Chapter 11- Wicked Forest

Jeanette had gone and done it this time. Henry looked at his daughter. It was clear that she was unhappy. He wished he could make her smile but that wasn’t possible. If only he could take her away from it all. When he had voiced his thoughts to Seth Carmichael, he warned them that if their family pulled out now that he would make sure that they were taken care of.
The way his voice had dropped low and his eyes and turned dull, Henry got his message loud and clear. If they backed out now it would cause a war. He had no doubt that by now all the other covens knew about Crystal and they would come for them.
He was terrified for his baby girl. He watched her mingle with the other witches, unsure and out of place. Her arms crossed as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
She wasn’t a people person, just like himself. Crystal had taken after him in so many ways it was scary, however there was one characteristic that stood out above them all and that was that of the strength she held within. Crystal’s grandmother. She was just as head-strong with the same heart as she had.
In his heart he felt that one day Crystal would be a great leader. She was strong minded and determined. If Crystal believed in something she fought for it. She didn’t back down and she didn’t run. But what would serve her w the most was the way she looked for good in others. The way she would help anyone in need no matter what they had said or done. What their background was. Crystal would make the witches proud. He just wished she didn’t have to do what would be forced upon her.
***
The next few days Crystal spent thinking over her father’s words. She enjoyed spending time with Drake and his friends at school. But even he could see that she wasn’t all there.
“Crystal, are your goanna be at the game, Friday night then the lake on Saturday afternoon?” Her heart sank, there was no way she would be allowed to the game as for the lake, and she had to meet her future husband at an engagement ball.
She sighed. “Sorry guys I have a ball to attend,” Jenny chose that moment to stop beside Crystal. Jenny was the daughter of one of the elders. She hated Crystal and made it clear.
“Can’t wait for Saturday, we finally get to meet your…”
“Jenny!” Crystal jumped from the table giving her a death glare while Jenny smiled.
“Sorry Crystal, I heard Levi Carmichael was to die for,” Jenny made a fanning motion. It was just like her. Everyone knew that she wanted to be the one marrying Levi. It had been the talk of the coven.
“Then have him,” Crystal snapped.
“Oh, no. Crystal I would never steal your boyfriend,” Jenny laughed as she walked away. Slowly Crystal turned around to her new friends.
“Boyfriend?” Drake asked.
“He is not my boyfriend. His parents are friends with my parents, and he will be attending my father’s ball,” she blurted the words in a rushed tone.
“Sorry guys I gotta go, I forgot something out of my locker,” with her head down, Crystal walked at a fast pace out of the hall and down the corridor.
Why couldn’t Jenny leave it alone? She likes to stir the pot that’s why. A wooden spoon is what that one needs for Christmas.
She didn’t stop walking until she reached the school parking lot. Breathing in the fresh air, Crystal sat on a bench. Was it worth it? All the lies, just to feel normal. Still normal was far from how she felt.
Crystal was confused. Her emotions were all over the place. One minute happy, the next sad or angry, she couldn’t grasp a single feeling.
Gazing back at the grey building, Crystal got up and headed towards her community. She knew someone would see her as she slipped through the gates and headed into the woods. At that point she didn’t care. Everything she cared about was slipping away.
She went straight to her favourite spot and sat on the large rock. An hour or so later she saw a shadow in the distance, heat flared within her.
Getting up she stormed across the uneven ground. The closer she got to the tree which he was hidden behind. The further away the tree became. She turned around. She had only taken a few steps from the large rock. Magic. As the thought fluttered through her mind, she could sense it. He didn’t want her to get close to him. She would give him a piece of her mind regardless.
“Coward! Hiding behind magic!” she yelled and sat back on the rock.
His time would come, and when it did. Levi Carmichael would regret asking for her hand in marriage.
Crystal glared at the faceless figure. Her power was useless. She couldn’t break through his spell.
In frustration she picked up a rock and tossed it at the figure.
She heard a growl and jumped up and down singing “yay.” Picking up another stone she threw it at the figure once more, who this time anticipated the insult and dodged the flying rock.
Crystal’s anger was slowly draining from her body as she played dodge ball with her stalker. Soon tossing rocks at him became boring. Crystal made the roots of the trees sprout from the ground. She laughed as she watched the faceless man jump and roll.
“You had enough yet?” she called out. The response the figure gave her was a low growl.
“Are you a man or an animal?”
Again, she heard the low growl.
“Well even though it has been a blast, gotta run,” she called out. Crystal skipped through the woods. Occasionally she looked behind her, but the man was gone. She had a smile on her face, she enjoyed her time tormenting him, she had a lot more install for Levi Carmichael.