The White Witch Read Online Free PDF Page A

with sweat.
    “Katie?” My dad rushes in and sits on my bed, putting his hand against my clammy cheek and forehead. “You ok? We heard you screaming.”
    Liz sits behind me, rubbing my back. “Were you having a nightmare, Lynnie?” She always called me Lynnie when she thought something was really wrong or I was hurt.
    “Just dreaming about this morning.” I mumble as I rub the sleep from my face.
    My dad runs his fingers through his hair and lets out a sigh. “Katie, we didn’t press you after we got out of school because you seemed really shaken up.” My dad adjusts himself so he is facing me completely now. “Is there anything you might have been afraid to tell the principal or the school regarding this morning?” He looks at my clock. Three twenty-five a.m. “Or rather, yesterday morning?”
    “The only thing I didn’t say again, because it was evident in the story is that Samantha is a bully. She’s been bullying me since after that party where she told me I wasn’t her best friend anymore. It wasn’t constant until we got to High School. ”
    Liz pulls me close to her, wrapping her arms around me. “Oh Lynnie, why didn’t you tell us?”
    “Because you guys work really hard to send me to that school and I didn’t want to cause any problems there. So I just kept away from her as much as possible, and kept my grades up so that you wouldn’t worry.”
    “Katelyn Elise Miller.” My dad rubs his face in frustration. “How could you keep something like that from us?”
    “Because I was handling it dad.”
    “By doing what?” He stands and begins to pace in front of my bed. “By isolating yourself? By not allowing yourself to have friends?”
    “I was doing that well before I started Shippan High, Dad and you know it.” I raise my voice slightly but am sure to not cross the line.
    He glances at Liz and I hear her sigh.
    “See, you do know, you both know. Something happened nine years ago and I can’t explain it any more than I can explain what happened today.” I stand and start pacing just as my dad sits back down. “I don’t know what the hell went on. I can barely explain to you what I was feeling. All I know is that weird things have happened around me that I can’t explain. And either you two do know what is going on, or you love me too much to let it bother you.” I rub my own face and drag my hands back to my hair, taking a jagged breath. “All I know is that somewhere deep inside I have a feeling Samantha is right, I am a freak!” tears roll down my face, but I wipe them quickly.
    Dad and Liz come over and sandwich me in a hug and I just stand there and let them. Despite how I am feeling right now, despite that I have never been more confused, a peace tries to fill me as my little family cocoons me.
    “You’re not a freak.” My dad whispers onto my head. “You are the smartest, most beautiful, most loving and most sarcastic girl I know.”
    I nudge my dad with my elbow. No matter my mood he still manages to make me smile.
    “We love you Lynnie.” Liz kisses my head and lets me go.
    “I love you guys too.” I walk over to my bed and sit down. “I just, I’d rather not even think about it all right now, if that’s ok.”
    “That’s fine kiddo, we understand.” My dad throws me a kiss and grabs Liz by the hand, pulling her behind him as they leave.
     
    I managed to fall back to sleep last night and not have any more nightmares. This morning though, I had to convince my dad that he didn’t have to stay around today to baby me. He and Liz left early for the rink because they are preparing to host some figure skating competition and have to make sure all the vendors have confirmed that they will be there and that all the paperwork has been signed.
    I take a deep breath, enjoying the silence of the house on a Saturday morning. The stairs creak a bit as I walk down and head to the kitchen. My favorite mug sits next to the coffee maker, with a note in front of it. I open