I Live With A Witch (Chapter 12)

When I ran away from home, I lived off the streets for a few days...and the first thing I learned while living like that is this: You must always be aware of your surroundings. You only have an instant to take everything around you in. You must know your environment and become familiar with it quickly. So when Eva lead me into the third grade classroom by the hand, I instinctively started studying the classroom...trying to take it all in.
The room was very large. A large whiteboard stood at the front of the room and there was a large box TV hanging from the ceiling. The floor was carpet, but there was a big rug in the middle of the room. All of the children were away from their desks, which were in 5 rows of 6 at the other side of the room, and all the children were sitting on the carpet. In front of them was a wooden rocking chair that the teacher was sitting in. The teachers desk itself was near the door and it had the typical teacher equipment like a computer and office utensils. There was a large glass door that lead outside towards the recess ground outside. The white walls had stickers and banners in certain places...it looked very much like the third grade class that I went to when I really WAS 8 years old. The students all turned to look at me when I came in. The teacher, who was reading a book, looked up from the book to see Eva and I walk in. She smiled warmly and stood up.

"Well, hello there." She said bubbly. "It looks like we have a visitor." Eva smiled and placed her hands on my shoulder.
"Hi, this is my little sister, Alice...and I'm trying to find a good school for her to attend. I wanted her to try this school for the day and see how she liked it." The teacher beamed and leaned down to look me in the eyes.
"Well, my name is Ms. Maddie, and it is a pleasure to meet you Alice." I smiled and waved nervously like a normal 8 year old girl would do...but what I was really doing was studying her. It was something I did with every teacher I ever had. I tried to learn about her based on her attitude and appearance. She was relatively young and she had a bright smile on her face. She was blonde haired and her hair was tied back in a pony tail. She looked professional enough to pass as a teacher, but laid back enough that she kept kids at ease. She was the kind of teacher that I enjoyed having when I was a child...so maybe this wouldn't be too bad after all.
"Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?" Ms. Maddie asked. I suddenly felt a sense of dread. I had no desire to stand in front of a classroom of students and announce my name...it was too terrifying. I shook my head no, but Eva tightened her hold on my shoulder.
"It's okay, Alice...I'll be with you while you do it." She then lead me to the front of the classroom and stood beside me, beaming. All the students eyes were on me. Ms. Madden had gone to her chair and sat down.
"Class, we have a visitor!" She called. "I want you all to be good and welcome our new student." She then nodded at Eva and I...queuing me to introduce myself. I shot one more terror filled glance at Eva, but she was just smiling, motioning for me to start.

"Um...hello..." I whimpered nervously, cringing at my little girl voice. I folded my hands in front of me, brushing my dress down. "My name is...Alice...and I'm 8 years old." The students were watching me with a mixture of interest and amusement. Did they find my nervousness funny? "I'm...very happy to be here today." As I finished, Ms. Maddie lead the class in a round of applause. To me, it was like I had just released a great deal of stress. Eva was beaming so brightly, I thought she might just burst.
"That was excellent, Alice." She then let go of my shoulder and walked toward the door. "Now I need to go home and get supper started...I'll be back to pick you up later...have a good day." I watched with fear as Eva, my only chance at returning to normal, walked out the door and down the hall, closing the thick wooden door behind her. My heart was pounding like a drum.

"Okay class, it's time for lunch, lets go...grab your lunch boxes." Ms. Maddie announced. I stood up and walked with the class over to the door. In the back of my mind I began plotting different ways that I could escape...or maybe get back to the cottage. However, each plan I had, no matter how brilliant, all ended with the same outcome...with Eva getting mad at me and leaving me as Alice for a year. The thought made me shiver.
As we walked down the hall, I stayed at the back of the line...just praying that the day would go by quicker. We walked from the red hallway down the blue hall until we made it all the way to a large mess hall where children were already eating. I had no money for food and I didn't have a lunch box, so I would wait this one out. I walked over to a table with as few people as possible and sat down.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" One of the students asked. I shook my head.
"Don't have anything to eat." I answered. Suddenly I saw a hand reach over and place a banana in front of me.
"Here, you can eat this...I don't want it." Before I could even look up to see who it was, I noticed that any other student at the table had picked up their trays and left the instant this persona had arrived. The stranger sat down next to me and I turned to look at him. My eyes nearly shot out of my head.
"PHILIP?!" I cried. There was no doubt about it. It was the same boy from the park...the one who had kissed me. Just looking at his face made me want to kill him. The only reason I hadn't was possibly due to the shock of seeing him.
"Hey, Alice...word is that you're the new student, so I figured I'd get you a banana." I looked away from him and pushed the banana back to him.
"Sorry, I lost my apatite." I growled. He grinned and shrugged.
"Okay...suit yourself Alice...or should I call you Christian."

For a brief moment, I felt my heart come to a halt. I choked and spun to face him. My face was a mixture of fear, anger, and confusion. How had he known? How did he know my name? What gave it away?
"What are you talking about?" Philip suddenly gave me a wicked grin that I recognized.
"So this is how Eva gets her kicks?" He asked wickedly, "She has you pick up broken glass and turns you into a little girl?" Then it hit me...his attitude, his words, his voice...

"Garrett!" I hissed. Philip just smirked.
"Took you long enough to figure it out." He snidely remarked.
"You're Philip?" I cried, "But how...how are you Philip? And how did you know who I was?!" Garrett smiled and his eyes flashed...his pale blue eyes looked, for an instant...inhuman.
"It's quite obvious...there are two clues that gave you away." He held up a finger. "Number One...Eva doesn't have any siblings...that day in the park, I saw you with her and I knew that you couldn't be her sister...so I thought that you might have been her friend. However, that leads me to Number Two...You weren't attracted to me that day...you punched me after I kissed you. No girl has ever done that before...so the only explanation is that you aren't really a girl." I felt myself grow red as he brought up those memories.
"I find that hard to believe. A slime like you? I thought that your face would be raw from the amount of punches you receive from women." I spat. Garrett shook his head.
"Haven't you noticed, Christian? Look at the girls in this lunch room." I looked around as he suggested at the girls...and I noticed they all had something in common. They were all staring at me in anger and jealousy...and staring at Garrett with affection. They were all infatuated with him as if he were some teen pop star. "I am an incubus, Christian...I can become the object that women want most. There isn't a female alive that I can't bend to my will...and that includes your big sister." I felt my fear and confusion instantly change to rage.

"You stay away from Eva, Garrett." I hissed.
"What are you going to do to stop me, Alice?" He laughed.
"Whatever it takes." I snapped. Garrett gave a harsh laughed and then resumed his original demeanor of Philip.
"Whatever you say, Alice. You can have the banana if you want...I'll see you around." He then wandered off. I was furious...I was scared...and I was confused. Garrett and Philip were one in the same?! Garrett was an incubus?! Then suddenly it dawned on me...Garrett had KISSED me!?!? I nearly puked all over the table, but I refrained.
My mind began to race, thinking of why Garrett would go to the trouble of becoming Philip? I also couldn't help but wonder why he was so damn interested in Eva when he claims he could have any girl he wanted for his own. There had to be some sort of logical reasoning.
"Okay class, time to head back." Ms. Maddie called out. I looked up and groaned. My stomach growled at me angrily...I hadn't eaten a thing, but I wouldn't dare touch the banana Garrett had brought...just thinking about him made me sick. I stood up and followed the class out of the door.
"Did you have a good lunch, Alice?" Ms. Maddie asked. I looked up at smiled pleasantly, having to play the role that Eva had wanted me to play.
"Yes, Ms. Maddie." I answered.

I thought the day would never end...but when it finally did, I was more than happy to escape the walls of that school. I rushed outside, past the children waiting for cars to come and pick them up and around the buses and cars lining up at the doors. As I made it to the parking lot, I saw Eva, waiting for me...and there was a long broom in her hand. I was too excited about leaving school to really care about that though.
"Hey Alice...did you have a good day at school?" She asked. I groaned and nearly punched her in the stomach.
"Just get me home already, Eva." I growled. Eva hopped onto the broom and pulled me on behind her. I sat down and felt the broom lift off. No one seemed to notice, because Eva was careful to fly behind the cover of the trees. I didn't want to look down, so I looked in almost every other direction...and then I looked at Eva...and then I remembered Philip...no, not Philip, but Garrett. Eva was his target...and she had no idea what he was or what he was capable of.
"Is everything okay back there, Alice?" Eva asked. "You seem awful quiet."
"Eva...we need to talk."