Chapter 7: Charlotte: You’ve got to be Kidding Me

“Class we have an extra special guest today,” Mrs. Lindell said as she started class, “as many of you may know, the band Forever Yours has been holding contests for new up and coming artists. As the top rated music program in the state a very special person has come to talk to you. Today our special guest is the bands manager Leo. Let’s be a good audience now.” She took a step back and a tall man with fiery red hair and the lightest green eyes stepped up and took his place at the front of the room.

            “Hi everybody!” Leo called out, “As your lovely teacher has already said Forever Yours is holding a contest for new artists! All you have to do…” he cut off mid-sentence as he scanned the room. “Annea?” he whispered. All eyes in the room followed his gaze which was locked on me. “Annea,” he said again this time a bit louder looking towards me in a trance like state. Why did everyone keep calling me that?

            “Umm… No, sir my name is Charlotte. Charlotte Anne Meres, you must have me confused with someone else,” I said hoping to distract the class, I hated the feeling of all eyes on me. Suddenly Leo snapped out of it.

            “I’m sorry, Charlotte was it? You just look like someone I once knew,” he went back to his speech about the contest while I was lost in thought. Annea. Annea. Annea. Who was this girl? The name continued to loop through my head.

            “Just remember all you have to do to be eligible is submit a recording of your favorite self-written song,” Leo finished as I came back to reality. “Thanks everyone! And again Ms. Charlotte Meres, I am truly sorry for the case of misidentification.” I didn’t say anything and smiled back at him.

            Zac ran to catch up with me after class. “Hey Charlotte!” he yelled after me. I picked up my speed. I was really weirded out by this Annea thing. All I wanted was to be alone, I had made up my mind to skip lunch and hang out in the library instead. Maybe do a little research about this Annea character. Zac was panting by the time he caught up with me. “Lottie didn’t you hear me,” he wrapped me up tightly in his arms. “Hey what’s wrong?”  He was referring to the mixture of confusion and sadness covering my face.

            “Nothing Zac,” I tried to pull away from him but he only held me closer. It wasn’t a rough hold like Lucas’s had been, but rather a feeling of protection. Like he would never let anyone harm me. “I just want to be alone.” He dropped his arm. I walked away from him and towards the library.

            “Please Lottie,” he begged, “just come to lunch for a little while. Let me introduce you to some of my friends.” I sighed begrudgingly but let him gently lead me towards the lunch room. Zac sat me down at a table with all his friends whose names I immediately forgot. He then left me there while he went to get me something to eat. The kids around me casually murmured about this and that making no effort to include me in their conversations. Not that it bothered me, I was too far gone in my own world watching Zac.

            Out of nowhere someone place their rough hand on my shoulder. “Come with me Hex,” Lucas whispered viciously in my ear. Suddenly it was like I didn’t have control over my body, I stood up and walked away with him even though every cell screamed for me to sit back down.

            “Lottie, go back to the table,” Zac rushed up behind me and grabbed my hand. “I need to have a word with our friend Lucas.” He glared ferociously at Lucas, Lucas returned it with the same intensity.

            “Shall we take this to the back stairs?” Lucas snarled.

            “Of course,” Zac replied with a smirk. They walked out of the lunch room. You could see the vicious energy rolling off them. I followed behind them at a safe distance. I really wanted to see what was up with this Lucas character. They reached the back stairwell and stopped, I ducked behind a corner, from my spot I could see and hear them, but they couldn’t see me.

            “Stay. Away. From. MY. Lottie.” Zac snarled at Lucas holding him against the wall. His arm digging against Lucas’s windpipe. Lucas grinned an evil grin.

            “You’ve seen her colors as well as I have, witch. She belongs to Lenox,” Lucas said, not even bothered by the fact Zac was trying to cut off his air. Lucas simply flicked him off. Zac fell to the floor dust scattering all around him.

            “I have seen her colors, and I see that she belongs to me,” Zac bellowed as he pounced onto Lucas. Lucas’s entire body began to shake, as if he was going to have a seizure. His teeth grew over his lips, hair covered his entire body as he dropped to all fours. A howl slipped through his lips and he began to circle Zac. As a wolf. I took in an audible sharp breath. Both boys turned and looked in my direction. Lucas quickly changed back into his regular form.

            “Who’s there?” Zac yelled out. I quietly slipped back down the hallway and into the closest bathroom. My mind spun. What was Lucas, he turned into a wolf. Why would he call Zac a witch, that wasn’t a normal insult between guys? And why in the world did either of them think they owned me?

            I was out of it the rest of the day. Still confused about all the weird things that had gone on today. I was about to leave the building, having successfully avoided Zac since after lunch. After what had happened, I was too confused to see him. Just as I was walking down the steps, Zac caught up with me.

            “Lottie, is something wrong? Why are you avoiding me?” he cornered me at the top of the stairs blocking my escape path.

            “No, I just… Look my mom’s here I’ve got to go,” I tried to walk away from him. He caught my hand.

            “Please Lottie, please,” he looked at me with pleading eyes, “I know it was you today. You overheard Lucas and my conversation. Please just go on a date with me on Friday and I’ll explain everything.”

            “Fine,” I replied hoping to finally get some answers. Zac stepped out of my way and I skirted down the stairs and into mom’s car. A huge grin crawling over my face.

            The rest of the week flew by uneventful. I went through my binder of songs thinking about which one to send in for the competition. I was really going to do it this time, it was time I stepped up and stopped being afraid.

            “Now Lottie,” my mom said walking into the bathroom as I was putting on the finishing touches to my makeup. “I know you know where baby’s come from, but when a man and a woman are in love they share something that you shouldn’t share with anyone else.” I looked up at her in shock. I couldn’t believe we were seriously having this conversation right now. I stopped her before she could continue to embarrass herself.

            “Mom, I don’t know what kind of hussy you think I am, but this is the first date I’ve ever even been on. I’m not going to just throw it all away on a boy with a pretty smile,” I walked out of the bathroom and into my room. It was nearly five, Zac would be here any minute and I wasn’t even dressed yet. I grabbed the skirt and top I had laid out. I quickly put them on as my mom came in the room.

            “I want him to come in and meet us before you two go out,” she studied me up and down, making sure I was appropriately dressed for my date.

            “Yes mom,” I replied with a sigh. I heard a car thump up into the driveway and looked out the window to see it was Zac’s car. I raced down the stairs to open the door before he even rang the bell. Aunt Tilly was waiting to stop me.

            “You go sit on that couch young lady,” Aunt Tilly told me. “When he rings the bell I will let him in, and if he doesn’t then you aren’t going anywhere with a boy too rude to pick up his date at the door.” I did as I was told and only moments later I heard the bell ring.

            “Hi I’m Zachary Campbell,” I heard Zac tell Aunt Tilly, “I’m here to pick up Charlotte for our date this evening.” He sounded so suave and mature as he talked to Aunt Tilly. His voice got closer and closer as he and Aunt Tilly made small talk on the way to the living room. When he finally saw me his whole face lit up. “Lottie, you look so beautiful,” he walked over and took my hand in his. Slowly he raised it to his lips and gave it a quick peck. It sent shivers down my spine.

            “So what are your plans for our Lottie?” Mina demanded as she stepped into the room followed by my mother.

            “My goodness, Charlotte you didn’t tell me you lived with such beautiful woman,” Zac sauntered over to Mina and mom. “I’m Zachary Campbell, pleased to make your acquaintance,” he bowed his head to them then rose and turned to look at Mina. “Our plans for the evening are to return for dinner at my house with my parents, then off to the eight o’clock showing of the new Tim Burrton picture. I will return her by promptly 10:30. Of course only if this is okay with the matriarch of the home.” He turned to Aunt Tilly. I had never seen Zac behave so formally before, he was a completely different guy around his friends. So chill and laidback, but here he seemed so proper, as if he was addressing the queen of England. Aunt Tilly gave a nod of approval.

            “Would you like to go now Lottie?” he said and offered me his arm to hold.

            “Just one second,” I turned to my mom, “Do you mind taking a picture of us before we go?” She smiled at me like I had just made her the happiest woman in the world.

            “Of course,” she said and quickly hurried off to find the camera.

            After many rounds of pictures and poses we were off. I sat in the front seat of his Ford Focus, studying him carefully, his chestnut hair had been neatly combed allowing his chocolate brown eyes to shine through. The sparkle in them was hypnotizing, I couldn’t help but smile at him every time I looked into his eyes. His bronze skin glimmered as the setting sun shone through the windshield. He looked over at me and smiled, then cautiously grasped my hand.

            “You look truly beautiful Lottie,” he said as we pulled up to an average sized home. “Well here we are. I’m sorry about this, my mother insisted.” We walked up to the door and Zac let us in. “Mom we’re…” he didn’t even get to finish his sentence before a short plump kitchen came flying in from the kitchen.

            “Oh it’s so nice to meet you Charlotte, Zachery has told us so much about you! You’re right Zachery she does have the most beautiful colors! Please, please come in come in! Take your shoes off make yourself comfortable. I’m Alexa, please feel free to just call me Alexa,” Mrs. Campbell continued to ramble as she led us into the dining room. What did she mean my colors? Lucas had said something about that earlier in the week too. She instructed Zac and I to sit, promising to return with drinks, dinner, and Mr. Campbell.

 

            “Dinner was wonderful Mrs. Campbell,” I complimented as I dabbed at the corners of my mouth with the napkin.

            “Please, please dear call me Alexa,” Mrs. Campbell said, “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” This had been a wonderful evening, both his parents were so kind and seemed to be interested in every word I said. Zac returned from the kitchen after having cleared the table.

            “Are you ready to go Lottie?” he asked helping me stand up from the table.

            “Now wait just a moment,” Mr. Campbell stopped us from leaving the room. “Please understand Charlotte I think you’re a wonderful girl but I just need to know who my son is getting involved with.” I looked at him confused. What in the world was he talking about? “Charlotte if you don’t mind, will you please tell us what your gift is, your aura shows awfully strong magic for someone so young.” My jaw dropped as I stared at him. Magic? Did this family really believe there was such thing as magic? Even after all I had seen this week, I still didn’t believe in magic.

            “Father!” Zac shouted. He quickly swept me out of the room and to his car. “I’m sorry for that my dad can be kind of… weird.” He smiled sheepishly at me.

            Lost in thought I didn’t even realize when he pulled off the road into a forest preserve.

            “What…What are we doing Zac?” I had seen the after school specials, I knew this couldn’t end well.

            “I promised you answers didn’t I?” he climbed out of the car and began to walk into the forest. I frantically searched around the car for his keys, I knew better then to follow him into the woods. No matter how badly I wanted those answers. About fifteen minutes had passed before there was a knock at the window.

            “Lottie, I’m not going to hurt you, please just trust me,” he said. For some reason I did trust him. I climbed slowly out of the car and followed him deeper and deeper into the dark woods.

            We walked for what seemed like hours, before we came across a star lit clearing. He sat down in the grass and I sat down next to him. It was a bit chilly outside so I slid closer to him and laid my head in his lap.

            “Oh Annea,” he whispered to me as gently stroked my hair. I snapped.

            “Who the F**K is this Annea chick!? For the love of God my name is Charlotte. CHARLOTTE ANNE MERES! GET IT THROUGH YOUR F*****G HEAD! QUIT ACCUSING ME OF BEING SOMEONE I’M NOT!” I realized at the end I had stood up and was screaming at him.  Zac stood opposite of me with his hands raised as if I was a wild animal he was trying to calm.

            “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You just look so similar to princess Annea,” he looked me deep in the eyes, “it was a devastating lost to our homeland when she went missing. Ever since then there have been witches from the protection agency stationed all over the world. Hoping to find her and her kidnappers.” I studied him carefully, princess? Witches? He had to be using drugs. I started to back out the way we had come. “Please Lottie, wait! Let me tell you everything.” I paused at the opening to the clearing.

            “I’m listening,” I stood frozen waiting to see if this would be worth my time. Zac let out a relieved sigh and sat back down in the grass.

            “Okay first let me explain to you about what I am and what I had mistaken you to be as well,” he started to tell me about the witches’ homeland, the different types of witches, and he specifically emphasized what kind of with he was. “I’m from the protection agency, we work to keep witches safe from other creatures such as werewolves and humans. When princess Annea was stolen everyone feared it had been werewolves and many families from the protection agency were sent all across the world to bring the princess home.”

            “Tell me more about this princess,” I begged him, by this time I had returned to my spot with my head in his lap.

            “Well she wasn’t actually a princess in human terms,” he started. “In our culture anyone who works directly in the king’s court is considered a prince or princess. His actual children are called countess and count. Annea was to be the king’s alchemist, it is very rare to be awarded such a high honor, only once ever thousand years or so is a true alchemist baby born. During the time when there isn’t a true alchemist other elementals are trained for the position but none are very good at it. Annea was the first baby born in two-thousand years, it was a devastating loss for the kingdom. It was over sixteen years ago too, and we are still out here looking for her.” I pondered this for a moment.

            “So you think I could be a witch? Maybe even the princess?” I asked Zac. He looked at me sadly and shook his head.

            “It’s a possibility, but most witches don’t grow up without knowing who they are, and your aura shows you are related to the people you live with so they aren’t your kidnappers,” he looked at me. “But none of that matters to me Lottie. Witch, human, or wolf, I know there is something between us and you can’t deny it.”

            “Oh Zac,” he leaned down and hovered just above my lips. Tentatively I lifted my head and my lips met his. The entire world stopped spinning, and all that mattered was the feeling of his lips against mine.

            Just as Zac promised he returned me promptly to the doorstep at 10:30. He gave me a quick peck and swore he would call me in the morning. I floated in the door, and up the stairs.

            “How’d it go?” my mom yelled behind me. I collapsed onto my bed in a pool of pure bliss.

            “Amazing.”

 

            “Well are you going to send them?” Zac asked me. Just as he promised he had called the very next morning. And every morning after that. It had been a few months since our first date and the deadline for the contest was fast approaching. I had just finished singing him the song I was going to send in.

            “I’ve got to ask my mom about it first,” I replied, “She has funny rules about things like this.”

            “Lottie that was beautiful, you must send it in!” Zac told me. I heard my mom coming up the stairs and said a quick goodbye to Zac knowing I needed to talk with my mom. She came into my room and I told her we needed to talk. A panicked look crossed her face as she sat next to me on the bed. I reassured her that it wasn’t anything having to do with boys, but rather the contest.

            “No Lottie. It is simply out of the question,” she said as soon as I had finished explaining the contest.

            “But mom,” I started but was cut short.

            “No Lottie. I don’t want to hear anything else about it. Do I make myself clear?” she tried imitating Aunt Tilly’s no nonsense voice. She stood and left my room. I flung myself down on the bed and began to cry. My mom had always supported me with everything I had wanted to do. And now that I finally had the gall to do something with my music she was forbidding it. I called Zac and told him what had happened.

            “Do it anyways Lottie,” he told me. “Your voice is too beautiful to be kept silent.” He was right I was sixteen it was time I started acting like my own person.

 

            “YOU DID WHAT?” my mother screamed at me when I returned from mailing the tape.

            “I’m doing this mom. Zac said my voice was too pretty not too. Who knows if they’ll even accept me,” I tried to remain calm I knew if I got upset she would go overboard.

            “I can’t believe you! After I specifically told you! You turn around and do this! Charlotte Anne Meres do you have anything to say for yourself?” she was beyond mad at me. “Nothing! That’s what I thought! It’s this new boy! I don’t want you seeing him anymore! He’s much too sly for my liking! I know guys like him all they want is one thing!” She could yell and scream at me all I wanted, but she didn’t even know Zac, she couldn’t talk about him  

            “Just because you messed up and gave it all away, doesn’t mean I will! I’m not you!” I screamed back at her. I turned my back on her and stormed out the front door. I felt her hurt gaze in the back of my head.

“Charlotte you don’t know anything,” my mother said quietly.

“Oh please like I wouldn’t figure it out! All the secrets about my dad! Do you even know who he is s**t!” I screamed at her. Without a word she reached out and slapped me. I turn and ran out of the house, going to the only person I felt supported me.

            I showed up at Zac’s door unannounced my tears had made my mascara run down my face, my hair was disheveled, I probably looked like a homeless person. I rang the bell and prayed that it would be Zac that answered and not one of his parents. I got my wish, Zac pulled open the door and stared at me.

            “Lottie, what…” I cut him off and pushed pass him and into his house.

            “I’m sorry Zac it’s my mom we just…” I trailed off no longer able to hold back the sobs. I broke down in his arms. Shushing me he guided me up the stairs and into his room. He laid me gently on the bed and laid next to me. “Aren’t your parents’ home?” I asked in-between sobs.

            “No Lottie, and they won’t be back till tomorrow evening. We have the house to ourselves and you can stay here as long as you need,” a seductive smile washed over his face. It frightened me, but at the same time it excited me. He flipped the TV on and found a movie channel right away. They were showing A Walk to Remember, hands down my favorite Nicholas Sparks book and movie. I cuddled in close and we watching in silence for about an hour.

I looked up into his eyes. They were so soft and compassionate. My mom was wrong about him. Never in a million years would someone with eyes as soft as his try to take advantage of me. I started to talk to him about what my mom had said. He cut me off with a kiss, one much deeper and messier than any before. He deepened the kiss as he pushed open my lips with his tongue. Not knowing how to respond I mimicked his movements. Zac took it as an encouragement and rolled on top of me. His hips began to move in circles on top of mine. I copied the large circles he made, realizing it felt amazing. He took off his shirt before rolling me on top of him. I continued to grind on his hips as he lifted up my shirt revealing my lace black and white spotted bra. Before I knew it we were both completely naked, he reached into his nightstand drawer, grabbed a condom wrapper, and tore it open. He fumbled putting it on.

            “Are you ready?” he asked as he slid into place on top of me, waiting for permission to penetrate. I whispered out no as every fiber of my being was screaming at me to stop him. I kept repeating no but he ignored my protest and penetrated me. I let out a blood curdling scream. Zac pulled out and looked at me. The tears were running down my face. I flew off the bed and scooped up my clothes running to the bathroom. I locked and slammed the door behind me. Zac followed.

            “Charlotte! Charlotte” he banged on the door. I didn’t even look up as I frantically dressed. Trying to breathe through the sobs and not hyper ventilate. “If you didn’t want to do this you should have said something,” he continued to yell through the door. “Your body told me yes and I just couldn’t resist. You’re too sexy for your own good.” I closed my eyes as I opened the door to face him. “Lottie please,” he begged attempting to wrap me in his arms.

            “No Zac. I need some time,” I ignored the rest of his please as I headed for the door. Right now more than ever I needed my mom.