Dear Diary,

Today was really weird. This total stranger came up and talked to me out of the blue! I can tell you, I was so surprised I near fell over!

Her name’s Andrea Hope. She’s new. She’s really pretty, and I can’t help wondering why she wanted to talk to me. She’s got the biggest eyes you’ve ever seen, and they’re a freaky color. Bright purple! And long straight black hair down to her waist. She’s a tiny pale thing. Kind of like this old fashioned china doll Mom has…

Well, gotta go, Diary.

-Lucy

“Excuse me? Are you Lucinda McCarthy?”

Lucy turned around and glared at the short dark haired girl who’d asked the question. “Aye I am. Wha’ d’ye want?” She snapped, her Scottish accent thickening in her anger.

The girl blinked large violet eyes. “Sorry, for breathing.” She said, angry too. “I just wanted to ask you a question.”

“Wha’ question migh’ tha’ be?”

The girl’s voice was so quiet that Lucy nearly didn’t hear her. “Are you really a witch?”

Lucy alternatively paled and flushed red with anger, mouth trembling. So that was it. “Aye.” She snarled, tossing her red curls over one shoulder. “I am a witch. Wha’s it to ye? Because I’m na gonna make ye a potion te make someone yer slave or somethin’, so ye can go away if ye wanna ask me tha’.”

“No.” The girl said. “That wasn’t what I was going to do. I just thought I’d find out.”

“And why would ye wanna do tha’?” Lucy asked.

“Because I’m a witch too.” The girl shot back. “And I heard you were really good. So I thought you might be able to help me.”

Lucy raised one eyebrow, green eyes wary. Just because the other girl’s admission stirred a sense of kinship in her didn’t mean she was going soft. She’d been the brunt of too many jokes and tricks to be gullible. “Is tha’ so?” She said. “An’ who told ye tha’ I’m a witch?”

Uncertainty flickered in the other teenager’s eyes for a moment, before being chased away. “I’ve heard things.” She said. “And half my science class assured me you’d put curses on them.” A smile tilted her lips upwards. “Not that I’d blame you, I thought I was going to snap and turn them all into toads.” Then she sighed. “But there lies the trouble. None of my spells go right. And I was hoping you could help me.”

“You were hopin’ I could help you.” Lucy mimicked. “Well lemme tell you somethin’…alright, I will.”

“Really?” Surprise and delight was evident in the dark-haired girl’s voice. “Thanks, Lucinda.”

“Call me Lucy. I don’ like it when people call me Lucinda. An’ have you got a name, kid?” She asked, tipping her head to one side in amusement.

The girl blushed. “I’m not a kid. I’m the same age as you. Fifteen. And my name’s Andrea. Andrea Hope.”