just a boy and his spooky bestie 💜

Teleporting? Kids these days have it too easy 💀

Elle's back from summer school, Jewel is on her way... Something tells me the boy's antics are just the beginning of the trouble these teens are gonna get into. Thanks for reading! I'll have another update for you next week! 💕

It was all they’d talked about for weeks. If werewolves and spellcasters were real, what else might be out there? Not to mention the idea of a werewolf joining their gang– a 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭, nonetheless. Excited squeals rang out from where Annie and Billie stood, staring out of the window. “𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚!”

Somehow, Elle’s confession hadn’t been the biggest shock. It came nowhere close to the truth about their Auntie Mels. The adults had finally sat the kids down, Kit and Billie included, as they may as well have been Hazelwoods, and explained everything. They’d had to, knowing Dani and Mels' plans.

Austin hummed. He wasn’t used to everyone knowing Elle’s secret, but she’d had to come clean to their friends. There’d been one too many slip-ups; a cup righting itself before it could spill, a glimpse of her pointed ears, a ball mysteriously launching into the face of a girl who’d teased her…

Beau was barely holding it together. “Smooth,” he chuckled, and yelped when Austin sent a fist flying into his arm. “𝘚𝘩𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱,” Austin hissed, wincing as Teddy yelled at him to watch his mouth. “Teleportin’, though,” Beau whistled. “Could be useful.” “For what?” “All kindsa things.”

Teddy grumbled, not willing to go back on the rule he’d tried to set, but to Austin’s relief, he didn’t push any further. He exhaled and went to join the boys who’d watched the entire thing with amused smirks, feeling the sudden need to put some distance between himself and his best friend.

“Teddy,” Josie whispered. “I think they’re fine…” She could see how mortified her son was at the mere suggestion that he and Elle might be more than friends. They had many things to worry about when it came to Austin, but it was clear that girls wasn't one of them. Not yet, at least.

“Wha– What?” Austin stammered, tilting his head in confusion. “No girls in your room, Aus.” Heat flooded Austin’s cheeks as realisation hit him. “But she’s not… We’re not… Elle’s not a girl,” he finished lamely. “I am a girl,” Elle corrected. “I mean, yeah, but… Not like 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.”

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦–” Teddy gasped, doing a double-take as he spotted Elle. “Where the hell did you come from?!” “She teleported!” Austin beamed. “She made this portal thing appear, and–” “Into your bedroom?” Teddy interrupted, aghast at the possibilities. “Yeah!” “𝙉𝙤.”

One of Austin’s favourite things about Elle was how much she liked to talk without expecting him to respond. He was quite happy to walk by her side as they descended the stairs, listening to her chattering excitedly about everything she’d seen and done, and all of the new spells she’d learned.

“Cute earrings,” Austin remarked, glancing at the sparkling purple butterflies as he pulled away from their hug. “Who got you those?” “Dunno. Some freak.” “𝘏𝘦𝘺!” Elle snickered. “I like ‘em. You remembered my favorite color.” “Yeah, well…” Austin squirmed, suddenly embarrassed. “Mom helped.”

They stared at each other, smiling stupidly. It had been a month; Elle had missed most of their summer vacation after her mom had insisted on tutoring in The Realm, eager for Elle to gain more control over her magic. Without another word, she crossed the room and flung herself into Austin’s arms.

She glanced over her shoulder, seemingly pleased with her creation. “Maybe summer school wasn’t all bad…” “They don’t teach you how to knock in The Realm? Thirty seconds earlier, you woulda teleported in on me gettin’ changed.” “𝘜𝘨𝘩,” she cringed with a shudder, her nose wrinkling. “Gross.”

The sparks glimmered and danced, reflecting on a curtain of jet black hair. The girl straightened, readjusting her skirt with a wicked grin on her face. 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘦. “Miss me?” “That’s new,” he smirked, nodding at the vanishing portal. He didn’t need to answer her question. She knew he’d missed her.

He wasn’t imagining it. The sparks were rearranging themselves into a perfect frame around a black circle. No, not black. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. A total absence of light, unsettlingly out of place on what had been an ordinary summer’s day. At least the person stepping through the void was more familiar.

Magic skittered across his skin; every hair on his arm standing on end as if he was dangerously close to a current of electricity. The air itself seemed to be rushing away, sucked into the corner of the room. He flinched as a deafening 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 rang in his ears, followed by a shower of lilac sparks.

There was no point arguing, and if anything, Austin was relieved that he’d gotten away relatively lightly. He skipped up the stairs two at a time, burst into his dark, stuffy bedroom, yanked open the drawers and threw on the first shirt he– Something was wrong.

“He’s banned y’all from his store,” Teddy said. “An’ all three of you are gonna write an apology letter.” “Technically, we weren’t in the–” Austin began, faltering when he saw his dad’s face. “A letter. Got it.” Teddy sighed wearily. “Get changed. Wear somethin’ with a collar.”

Teddy’s frosty glare turned to Kit. “Were you?” “𝘕𝘰!” Kit insisted, genuinely hurt by the question. “He jus’ don’t like me cos I’m from StrangerVille.” Teddy grumbled, exasperated by how much he related. He’d been on the receiving end of those accusations at Kit’s age, albeit they were often true.

“𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯,” Teddy growled, his irate stare fixed on his son. The other boys shrank back, desperate to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. “I can’t wait to hear why y’all thought harassin’ an old man was a good idea.” “He’s an asshole,” Austin muttered. “He said Kit was stealin’.”

“It's your birthday. How mad can he be?” Very mad, if the expression on Teddy’s face was anything to go by. He stood on the porch waiting for the boys to arrive, arms crossed, shoulders tense, radiating fury. Austin wanted nothing more than to turn and run.

The Hazelwood Legacy finally has a new heir, and he's not afraid of causing a little chaos. Thank you for reading tonight! I'll be back with another update on Thursday. I think someone might be in a bit of trouble...

Immediately, his stomach sank, and the sweat on the back of his neck turned cold in spite of the blazing sunshine. He stopped dead in his tracks as he glanced hesitantly at the screen. Missed calls, texts from his mom and sisters, and there at the top of the list… His dad. “Aww, 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬.”

Their nerves dissipating as quickly as they’d set in, the boys descended into their usual antics, teasing, laughing, and trying to trip one another. Austin had all but forgotten the store owners’ threat and barely noticed the phone buzzing frantically in his back pocket...

Abandoning their war on Roberto, they listlessly made their way to the coffee shop, tempted by the idea of some shade and an ice-cold milkshake. The further they got from the store, the more relaxed they felt, doubting there would be any real consequences. Mr Crinkletop was just bluffing.

The bravado they’d felt just moments ago melted away like morning mist, and an anxious hush settled over the friends, broken only by the whiny, grungy song playing from Austin’s phone. “Who gives a shit,” Beau huffed, hoping he sounded less daunted than he felt. “Let’s jus’ go to Lone Star.”

“𝘏𝘈𝘡𝘌𝘓𝘞𝘖𝘖𝘋!” he bellowed. “𝘑𝘶𝘴’ 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 ‘𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 ‘𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴!” With that, Roberto turned on his heel and stormed away, slamming the door behind him so fiercely, the windows rattled. The boys stared after him. “You don’t think he’ll actually tell your dad, do ya?” Kit mumbled.

Almost knocked off balance by Kit, Roberto shook his head in disbelief, seething at the behaviour of the unruly boys. He turned to retreat to the safety of his store and very nearly ran straight into the third teen, skating along the sidewalk as he laughed wildly. Yet another familiar foe.

The store owners’ attention turned to Kit, who was accelerating towards him, his dark eyes flashing with mischief. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯!” Roberto spat, bracing himself for a collision with the boy on the skateboard. At the last moment, Kit pivoted, laughing wildly as he skated circles around the old man.

As Beau zoomed past perilously close, Roberto reached for him, hoping to grab an arm, a sleeve, anything that could slow the boy down. Beau swerved, the furious man’s fingertips grazing his forearm but not stopping him. He cackled, glancing over his shoulder as he sped away.

Not even the cicadas could drown out the commotion occurring outside Bits & Bales; wheels rattling across cobblestones, music blaring tinnily from tiny but powerful cellphone speakers, the raucous laughter of three teenage boys, and above it all, the outraged hollering of Roberto Crinkletop.

In downtown New Appaloosa, the midsummer heat was building, radiating off the paved stone roads and red brick buildings, making the air shimmer. Even the birds sounded lazy, exhausted by the relentless sun beating down on their backs, tired of fighting with the cicadas to make themselves heard.

Autumn opened her mouth to respond, no doubt with something scathing about her brother, but seemed to think better of it. She smiled sweetly in the way Teddy knew meant she wanted something. “One more run?” They should go home. They were definitely going to be late… “One more.”

“Why not?” Autumn puzzled. “You seen the time? I ain’t lettin’ the birthday girl be late to her own party.” “Oh. That.” She screwed up her face, as if she’d tasted something awful. “Don’t see why I gotta share a party with 𝘩𝘪𝘮.” “Cos you’re twins. ‘Fraid you’re gonna share a birthday forever.”

She tutted and pursed her lips in frustration, and Teddy had to fight back the urge to laugh. She looked so much like her mother when she made that face, but he knew better than to tell her that. “You’ll get there,” he reassured. “You’re too hard on yourself. Keep tryin’. Just… not today.”

Teddy whistled and cheered as she completed the course, receiving an eye roll in return. “My left turn sucks,” she moaned. “You’re overthinkin’ it,” he replied, knowing she could handle the honesty– appreciate it, even. “You’re goin’ into it tellin’ yourself you’re gonna do it badly, so you do.”

With swift, well-practised hands, Teddy saddled up Sierra and cantered across the field towards Autumn. Slowing to a stop, he watched on proudly as she trained barrels; her jaw set and eyes narrowed, determination and focus evident in the way she gripped the reins and cried out commands to Honey.

“Hey!” Annie cried, deeply offended. “I’m helpful!” “Is that right? Well, put that damn phone to good use for once an’ tell him to come home, and then see what your mom needs help with.” “Why can’t you help Mom?” Teddy pointed to the field behind the barn. “Cos I’ve gotta get her.”

A shrug was the only response from Annie, but Billie glanced up. “Him n’ Kit said they were meetin’ Beau for milkshakes at Lone Star, but we weren’t allowed t’go with ‘em, so they’re definitely not.” “𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶, Billie. At least someone here’s helpful,” Teddy said, glaring at his youngest daughter.

“Mornin’, sweet pea. You seen your brother?” She didn’t answer or even acknowledge the question, too absorbed by the video on her phone, her foot tapping to the rhythm of the song blasting over and over. “Annie?” he tried again, sighing wearily. “Where’s Austin?”

As quickly as he could, he dried off and threw on some clothes. Reassuring Josie he wouldn’t be long, he wandered out to the patio and managed to tick the location of the littlest Hazelwood off of his list; Annie and her best friend Billie, lazing around under the ivy in the late-morning sunshine.

“Well, they can grow back down,” she grumbled, making Teddy chuckle. “Don’t think it works like that, babe… Have you seen any of ‘em this mornin’?” “Nope. I reckon they’ve all escaped so they don’t have to help.” “Sounds ‘bout right. I can guess where Autumn is… I’ll ride out an’ bring her home.”

Teddy strolled across the room and took Josie in his arms. She leaned into him despite the water dripping from his hair and down his chest. “They used to wake us up before dawn, begging to open their presents and have cake for breakfast,” she sighed. “What happened?” “They grew up.”

He leaned against the door, watching as she buckled her sandals, muttering to herself about all the things she still needed to do to set up. “Y’know, they say talkin’ to yourself is the first sign of madness.” She laughed softly. “What’s the second? Planning a party for kids who don’t want one?”

Still, it wasn’t all bad. He stepped out of the shower, the sound of rushing water replaced with the low bleating of sheep, and the soothing whisper of the warm summer breeze rustling through the trees outside. From the bedroom, he could hear another noise. 𝘑𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘦.

Although Teddy had once cursed the chaos that came with a houseful of kids - his own and others - he now found himself seeking out their noise once again, encouraging them to spend more time as a family, all too aware that their time together was rapidly coming to an end.

It was a peaceful morning in Chestnut Ridge. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭. It was the kind of quiet that only came with an empty house; when a coffee cup placed gently on a table echoes through the hush like a firework, and rooms that had once been filled with shrieks and petty squabbles now sat in silence.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒛𝒆𝒍𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒚 - 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑛𝑒 - 𝑇𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛' 𝑆ℎ𝑖𝑡 𝑂𝑢𝑡 𝑂𝑓 𝑀𝑒