The Crystal 3 by Jones M (best beach reads TXT) 📖

a life that you wanted--"

"Ashley, what are you talking about?" I interrupted her, wanting her to cut to the chase.

Ashley remained quiet.

"You do know that you are turning thirty this year, right?" Ashley asked, and I nodded. She gave me an expectant look while I just stared at her blankly.

"You are not getting what I'm saying, are you?" she asked, and I just shook my head in acceptance of her statement.

"Emery, you are turning thirty. Have you forgotten that you, my friend, are a witch?"

"No, I haven't. What has that got to do with anything?"

"Emery, while your friends will be growing old and having babies, you will slowly age for the next 169 years. Have you forgotten?"

My eyes shot up in shock and disbelief.

No...

Ashley was soon giving me a sad look.

I smacked myself in the face. How could I have forgotten such an important thing? I couldn't believe I had forgotten that witches could live up to 200 years!

"I'm sorry, Emery. I didn't want to spoil your mood. I thought you knew, but it seems that you had forgotten."

Crap, crap, crap! I was turning thirty. I wasn't going to age like other humans. If I decided to stay, people would wonder some years later how I could still look the way I currently was. 

What Ashley meant was that I had to leave. It would mean I had to also leave Rachel.

I had not noticed that my eyes had started to tear up.

"Emery..." Ashley trailed off as she walked towards me and embraced me in a hug. I hiccupped a sob on her shoulder while she rubbed my back.

"You know, most people who hear they could live for two centuries would be happy."

I laughed before retracting the hug. I was not like most people, especially since I had grown used to Rachel. And earth.

"Are you okay?" Ashley asked with a sympathetic smile.

I shook my head in denial. "No." Wiping away the tears, I continued, "I can't believe I had forgotten that."

"I know," Ashley said.

"Now I have to go back to Crystalia," I said, fighting the urge to cringe.

Sigh, Crystalia. A beautiful place to live in but a place I would love to avoid because of my past.

There was something about weird accidents occurring around the continent, but the police never found the bodies. Ashley had explained to me that some witches were packing to move to Crystalia for good. They were to leave no traces of their whereabouts, and so they decided to fake their deaths.

There was also something about the Ordinary Brothers. About a year ago, they had retired. That was quickly followed by them meeting together and boarding a plane with Selena and Justin that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle.

Since Ashley told me about going back to Crystalia, I was certain that Selena, Justin and my ex-bullies were there. The thought of going back had my stomach in knots.

"You can go back to Crystalia, or you could live a life of changing your identity over and over again. That way the FBI or some secret government agency doesn't find out where you are and kidnap you for testing."

"We have no proof of that ever happening," I told Ashley.

"I know," she said, "but that could still happen. Haven't you watched movies?"

I rolled my eyes, but I thought about what she said. It seemed ridiculous, but she could be right. I doubted I could keep up with the decision of always changing my identity and moving all the time. 

The option for me was clear: I had to move to Crystalia and live there forever.

The sound of the doorbell interrupted my thoughts. That was followed by the sound of rushing footsteps.

"Zack!" Rachel screeched once the door was opened. A smile lit up my face, and it was immediately taken down by a frown.

I may never get to see them again.

"You don't have to move to Crystalia now," Ashley said. "But it will be much safer if you do that soon."

Ashley walked towards the kitchen door. She opened it, and the sight of Zack and Rachel kissing met us.

"Oh my--!" Ashley screeched, interrupting the makeout session.

"Ashley!" Rachel yelled. I just shook my head with a smile as I watched Rachel blush and Zack smirk.

"What? It's not like you've never seen us do that," Zack teased Ashley, getting a roll of the eyes from her. Then he pretended to be in thought.

"Maybe you'd like to see us kiss some more? What if we give you a show?"

"Zack!" Rachel screeched.

"I'm kidding, babe," he said with a chuckle before delivering a peck to Rachel's lips.

Zack was Rachel's long-time boyfriend, hopefully soon to be fiancé. He looked like any other Caucasian male, except for the fact that he had blonde hair and that he was toned. He was handsome; Rachel had definitely scored with him.

"Hi Em," Zack said before hugging me in greeting. I always insisted that he call me by my full name or else people would think my name was Emma. He always forgot, or so I thought. I decided to stick with the nickname because it was tiring to remind him to call me by my full name.

"Hi, Zack."

"Emery, would you like me to help you in the kitchen?" Ashley asked. I narrowed my eyebrows at her in confusion before nodding along.

"Sure!" I needed the break from the two of them to collect myself. If I didn't get into the kitchen, I was afraid I would break down and have to answer to Rachel and Zack.

Ashley had actually wanted to help me with the food. She didn't bring up Crystalia as she helped me make the Lasagna dish, and I was glad.

About an hour later, Zack, Rachel, Ashley and I had sat around the dining table enjoying the lasagna I had cooked. Not to brag, but I was a talented cook.

"...and then he said..." Zack was leading the conversation as we ate our lunch. He was telling us funny stories about people in his workplace, and we were having a good time.

My smile instantly turned into a frown as I surveyed the room. I looked at Rachel and Zack, the wonderful couple that I had befriended and grown to hang out with in the past years. They were basically the only family I had on earth.

I could not believe I had to leave them.

"Emery, what's wrong?" Rachel asked, shocking me back to my surroundings. She was looking at me with a frown, while the rest were staring at me at confusion.

"Nothing," I replied, managing to a fake smile.

"Seriously? It kind of looked like you wanted to cry," Rachel said. I was momentarily shocked by her observation, but I quickly made up a lie.

"It's just the lasagna. I was staring a bit longer at it."

"Okay..." Rachel trailed off, continuing the conversation she was having with Zack. Ashley gave me a worried look, but I shrugged my shoulders in response before going back to my lunch.

"Emery, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?" Ashley asked me with a fake smile.

"There is no need. I've already made the food, and I've planned to go grocery shopping later," I replied.

"It's not about that. It's something else," she said. I went to speak, but Ashley narrowed her eyebrows at me, kind of ordering me to follow her.

"Fine," I said, getting up from the seat. Ashley gave me a smile as we turned to head towards the kitchen. Once we were in it, Ashley locked the door behind her.

"You need to deal with this," she said.

"What?"

"You know what!"

I sighed.

"I don't think I can just up and leave. Rachel needs me, and Zack may be planning to propose to her soon."

"What?" Ashley's eyes widened in shock.

"It's just a hunch," I said with a shake of the head. "Either that or he is planning something big that I have no idea about."

"Emery..."

"Would it be bad if I stayed another year?"

Ashley looked at me with a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

"Alright, fine. You can. But I think a year will be all that you have. After that, you have to come back to Crystalia."

Ashley's words hurt with the truth, but I was happy that I had at least a year with Rachel and Zack. 

The thing about Zack was actually not a hunch; he had told me a month ago that he would like my blessing in asking Rachel to marry him. I was shocked, but I soon replied with a yes. I had also found out that he had asked the question to Rachel's parents, and they were quick to agree.

I couldn't just leave without seeing Rachel getting married to Zack. I wanted to be there for that moment. 

Also, seeing that I had about a year before I would leave for Crystalia, I planned to make the most of it.

 

 

Chapter 09

 

One year later

Emery's P.O.V

A whole year had passed by rather quickly, and it was pretty eventful. Zack had decided to pop the question three months later after the talk I had with Ashley. Rachel had been a happily-sobbing mess when she told Ashley and me the news about her engagement. Zack had done it in a restaurant, and it had been a perfect night for the both of them.

A lot of planning followed after that, all led by Rachel and her mother. Rachel had been a bossy bitch because she wanted to have the perfect wedding. She had Ashley, some of her relatives and me take trips around shops that had the perfect wedding gown and stuff. 

We were all glad that she found something or else we would have spent the whole year planning everything for the wedding.

The ceremony was held in a church, and we had the reception in a hotel. It was a wonderful time for everyone. Honestly, I had never seen Rachel so happy. I was glad that she had found her true love, but like the other single women, I was jealous of her. 

After the honeymoon, Rachel had decided to move out of the house. Her moving had been planned a week before the wedding, and the news was hard to take in. I was sad, but it took me a short while to be okay with it. After Rachel had moved, I had the house to myself and sometimes Ashley. Rachel and Zack had moved into a house an hour away from mine. 

I thought that should have been the point for me to move into Crystalia and slowly break the connection I had with Rachel.

Ashley had repeatedly pointed it out.

However, I had a history in that place that I did not want to remember or even want to repeat. More importantly, I would feel like a dick for leaving a week after Rachel and Zack had moved into their house. So I delayed the departure.

I spent some time visiting Rachel and Zack. They were happy despite a few arguments I witnessed when I was around. Meanwhile, I retired from my job. I had a lot of cash stored in my bank accounts, and because I knew I would soon leave, I had hired a lawyer who would give the money I was saving to Rachel and a children's charity when I would 'die'.

Thank goodness the lawyer did not suspect a thing.

My time on earth was nearly done. A year had passed, and it