Hazel

Hello my lovely readers!

I did not realize this story was going to be from two different POVs until I was three pages in (Seriously!). I just started writing and couldn't stop. I am working on become a better writer so attention to details and plot development was my main focus here. Please leave comments, I love reading every single one!

Enjoy!

XOXO SkylerLuv

******

~Hazel~

I rub my hand against my chest again. The pain is getting worse. I have heard that people have panic attacks but usually there's heavy breathing or some type of break down. Am I subconsciously going through something? It is like a heavy weight has settled on my chest and no amount of rubbing will make it go away. I only ever feel this way when I am beyond upset.

"Are you okay?" My dad's voice interrupts my worrying.

I turn to look at him by my bedroom door. He's wearing the same burgundy sweater he wore for dinner. His rich black hair is sprinkled with white hairs but he still looks young for his age. His skin is rich and tan, which I am lucky to be blessed with. His face is wide and friendly. It is no wonder he has been running the Concord Coven for years now. People trust him and look to him and my mother for guidance.

He waves his hand through the air and the candles in my room light up. His shoes barely make a noise on the hard floor as he silently walks to me. The walls around my room are dark, reflecting my mood. My walls were usually bright colors like yellow and baby blue. The magic coursing through my veins is becoming alarmingly harder to control. I can see his concerned eyes trying to ignore the storm forming around me. It is rare for me to be in such an awful mood.

"Dad," I take a breath. I hate to cause him any distraction but the nagging feeling in my chest is only getting worse. I choke back a sob. "I..." I rub my chest again.

He rushes to my side and kneels at the foot of my bed. "What is it, love?"

"I have this feeling..." My voice quivers. "Deep in my chest. Like the time Tommy died, only worse." Tommy was my black cat. He lived a good life, but it still hurt to say goodbye.

His green eyes take in my state. I feel self conscious under his scrutiny. My father only ever looks at people that way when he is trying to determine a verdict. I believe it makes people who show their true intentions. His verdicts are usually fair and valid. This comes in handy as a Concord leader. "Hazel, when did the pain start?"

I swallow past the lump in my throat. "Just a couple of days ago." More like a couple of nights ago. It is only during the nighttime that I feel it worse. Nothing can distract me. It is like waves of unforgivable sorrow pulling me deeper and deeper into the black abyss. "Please make it stop." I'm on the verge of tears. I pull my fluffy purple pillow against my chest. The windows slam wide open and a storm begins outside.

He briefly looks at the window then turns her concerned eyes back to me. After he watches me for a little while more something lights up in his eyes. He places a hand on my shoulder and gives me wavering smile. "Only you can do that, love."

"How?" I gasp. He has seen something. My dad sometimes gets these visions that help him make decisions based on their outcome. He says it is like seeing a full picture and trying to decipher what part of the scene he is currently in. The main goal is to create the vision that he sees so making the right calls is imperative. It is something he was gifted with, by the Star Dust Coven, when he took the position as a leader to our coven.

"You have to go to her." He runs his thumb against my arm. I know he's trying to sooth me but I can't be distracted anymore. His cryptic talk is working my nerves.

"Dad, who?"

"Amelia." He whispers.

******

~Amelia~

I gasp at the agonizing feeling settling on my chest.

Tonight has been the worst night for me thus far. Tomorrow marks two years since my mother died. Time has only helped me somewhat, but anytime I get closer to the day, I feel like I am drowning all over again. I try not to think about her last days with me. They were mostly spent in the hospital. All her beautiful auburn hair had fallen off and her skin was almost translucent even though in the past it had been a deep caramel color. I knew she was mixed, but she never talked about my grandparents leaving my roots undetermined. Her body was frail and there was not much life left in her. If only we had family alive to make her passing more bearable. She just looked so vulnerable. No, I mentally snap out of it, I want to think about the good years of her life. When she was all smiles and loved unconditionally. She was the kindest person I could ever look up to. I want to be like her.

"Okay, move over." Juliet says above me.

I blink back the tears and have to squint through my swollen eyes to look at her. She's standing at the foot of my bed with her own blanket and pillow. Her raven black hair is up in a messy bun. Juliet is that one popular girl who had the best time growing up because she always had her good looks and amazing body. She is so down to earth though, we instantly became friends my junior year of high school and have been inseparable since then. She knew my mom and is probably the only person in this world I can open up to about her.

I scoot over and she makes herself comfortable. She wraps an arm around me and begins to hum a lullaby. It's probably one her mother used to sing to her when she was younger.

"Tomorrow, I'll meet you after your last class so we can visit your mom's grave."

I hug her tighter.

******

~Hazel~

I turn to look at my mom one last time.

Her chestnut colored hair is identical to mine except hers is long enough to reach the back of her thighs and I keep mine at shoulder length. Her brown eyes are a shade darker than mine and the wrinkles around them let me know she has lived a happy life. We have the same birthmark right above our right eyebrow. Sometimes it's like looking at a mirror that reflects what I will look like in the future.

She's shorter than I am so I'm looking down at her. We're standing behind a big tree by the main building on campus. We're not really hiding, just not visible to the human eye. I have my mom to thank for that spell.

"Remember, she has no idea who you are so be friendly but not overbearing." The excitement in her eyes only fuels my own. The blossoming feeling in my chest just keeps expanding until I can't take it.

"Mom, I don't know if I can do this." I feel sick. I am about to meet my soul mate. After my father explained just who Amelia was everything fell into place. The pain I was feeling was just the beginning. The greater Gods choose our soul mates and no one ever questions it. We are just grateful to be gifted a soul mate. Some witches go their whole life without ever meeting their soul mate. There are rumors that if one does not meet their soul mate their life span is cut almost by half. I don't know how much truth there is to that but I don't intend to find out. I got lucky to have found mine at such a young age.

Meeting my soul mate means so much more to me though. As the daughter of Lady and Lord Holt, rulers of the Concord Coven, I will get the advantage of reaching my full magical potential at a young age because I already have a soul mate set for me. I will finally be able to start my real training to take over my parents' throne. My dad has been just as eager as I was when we learned that she was close.

It is only when a soul mate is near or they are going through something deeply emotional that the connection to their other half becomes stronger. Those who do not find their soul mates either ever attempt to find them, because they have already met the love of their life, or they have no wishes to tie their life to someone else. Soul mates don't always end up together romantically. They sometimes just stay in each other's life and support one another as best as they can. I want to love my soul mate though. I can't imagine why anyone would choose not to, but I don't question it out loud. As a Concord, it is my duty to ensure that everyone has the freedom to live their life as they wish.

"What if she doesn't like me?" This isn't like me. I am usually self-assured, never second-guessing myself. It is what makes me the best fit as the next leader for the Concord Coven. Because I can start my training earlier, I have a better chance at mastering my powers way before I take over the throne. That requires me to be focused and goal-oriented. The sooner I meet my soul mate, the sooner I can start preparing, and the sooner I can reach my full potential.

"Just look at the signs. The Gods are rooting for you! Amelia has just moved here, a million miles away from her home. She is so close to you now, that your heartbeats are in sync. Trust your gut instinct, it will lead you in the right direction." She kisses my forehead and with a wave of a hand she disappears into thin air. I feel the invisible cloak slip away.

I rub my hands together and picture Amelia's face to start a simple locator spell.

I start by picturing her smooth skin. It is milk chocolate, but slightly lighter than purely brown. She must be mixed if her skin and hair is any indication. Her head is full of dark curls, beautiful and thick. She usually keeps it parted in the middle framing her delicate heart shaped face. I picture her perfectly plucked eyebrows sitting above the most unique emerald colored eyes I have ever seen. Her perfectly straight nose turned slightly up at the end and her full kissable lips. I focus on every detail over and over again as I do the spell. In less than a minute I set off in her direction.

As I walk through campus I ignore the looks being thrown my way. I am taller than the average girl. I work out every morning and can kill someone with just a look, literally. I know my clothing is on the higher end, price wise, but the real reason everyone is staring is because of my determination to get to my destination. I have one goal, and I will not let anyone stand in the way of it. Many people jump out of my way or make room for me. I hear a couple of whistles and want to flip them off. Mortal guys are so stupid.

I walk into the second largest building on campus and make a couple of turns before I am outside of her classroom. Students are walking out, they were just dismissed. My timing could have not been better. I want to snap my fingers and have them all disappear but that would probably freak her out.

I get excited as I feel my heart accelerate. She's one of the last ones to leave the classroom. When she walks out, I am floored. My first instinct is to run to her and hug her. Kiss her, run my hands through her body. The lust I feel hits me like a ton of bricks but I get a grip of myself. My next instinct is to pull her aside and blink us back to my place. She barely looks at me as she walks by.

I act before thinking and grab her arm. She turns to look at me surprised.

Her skin is warm and she smells like a garden of roses that have been through April showers. My mouth is watering up and I know that has to do with the fact that we are touching. Whoever had the urge to keep things platonic with their soul mates had to be out of their mind. There is a delicious feeling radiating from the tips of my fingers where I am holding her arms to somewhere deep in my gut. Her warmth makes the room feel a few degrees hotter. I want to kiss her but stop myself.

"Hi," I say, out of breath.

Her emerald eyes take me in and she seems to be at loss for words.

It's not until neither of us say anything that I notice that there is something off about our encounter. I focus on the feeling between us and almost gasp. I should be feeling some deeper connection with the internal source of her magical powers. And yet, I keep hitting a wall. Is she hiding her powers? Or maybe I just don't feel them because I am her soul mate. As I continue to focus on the feeling of nothingness though, I start to worry. Then it hits me: She's not a witch...she's human...What the Fu-

"Can I help you?" Her voice is like music to my ears. It soothes my anxious nerves. It is clear and call my body to attention.

I yank my arm back and shake my head. "Sorry, I thought you looked familiar."

She looks down at the place where my hand had held her just a few seconds ago. There is some confusion reflecting on her face.

Okay, there has to be something wrong with me. I place my hands on both of her shoulders and slowly run them down her arms until I reach her hands. She shivers and her cheeks turn a darker shade. Her breathing becomes labored. I'm trying to find her magic, to feel it coursing through her. Maybe she is just hiding it. I become desperate and wrap my hands around her waist. I pull her closer until our foreheads are touching. There is no mistake-she is not a witch. My body seems to disregard that fact for a second and I want nothing more than to kiss her. She's taking over all of my senses. Somewhere in the back of my mind I notice there is a slight tropical smell coming from her curls, I want drown in that smell.

Someone whistles down the hall.

I look up and see a sea of faces looking at us in shock. It's probably not every day they see two girls almost make out like nobody is watching.

Amelia seems to recollect her thoughts and pushes away from me.

I want to yank her back into my arms but remember my mom's advice: 'don't be overbearing'.

I stick out my hand and smile. I feel her heart accelerate and a warm feeling spreads across my chest. She must be feeling this and I am just reflecting it. Our hearts are in sync. So I guess I will now be feeling anything she feels. I wonder if she can feel my heart as well. "Hi, I'm Hazel."

She stares down at my hand and then back up at me. She looks just as confused as I felt when I found out she had no powers. She finally takes my hand. Her small hand fits perfectly in mine. I almost gush as I think about us holding hands in the near future. "I'm Amelia." She's looking at my lips and I feel her heart race again.

I want to kiss her, and she seems to want me to too. I smile again at the thought of us kissing in front of all these strangers.

"Hey Amelia!" A guy appears next to us. His skin is a couple shades darker than hers. A warm brown that makes his cheeks glow when they smile, which he is currently doing. He has black hair that is trimmed and has a piercing on his left ear. His brown eyes watch me with curiosity. He turns to Amelia and kisses her right on the lips. In an instant I am burning with rage. It takes all of my control to stop me from snapping my fingers and turning him to ashes.

He sticks out his hand and introduces himself. "I'm Jake, and you are?" His voice is clear and low. He wraps his other arm around Amelia's shoulders. I look at his hand sticking out right in front of me and then glare at the arm wrapped around my soul mate. One glare from me would have any witch begging for their lives on their knees. He's not begging, but he does look uneasy. The lights above us flicker a bit.

Another girl appears at Amelia's side and hugs her. I feel some anger at the fact that she's touching Amelia as well but I don't want to burn her to a crisp. She looks up at me with wide blue eyes. "Hi. I'm Juliet or Jules..." She mumbles.

I look at the three of them. Jake awkwardly puts his hand in his pocket, Juliet is eyeing me from head to toe, and Amelia is still speechless from the moment I took her into my arms. All of them have the same questions: 'who am I and what the Hell am I doing here?'

I ask myself the same question and plaster on a fake smile. "Sorry, I am a new TA and was just asking Amelia for some directions. I'll see you later." I say to only Amelia.

She nods, unsure.

***

"You fell for a human?" Leo says in disgust.

He runs his hand through the back of his his dirty blonde hair, which he keeps cut in the latest style. It is slightly shorter on the sides and long enough at the top to fall over his eyes sometimes. Right now he has a red bandana holding it back though. His beard is always well kept and he probably has smoother skin than I do because he actually takes care of it all the time. His eyes are almost yellow which makes his name fit him well. He's lean and all muscle. He's also one of the better fighters from our neighbors, the Roderick Coven. I train with him every other morning. Although we have powers, there are instances when we cannot use them and knowing hand to hand combat is very useful.

The Roderick Coven is the one who go after the rebellious witches and warlocks. They are all trained fighters that know how to capture and take down anyone that plots against other covens or humans. They are the coven that we usually leave alone and they prefer it that way. Most of them are pretty intimidating with their tattoos, skin piercings, and scars. Leo is an exception because his parents are the leaders of the coven. He basically gets to dress the way he wants. His looks give him an advantage. He looks quite harmless but his skills are lethal.

I go in for a punch but he is too quick. On my good days I can take on Leo without a problem. Today though, my head is somewhere else completely. "You know we don't get to choose our soul mates." I grunt and lunge at him again.

"Stop letting your emotions dictate your actions." He instructs as he lands a punch on my right side.

I hiss and move away.

Wiping the sweat off my forehead I try to think of my next move. "It has to be a mistake." I shake my arms out and put them back up once I have chosen my tactic.

Leo goes in for a punch but I shift away. I land a punch on his ribs. "Be careful. The Gods might hear you." He mocks.

Leo has always been weary about the whole soul mate concept. It all started when the girl he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with found her soul mate and left him in the dust. He also doesn't care too much about humans. He thinks they should live on a completely different planet but he forgets that it is our duty to protect them. Or maybe that is why he dislikes them. I have known him since infancy, which is why we are so close, and probably the only reason I deal with his bull. Because our parents are both leaders, we are basically in each other's presence all the time. "What did your parents say?"

We do a little tango and it finally ends when he throws me to the ground.

"I haven't told them." I try to calm my breathing. I think about the feel of her hips in my hands. Her full breast pressed against my chest. It only makes my heart accelerate more.

"They're gonna shit their pants." He lends me his hand and I get up. I remove the wraps from my hands and throw on my tank top. "It's been two days, what do they think happened?"

I take a swig of my water. "I told them I needed time alone." My parents knew when to let me be. "I told her I was a TA, so now I have to figure out what class I'm going to have to master and try to get close to her somehow."

"Wait you're actually going to go through with it?" His face says it all. He thinks I'm insane. "But she has no powers. She'll hold you back."

"You don't know that." I take another drink.

I have thought about that. When soul mates meet they each have something to bring to the table and help one another become stronger. How was this human going to teach me anything when she had no idea what lurked just beneath her world. I think about her soft pink lips. There is something she would be able to teach me though. I have never been with a girl.

"So what now?" He's packing his bag.

I groan. "I'll let you know when I know."

******

~Amelia~

"Class, this is our new TA, Hazel Holt." Professor Hill announces Monday morning.

My eyes go wide and my heart stop for a second. The beautiful stranger that I cannot stop thinking about is here, in my classroom, as our new Teacher's Assistant. Her bright brown eyes search every face in the room until they land on me. I have the urge to shrink back and run to her at the same time. Her hair is up in a cute bun and she's wearing a black pencil skirt with a royal blue blouse. I feel my body get hot. What in the world is wrong with me?