door and then froze as he saw me standing on his front door. "Isabelle?" He seemed confused about why I was there and even more confused about how I knew where he lived. It was all clearly written on his face.

"Aren't you going to invite me inside?" I muttered, not really in the mood for hanging around in the cold any longer than I had to. This was going to be a very long night.