I looked at the dark apparition in the woods. It was tall and lanky. It was moving toward me. As it came closer, I expected to see a face but darkness never left it.
Soon I realized it had no face. It was just a shadow.
A chill ran down my spine. I wasn't supposed to be here. Or was I?
The tall shadow now stood in front of me. They offered me their hand. It had long dark fingers, more like claws. Something inside me whispered to get out of here, to not take their hand. But I did. I wasn't in control of my own body.
We walked through a long trail, tall colorful trees surrounding us throughout the way. Birds chirped and insects hummed, their sweet voices complete contrast to the dooming whispers in my head. My feet followed him even when I didn't want to. I was a spectator in my own body.
We stopped before a cave. Its entrance looked like an open mouth, giving view of only darkness inside. I feared the mouth might close once I stepped inside. Again my legs moved without my permission.
Dark specter lead me into the cave and black surrounded my vision. I didn't like at all not being able to see what lay ahead. After covering some distance small lights blinked before me. Fireflies.
Before I could be thankful for the vision the glowing flies provided, my eyes met the most horrendous sight.
I screamed. I screamed so loud.
Gabriel!
Right before me laid Gabriel's decapitated head. His brown eyes were shot open, staring back into mine and blood seeped out of his neck where it was cut off from his body.
Gabriel. My brother.
A loud grunt rumbled and I was face to face with the wild beast standing over my brother's head. It looked familiar. Blood was running down its long tusks and its dark eyes looked murderous. It killed Gab. Now it wanted me.
Another scream pierced through the cave as that beast lunged at me-
I woke up with a start, gasping for air and my heart thumping in my chest. My hands were shaking. I was covered in cold sweat.
It was just a nightmare, I tried to calm myself. But it was hard when everything felt so real. So terrifying.
It took couple of minutes for my body to stop shaking and my breathing to even. 'Just a nightmare. You're safe Giselle, so is Gabriel,' I chanted in my head.
I got out of bed and walked out of my room to Mom's with light steps. We only had two bedrooms, so Gabriel slept with her. Not that he minded. We all three had crammed into one room apartment of cities before, and compared to those days living in this house was a luxury.
When Gab would grow up and need his personal space, there was a spacious attic in the house for him to turn it into his room. Or more likely he'd take over mine when I left for college.
Mom's bedroom door creaked as I gently opened it, making me wince. Gabriel was snuggled against Mom as he let out soft snores peacefully.
I breathed a sigh of relief even though this was the sight I expected. The nightmare had shaken me and I had to make sure my brother was safe. His decapitated head flashed before my eyes and I shuddered.
'He was safe,' I repeated in my head.
What we both went through only few hours ago was nothing short of crazy. I still trembled thinking about it. But it also made me curious. Curious of the world beyond ours, Realm of Magic. I had never been sort of a person who believed in supernatural or paranormal, but after yesterday my perception of reality had started to shift.
There were things beyond us.
Things that could hurt us.
I was curious yes, but that didn't mean I was putting my brother or myself at risk to satisfy my curiosity. Also I had to make sure Gabriel didn't pull yesterday's stunt of running out of school again.
I closed the door and went back to my room. I looked at my cell phone to find it was three in the morning, too early to be up. I laid on my bed, tucked myself comfortably inside the blanket, but the sleep never came.
*******
I found Noah with Silas and Elijah at the front staircase of school building. He looked gorgeous in long overcoat with plain white sweater underneath and grey washed out jeans. When his eyes fell on me, I recognized the silent command in them to come to him. In no mood to deny him, I obeyed.
"Hey," I greeted shyly as I reached him and smiled at the other two.
"You took your time Martin," Noah said, taking my hand in his like he couldn't help himself. My whole body tingled from the warmth of his large hand.
"You were waiting for me?" I asked, surprised.
"We all were waiting for you," Silas chimed, making my gaze tear away from Noah. "Because it didn't sit right with someone to have Jason tail you to your locker," he added with a smirk.
I narrowed my eyes at Noah, who met them unashamed. He had no ounce of embarrassment, even when I myself was blushing. "He was there to apologize," I told him.
"Now he's done apologizing, so there shouldn't be any problem," he stated, pulling me closer.
I would've groaned out aloud if I wasn't so distracted by our nearness. Our chests almost touched and his thumb slowly drew circles on the back of my hand. My heart sped as I looked into his eyes. Something feral glinted in those emerald greens as they drank in my flustered face. He looked so beautiful.
"You look tired," he said suddenly. His other hand came over my face and his thumb stroked my cheeks. Sparks sizzled between our skins. I almost mewled like a cat under his touch. "Still hungover?"
"No. I didn't sleep well," I replied truthfully as if in trance.
"Why?"
I found my senses coming back at his question, revisiting the horrifying nightmare and scary reality before that. "Bad dream." I cleared my throat. I took a step back from him but he didn't allow much distance between us.
My cheeks flamed realizing others were watching us. Many students were throwing glances at us, mixture of awe, jealousy, and blatant judgement.
"Was it a bad dream or some other kind of dream that kept you awake Giselle?" Elijah snickered.
"Perhaps Noah can help her," Silas joined his brother.
I was sure even my dark tone couldn't hide the redness of my burning face. These twins were infuriating.
"You two just can't keep your traps shut." Noah scowled at them. "Let's go." He pulled me with him to the school's open metal doors. The Rowan twins followed us with a chuckle.
"Where's Gordon?" I asked Elijah as we walked through the hallway.
"He had to turn in his history assignment."
Elijah and Silas left for their lockers and Noah stayed with me at mine.
"Don't you have to get your stuff?" I asked him.
"I already have my textbook with me for the class." He was behind me as I moved my books and notes from locker to my bag. My back touched his chest and I felt his nose brushing the top of my head. If he thought he was being discreet about sniffing my hair, he wasn't.
He smelled wonderful too, very addicting that I wanted to bury my face in his chest and breathe in his unique scent.
"So you're going to just stand here like some bodyguard," I teased him.
"And drop you to your class." I knew he was smiling.
"When you're generously creepy like that, no wonder so many girls here want you." A very familiar feeling burned inside me as I spoke this. "If I'm getting such treatment, then damn I envy your girlfriends." Jealousy.
In a fraction of second I was whirled around and staring into green eyes. "Get this inside your head Martin, you're the only one who I'm being generously creepy to. No past girlfriend ever made me take care of her cute drunk ass or carry her to her bedroom. They sure as hell never made me share my chocolate chip muffin." His finger curled around my curly hair like he had all the right.
My insides turned into a mushy mess at his confession. I knew he was speaking truth.
"I'm an asshole like you called me at party. Also maybe bossy. Very bossy," he repeated my words from that night, teasing me back, "but it's only you who I don't want to be an asshole to."
I was falling. Hard.
"I-I..." My lips moved and Noah's gaze instantly darted to them. His eyes shone with barely restrained wildness and I expected him to give into his desire. I wanted him to.
But he didn't, much to my disappointment. He squeezed my arms before letting go of me. "Are you done?" His voice was hoarse.
"Huh?"
He smirked, amused. "Did you get your books?"
I blinked and looked away to get my brain functioning. "Yeah, I have my books." I internally winced at my tiny voice.
My hand was again in his as we walked to my Calculus class. He didn't look bothered about the stares we attracted. His attention was on me and I relished in it.
I wanted to ask him why he was so 'generously creepy' to only me. Why he shared his muffin with only me? He had so many beautiful girls after him, so why was he here walking me to my class? But I didn't. I wasn't so bold like the man next to me.
Once we reached the classroom, none of us made any effort to part. We just stood at the door side, staring at each other like fools.
"I should go," he said, few minutes later.
"You should." I nodded. "You're going to be late for your class." He made no move to leave. He kept holding my hand. I didn't want him to leave either.
"I really should go."
"You really should."
More minutes passed until he finally and begrudgingly turned to leave.
"Noah," I called after him when he had taken only couple of steps. I chuckled when he groaned and turned back. "See you at lunch?"
"You damn will." He beamed before walking away.
********
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You can read two chapters ahead on inkitt. Link is in bio.