Try {One | Alaric Saltzman}

The Night of the Comet

The pain in Abigail's chest never managed to cease. It was the worst when she caught sight of a family photo that she folded in half an hour after her parents' funeral. She remembered tucking it in between the books on her nightstand angrily, just before she took down every reminder of them in her room. But, now, as she hesitantly reached for it, she felt guilty.

From the doorway, Elena asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." She drew her hand back like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't have. She was on her feet just as fast, nodding to usher her sister out of her messy room. "Let's go."

"Do I look adult?" Jenna blocked them from the stairs using her delicate hands to guide them to the mirror that hung between their bedrooms. "As in respectfully parental?"

"Depends on where you're going."

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference." She turned to face them, holding her hair up with her hands. "Hair up or down?"

"Sexy stewardess."

She let her hair down.

"Boozy housewife."

"Up it is." She fastened it in place. "You're feisty today."

"I feel good, which is rare." Elena shrugged. "So I've decided to go with it. Fly free, walk on sunshine, and all that stuff."

Abigail looked around for the only missing member of the household. "Where is Jeremy?"

"He left early. Something about getting to the wood shop early to finish a birdhouse." When she faced them, their eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, anger, or a mix of the two. "There is no wood shop, is there?"

They shook their heads, replying with an exacerbated, "No."

Abigail and Bonnie walked in silence toward their lockers after the final bell. She knew that Bonnie was holding herself back from starting conversation, conversation about magic. It was amusing, even more so once Caroline caught up to them.

"I'm confused," she started for them. "Are you psychic or clairvoyant?"

"Technically, Grams says I'm a witch. My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something." She shrugged. "Grams tried to explain it all, but she was looped on the liquor so I kinda tuned out. Crazy family, yes. Witches? I don't think so."

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to say crazy family." Caroline breathed out. "If you really are a witch, feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from last night."

"I didn't see him, you did. Why didn't you just talk to him?"

"I don't know." Caroline giggled. "I was drunk."

"Okay, I'm-" Abigail shuffled so that she was facing them. "I'm going to go find Matt, and then I will meet you guys at the Grill."

"Okay..." Caroline gave her a confused look. "Don't be late!"

Abigail found Tyler at the football field, not Matt. But, even as he droned on, she was looking for him. And that was the only reason she saw her brother rushing toward them.

"Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt," he said only to her. "I just wanted to ask Tyler how Vicki's doing, since they are so close." He turned to Tyler. "Is she okay?"

Tyler scoffed. "She's fine. Now get out of here."

"How bad is she? Do they know what attacked her? Is she going to make a full recovery? Was she happy to see you?" His questions came out in a rapid fire, drowning out Abigail as she called his name. "What room number was she in?"