A Witches Heart by Lisa Marie McDonagh (best short novels of all time .txt) 📕

my closer. I turned my head slowly to look behind me and saw Daren's face, peaceful in sleep. 
I tried to slowly edge away so I wouldn't wake him up, but he refused to let me go. I was comfortable enough, well more than that, so I just decided to stay where I was. 
How did I get here? The last thing that I remember was Daren saying, "Okay Kates, I think that's good for tonight, lets take a break." Then...nothing.  
Where am I? I thought as I looked around me, oh, in Daren's room. He must have carried me upstairs after I passed out. I felt bad that he had to carry me up the stairs and down a hallway, but I could apologize for that later. My thoughts grew fuzzy and my eyes drifted close again. 
Thud! "Shit! What the hell?! Oh!" 
I groaned. "Shut up." 
"Sorry," he muttered. 
Then I recognized the voice and sat up. Daren was sitting on the ground rubbing his head. I raised one eyebrow. 
"I fell off the bed." 
I burst out laughing. "How...did...you...do...that?" I managed between giggles.  
"I wish I knew, I was extremely comfortable, them suddenly my head smacked the floor. Ow! I need a softer floor! Dammit, that hurt!" 
"Aw, I hope you feel better," I said sarcastically, and kissed his forehead. "You are such a wimp." I laughed again; his face seemed to soften at the sound. "So what are we doing today?" 
"Well," he said slowly, "we never have truly had a date... so... I was thinking..."
Daren: 
I watched Katheren's face carefully as I said date, she smiled and my heart seemed to melt. "I would love to go on a date with you," she said and I beamed at her. "Where are we going?" Crap! I hadn't thought of that yet. 
I smirked. "It's a surprise," I lied; I was quite good at that. 
She pouted. "But I want to know, please!" She exaggerated the last word and turned the full force of her jade eyes on me. 
It was very hard saying no, even though I hadn't a clue where we were going. "You'll know...when we get there." She stuck her eyes out her tongue at me and I laughed. "Come on," I said, "I'll take you home so you can change. Stay right here." I disappeared into my closet and changed into nicer jeans a tee, and a sweatshirt, it would be acceptable where ever-hopefully- we went. 
When I came back into my room, she was sitting on my bed with her purse, reading a book. Romeo and Juliet again. "Don't you think that depressing? I mean they both commit suicide." 
She looked up, a little startled; she never heard me come in, ever. "A little bit. But I like it because in just three days, they had a love so strong that they couldn't live without the other." 
I thought about that for an instant. "Well I think they are both idiots, if I died, I wouldn't want my wife to kill herself to be with me, I would want her to move on, not to give up." 
"Hmmm, very profound," Katheren said with a thoughtful expression, then put her book away and just looked at me. I could tell that she was still annoyed that I didn't tell her. I motioned towards the door, she still didn't move, so I lightly grabbed her wrist and tugged slightly, I first I thought she wouldn't move, but she responded to my touch instantly. Her willingness to move to my touch brought her so she was standing only inches away from me. 
I couldn't resist. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her. She kissed me back almost instantaneously.  
I smirked again. "I love you Kates," I whispered, not hesitant now. 
She smiled the sweetest smile at me. "I love you too Daren." Then I held her hand as I lead her to my car.
Katheren: 
When we got to his car, I tried to get him to tell me where we were going, he never broke. 
"Crap," I muttered as we got onto my street. "I never called my aunt last night, she must be worried sick." 
"Don't worry; I called her for you last night when you passed out. You scared me the shit out of me by the way; I thought that you had gone into a coma. I realize now that you were strong enough for all the spells we did and probably more, but I was still freaking out." 
I smiled ruefully. "Sorry." 
We stopped at my house and he glanced at my with his neon blue eyes- which, I had learned later, was the same color as his aura, both a darker blue. "You're almost forgiven." I kissed him quickly but still passionately. "Okay, you're completely forgiven." 
I laughed and got out of the warm car. "Aunt Lyn?" I called as I entered the house. 
"Here hon," She said, her head peaking out form the kitchen doorway. "Were you alright last night? What did you two do to make yourselves so tired?" 
Crap! What do I tell her?! 
"I was giving her dancing lessons actually," Daren lied casually. 
Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and she looked intently at me. "But you hate dancing hon," she said suspiciously. 
Daren laughed and my aunt focused on him again. "She sure doesn't let you forget it, every song she was complaining." He was very good at lying, that is exactly what I would have done. 
"Why were you teaching her how to dance?" 
"I am taking her to the school dance two weeks from now." 
"Why didn't you tell me hon?" Lyn gushed. 
"I didn't know about it until yesterday." I hoped that she would believe me. 
"Well tonight, I am taking you out to get a dress. I have a little bit of work to catch up on today; I'll be in the study if you need me. 
"Actually," Daren interjected, "I was planning on taking her out today if that's alright with you." 
"Okay, tomorrow then. Have fun on your date," she called working her way towards her library. 
"Nice excuse," I complemented him as we headed up the starts to my room so I could change. 
He smirked. "It wasn't an excuse." 
I stopped dead in the hallway. My eyes widened and I could feel the blood leaving my face. "What?!" 
He smiled timidly. "I am taking you to the dance." 
It's not that I was clumsy, I was actually relatively graceful. But dancing, I lost any idea of poise that I could have previously gained; I usually ended up with multiple icepacks. "Are you trying to kill me?" I hissed at him. 
"You'll be fine; I won't let anything happen to you." 
Yeah, that's what he thought now... "I-" 
"Do you want to find out where we are going?" he interrupted me, "because if you do, we need to get going soon, so you need to get dressed." 
I groaned in frustration. "This conversation isn't over," I told him and close my door on him to get ready for our date. That was going to be interesting.
Daren: 
"This conversation isn't over," she practically growled at me and shut the door to her room, leaving me standing dumfounded in the hall. 
Why is she so upset? 
Well this is going great! I thought sarcastically, I still have no clue where to take her for our date and asking- well, not exactly asking- her to the dance didn't go over well. Great, just great! 
I closed my eyes and sank to the floor. I had at least five minutes to find a way out of this mess, or even better, fix it. Where was I going to take her?! My head fell into my hands. I was so screwed...
 
 
Chapter 13 
Katheren: 
I felt bad for yelling (well whisper-yelling) at Daren, but I truly hated dances. The only time that I had ever enjoyed it was when I used to dance with my dad. My friends had always made me go to dances with them but it was never the same; with them it was torture, with him it was...different, exciting. I had promised to never dance again after my dad had died. Now I knew that Daren was going to ask me to, how could I tell him that?  
I couldn't. 
I could feel the tears coming- from thinking of my dad- so I decided a shower would be helpful. I went quick, knowing that Daren was waiting, or at least tried to go fast. I dried my hair and attempted to curl my hair; I thought it turned out well. 
I put on makeup next. I started with eyeliner, then eye shadow, and a thick layer of mascara. Lastly, I decided to add a little blush. 
I padded into my room barefoot and still wrapped in my towel. I need something amazing to wear, I thought as I entered my closet. I cursed. 
I had nothing to wear! At least not for a date. Damn! 
Then I noticed a something shiny in the corner. It was a present from my grandparents that I had never bothered to open. Well, might as well. It was a square box wrapped in that silvery-rainbow wrapping paper with an electric blue bow on it. 
The bow made me think of Daren's eyes... Crap! He was still waiting for me. I ran to it, slid the bow carefully off, and ripped the paper. I almost shrieked, it was perfect.  
Well, not exactly perfect, but way better than anything else I had. The dress was a light beige color that went down just past my knees and across the middle was a dark brown bow. There were also a few ruffles on the bottom. I slipped it over my head and put on a pair of ballet flats. 
Getting ready had only taken me about ten minutes. When I left my room, Daren wasn't where I'd thought he'd be. Did he leave? 
I froze at the top of the stairs. All of a sudden I felt sick, he le- 
My mental freak-out broke off when I heard a noise from downstairs.
Daren: 
It had taken me a few minutes but I had finally figured out where to go. I waited a little longer, but Katheren still wasn't ready and the floor was really starting to get uncomfortable. 
I got up and headed back down the stairs and into Kates' living room. There was a small bookcase- honestly, how many books did they have? Thousands? - and started to browse through them. One looked interesting, so I picked it up and read the back. 
I stopped when I heard foot steps upstairs. I looked up... and the book fell though my fingers.
Katheren: 
My head whipped around towards the noise and saw Daren was staring at me. 
His eyes were practically bulging out of his head and there was a book at his feet. He blinked, ran his hand through his golden hair, and picked up the book- without taking his eyes off of me.  
I was standing next to him in the next moment, his eyes were still wide. I tried not to smirk. "Where are we going?" I asked him pleasantly. 
"You'll see," he nearly stuttered. I took his hand and lead him to his car; he didn't seem too inclined to move. 
Then I realized something and laughed. "What?" he asked utterly confused. 
"This is like the opposite of this morning; then you were dragging me to your car, now I am directing you."  
Daren laughed with me. "I guess that is quite funny." He opened my door for my and got into the driver's seat. 
"It's so beautiful," I murmured as we drove by the ocean. 
Daren smiled smugly. "I was hoping you would feel that way."