Witchling Academy Semester Eight - Avery Song Page 0,12

a groan, she slumped over to the side, which forced me to catch her before she hit her head on the wall of the stall.

"Brianne?" I shook her just slightly, and it took a minute before her eyes opened enough for her to acknowledge me as I scooped her up into my lap. "Bri?"

She blinked a few times before she closed her eyes and whimpered. That made my heart clench as I wrapped her in my arms and hugged her tightly.

"I'm here, Red," I whispered. "We'll get through this together."

She broke down then, as did I, the two of us needing each other's comfort as the sounds of approaching police sirens grew louder near the bathroom window.

We may have prevailed with the power of light, but darkness still remained. Regardless, I knew one thing.

No matter the dark times that are ahead, light will always prevail. We, the Notorious Five, will prevail.

2

Murder She Wrote And Forced Holiday

~BRIANNE~

* * *

I turned the page of the book I was reading, my eyes scanning the words at a robotic pace. Not too fast, not too slow. The perfect movement to take in the inked words of the shifter romance I was reading.

The cover had captured my interest. It was a romance among supernatural creatures. The girl lost her parents in some freak accident, landing her in the hospital with no memories of what happened that mysterious night. She's forced to start over in a new town, but that place carries secrets of its own.

When I'd arrived home with my parents, I’d thought to read a few short sentences before showering and heading to bed. Instead, the plot sucked me in, but it was the main character that stole the show.

The mystery that surrounded her essence was so intriguing. The secrecy and the quietness she carried reminded me of myself. She was eighteen, entering university and simply trying to blend in while trying to forget the past, but there were aspects of her that hinted at a threatening force within her being, while she walked the new path with a sense of innocence.

It was like she was good on the outside but hid a monster on the inside. It was the first time I'd read something that took me in and wasn't non-fiction, like magic spell books or tales of history.

The objective of the book was surrounded by the idea of surrendering. Allowing yourself to surrender to the desires, addictions, and darkness that haunts all of us, especially in times of utter despair.

The book was recommended by Mia and Miya. The two of them had gifted me the book to try out while I spent tonight at home. I'd have to text them once I finished to ask if there was more to the series, for it was the one thing keeping my mind from sinking into the brewing chaos that swarmed my head.

I requested to be discharged from the medical center early. I didn't tell the others - a.k.a. my boyfriends. I had a hunch it would bite me in the ass later on, but I couldn't spend another night there.

Being alone in the bed and four walls was too much for me, and when my parents arrived after receiving the news after returning from an abroad case, they immediately encouraged the discharge to be approved.

That was a first for my parents. They were always so worried about me and never wanted to go against the doctor's orders, but I guess one look at my current state seemed to seal the deal.

It was the medical center's fault, honestly. This wasn't Witchling Medical Centre we got treatment from. This was a medical center run by the government that was connected to the facility Jax was forced to get examined at.

The moment I realized their connection, I was not down for anything. Not to forget the fact we were all separated into our own box rooms. My room didn't even have a window, which was only making my condition a hell of a lot worse, and when I requested a change, it was denied.

Three times…until I broke their stone walls by 'accident'. No regrets.

I wasn't sure what was going on with the others aside from the fact that Jax was getting a facility check and Connor was going to make sure he stayed with him.

From Miya and Mia's brief visit, I’d learned that Connor had passed out after vomiting and experiencing sensory overload. He hadn't dealt with it for a long-ass time, but with the circumstances,