WITCH?

The night was cold and it was quiet. Save for the sound of their footsteps as they walked through the dried leaves scattered in the woods, and the hooting of owls every now and then, nothing else could be heard.

Amari had almost forgotten that her hand was in Nathan's as they walked deep into the woods. Her hand in his just felt so natural and so good. Occasionally, they would exchange glances and smiles.

She had a million questions flooding her mind but she didn't say a word. She hadn't been able to shake this feeling since Claire had stepped into her bedroom to take her back to the party earlier. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was forgetting. And then there was the strange event with Nathan. How had she pushed him to that wall? Why had she done that? Why wasn't he angry? If anything, he seemed to be cool about all of it. And where the hell was he taking her?

Maybe it was because she was way over her head but she almost didn't see it happening. It happened so fast, a branch from a tree ahead of them suddenly broke out from the tree and started heading in her direction. With the speed at which it was coming, and the fact that the part of the branch that seemed to be heading her direction was pointed and in fact, heading straight for her heart, Amari knew that she was going to get really hurt or worse die, if she didn't do something.

Impulsively, she pulled her hand away from Nathan's hold, and then she stretched out both her hands, waving it to the side slightly, and the branch initially headed for her, changed directions and went in the direction she had waved at, crashing in another tree, and then falling on the floor.

"Stephanie what were you thinking? You could have hurt her?" Nathan screamed and that was when Amari noticed that they were no longer alone.

Just across where she was now standing with Nathan, she could make out four silhouettes, and when she looked harder, she finally saw their faces. The twins Stephen and Stephanie, Diane and Nick, were right there. It seemed like they had been waiting for them.

Amari also noticed that they were now in a rather large open space in the woods. She had never come this far into the wood before. The moon was shaped like a toenail that night but it still lit up the woods. Nathan's words finay registered in her head and she glared at Stephanie who was surprisingly wearing a smirk.

"You did that?" the words flowed freely out of Amari's lips.

"I knew you could handle yourself," Stephanie said easily.

"You could have killed me! Are you crazy!" Amari could feel her blood boiling in anger.

"That was reckless Stephanie," Nathan said.

"Well, I am reckless… We all know that," Stephanie said and Diane scoffed, and then stepped forward.

"How did you even do that?" Amari asked, confusion looming over her face.

"You mean make a branch break off a tree and then direct it towards you?" Stephanie asked with a smug smile and Amari nodded.

"Well, how did you stop it from hitting you?" Stephanie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You mean from killing me?" Amari was obviously still angry.

"Well, you are not dead, are you? Let's forget all about that already, trust me, I was only trying to help," Stephanie said and Amari couldn't help but roll her eyes at her.

"It's weird," Amari muttered in a quiet voice.

"I know right! That rush you felt, like some kind of energy washing through you to your hands, that's how you stopped that branch," Diane said and Amari squinted her eyes at her.

"It is the same energy you felt when you sent Nathan crashing to that wall earlier today, right?" Nick joined the conversation and Amari passed him a glance.

His Chestnut brown hair was stylishly messy and he ruffled it a bit as he spoke, while leaning on a tree. Amari averted her eyes from him as she thought.

"I don't understand… Today has been really weird and it just got weirder," she turned to Nathan.

"Why did you bring me here? Why are they all here? Why is no one freaking out like I am?" she questioned with a pained expression on her face.

"I just felt that it would be easier to tell you who you are this way," he said.

"Who I am? I am Amari Conat, I know that…" Amari said.

"There is more to you Amari, much more," Nathan said, and then paused as her gaze on him became sharp.

"You are different. We are all different," Stephen spoke for the first time and Amari averted her eyes to look at him.

His face had this natural charming smile plastered on it.

"You are a witch Amari," Stephanie blurted out. Amari turned to look at her and then burst out laughing.

"Witch? Really? I am a witch?" Amari asked in between laughter.

"Yes Amari. We all are," Diane said.

"Let me guess, we all own magical broomsticks and we fly together at night?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"This is serious Amari, think about it, all the strange happenings of today, you think it is all just a coincidence?" Nathan asked and Amari's expression turned solemn.

"But witchcraft? How is that even real?" she asked.

"You have no idea Amari, there are a lot of things that are real and just hiding in plain sight," Stephanie said.

The twins Stephen and Stephanie were blondes both had ocean blue eyes.

"But why me? I didn't ask for this," Amari said.

"None of us did," Nathan said, his voice almost a whisper.

"Witchcraft has existed from the beginning. It is in the bloodline. We all come from a bloodline of witches," Diane explained.

"My mom was a witch," Nick said.

"My dad was," Diane chipped in.

"And my mom is a witch," Nathan voiced out.

Amari turned to Stephen and Stephanie who were now standing together.

"Well, both our parents were witches actually," Stephanie said.

"My dad is not a witch… I would have known if he was. Maybe my mom was?" Amari seemed to be searching within herself as she spoke.

"By the way, you all used was, I mean except you Nathan,"Amari pointed out.

"That's right… But it's only just coincidental, they all died natural deaths," Diane said.

"So we have powers, what are we supposed to do with it?" Amari asked.

"Maintain balance," Nick said.

"There are four elements which make up the world," Nathan started.

"Water, fire, earth and air?" Amari asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Stephen replied with an impressed smile.

"That's random knowledge," Stephanie said, ending with a scoff. Amari just rolled her eyes at her before returning her gaze to Nathan.

"What does this four elements have to do with anything?" Amari asked.

"We witches draw our powers from these elements," Nathan said.

"Each bloodline draw their power from a specific element. And all of these elements come together to form a circle," Diane added.

"Nathan's bloodline draws power from fire, Diane's bloodline earth, Stephen and Stephanie's bloodline water, and my bloodline draws our power from air," Nick stated.

"Okay… So, how about my bloodline?" Amari asked.

"Your bloodline is unique. You don't have to draw power from any element because your bloodline is the spirit element," Nathan said.

"What? I don't understand," Amari blurted out.

"Your bloodline is special. It goes way back. One of the most powerful bloodline ever. You don't need any element to draw your power from. Your bloodline is the fifth element, spirit," Nathan explained.

"Then how come I don't know anything about any of this?" Amari asked.

"It is a long story Amari but it can wait. I have to get you back home," Nathan said and almost immediately, Amari's phone in her trousers pocket started to ring.

"It must be my dad," she said, reaching out to fish it out.

"Let's meet on Monday after school, our usual place, I will bring Amari," Nathan said and they all nodded in agreement.

"Let's go Amari," Nathan said with an outstretched hand. As soon as she accepted his hand, they were suddenly in front of her house.

"What was that?" Amari asked with fascination playing in her eyes.

"Teleportation," Nathan said.

"I can do that too?" Amari asked.

"Yes you can, we will teach you how," Nathan said and just then the front door opened and Jake Conat stepped out.

"Did you two go in the woods?" he asked. He was talking to the two but glaring at Nathan.

Amari and Nathan exchanged glances both unsure of what to say.

"Good night Nathan, see you in school tomorrow," Amari said, waving and then going to her dad.

"Good night Mr Conat," Nathan said and dashed away. Jake's glare was sure scary.

Jake turned to his daughter the moment Nathan was gone.

"What were the two of you doing in the woods?" he asked.

"What do you think dad. I am sixteen. I like him. He likes me too," she gave a vague reply with a smug smile.

"How brave young girl! Come here," Jake said, taking his daughter's hand and pulling her into the house.

"I didn't do anything wrong dad. We just made out. There is nothing wrong with that…" Amari defended. Lying easily.

"Is he your boyfriend?" he asked, turning to look at her as they stepped into the sitting room.

"Umm, well, not yet but umm, we are getting there," Amari said.

"Just be careful pumpkin," Jake said, reaching out to touch her face.

"I will dad," Amari said.

"Now come on, let's give you both my gift and your mom's gift," Jake said and started to lead his daughter up the stairs.