The next day when I got home from school, I saw that my mum was getting ready to go back out.

"Go get changed Vicky we're off to go see someone," she said soon as I shut the door. I went upstairs to change out of my school clothes.

I didn't know what to wear because I didn't know who I was about to meet. None of my clothes were expensive or nice. I decided on my red dress as it was the nicest piece of clothing I owned. Once ready I went back down stairs to see that she was waiting for me.

"You're ready. Let's go," she said and we left the cottage.

We were going to walk through the woods. I wished we didn't.

"Mum do we have to walk through here? Isn't there a different way?" I asked. I remember the last time I had gone in the woods and I didn't want to relive it. There was nothing to be afraid of really because I was little back then and now I was sixteen, but I couldn't help feeling scared.

"No. It will be okay. Just stay close to me," my mum reassured me but it didn't help.

I followed her, making sure I was walking next to her. I looked around, nervously to make sure that no one was watching or following us. My breathing quickened as the trees engulfed us, hiding us away from the village. The world.

As we walked and walked I couldn't help but look around in every direction possible. I knew we were alone, but that didn't calm my nerves and rapid breathing.

I carried on following, her until a large white house magically emerged from behind the trees. It was cute and looked like a something out of a fairytale. There were two floors to the main building. There was also white marble stairs leading up to the door.

"Wow," I said as we walked closer. We reached the door which was very high-tech. There was a security system and a calling system to inside the house. My mum pressed the button.

"Hello," a woman's voice answered.

"Hello Emma, it's Sally?"

"Alright I'll let you in," the woman said who's voice sounded strangely familiar The door began to open.

Who is she? I couldn't help but wonder where I knew that voice from. Once the door opened I had to stop myself from gasping.

Why did have to be her of all people? There was no mistaking the long brown flowing hair. The ghostly somebody was stood there looking at me and mum with a warm inviting smile. Why did my mum bring me here?

"Hello Sally and Vicky," the woman said kindly. "You look nothing like your photographs you are much more pretty." She added looking at me.

"Erm... Thank-you," I mumbled.

"Come in," she told us but I didn't want to go in. I just stood there, debating whether or not to take her invite, as I watched mum step inside.

"Come on, Vicky," my mum said. I sighed and stepped inside.

The inside was so modern but expensive, and stylish due to the furniture and fittings. Dark rose wood flooring covered the space beneath our feet. The lighting above was a silver metal chandelier.

We followed her into a room with grey, cotton sofas and chairs but no TV There was not really anything else in this room except for a small oak table and a few books in a book case.

"Take a seat. I'll get us some drinks," she said and left the room. I looked around and then nervously sat down on an armchair.

A while later she came back holding a tray of tea and biscuits. "You like tea don't you?" She asked me.

"Yes."

"Oh, good," she said and put the tray down on the table. Then sat down next to Emma on the sofa. I was thirsty, but I didn't know if I could trust this woman. My mum picked up her mug and took a sip. It looked like it was safe. It didn't look like she poisoned it so I picked up the mug.

"I haven't introduced you yet have I?" My mum asked me rhetorically. "This is Emma my best friend, she's a witch just like us."

Did my mum know that her best friend was appearing to her daughter trying to scare her?

"It's nice to meet you, Vicky," Emma said.

"Nice to meet you too," I lied. It wasn't nice to meet her at all because I was struggling to keep my hands from shaking and we had already met.

"You've probably had strange things that have had happened to you by now. Have you ever done something you thought was strange?" My mum asked me.

"I'm not sure. I was on the bus and I shivered, and then it shook. I think I made it shake but I'm not sure," I answered.

"It sounds like it would have been you who caused it. You should practice." She turned to Emma and asked, "Have you still got my book of shadows?"

"Yes, of course. I will get you it before you go," she replied.

"Thank you," I said to my mum and took a drink of my tea.

Time passed as we talked about what witches were and what power they had. Then when it was dark outside my mum spoke up.

"We have to go now it is getting very late," Mum said.

"Can't we stay here until morning? It's a little dark out," I wondered.

There was no way I was going to walk through the woods at this time. It was bad enough I had to walk through them in the daylight. I think I would have a panic attack if I was in them in the dark. Mum wouldn't be able to keep me calm. I was a little nervous to be around Emma but I was more scared to be out in the woods in the dark.

"Well if it's okay with Emma, but
you will have to be up early in the morning, so we can go home for your school uniform."

"It's alright, you can stay but just let me go get the book of shadows," Emma said and left the room once again.

She re-entered and came over to hand it to me and I took it gratefully, and a little nervously. I couldn't wait to start reading it and to learn magic just like my mum.

Bedtime arrived and Emma had insisted she should show me to my room, even though I had explained I would be fine finding my own. Truthly, though the house was so big I would probably get lost, but I just didn't want to be alone with her. I followed her up the stairs after saying goodnight to my mum, and straight to a room where we stopped.

"You probably think it's strange and creepy that I appeared to you like that before, but I'm just trying to look out for you. I'm worried about you. Everything I said to you is true and your mum should have never brought you back here. It's dangerous," she said. At least she acknowledged what she did was creepy.

"My mum said that I can't escape who I really am," I mumbled.

"But you can run from it," she told me.

"But I don't want to run," I said. I liked it here. Yes, I couldn't see my best friend as much anymore but I was making more friends than I ever had. People were kinder and friendlier to me here. Moving here ended up giving me answers to my questions. It made me know that I wasn't a freak. That I was normal.

"No, you don't seem to be the type of person to run," she said and then stopped to think.

"I can't stop you but just so you know if you need help, I'm here. You're my best friends daughter so I'll always be here to protect you," she told me.

Maybe she wasn't so bad but just didn't know the best way to help me. I think she just really cared about me but she just went about it in the wrong way. I don't think she ever meant to scare me. There was just one thing I needed to be sure of.

"Were you, walking around in the woods near my house the first day I moved here?" I asked her.

"No," she replied.

"What about the next day? I was going to see the play with my friend and I thought I saw someone watching us," I told her.

"Vicktoria, the only times you saw me I made myself known. If I had been anywhere near you at any of those times, I would have come spoke to you."

"Oh," I muttered.

"Why do you think someone is watching you?" She asked with concern.

"No. I probably just imagined it because I didn't really see them. I just caught a glimpse of something out of my eye," I explained.

"Okay, but if you see anything else tell your mum. We don't want anything to happen to you," she said. "Anyway, this is the room," she added and opened the door.

After following her inside, I was wonder struck once again by the beauty of this small little town.

The inside had such beautiful antique furniture. The wardrobe was huge and so was the king sized bed. I had never seen a king sized bed before so I didn't know how big they actually were. There was also a fire place and two metal boxes full of coal and fire wood were neatly stacked next to it. It seemed strange to me having a fire place in a bedroom. The house was huge so it must have been hard to keep warm all the time, so I guess it did kind of make sense.

Luckily, it wasn't too cold tonight so I didn't need to bother creating a fire. Before the foot of the bed there was a giant woolly rug that matched the furniture. The curtains also happened to be the same colour of the rug.

The bed was already made up with a cute flower duvet cover.

"I hope you find the book of shadows helpful, it really helped me and your mum when we were young girls," she said.

"I'm sure I will and thank you so much for it," I told her which made her smile and she started to leave.

"Erm... Emma?" I stuttered.

"Yeah," she said turning back around.

"What is Nick? He's a destined one so what is he?" I asked.

"Vampire. Goodnight Vicky, sleep well."

He was a vampire! I had a hard time believing it because he wasn't like the vampires I knew of. He could go out in the sun and he wasn't scary, but he was extremely pale. I didn't really know anything about real vampires, just the ones from stories so he could most certainly be a one.

"Goodnight Emma," I said.

Once she had left I kicked off my shoes on to the rug. It felt a little scraggy due to its age and it seemed to have taken quite a bit of dust.

I made my way other to the bedside table where a table lamp sat. Next, to it was the book, I glanced at it and a grin came to my face; I couldn't wait to start practising magic.

I turned away and turned on the lamp. I had to make sure I had some light so I could see where I was going, or my clumsy self would end up hurting me.

 I walked over to the light switch next to the door and switched it down. Then I made my way to the bed. I decided to leave on the lamp because I couldn't be bothered to turn it of and in case I had to get up to find a toilet.