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It's been a few years since I was forced to chase Willow away. I don't even care to remember how long anymore.
I've been trying to care about something, anything at all, but nothing feels interesting anymore. I'm the top student in practically everything, I'm feared by every student in Hexside, and I do everything Mother asks of me, but everything's been gray since I lost Willow. My mind is a void; I barely speak outside of answering questions in class and from Mother. I finish all my schoolwork, I constantly practice to improve my magic skills, and I even endure the presence of the children of Mother's business partners. They speak to me, but I always ignore them; nothing about them interests me, not that anything interests me in general anyway.
Edric and Emira just came home after secretly purchasing the Owl Lady's merchandise. As much as I want to, I don't have the strength or willpower to rebel the same way they have, so the most I can do is feign ignorance of their actions. They've brought home this strange greenish substance, which the Owl Lady referred to as "pot". She must be more insane than people give her credit for, this substance looks nothing like a cylindrical container used for cooking.
Ed and Em are pouring some of the "pot" on a piece of paper and rolling it up into a tube they call a "joint". Now they're lighting one end of it with a flame spell. And now Em's offering it to me while Ed rolls up a second one. I don't care enough to ask about the possible effects on my health, but if it kills me then that's fine too, I don't have anything worth living for anyway.
I lift the joint to my lips and inhale. Suddenly, I feel happier and more relaxed than I have in years. What was I sad about again? Oh look, Ed and Em are smoking their joints too now. Ed's saying something about us all running away to live with the Owl Lady; he sounds like a genius. Yeah, let's go!
It's only after the pot has worn off that I realize what we've done. All our belongings are in the Owl Lady's house, and for that matter so are we. Honestly, it looks like less of a dump than I expected. It also feels much more lived in than Blight Manor. Nonetheless, we must move our stuff back before Mother finds out.
...oh no. Ed and Em are talking to her right now. Oh no, they're saying we're all running away together. OH NO, THEY HUNG UP BEFORE I COULD CORRECT THEM! Before I can even start chastising them, Ed offers me another joint and I am faced with a choice. Do I embrace rebellion or do I go back to Mother and say that Ed and Em were lying?
I choose the former.
It's been a few years since Eda took the three of us in. I don't care to remember how long, it doesn't matter anyway. Eda's at the market today so we have the house to ourselves. Hooty's here too, but we've gotten used to him.
Oh hey, Eda's back. And she brought a cute girl with her. A really cute girl, called Luz. She likes Azura too, how interesting. She also sounds like quite the idealistic idiot, so maybe I should protect her and help her not die in the Boiling Isles? Maybe now... I'll finally have something to care about.