l

forest appeare

a-distant vehicles, a barking dog, the hum of somebody's lawn sprinkler- ran someth

g, gaze fixed at the roof. I

y time I passed off; felt the echo of firm arms surrounding me

ide and crammed my

by... a delayed response to humiliation and

whatever I had sensed, it couldn'

lf for school. The crisp morning air clung arou

pened into e

sensed the faint whiff of petrol from a car that had passed just minutes earl

ltered. That wa

I could move the feeling. I murmure

sensation

side Crestwood High, i

int but distinct. I intercepted bits: hall

my he

heir wish to hear me crack

cker. "Elara," he said, start

w every movement, every change in his tone. Too swee

u want?" I

a hand through his hair. "I messed up. Th

. You are not allo

d swiftly. "I am afraid."

rned his gaze down the

arped, yet it was not p

already," I r

cted. "Because

se of a choice." "A

or my arm. I

lit second, an image flashed through my mind; Mark on the gro

ea star

aid once more, my voi

black flashing behind his

replied.

I walked away befo

classes

Mr. Thorne-Adrian. Every move he made recorded like a ripple over water.

an assignment I experienced

Clear and deliberate.

ossed arms and clenched jaw. The space between them felt

blinked and

rain l

sed not. Was

ushed myself t

yed nerve

ndwich with brows tightly dr

ched when someone

. "I sle

ent. "Mark has been staring at

his pr

htfully, "keeps appearing as tho

on my dri

"I'm kidding." The

"This will

ross the table and grasped

she was

h my body was always on high alert. Sounds were louder. sha

over me as the

left

e heavens had darkened. Far off, thunder

ard the woods several times. Silent, the

street when I discovere

pace. Their'

I spun around an

ack, rain starting to

you doing?

arrive safel

t asking

"You've been be

not your

t you is my busi

nd quickly. "You lo

e to jerk. Cold drops soaking my c

You believe you're b

"I believe I sh

t out, grabb

et something else g

astounded both of us. Mark staggered back,

hell," h

at my own hand. I had not stret

ed, I said, "I

slashed the do

and

toward the woods. "

nderneath was something d

said swiftly.

growl came lo

Eyes wide, he moved bac

I stood there with rain l

es shone from the

urposefully rathe

uring my eyesight. The eye

I had no ru

t of st

ower humming beneath my skin, something o

thunder sounde

e something r