"Alright, Mia. We're going to have you try one more time on step one," Mrs. Meyers says softly, sitting down on my couch.

It's now Monday and I'm still not going to school. I know, I'm a wimp, but I haven't quite mastered pushing a vision back yet, and I want to be able to do so when the situation arises at school.

"Who is it this time?" I ask nervously. I haven't had a vision since Saturday when I saw Dad's. I'm not sure if I could do it again.

"Don't worry, dear. We aren't going to do your father's again. But we're still going to do one that's a little difficult for you," she warns, placing a hand on my knee.

Please not Alec. Please not Alec.

"We're going to have you see Josh's."

I relax. It may not be pleasant for me to watch Josh die, but I have seen his twice already. I'm not ready for Alec again.

"Okay. I can do that," I say, standing up and facing Josh. He stands up as well, walking until he's right in front of me. My head stays lowered as I try to calm myself down. Josh grabs my hand in his and squeezes.

"Whenever you're ready, Mia," he whispers.

I build up my walls and look up at him. The pressure hits me with almost enough force to break the wall immediately, but I don't let it. I stay focused on Josh, staring into his eyes and trying to just see him.

After about a minute longer, I can't take the pressure in my head, so I drop head onto Josh's shoulder.

Josh wraps his arms around me. "Good job. Very good," he whispers again, kissing the top of my head.

"Well done, Mia. Especially for only your second try," Mrs. Meyers says cheerfully.

I nod, regaining my breath. It takes a lot more than you'd think to push off a vision.

"I need to sit down," I say as quietly as possible, hoping that Josh still hears me.

"Of course," he agrees, walking over and setting me down on the couch. I spread out, laying down as he covers me with a blanket. "I should be here when you wake up. We've got to talk things through with your dad."

I scrunch up my nose, but don't protest. I figured this day would come. But I'm honestly surprised it hasn't come sooner. Josh stands and walks somewhere, but I'm already falling asleep.

I wake up to voices, talking softly somewhere nearby. My eyes flutter open and I groan, a headache taking place. I bet it's from keeping the vision away.

"Mia, it's time to get up and talk about some things," Josh says, crouching down next to me. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and helps me sit up. He sits next to me and throws an arm over my shoulder.

I sigh contemptly, ready to fall asleep again.

"Nope," Josh says, shaking my shoulder. "You gotta stay awake."

"Okay, okay, fine." I open my eyes as wide as I can and take in the scene around me. Dad is sitting across the room in one of our recliners and Josh and I are sitting on the couch. Through the window, I can see that the sky is getting darker, meaning that I've only been sleeping for a few hours.

"So, where should we start?" Josh asks, breaking the short silence.

"I'd suggest at the beginning," Dad says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, it's kind of complicated. Remember when I didn't come home one night?"

Dad nods, not saying anything.

"The night before, Elizabeth and I were at the school, decorating Haley's room for her birthday-" I begin, remembering that I haven't talked to Haley since the day before that night. "-and as we were leaving the school, we ran into Josh. He told us we weren't allowed to be here and yada yada. The whole time I wouldn't look at him, because, you know I just got caught. I don't like being caught. So I finally turned to look at him and we made eye contact." I break off, unable to say anymore.

"Then she fainted. Elizabeth caught her, and we just sat and waited for her to wake back up. I knew what was going on, but Elizabeth was freaking out. She couldn't sit still, always pacing the floor or mumbling to herself. Then Mia woke up, looked up at us then ran out of the building," Josh says, taking advantage of my silence.

"I ran to the park and slept on a bench until the sun rose. Then I went home and, yeah," I say awkwardly. I bite my lip and hope with everything in me that he'll believe us. The first time I told him, he didn't believe me, he almost laughed at me.

Dad leans his elbows onto his knees. "I've briefly been told what's going on, but I'm not completely sure." He looks at Josh. "Tell me what all of this means."

"Uh, it means, sir, that your daughter is my uh, Meise and I'm her Weise. Or, in simpler terms, we're soulmates."

No one talks for the next few minutes, taking everything in.

Dad eventually speaks, "So you're saying that she's going to see people die because you're her soulmate? All of this trouble she's having to go through..."

"It's all because of me, yes sir," Josh finishes boldly. "But remember this, no matter what she does, or where she goes, I'll always be a part of her. She'll always have these visions until she learns to control it."

Dad sighs, glancing between the two of us. "So keeping you away would only harm her?" He stands up and starts pacing looking at us every now and then.

"Yes sir, it does," Josh says.

"Well I for one do not want my daughter to bear this burden, but if she has to, I don't want her doing it alone."

I roll my eyes, he's talking as if I'm not sitting right in front of him. I mean, seriously - wait, what'd he say? My eyes snap over to him and he's smiling at me.

"It's not just that, though," Dad says. "You make her happy. I can see that. It's not that she wasn't happy before, she's just happier. She has a light in her eyes now that I haven't seen since..."

I gulp, biting my lip. He doesn't need to finish his sentence. We both know - and I'm sure Josh can figure it out - how long it's been since I've been truly happy.

Since Mom died.

I stand up and walk over to Dad, wrapping my arms around him. He returns the hug, kissing the top of my head. "I love you, pumpkin."

"I love you too, Dad. Thank you."

And just for this moment, it feels like everything's right, like there isn't a drift between him and me, like I'm not having visions.

•••

I get out of Josh's car and take a deep breath. It's been a week since I've gone to school and I can't say that I've missed it.

Josh hands me my bag and we walk into the school.

"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Josh asks, turning to me as we stop in front of my class.

I nod. "Yeah, see you then."

He hugs me quickly, whispering, "You can do it." He smiles at me before walking away and out of sight as the bell rings.

With a deep breath, I turn and walk into my class, sitting in my assigned seat, wanting the day to end.

It turns out that my wish failed to come true because it feels like forever before lunch arrives and I may or may not have been the first person out of my classroom, something I never do.

Walking into the cafeteria, I spot Josh across the room and we share a smile as I make my way over to him. When I'm halfway across the room, someone backs up into me, causing me to almost fall over.

"I'm so sorry," the guy says, turning around.

"It's fine," I shrug, looking up at him and instantly regreting it. Our eyes meet and the vision presses into my brain. I build up my walls and hope I'll be able to avoid having a vision in school. I drop my gaze to the floor and push past him, my only goal is keeping the vision away. Well, and get to Josh.

My feet stagger, tripping over nothing. My head starts pounding the more I resist. Knowing that all hope is lost, I try to scan the cafeteria for Josh and I think I see him coming towards me, but I can't be sure because the vision overpowers everything else.

I see the guy's death, and I'm not entirely sure what's going on. I see him lying on a hospital bed and it seems like he dies quickly.

Even when the vision ends, I keep my eyes pressed closed. The pain in my head is unbearable. It feels like the two sides of my brain are at war with each other, bombs and all.

"Mia? Are you awake?"

I only groan, pressing the heels of my hands against my temples and roll to the side.

"Mia," the voice says softly.

I grunt in response.

"We need to get you home."

Moving around is not something I want to do right now. Can't a girl just crawl in a corner and be in pain?

"Come on, open your eyes for me at least."

I wait another moment before I do as he says. I stare up at the lights and almost close my eyes again from the sheer brightness. I groan again, flipping myself onto my stomach but keeping my eyes open.

Josh sighs and I feel a hand on my back. "Come on."

Slowly, I sit up and fix my eyes on Josh's, my head still pounding visiously. I place my feet on the floor and I look around me. The nurse's office. I feel a sudden churning in my stomach. "I don't feel good."

Wordlessly, he picks up the trash can and holds it as I empty my stomach into it. Josh rubs my back until I'm done, then he hands me a napkin. I wipe my mouth and drop it in the trash.

I close my eyes again, trying to ignore the throbbing pain. Not surprisingly, it doesn't work.

"Ready?" Josh asks. I open my eyes to see his hand in front of me. I grab it and carefully stand up.

We leave the small nurse's office and make our way out to his car. It normally wouldn't take so long, but with my aching head and upset stomach it takes us what feels like forever to get there.

Josh drives us to my house and my head is in my hands the entire way there.

Soon enough we're parked in front of my house. Still in pain, we make it inside and as far as the couch before I give up.

"Just lay me there," I whisper, pointing to the couch. I lay down and pull a blanket up to my chin.

"I'm going to get you some ibuprofen, okay?"

I nod faintly, squeezing my eyes shut once more. The pain is overbearing and I feel as if it's going to explode. I'm beginning to think my war theory was right after all.

"Sit up for me."

I doas he says and swallow the pills quickly before resuming my position.

"Just rest, Mia. You need it."

I don't need him to tell me twice. It only takes me a moment before I'm dead to the world.

So, what do you think? Don't be afraid to comment!

Thanks a bunch for reading!