Hazel

Ever since I met Hazel something inside of me has shifted. My body has been on edge and I can't get her out of my thoughts. It's like the moment she touched me something inside of me broke down and I can't control my feelings. I have a hard time being around Jake when all I can think about is her. His touch is lukewarm compared to hers. Maybe I should have waited to start dating. I've only been in here for two months now and met Jake a couple of weeks before school started. Maybe if I had held out I could have met Hazel sooner. I feel my face getting hot and hope my blush isn't too noticeable. I am just terrible.

"Hazel will be providing additional lectures Fridays at eight in the morning, in Sherwood Hall room 203.They are not mandatory but of course anyone who would like to attend is welcomed to. Her lectures will give you a deeper understanding of the lectures I provide throughout the week." He turns to her and gives her a nod. "Now Miss.Holt, if you could give the class a small introduction about yourself."

Hazel's voice is calm and confident. She tells us that she just graduated last year and majored in Finance. She is taking a year off school before she returns to get her masters which is why she chose to be Professor Hill's TA. She looks so beautiful and I can't take my eyes off her. It is a bit odd that the professor decided to announce our new TA two weeks after classes started but maybe that's how things are done here.

I moved here from South Carolina almost two years after my mother passed away. She was born and raised in California and wanted to be buried here. I don't know who my father is and I have no other family members that I know of, so when she died I was literally alone in the world. It wasn't until after my second year of college in South Carolina that I decided to transfer here so I could be closer to her grave. Which makes this my first semester here. Everything is different here. There is a lot more people and much more diversity. I love it all. The food and different cultures are invigorating. It makes me question my mom's choice to live on the other end of the U.S.

It was a lot for me to take in at first and I am glad Jules chose to transfer with me. Jules parents are loaded, so money is never a problem for her. I got lucky and received a couple of scholarships when I transferred over. I had the highest GPA in my previous university and I was part of three different clubs. Jules parents paid for our place and they have given me a small loan to help me get by. I feel guilty at times but I know if my mom were still alive she would have done the same for Jules.

"I hope to see most of you this Friday." Hazel finishes her short speech and gives me a final look before walking out of the classroom.

I knew even before the professor announced it was not mandatory that I would be there. I am that type of student that will go above and beyond to assure that I get the best grades in each class. I can't afford to slack off if I planned on getting more scholarships next semester. And any extra time I can get with Hazel in the same room is a major plus.

"I wonder how long it'll take me to bag her." I hear a guy say behind me.

"Sorry but I think she plays for my team." A girl says next to me.

I bury my head in my book and pretend to listen to the professor. I am annoyed at how jealous I feel about them talking about her. I stop listening to their whispers and try to focus on Professor Hill's voice.

******

~Hazel~

Dinner is a quiet affair.

My parents keep trading glances but don't say anything out loud. They're probably using their mind link to talk, another perk of having a soul mate: getting to talk without saying anything out loud.

I wish I could have heard Amelia's thoughts today. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw me walk into her lecture. I could feel her heart contract at the sight of me and I felt my own nerves calm just by being in the same room as her. Being away from her for days made me feel anxious and it actually messed with my ability to concentrate. I would find myself looking down into my black coffee just to see her walking down the hall or talking with Juliet over lunch. A new trick I seemed to acquire. I am now able to keep an eye on her by using any wet surface as a looking glass. It made me feel better to be able to check up on her throughout the day but I know that is not enough.

"Hazel, you have to talk to us." My mother nudges. She raises her glass of wine to her mouth.

A servant comes to take my dinner plate away. I wait until they leave. How honest should I be?

"She has a boyfriend." I start.

My father chuckles, "Is that it?"

I shrug and look down at my glass of wine. I see an image forming on the surface. Her face is calm and serene. She's lying on her bed staring at her ceiling. She was with Jack earlier; I broke the coffee mug when I saw them kiss. I smile down at my glass of wine, glad that she did not spend the night with him. I need to do something about them soon. I already have other things to worry about.

"I am now the Teacher's Assistant in her finance class." That wasn't that hard to get, my father's name carried a lot of weight in the university, being that he is one of the biggest benefactor. I just had to persuade Professor Hill with a little help of magic and then there I was this morning being introduced as the new TA.

"You know you don't have to do any of that just to get her, right? She just has to touch you once and she will feel the magic in you and know it's real. What coven is she from?" My mother asks. I can see her getting excited at the prospect of having the chance to be better acquainted with another coven.

"About that..."

"I bet she is part of the Purelite Coven." My father adds. He is also excited about that fact that there will be a coven of witches and warlocks that we will have peace with. Being the daughter of the people who oversee the Concord Coven, if Amelia was from another coven, we would basically be saying an oath of truce between both covens while we were together. There were a couple of covens that wanted nothing to do with peace, but most others got along well enough. Our little region is doing just fine in my opinion.

"She's not part of any Coven." I take another sip of my wine.

"What?" My father bellows. Any witch or warlock that is not part of a coven usually means they are part of a rebellion that seems to be getting worse and worse every year.

"Sorry no, she's not a Rebel either. She's actually not a witch at all." I finish weakly.

It's my mother's turn to speak. "What is she?"

"Human." I simply state.

Both of them freeze for a second. They get up and walking around to get closer to me.

My mom hugs me. "Oh sweetheart, that is okay."

My father hugs me too. "Don't worry we'll fix this."

Fix what? I wonder.

******

~Amelia~

My nerves are on edge.

I try and reread the same sentence for the fourth time but Crystal's giggles make it extremely difficult. I look up and see her leaning against Hazel's desk. Crystal is cute but probably an idiot. It has been three weeks since Hazel has started her lectures and Crystal always has some dumb question or always stays after class to talk to her. It has been killing me to see Hazel actually fall for Crystal's tricks. I feel my heart get heavy when I see Crystal slide Hazel a piece of paper. That's when Hazel suddenly looks right at me with concerned eyes.

I lower my gaze and pretend I wasn't just gawking at them.

"I'm going to call it early today guys. Go ahead and enjoy your weekend. I'll see you all next week." Hazel dismisses us.

I quickly pack my things and try to rush out.

"Amelia?" Her voice makes me shiver. "Can I see you after class?"

I avoid making eye contact but nod. I get up from my desk as the last student leaves and walk to the front of the room. She's wearing an appealing black dress with pink and white stripes that show off her beautiful figure. Her black heels make her almost a head taller than me. She took off her blazer halfway through the lecture and it was all downhill from there. Dom, the other idiot who shamelessly flirts with her, was falling over himself trying to get her attention.

"Are you okay?" She leans back against her desk.

I nod.

"Are you sure? Because I can feel that you are not okay."

How can she feel what I feel? "I'm fine. Is that all?" I don't mean to sound snappy but I can't believe she took Crystal's number. Isn't that against the rules or something? I look down at the torn little piece of paper on her desk and bite the inside of my lip.

Her gaze follows mine and her cheeks turn a lighter pink.

"I wasn't going to call her." She blurts out.

"I don't care what you do." I say with a little too much emotion for someone who doesn't care.

"I won't." She says exasperated. She stands straight and makes a move to get closer to me.

"Amelia," I turn and see Jake at the front entrance and sigh in relief. I rush to his side and kiss him deeply. His full lips move against mine, but I don't feel anything. I try to move past that.

Hazel clears her throat.

Jake pulls away, slightly embarrassed and looks at her. "Sorry," He's a little out of breath.

"Amelia I think you need more practice this week. I know this lecture was a little more confusing than the previous ones. I'll set up a time tomorrow morning so we can meet in one of the study rooms in the library." With that she turns and begins to gather her things.

I want to scoff but I stop myself. This week's lecture is just fine. I'm not struggling to comprehend the subject. I'm struggling to keep my emotions in check. "I don't think that's necessary." I feel my tongue burn a bit. I never talk back to professors or TA's. It is out of character for me. "I think Crystal needs additional lessons though, she seems to not understand anything. Even basic English."

Hazel smiles a little. "Would you like Crystal to join us?"

I grind my teeth but shake me head.

"I'll see you tomorrow at 8." She leaves without saying goodbye.

******

~Hazel~

It is the first Friday of the month, which means we have our monthly meetings with the other covens in our area. This meeting is strictly for those second in command in each coven. The main leaders have two meetings a month one on the first Monday and the second one whenever there is a full moon. Our powers are the most potent then. This month our meeting will take place in the Roderick Coven's main building. The Roderick Coven differentiate themselves by their black and red wardrobe. I mean, if you completely ignore all of their battle scars and scary piercings.

The fireplace on the other side of the room only lights the main meeting room. Each Coven gets to design their places however they please. The Roderick Coven chooses to decorate them like old castle dungeons with cold rock walls that cause eerie echoes to bounce off of them. The floors are covered with blood red carpets. I try to ignore the torture device in the corner of the room, I know it's just for show but it still gives me the creeps. Roderick is by far my least favorite meeting place. There is big oval table in the center where we will hold our meeting.

There are five of us. I represent the Concord Coven. Our main goal is to keep the peace among the Covens and the humans. We are the ones that people come to with their problems and find solutions. We see reason and mediate when we have to. I'm wearing the purple and royal blue robe to represent my Coven. Leo is wearing his black and red one. He hugs me when I walk in. Clara walks in next with her gold and silver robe.

If someone does not like the Concord resolutions or believe their differences are too severe for us to manage they go to the Purelite Coven where they are seen before it's leaders. Almost like attending human court. Clara is the second in command for the Purelite Coven. She takes a seat next to me and we talk a bit before the others show up. She has tan skin with short dark hair. There are gold marking all over her skin, which is common in the Purelite Coven.

Clara's parents died when she was young so the leaders of the Coven took her in and have been training her to eventually take their place. They never had kids so it only seemed logical that she would be the next heir. Her clear blue eyes are also something common within the Purelite Coven. They are able to see a person's true intention and it makes it easier for them to make an unbiased judgment.

Everett is the next one to show up. He goes to sit next to Leo after exchanging some greetings with us. He is wearing his green and reddish brown robe. His rich dark skin stands out against the colors of his coven. The Knight Coven practices 'old' magic. I call it old because my coven uses modern magic that we can pull from within our internal magical source. Everett's Coven uses magic that they can pull from Mother Nature. They dig deep into the earth's roots and use herbs and potions. Their way of doing magic is not wrong, just different. People look to the Knight Coven when they want to learn or perfect old spells because they have most of the old literature from our ancestors.

The last one to make it to the meeting is Adam. His white robe makes him look like a ghost. That and his translucent skin, white short hair, and grey eyes. Adam is from the Star Dust Coven. They are seen as the 'angels' of our world. They are the ones that ensure every being's safety. They oversee all of the covens in the United States and are one of the most powerful ones in this day and age. Adam is quiet but we know it is because he has to be an observer. He has to make sure we are doing our part so that we can coexist with humans. He smiles at us and takes a seat.

One nod to Leo and the meeting begins.

******

~Amelia~

"Any questions?" Hazel looks up from her book.

She's sitting really close and I can smell her strawberry shampoo. I feel my mouth water. I shift away while holding my breath. We've only been sitting here for twenty minutes and I don't know if I am able to make it to an hour. It's Saturday morning so the library is mostly vacant. I wish we were out there in the open instead of this secluded room. All I can focus on is her sweet scent and beautiful light brown eyes, which become animated when she's going over cash flow and spreadsheets. I look down at her lips again and my heart skips a beat.

She gives me a knowing smile. "Are you distracted?"

'Yes, because you're wearing a pretty, short purple sundress and I can see the swell of your breasts and your smooth legs', I want to blurt out. Being around her makes me feel intoxicated. Of course I just shake my head and ask her to move on. I look down at my phone, under the desk, and text Jake to save me. He probably thinks I'm asking him to save me from boredom when in reality I want to save me from myself.

"Before we really get into the good stuff why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself. What brought you here? Why come in as a junior?" Her curious eyes watch me shift uncomfortably. People don't usually ask me things so upfront so I am not sure on how to answer.

I clear my throat "My mom passed away two years ago, from cancer." Her face falls and I quickly let out the rest. "She was born here so it was only natural to bury her here as well. I couldn't stand being away from her grave for so long and decided I would apply to the schools nearby. Luckily I was accepted here and everything else fell into place." There is a small lump in my throat but I look away from her sweet brown eyes before I start to tear up. That would be embarrassing.

Her hand reaches out for mine. "I'm sorry to hear that, love."

My heart swells at the endearment. My body shifts away but she leans in closer until I can't avoid looking at her. Her other hand reaches up and lands right over my heart. The beat is steady.

"Is that why you were so sad a couple of weeks ago? Were there nights that made it really hard for you?"

I bite my lip and feel the tears nearby. "The anniversary of her death." I nod.

She pulls my hand to her lips and kisses my palm. My hand is on fire and the heavy feeling in chest lifts, replaced by a deep hunger. Her caring eyes swallow me whole.

Then there is a knock on the door. That was fast. I regret calling Jake to save me. I just want to be alone with her for a little while longer. I clear my throat again and pull away from her. I feel my cheeks burning.

A guy with dirty blonde hair and unique hazel, almost yellow, eyes walk in before Hazel makes it to the door.

"We have an emergency." He looks at her wide eyes.

Hazel looks concerned and turns to me. "Can you give me a minute?"

I nod and they step out.

Jake sends me a text back. He should be here any minute. I start to pack my bag. Hopefully with this distraction I can slip away without having to face Hazel. How can I look at her in the eyes after what just happened? Before I am out she comes back in the room and looks down at my bag. Her friend decided to stay outside.

"Are you leaving?" Her tone is flat.

I open my mouth but someone knocks on the door again. I walk to open it and see Jake. I turn to Hazel and smile apologetically. "Something came up. I have to go."

I grab Jake's hand. Her eyes fall our hands and all of a sudden I feel a shock right in the center of my palm. "Ow!" I pull my hand back.

Hazel's eyes go wide and she looks behind us. I turn and see her friend standing there staring at Jake. I can't make out the look he's giving him.

Jake follows my line of view and smiles slightly at the guy by the entrance.

"Sup?" he nods in his direction.

The guy looks with pleading eyes past us, to Hazel. She hesitantly makes her way around us so she's standing next to him. She takes his hand in hers and it's my turn to glare at their hands.

"Hey guys, this is Leo-"

"I'm her boyfriend." He states, confidently.

I choke on my spit. I can barely contain my jealousy. 'Her what?' I want to yell. Just two seconds ago she was looking at me like she cared about me. She kissed my palm for God's sake! And yet here I am next to my own boyfriend. I am a mess.

Hazel looks at me apologetically. But I don't pay her any mind. I introduce Leo to my boyfriend and find some dumb excuse to leave as quickly as possible.

Leo can't take his eyes off Jake but I am having trouble focusing on anything else but the fact that Hazel has a boyfriend. I don't think I ever thought she would be taken. But why would I think she would be single? It's not like she's mine.

******

~Hazel~

"There has to be a mistake." Leo slams the door shut once Amelia and Jake leave the study room.

I wish I could have kissed her goodbye. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail that showed off her beautiful face today. Her visible neck made my mouth water. I had so much trouble concentrating on my lesson when she would lean in closer and her baby blue shirt, with a low neckline, would show off her beautiful cleavage. Her erratic heartbeat when she looked at me also made it hard to focus. Then Leo had to come in and ruin it all.

"Be careful. The Gods might hear you." I throw his words back at him.

He glares at me and I shrug my shoulders.

He holds my hand and snaps his fingers so we're back in his room. He starts pacing back forth and I decide to sit on his bed. Leo's room looks like the inside of a castle. He keeps it nice and tidy so it looks very spacious. I am sure three families can live here, and that's not including the bathroom. I prefer cozier settings. It's a while before he speaks.

"He's human!" He makes a disgusted face. "And he's a guy! What kind of sick joke is this?"

I scoot back so that I am leaning against the headboard. "You really think he's your soul mate?" I also find it hard to believe. Not only is his sou lmate a guy (Leo has never been with a guy) but he is human, like Amelia. And he's also Amelia's boyfriend. It has to be a prank. The Gods must be laughing now.