Helene clutched her seat as Gabbi drove the large moving truck back into the countryside.
"Don't worry! Remember, I will always look after you." She smiled over at Helene and Helene began to feel herself trust this strange, eccentric woman.
Steph looked at Gabbi like she was an alien.
"I'll leave you two to it." She told them, sending Helene a concerned and confused glance. She smiled in an attempt to soothe her sister. They packed away her clothes, with running commentary from Gabbi.
"No, no, we are not taking this disgusting pink disaster." She held up a pink gingham dress that Helene had bought for a fancy dress party.
"Fair enough." Helene chuckled, shaking her head.
"Anything else?" She asked and Gabbi shook her head.
"You have a surprisingly unique style." She told her and Helene wasn't sure whether to be complimented or insulted. But forgot all about it when Gabbi made a slingshot with her fingers and shot a thong into her face.
They packed up two boxes of clothes and shoes and filled one box with the few books that Helene kept and some accessories, along with her makeup. As Gabbi was constructing another box, Helene stopped her.
"We don't need another box." She told her and Gabbi furrowed her eyebrows.
"This is it?" She asked, shock riddling her voice.
"The rest is Steph's." She shrugged her shoulders and Gabbi pressed her lips into a hard line and nodded.
"Well, okay then. Let's get on the road."
Helene asked for a few minutes with her sister, to say goodbye. Gabbi made herself busy with loading the laughable amount of boxes into the moving truck. Steph stood with her in the living room and she pulled her into a tight hug.
"I love you so much." Helene whispered, as tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"I'll come and visit you when I have time." Steph told her and she nodded into her shoulder, unsure if that would be able to happen, but hoping it could be a reality.
She left before it became too hard to leave. They sat in the truck and Gabbi decided to lighten the mood by telling Helene about how she was awoken.
"I was a bit of a groupie in the 80s." She started and Helene looked over at her 20 something face and tried to piece the ages together.
"Age doesn't work the same for witches." She told her, but decided she would explain that at a later date.
"Anyway, my boyfriend was the lead singer in this metal band and I was so in love with him. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with him, following him on tours and partaking in some rather questionable activities." She reminisced.
"But then, one day, I walked in on him, you know, with the drummer of the band!" She cried out, reliving that moment.
"My rage awoke me and a witch awoken by rage is a very dangerous being." She sighed, remembering how confused and angry and upset she had been.
"Gerard came the next day and dragged me, kicking and screaming. I had no choice. I was going to do some serious damage if I wasn't controlled by a mentor." She explained and Helene was shocked and pained by her story. She guessed it must have been a very painful and confusing time.
"Who was your mentor?" She asked and watched as Gabbi smiled.
"Gerard took me on himself. He is the most wonderful mentor." She told her and Helene was glad that she was happy now.
"I will try to be like him and treat you well. I want us to be best friends." She beamed and Helene smiled, hoping that they could become close.
Helene had never imagined that she would live in a house like Anne's. It was an Edwardian townhouse, the kind that one could never imagine a single person owning. Helene stood, with her mouth agape, staring up at the house. Gabbi pulled her out of her trance by grabbing her hand and pulling her across the threshold.
It was decorated in a modern style, sleek yet homey. Anne was waiting in the kitchen, with a plate of cookies.
"I have been waiting for you!" She cried out, pulling Gabbi into a tight hug.
"She is your first one, isn't she?" Anne asked and Gabbi bubbled with excitement.
"My very first, I cannot wait!"
Anne left Helene and Gabbi to unpack her things. Her room was stylish, with a large window and vintage wooden wardrobes.
"This is so beautiful." She beamed, sitting down on the bed.
"Witch houses are provided by the coven. Anne was very lucky to be assigned this one." She told her, lying back on the bed. Helene was beginning to understand the importance of the coven in a witch's life.
It didn't take long to unpack all of her belongings.
"Maybe I will have to buy some posters or something." She thought aloud and Gabbi agreed.
"This room looks pretty bland right now. My first witch room was covered in posters." Helene wondered what kind of den Gabbi had created for herself when she had first become a witch and let out a little chuckle.
Gabbi was determined to find out more about her new child.
"So, tell me about you. What do you do? What do you like?" She sat back and waited.
"I don't know, really. I watch TV with my sister, go to the cinema sometimes. Normal things really." Gabbi was disappointed. How could someone with so much power live such a boring life?
"You don't have any hobbies?" She asked and Helene thought about it.
"I used to paint. But I haven't done it in years." She told her and Gabbi huffed.
"So how did someone like you become awoken?" She asked, a little frustrated.
"I went to a seance in a crystal shop and a creepy old spirit appeared to me." She told her and Gabbi smiled, nodding.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" She nodded enthusiastically.
"Ok, we need more crazy seance Helene and less boring, 'I do nothing' Helene, ok?" She asked and Helene nodded, guessing that she should make an effort to be a bit more outgoing.
They all sat down for dinner and Helene listened as Gabbi and Anne gossiped. She had thought that maybe gossip between witches would be strange and confusing. But she was pleasantly surprised to hear them talk about boys in the same way a group of normal young women would.
"He said he likes my new hair, but I don't know if he preferred it straight." Anne sighed, pushing her mashed potatoes around her plate.
"Your hair is not the problem. What we need to talk about is the fact that you are a gorgeous witch and he is a run of the mill werewolf, he is punching above his weight. He should be lucky to have you, with any kind of hair." Gabbi preached and suddenly Helene felt out of her depth.
"Wait, sorry, did you just say werewolf?" Helene asked and Gabbi and Anne began laughing hysterically.
"Oh, to be a newbie again." Anne reminisced.
"Anne is dating the grandson of the pack master, Calum, with one l" Gabbi explained and Helene had so many thoughts racing through her mind that she picked on at random and said it.
"That must be very warm." Anne burst into fits of laughter, shaking her head.
"Oh, I like you!" She pointed at Helene.
"He is very warm blooded." She told her and Gabbi sniggered.
"In more ways than one!" Anne slapped her lightly on the shoulder and Helene felt normal for the first time in days.
She slept like a baby that night. Something about the house made her feel calm and serene. She guessed that maybe that was Anne's doing and felt a little uncomfortable with not being able to control her own emotions.