Dark Magic

01. Introduction

SOPHIA'S POV

'To love a person is to see all of their magic and to remind them of it when they have forgotten.'

I don't know who said that, but I believe love is like magic.
Like back in the day, when everybody thought witchcraft was an actual thing, there were two kinds.
Dark and light.
Good and bad.
I think love is like that too.
You can have good love.
The one where you both equally love each other and you make each other's lives so much brighter.
But you can also have bad love.
The kind where you feel horrible whenever you're with them, but something is holding you there. You just can't give it all up.
I want good love.
I think I've done enough to make me at least a semi-good person.
I deserve a good love.
I've lived sixteen years, and love hasn't quite yet appeared. But even if I did fall in love, or somebody fell in love with me, I wouldn't be allowed to be with them. I'm allowed a boyfriend when I'm nineteen.
It sounds ridiculous, but it's my religion.
There are plenty of rules within my kind of Christianity,
1. Do not listen to music or watch TV.
2. Do not befriend "Outsiders."
• OUTSIDERS: Those without a religion to follow.
3. No relationships until the age of,
• Women: Nineteen
• Men: Sixteen
4. Women cannot wear make-up. Natural ONLY.
(Although I've seen a few girls at church with mascara on.)
5. Women cannot expose shoulders or legs.
6. No cursing.
7. Attend church every Sunday morning.
8. No secrets within our families.
9. Honesty is key.
10. No consumption of alcohol.
11. Smoking is forbidden.
12. No homosexuality.

As you can tell, men have a lot of advantages, and I own a lot of jeans.
I've grown up to be totally against Gays, but no matter how hard I try, I will always respect them.
They are humans too.
If we have to "Respect each other", why not respect Gays? They are a part of our society, and are, in fact, people. As much as others don't want them to be.
Considering its 2010, you'd think this whole 80's kind of Christianity would be extinct, but not in my household.
I live on a street with every single person who attends my church.
I guess we sort of have a designated area in our town, which is New York City.
I attend a public school, mainly because the Christian schools are beyond expensive and don't follow our exact religion, (but neither does public).
Whenever they watch a documentary of some sort, I'm sent out of the room.
It's stupid and lame, but, of course, it's my religion.
I have two siblings.
Claire, who is eight, and James, who is thirteen.
Claire is in that kind of annoying stage. Sadly, I share a room with her, so I have to deal with her role playing with dolls and stuffed toys.
We don't really look alike.
She has sandy blonde hair that reaches to her rib cage - but is always tied up - and bright green eyes, whereas I have light brown hair and blue eyes.
James and I are practically twins.
He has the same brown hair, which is swept across his forehead and reaches mid-ear. He has blue eyes too. Not to mention the fact that he towers over me in height.
A pre-pubescent eleven year old could be taller than me.
I'm short and thin. I get that from my grandmother, I presume.
James doesn't talk.
He went completely mute after our grandfather passed away of a brain tumour. Grandpa was practically his father - mine too.
After our dad died, (two years after Claire was born), Grandfather Joey stepped in to take our fathering role. He was great.
He was the only one who truly understood why I couldn't really stand our religion, because he couldn't either, but he loved Grandma Penny, and swore he'd change his religion for her.
Quite a sweet story, actually.
A day after James's eleventh birthday, (June 19th), Grandpa Joey passed away unexpectedly, and James has never spoken since then.
My mother is this strict psychopath who is always complaining about how we don't eat all of our food, and is always rushing around the house, moaning and groaning about how we don't do anything - when it is myself and James who clean up practically all the time.
She's got this horrible case of OCD and ADHD. Everything has to be clean and everything has to be put in order. She always has to be moving. It's horrible.
I have a bad case of anger management. The slightest thing can drive me insane.
When Grandpa Joey died, unlike James going mute, I got angry. I smashed pictures and broke a table. It was enough to be sent to a psychologist, that I'm still seeing today.
She thinks I might have anxiety and depression, judging by how I react to a lot of situations, but there is no way I'm testing for that. I have enough to deal with.
I only have one friend. Her name is Abbey.
She, of course, goes to my church. We've been friends since we were two.
She's sort of like my mother. She's always strict and she practically makes my life decisions for me. It doesn't feel too good, but I'm not going to say anything.
She's obsessed with Claire. She thinks she's "Adorable and Sweet," but she's completely wrong.
Claire is the devil, disguised as a little eight year old girl.
I read a lot.
I mean, it's not like I can do a lot more.
I'm currently reading Ink Heart.
I also love to write. I'm writing a book about my life. (Ironic, isn't it?) It's not very exciting, but I'm praying that somebody or something interesting will happen that'll spark up a great scene in my book.
My birthday is December 17th. I'm in that position where because my birthday is so close to Christmas, my presents get put altogether.
Not like I get much.
"You're sixteen. You don't need as much anymore."
Sure. I'm a growing woman, who doesn't need toys and magic kits - but what I do need are tampons and a whole big list of unmentionables.
I can't complain though. We don't have a lot of money.
Mother doesn't work, and because Grandma Penny is getting so old and weak, she can't either.
We sort of live off the church.
I suspect mother is keeping secrets - possibly sinning with Priest Robert.
I wouldn't be surprised - he's over almost every night.
I guess you could say I have very clear skin. I don't wear make-up, so my skin is always left uncovered. I get blemishes, (forbid I use the term 'pimple') from time to time, but doesn't every teenager?

But back to love and magic.
I desire to have magic in love.
I desire to have...
Light magic.