"Trust yourself. You've survived a lot and you will survive what is coming." -Unknown.

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Clara's POV:

If you think I got any sleep last night, then you are severely wrong. How does anyone have a good nights rest in a situation like this? For seven years, I've managed to keep everything under wraps; Kept my life going smoothly. Now suddenly I feel like I've been frozen in place as everything I've worked so hard to keep a secret, lies in the dangerous hands of Dark Prism. Like time has stopped around me and I feel too numb and terrified to do anything.

Where did I go wrong?

I hate it. I hate this feeling that everything is out of my control. It's like for the first time... I'm truly feeling... powerless. A little ironic right?

I hate this. I hate this stupid, helpless feeling that I'm out of control. This wasn't a situation I could see a way around and it's making me feel physically ill just thinking about it. My stomach churned and twisted as the nauseous feeling returned, making my hands tremble and heart pound. My whole life now rests in the hands of someone, who for the first time has seemed to overpower me. I can't stop thinking about how I couldn't manipulate his emotions. I couldn't turn the tables on him and force him to leave because I couldn't find his emotions. They just weren't there.

A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered the empty feeling under my fingers as I tried to grasp at his inner feelings. Unless he had found a way to block my power... but I am yet to come across someone who can do that yet.

This is exactly why I kept it a secret. My power makes me untrustworthy, unlikable and dangerous. What happened seven years ago is clear evidence of that.

I felt my heart lurch up into my throat, choking me until I felt like I was suffocating. My breathing deepened as I tried to take in air that I felt wasn't satisfying me enough. Hot tears pricked the corners of my eyes as my vision blurred and my head felt light. I held my hand over my mouth, trying to stomach the sudden urge to be sick.

"...Clara? Are you listening? I'll ask you the question again."

The feeling dissipated as I blinked back into reality and turned to Mr Patterson who peered at me through his magnified, goggle-like glasses. He stood tall with his back straight, brows twitching in a fleeting concern. "Is everything alright? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"N-no. I'm fine uh..." I gulped back the painful lump in my throat and swiped my wrist over my eyes to clear my vision. I could feel the whole class looking at me. I awkwardly tried to cough to clear my throat before focussing on Mr Patterson.

Whispers rolled across the classroom as people sent weird looks my way. If people didn't think I had something wrong with me before then they definitely do now. Usually, that doesn't bother me. I don't care what they think. Only when Adam sniggers from across the classroom that my ears suddenly flare up and burn. "Weirdo."

I could let that thing inside me snap, stand up and turn my gaze to him letting my power surface underneath my eyes. Grasp his very being and let my own crushing anxiety and fear roll over him in heavy waves until he feels like he's drowning. Until he's on his knees and begging. Until there's no sane part of him left.

But I hold back. I always hold back.

I adjust myself in my chair awkwardly and dig my nails into my palms. "Uh... s-sorry I-"

"How do we know that the writer intended to make the reader feel fear from this extract?" Mr Patterson interrupted me, his tone level and voice stern.

I scanned the paragraph on the board, shaking my head slightly and shrugging my shoulders. It was an extract from Frankenstein. "Uhm... because..." my mind went blank and my mouth had gone dry. Desperate to say something to try and end this screaming silence, I attempted to gather my thoughts. "Because he's just killed someone? Wait... where is this paragraph from in the book?"

Something like disappointment flickered over his features for a moment before he shook his head and moved on. "Not good enough, Miss Anderson. I will see you after class."

Great. I really wasn't in the mood for another one of his lectures.

The bell rang for the end of class, Adam being the first one to jump up and throw his bag over his shoulder, walking swiftly to the front and brushing heavily past Emma's desk on the way. All her books fell on the floor, but he didn't bat a single eyelash in her direction. Overwhelming pride and confidence radiated from his figure. I could feel it echoing off him in waves. He chuckled deeply and walked out of the class with his group without a single glance.

Emma narrowed her eyes in his direction and bent down to pick up her books quickly, stuffing them in her bag. She looked at me, smiling brightly as though Adam's actions hadn't phased her at all. And for some reason, they didn't. Cheeriness radiated from her in the purest of forms.

As everyone else in the class stood up and made their way towards the door, I started towards Emma only to freeze when Mr Patterson opened his mouth. "Not you, Clara."

Emma nodded at me in understanding and jabbed her thumb towards the door, before making her way outside and closing the door softly behind her.

I turned to my English teacher. "Yeah?" I asked, maybe a little too sarcastically.

He leant back on his desk, holding his #1 Dad mug between his fingers. He sighed deeply and looked at me, his eyebrows pulling down in a frown. "Is everything going on alright at home? Your grades have been dropping and you've been paying less and less attention in my class. You know exams are just around the corner and as your teacher, I am trying to help you to get the best results possible. If there's something distracting you, especially today, then I would have to do something about it."

I internally groaned, rolling my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. "Sir, I'm fine. You seriously don't have to worry - I'll make sure to pay more attention in the future. English is just hard... but I'll figure it out." I made my way towards the door, eager to leave before he could-

"I expect to see you after school next week. I can help you revise. English is your weakest subject isn't it? This is not a punishment. I just want to help you to pass."

My hands clenched tightly beside me. No way did I want to stay after school to do English. But I didn't feel like arguing now. "Fine. Whatever," I grumbled as I made for the door.

Mr Patterson settled down his mug onto his desk and looked at me through his goggle-like glasses. "Clara. Is everything okay at home? Is your mum-"

"Don't you dare ask! It's none of your business!" I snapped harshly, gripping the handle of the door and swinging it open. I glanced back to look at him, anger racing through my veins. But his sad, genuine look took me aback. I felt concern radiate from him. Worry and anxiety... a genuine unease from a passionately loving teacher who always valued every student. "I- sorry... sir."

He nodded at me and a small smile tugged at his thin lips. "It's alright."

Shutting the door behind me, I turned towards Emma who was peering at me with narrow eyes. She put her hands on her hips and glared at me for a moment. She scrunched up her nose and took a step forwards into my personal space, to which I stepped back. 'You didn't sleep last night did you? You look exhausted!'

I waved her off, shaking my head. 'I'm fine. Mr Patterson was just being nosy again. Gosh why is he so insistent on trying to 'help' me?'

Emma's brows furrowed slightly and she paused in deep thought. 'Maybe... because you look in need of saving?'

My shoulder's rose as my defensive stature came up. "What?"

"Hey!" Alex's voice rang out from behind us and I turned on my heels to look at him. As he came up to us, I peered behind him in search of an annoying
blonde... only to find no one. He smiled at us and waved his hand, like he was in the most cheery of moods— like always I guess. "What's up? I feel like I haven't seen you guys since-"

"Since you and Bella became a thing? Yeah I wonder why." I folded my arms in front of me, wildly aware of Emma's sudden self-consciousness next to me. Shrugging, I turned away from him. "Don't you have somewhere else to be, Mr Head-over-heels-for-Bella?"

"That's not-"

"Nope! Emma and I need to go before our spot on the bench underneath the tree gets taken." I grabbed Emma's wrist and began pulling her away but when she suddenly jerked her hand out of my grasp, I froze. Shocked, I turned to look at her but quickly understood her action.

Her posture was upright and tight, her heels planted firmly beneath her. Her hazel eyes met mine, stern and narrow. She took a deep breath and shook her head, lifting her hands and signing. 'Don't be so harsh, Clara. Show some kindness.'

Kindness? That's funny. Why should I show kindness to a friend who wants to keep ditching us to go and be with his annoying girlfriend all the time?

Alex is so oblivious to Emma's feelings that it hurts. Sometimes he can say or do something that will hurt Emma's feelings without knowing it. Of course he doesn't mean it. He always means well. If only he knew how his simple smile or compliment influences Emma's mood like I do. But also a slow turn of his head away or a soft gaze in Bella's direction can make Emma incredibly disheartened and sad. She's my best friend. So for her benefit only, I wish she would get over Alex already. Honestly I think she's hurting herself too much otherwise.

So can no one understand how angry it makes me to see someone have so much control over another's emotions?!

'Sorry, Alex. It's nice to see you again. Where is Bella?' She signed with the brightest smile on her face.

Alex's chest deflated slowly, letting out a silent but heavy sigh. "She's not well today. I think she caught the flu."

Suddenly, upon hearing that, my own mood seemed to lift and my lips tugged into a grin. "Good. I mean... uh... then you can hang out with us today. That is, if you're not too good for us now." I shrugged my shoulders and looked at Emma who had her dreamy eyes set on Alex.

The feeling of a darker presence behind me made me stiffen up, turning around to meet Al's sharp glare. "Ah! Finally a day without Bella? I must be dreaming." A grin tugged at his lips as he pulled his hands out from his pockets and folded his arms over his chest instead. "Pinch me because this can't be real."

I felt a small laugh bubble up from inside of me and I reached out to pinch his arm... only for my hand to pass right through.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that Al isn't human.

I can't read his emotions, but never really felt like I needed to as he had a permanent scowl on his face. It's what sets him and Alex mostly apart. Al is only a clone. All I could read was the wavering expression on his face before he melted into a shadow. Reappearing quickly beside Alex he would stuff his hands grumpily into his pockets again.

Alex watched Al keenly, chewing his lip before resuming his smile and began walking ahead of us. "C'mon. Let's go get some food because I'm starving."

Al rolled his eyes, folding his arms tightly over his chest. "Fine."

Emma nodded brightly and followed him closely, beckoning me to follow. Just then I felt a little lighter on my shoulders as I allowed this temporal moment to try and forget about Dark Prism. I took a step forwards to follow them when I felt an invisible weight barge into my right shoulder, knocking me backwards but not enough to completely push me over.

It was cold, menacing and hostile as the presence seemed to linger for a moment and then something was discreetly slipped into my pocket. I shivered as I heard a low breath close to my ear, but as quickly as it appeared, the presence seemed to leave.

"Are you alright?" Al grumbled, shooting me a strange look.

I nodded a little too quickly. "Uh... yes! Yeah I'm fine. Just... feeling a little ill today."

Al lowered his scowling eyes to my pocket then back up to meet my gaze before shrugging his shoulders and walking after Alex and Emma. I hung back slightly to take out the folded piece of paper from my pocket and read it, heart pounding.

It begins tonight.