~Author's Note
Why is Emily Rudd so beautiful? She plays Fallon BTW :3 Also, I was a little vague in the description, so to clear things up, Brooks cursed Fallon so that she would see herself and her reflection as ugly, but to others, she still has the beauty and youth as before the curse, but of course, no-one has really seen this side of Fallon since she hides herself. Okay, read onwards my bishes<333

[True beauty touches the heart not the eyes]
-Unknown

The rest of the day passed without too much drama, but Fallon remained on edge and tense throughout, feeling as if someone, or everyone, was watching her, waiting for her clumsiness to cause her to fall over so they could laugh at her unappealing features. Fallon despised herself. Why did she have to be born this way? Was it her fate to be ugly and shunned from society forever? Then again, Fallon reminded herself, she was the one hiding away... She shook her head. In a way, she was protecting everyone else. They might become scarred if they caught a glimpse of her face, and although that thought almost reduced her to tears, she knew it was the harsh, harsh reality.

She gulped as she passed another group of muttering students, shuffling along past them as they shoved each other playfully and one almost trod on her foot. Invisible, she chanted in her head like a mantra, stay invisible. The bell had rung a while ago, and as always, Fallon had stayed back, tucking her things into her bag with unneeded caution and smoothing out every page in her book before deciding the hallways were clear enough for her to get home safely. Nevertheless, some students still lingered by the lockers, their infectious laughter for some reason not infecting her.

Fallon paused for a second and pondered at the thought. Had she ever smiled? Or rather, did she know how to smile? The thought was banished from her mind as soon as it arrived - why should there be a need for her to smile if there was no-one to see it? She felt saddened at the thought but accepted the truth, continuing on for home. Apparently, she had waited to long though, for a few short seconds later, the delinquents that were held back for detention came bursting out the room.

Frozen in her tracks, Fallon's heart thumped in her chest irregularly. Thumpity-thump. Thumpity-thump. A shock of pain shot through her as she fell onto her knees, the rowdy group of teenagers shoving past her with tremendous barrels of raucous, deep laughter and reducing her to her knees by the sheer rush of air that passed afterwards. The collection of folders in her hands splayed out over the ground with a scraping sound as Fallon weakly reached out for her possessions, her knee-caps burning with a horrible sensation at the sudden knock they received.

"Sky! Look what you and your idiot friends did! Aren't you going to apologise?!" a melodic voice chimed from further down the corridor with a hint of annoyance, echoing and resonating off the walls as the sudden scent of perfume greeted the air.

Fallon's eyes widened in fear as a thick silence hung in the air, taunting her. That wasn't in her defence was it? She willed it all to go away as she clutched the few folders she managed to retrieve tightly against her chest, not daring to breathe and focussing her attention on the remaining three folders that laid on the floor, decorated with specks of dirt and dust. A huff snapped her out of it as a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed them. Fallon dangerously let her gaze drift upwards to the pretty-faced girl stood before her wearing a warm smile.

Swiftly, she dropped her gaze. Who was this girl?

"Don't worry, I promise I don't bite. I scolded those guys for you, a thanks would be nice," the girl said, thought amusement threaded through her words.

Stuttering, Fallon quickly nodded and realised her impoliteness, "T-thank you," she managed, bowing her head in gratefulness, "Aaah," she heard a male voice start from down the corridor, "so The Nobody does have a voice."

Fallon stiffened and curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest as the girl knelt down and passed the folders in her hands to Fallon while furiously glaring at the newcomer, "Asher Ryder Hunt!" she shook her head with a stern look on her face, appearing like a mother scolding a child.

Fallon could hear the confused expression on Asher's face, "Why would I want to ride her?"

A loud smack made Fallon cringe as the girl pummelled Asher and exclaimed words of disgust, "Ugh, seriously, I have no idea why the hell your parents would even consider giving you that ridiculous middle name! And shut up, you're scaring her!"

Fallon swallowed as the boy suddenly stopped his manic laughter, "It's a she? How are you supposed to know?"

By then, the other boys had escaped the area and were already on the road outside of the school; Fallon stared longingly outside and then at the two students before her who blocked her silent getaway, "None of your business," the girl replied, lips pursed and delicate arms crossed.

"Calbee," Asher mimicked her position and spoke in a warning tone, his dark eyes narrowing to slits, "Anything involving you is my business, darling."

Even Fallon couldn't miss the suggestive wink he threw her way. Calbee raised an eyebrow and faked gagging, "Idiot, I have a boyfriend - you know, your little pathetic group's leader?"

"I doubt he would appreciate the name calling, Callie," he challenged, stepping closing to her with a smirk.

Calbee stepped towards him as well, clenching her fists tightly until her knuckles turned white, "Tell him then. Sky knows what I think of your 'intimidating', I-rule-the-school group. He knows I think it's a terrible way to gain status."

The tension was spreading across to Fallon as she helplessly crouched on the ground, feeling very exposed and not knowing what to do with the bickering going on in front of her. The corridor was stuck in a pin-drop silence as Fallon's eyes widened at the time shown on the clock opposite her. Very wary that the people in front of her were blocking her exit, she dared to raise a finger and clear her throat subtly, "Excuse me, I need to get home," she squeaked, swallowing nervously - her mother was sure to punish her for this, and she was already on a no-food strike as it was.

The two seemed to stare down at her as she bowed her head and tried to dawdle away, but an arm blocked her way, the rough texture of leather alarming her as she stumbled back, holding her folders even tighter against her, "Please," she pleaded quietly, feeling the cold start to beckon her from outside, seeming much more pleasant than the white-hot tension she was currently standing in.

Instead of answering her, Asher shot an icy glare at her that made Fallon clamp her mouth shut and her eyes dart to the ground. Calbee and Asher seemed to be talking telepathically, the tell-tale odd raise of their eyebrow and intense looks giving it away. But Fallon really needed to get home. With a squeak of her shoes against the smooth floor and her hand gripping her hood, she sped out of the school, folders in hand and exactly seven minutes late.

~~~

Fallon arrived at the house precisely three minutes later, keeled over and panting heavily, feeling her forehead slick with sweat and her lungs not inhaling enough air to keep her breathing at a healthy pace. Trying to compose herself, she stood up straight and gulped, preparing herself for the worst. And that is exactly what she received once she stepped one foot into the threshold of her home.

Lips pursed, arms crossed, and eyes fixed in a disapproving glare, the figure of Brooks seemed even more daunting than usual. Recognising her mother's punishment look, Fallon dropped her gaze and held back tears - she hated anyone being mad at her, or upset with her, it made her feel horrible.

"Fallon Luna Morgan!"

That was two full-name callings Fallon had heard that morning, and her ears hurt due to the pitchy screech that followed, "Why are you so late! What are you doing at school at this time?! Flirting with boys? Messing around in the toilets? I have not raised you this way!"

Even though she was hurt that her mother would assume the worst of her, Fallon merely stayed silent, knowing it would be worse to speak back in anger. Instead, she settled for an apology, "I'm sorry, mother. I bumped into someone in the hallway and-"

"No, Fallon," Brooks muttered under her breath, her tone eerily calm, "I will not stand for it."

The way her mother's voice wavered ever so slightly told Fallon she was on the brink of severe punishment. Tears filled the brink of her eyes, "I'm sorry, mother."

Nevertheless, no matter what Fallon said could change the plan formulating in her mother's mind. Fallon was her daughter - so what? Brooks was mad. Her eyes were glaring daggers, and Fallon's chest was constricting at the feeling of being suffocated. A cold shuddered down her spine as she backed away from her mother, the ever-lasting terror gleaming in her eyes as bright as day.

"No! This is the final straw, Fallon, I expect you out of this house by tonight!"

And her unflinching, obsidian gaze told Fallon that her mother was not changing her mind.

~~~

Everything hurt. Her heart stopped pumping blood, the feeling of panic strangling her and sending tens of thousands of questions into her head at once in one huge rush. She wanted to hide from the pain in her chest but it wouldn't stop, and soon, the tears she usually held in came pouring out, "Mother," she choked out, pressing her fist to her mouth to muffle the sobbing sounds.

Their relationship wasn't very close, they had never hugged or expressed any kind of love towards one another, and yet, the heartbreak remained. Brooks was a powerful witch, possibly one of the highest levels of witch in the entire town. And so. When the clear sky turned stormy and the rain came pelting down, Fallon wasn't shocked, after all, Brooks was most definitely incredibly angry and once a witch was angry, the weather changing was going to be least of your worries. The cold penetrated the layers of clothing Fallon had on and she felt her hair stick against her skin uncomfortably. Everything clung to her like a second skin. And still - she was hurting.

The next day, there was a news report seen in the window of a shop where a TV stood. Many crowded around, some tearful, some careless. The deadline was big and bold in capitals as the news reporter rambled on:

WITCH DIES IN MAGIC-INFLICTED HOUSE FIRE.