Faithless

Chapter Seven

Jasmina headed into the mall, pulling her sleeve down over her hand to avoid any questions from Candice or Logan as she headed for the food court. It didn't take her long to find them and she sat down quietly. Candice looked like she wanted to ask, but one stern look from Jasmina and she took the hint to talk about it in private later on.

"So... Are you er... All good?" Logan asked dumbly. Jasmina looked to Candice and saw the mischievous smile plastered on her face. Jasmina tried her best to hide her smirk as she looked back to Logan.

"Well apart from the soul-destroying stomach cramps, I'm sure I'll be fine." Jasmina shrugged. Logan just frowned, picking up his rubbish and using it as an excuse to get away from the table. He walked to the furthest bin in the court, going straight past at least three other ones, just to avoid any further period talk.

"So where did you go?" Candice asked, tilting her head to the side. Jasmina played at her sleeve, making sure her hand stayed covered up.

"Just to meet someone, you know, talk through what's been going on." Jasmina explained, trying her absolute best to stick to the truth as much as possible. If she hadn't been so worried about the fact she was lying to the person who knew her best, she probably would have admired how well she managed to stick to the truth without revealing it. Candice just nodded in understanding, deciding it was best not to push the topic any further. Jasmina silently thanked her for that.

They spent another hour or so in the mall before Logan finally declared he was sick of shopping and it was time they headed back. They took a longer route to the school, so they could enjoy their last few moments of freedom just that little bit longer. Logan and Candice were arguing about their favourite films while Jasmina just stayed quiet, deep in thought. She couldn't help it when she started looking around, wondering exactly what it meant to be a witch. Would she be able to make objects float? Maybe she could learn to fly? She wasn't going to turn into a green-skinned old hag, right? Jasmina smiled to herself at that thought, although at the same time it did worry her too. Maybe that would be the next question she asked if she got the chance.

Once they were back at the school, they all headed for their usual spot on the grass, using their coats to sit on this time. Logan and Candice carried on debating pretty much every topic they could think of while Jasmina stayed deep in thought. Her silence didn't go unnoticed by Candice, who eventually convinced Logan that it was his job to go and get them some snacks out of the vending machine. As soon as he was gone, Candice turned her attention to Jasmina, who was still completely oblivious.

"Earth to Jasmina" She finally said quietly, trying to catch Jasmina's eye.

"Hm? Oh, Sorry." Jasmina just mumbled, bringing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them.

"Where did you go?" Candice frowned.

"Just a hot beach, somewhere in Hawaii." Jasmina grinned, but Candice just rolled her eyes.

"I meant earlier today. Who was it you saw? Same person who wrote that on your hand?" Candice grinned mischievously. Jasmina froze, looking down at the number.

"It's nothing important." Jasmina frowned. "He just gave it to me in case I have any questions." Jasmina explained, but she knew the blood rushing to her cheeks was giving her away.

"Uh huh. Whatever you say." Candice smirked. "Just promise I will meet him before the wedding." She grinned. Jasmina just rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the small smile from developing on her face.

Eventually, she decided to leave Candice and Logan outside in the cold and headed back to her dorm room. She headed straight for the bathroom to wash Cam's number off, then she headed to their room and dragged out all the drawings she had done over her time at the school. She looked at each one studying them individually. She could remember every dream attached to each picture, as if it was yesterday. As if it was real. She looked inside the nightstand and saw the flower still sat there, slightly wilted now. Maybe it could be true. Would it be so bad if it was? Jasmina wasn't sure.

If it were true, maybe Jasmina could use her power for the greater good. Maybe she really could be a superhero, using her visions to save people's lives. Cam already seemed convinced what she had seen of him at his house was true, and she had no doubt that he was making steps to avoid it accordingly. When she thought about it like that, Jasmina had saved Cam. She liked the idea of being able to help someone and she couldn't deny that she was taking a liking to Cam. It feels good to help him.

Jasmina picked up her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she got to Cam. Maybe she should text him. It was weird for her to have his number and him to not have hers right? She bit her lip as she toyed around with the idea. She didn't even know what she would say. She had never even sent a text to a boy, other than Logan, and he didn't even count in her mind. What question could she ask him? Jasmina threw herself backwards on the bed while she mulled it over. It was just one little text. Just to see how he would respond.

Jasmina was toying with the idea for at least twenty minutes while sitting in the room on her own with a wide smile plastered over her face. This was ridiculous. She was ridiculous. This was a man who had told her she is a witch, trying to make her go against everything she had ever been told in her whole life, and here she was, fantasizing about sending him one little text. Yet, she still couldn't help the little smile that developed on her face when she thought back to the night in the clearing. She had been so used to seeing Cam's face in her dreams, to being scared every time she saw him, but now that Jasmina had actually met Cam, he wasn't like she had expected at all, luckily for Jasmina. She had expected him to be intimidating, to have ill will towards her, but he was nothing like that at all. Whenever Jasmina had been around Cam, not once had he actually made her feel scared. He had a calming aura about him. Jasmina couldn't help but wonder if that was one of her powers, or one of his.

She frowned to herself when she realised what she had thought. Her powers. She had slipped up already. Talking about powers, witches, warlocks even. It was all insane. It was like she had been awoken from her little fantasy and she didn't like it one bit. The smile that had formed on her face vanished within a matter of seconds. Jasmina put her phone in the nightstand, shutting it away. Out of sight and out of mind, or at least she hoped. She decided she needed to clear her mind, so she headed back outside and found her friends. She needed to get back to normality and they were the best way to do just that. Jasmina did her best to put thoughts of magic and of Cam to the back of her mind when she rejoined Candice and Logan.

They all had their final exams coming up next year in June and already the three of them were feeling the pressure. Jasmina was terrified of exams, but the idea of finishing school excited her. She wanted to be out in the real world, all on her own, with no more family members looking down on her, or doctors telling her what to do. She had even considered hiding away from her own father to make sure he could never tell her what to do ever again. Instead, she wanted to find her mother's family. Her mother must have come from somewhere and she wanted to know where that was, and why they hadn't tried to be a part of her life before. She didn't hold it against them, but she wanted to know everything she could about them and her mother, and her father always refused to talk about either.

Jasmina found the thoughts of a whole new family out there comforting. She kept the thought in mind for the rest of the day and decided she wanted to get her head down and study so she could get the best grades possible. She wanted to give herself the best chance in getting out of Blue Hollow once and for all and she hoped good grades would be enough for now. She would work out the rest of it another time.