I was beyond frustrated today, and I knew being at school wasn’t going to help my situation in any way. All I could think about were the answers I desperately needed. There were only two explanations for what was happening to me: either I was going insane, or I was turning into some cliché version of an alien.
I dragged myself into my fourth class of the day, which was Literature. The moment I stepped into the room, I nearly choked when I spotted one of the seniors Bryan and I had seen last Saturday at the restaurant.It was Jake ....I groaned remembering ur last encounter. 'What is he doing in my class?' I thought, wide-eyed, as I made my way to my desk in the middle of the room. Damn, the guy was hot—seriously, why did he have to be so attractive? I could literally feel his gaze burning holes into the back of my skull, and it made my entire body feel warm, almost uncomfortably so. Thank God, Mr. Huggins, our teacher, walked in before I could embarrass myself further. “Good morning, students,” Mr. Huggins began, his voice steady as he adjusted his glasses. “Today, we’ll be conducting a critical analysis of the poem RedWolf. Our very own senior poetry expert, Mr. Jake Adams, will be assisting us today.” As soon as Mr. Huggins finished speaking, the entire class erupted into applause, and I couldn’t help but notice how every girl seemed to light up as if they’d just won backstage passes to see Justin Bieber or something. High school life was so cliché—there was always that one guy every girl drooled over. I glanced around and saw that some of them were practically drooling—literally. And for some reason, that irritated me. Something deep within me twisted with a strange possessiveness, a sudden urge to claw their eyes out for ogling him. Yup, I was definitely starting to question my sanity. This had to be the first step toward madness. After Literature ended, I hurried out of the classroom, determined to avoid Jake at all costs. There was something about him that made me feel... unsettled. Nervous, shy, heated, and excited all at once. It was as if my body couldn’t decide how to react around him, and I didn’t want to find out what would happen if he tried to talk to me. Honestly, if he ever said ‘hi’ to me, I’d probably faint right on the spot. What sort of sorcery was this? As I speed-walked toward the locker room, hoping to disappear from Jake’s radar, I heard a voice again—the same mysterious voice that had haunted me for days now. It sent shivers down my spine. ‘What now?’ I muttered to myself, rolling my eyes. After an internal debate that lasted all of thirty seconds, I decided to follow the voice, hoping that maybe it would lead me to the answers I was so desperately seeking. Besides, it wasn’t like I had anything better to do, and maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t losing my mind. Hopefully, this wouldn't lead to my untimely death, like in those cliché horror movies where the clueless girl follows the creepy noises. The voice led me straight to the school basement. 'Of course, the creepy basement,' I thought with a sigh. I was really starting to hate this place; it felt like something straight out of a bad teen horror flick. There was obviously something "off" about it, and every fiber of my being screamed at me to turn around and leave. But curiosity, and maybe a bit of stubbornness, kept me going. “Is anyone here?... I guess it’s just me then,” I called out, my voice echoing in the emptiness. I looked around, taking in the dimly lit space, and nearly jumped out of my skin when the door behind a rickety old chair creaked open on its own. 'That definitely didn’t happen last time,' I thought, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. Hesitantly, I approached the door and entered slowly, waiting by the entrance just in case it slammed shut like in every horror movie ever. Beyond the door was a long, dark corridor that stretched on forever. The whole place felt like a dungeon, and the air was heavy, almost suffocating. I shivered, rubbing my arms for warmth as I cautiously made my way down the passage. After what felt like an eternity, I began to wonder if this corridor had any end at all. This was a bad idea. I was sure of it. Then, finally, I heard real voices—male voices—and decided to follow them, even though every rational part of my brain screamed that this was beyond stupid. But I had to know. I needed proof that I wasn’t losing my mind. I reached the end of the corridor and pressed myself against the wall, eavesdropping on their conversation. “The Alpha is her protector, and he’s a hybrid! We need to warn Master Jasper about the Alpha’s return!” the first voice hissed urgently. I gasped softly, my heart racing. 'Alpha? Hybrids?' What on earth were they talking about? Was this some sort of code language, or had I stumbled into a secret werewolf society meeting? None of this made any sense. I dared to peek through the slightly open door, hoping to catch a glimpse of who was speaking, and I almost screamed when I saw what was inside. Shadows danced around the room, and I could make out strange symbols glowing faintly on the walls. My heart threatened to burst out of my chest, but before I could react, a strong hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream. Sparks shot up my skin from the contact, and, oddly enough, it felt good—comforting even. But panic surged through me as I was dragged to a hidden corner. I began kicking and thrashing, desperate to break free, until the person spun me around to face him. “Jake?” “Don’t make a sound,” he warned, his stormy grey eyes boring into mine. I nodded, taking in a shaky breath, my heart pounding against my ribs. Why was he here, and how much did he know? “What the hell?” I managed to whisper, my face flushed from how close he was to me. Every nerve in my body was on high alert, and I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or something else entirely. “Follow me and stay close, okay?” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. There was something about the way he spoke that felt so... dominating. And what was worse, I felt compelled to obey him. I told myself it was just my survival instinct kicking in, but deep down, I knew there was more to it. “First, tell me what’s going on! What are you doing here?” I demanded, keeping my voice low, but he only shook his head. “If you want to live, you’ll stop talking and follow my orders,” he snapped. He began walking, and despite my irritation, I trailed behind him, unwilling to risk my life over a petty argument. Who did he think he was, giving me orders without so much as an explanation? I promised myself that once we were out of this mess, I would demand answers—and I wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.PRESENT DAYI sighed as my father drove me to school it felt like I was being dragged to hell. Just a few weeks ago, I was living comfortably with my mom, Emily McHawlin, my world as normal as it could get. Now, I was living with a man I barely knew. A man I had believed was dead my entire life. My father, Daniel, who had suddenly emerged from the shadows, insisting he was back for my own good. Life has a funny way of slapping you in the face when you least expect it, twisting fate in ways that leave you breathless.I shook my head, still unable to fully process the turn my life had taken. A new father, a new home, and now, a new school.I pulled my cross-body bag off the shelf and stuffed a few notebooks inside, trying to focus on the mundane task. My thoughts raced as I questioned how I even agreed to this. Me, Prisca McHawlin, starting a new life on someone else’s terms. Daniel had convinced me it was “healthy” to get back into a routine, but there was nothing healthy about this si
The cold air from the classroom made my skin prickle. I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the room, and for a moment, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. It wasn’t just the chill, but a creeping sensation, like invisible eyes were on me, watching my every move. The walls seemed to close in, dark shadows stretching across the floor, the corners of the room cloaked in dim light. I blinked, trying to shake the sensation, convincing myself it was just my nerves. Bryan nudged me gently. “You okay?” “Yeah,” I whispered, forcing a smile, though my insides churned with unease. “Just... the cold air.” Bryan looked around the room and shrugged. “Yeah, this place has a weird vibe sometimes. It’s always freezing in here. You’ll get used to it.” He smiled warmly and gestured for me to follow him to a pair of empty seats toward the back. I slipped into the chair next to him, placing my bag on the floor, still hyperaware of my surroundings. The classroom wasn’t particularly la
Three days had passed so quickly, I could hardly believe it. High school was turning out to be survivable, and living with Daniel was slowly becoming less awkward. My friendship with Bryan had also grown closer, and I was grateful for that. He was easy to talk to, and I found comfort in his presence. But everyone at school had made up their minds that Bryan was my boyfriend. The rumors didn’t bother me, and Bryan didn’t seem to care either. We actually laughed about it.The weather here in Zimbabwe was usually blistering, the kind that made my skin feel like it was roasting under the sun’s relentless rays. Days like today, when the world felt hushed under the weight of the clouds, were a rare blessing.I decided to call Bryan it was a good day for a hot cheesy pizza anyways.---The pizza place was buzzing with the usual lunchtime crowd, a mix of students and families crowding around the red-checkered tables. Bryan and I snagged a booth by the window, and I tried to focus on our conver
Bryan nodded. “Okay.”When I went to collect the pizza, one of the girls from the group reached out and held my hand. “The new moon awaits,” she said.I looked at her, confused. “What do you mean?” I asked, almost whispering. She stared at me as if she was seeing straight into my soul.“The new moon will open your eyes, the new moon will be your light. Trust the new—” Before she could finish, a blond guy grabbed her hand, and she snapped out of whatever trance she was in, suddenly looking terrified.“Sorry about that,” the guy said, his green eyes focused on the girl. “Sophie gets a bit weird sometimes and starts saying things that don’t make sense.”Sophie blinked a couple of times, then forced a nervous smile. She looked like she was still too scared to meet my eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Please excuse us,” she said, clinging to the guy’s hand as they walked away.I just nodded, still trying to process what had just happened. My thoughts were interrupted by the piz
I woke up the next Sunday morning feeling extremely sick and overheated. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead, and I felt as if I were wrapped in a heavy blanket even though I wasn’t covered by anything. I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Struggling to sit up straight, I glanced at the small clock on the table beside my bed. Damn! It was already 10:00 a.m.! Why hadn’t Daniel woken me up like he usually did? Sunlight filtered through my curtains, casting patterns of light on the floor, but even that seemed blinding. I tried to get out of bed, but as soon as I stood up, I almost fell over. My legs felt numb, and I could feel heat rising from my feet, spreading through my entire body in waves, like fire snaking up my veins. “Oh my God,” I muttered, feeling unbearably hot. I grabbed the table to steady myself and looked at the picture of my mother, her eyes seeming to look back at me with concern. “Give me strength,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “What’s happening to me?” The s
Bryan arrived at my house about an hour after I had called him. I explained everything to him in a hurried, breathless stream of words. He sat at the edge of my bed, staring at me with a blank expression. Did he actually think I was insane? “Please, earth to Bryan! Say something, at least,” I snapped, waving my fingers in front of his face, hoping to snap him out of it.“I… I don’t know what to say,” he finally muttered, running a hand through his hair. “This all sounds so crazy and unreal. You’re telling me you burned that table without even touching it, without a matchstick or a lighter?” He shook his head, trying to process everything, then stood up and began pacing the room.“I know it sounds insane, Bryan! But do you really think I’d burn my own table—and my mother’s picture—on purpose? Risking burning down the whole house? Come on, I’m not crazy, okay!” I replied, my voice rising in frustration as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Exhausted, I sat down heavily, feeling t
I was beyond frustrated today, and I knew being at school wasn’t going to help my situation in any way. All I could think about were the answers I desperately needed. There were only two explanations for what was happening to me: either I was going insane, or I was turning into some cliché version of an alien.I dragged myself into my fourth class of the day, which was Literature. The moment I stepped into the room, I nearly choked when I spotted one of the seniors Bryan and I had seen last Saturday at the restaurant.It was Jake ....I groaned remembering ur last encounter. 'What is he doing in my class?' I thought, wide-eyed, as I made my way to my desk in the middle of the room. Damn, the guy was hot—seriously, why did he have to be so attractive?I could literally feel his gaze burning holes into the back of my skull, and it made my entire body feel warm, almost uncomfortably so. Thank God, Mr. Huggins, our teacher, walked in before I could embarrass myself further.“Good morning, s
Bryan arrived at my house about an hour after I had called him. I explained everything to him in a hurried, breathless stream of words. He sat at the edge of my bed, staring at me with a blank expression. Did he actually think I was insane? “Please, earth to Bryan! Say something, at least,” I snapped, waving my fingers in front of his face, hoping to snap him out of it.“I… I don’t know what to say,” he finally muttered, running a hand through his hair. “This all sounds so crazy and unreal. You’re telling me you burned that table without even touching it, without a matchstick or a lighter?” He shook his head, trying to process everything, then stood up and began pacing the room.“I know it sounds insane, Bryan! But do you really think I’d burn my own table—and my mother’s picture—on purpose? Risking burning down the whole house? Come on, I’m not crazy, okay!” I replied, my voice rising in frustration as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Exhausted, I sat down heavily, feeling t
I woke up the next Sunday morning feeling extremely sick and overheated. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead, and I felt as if I were wrapped in a heavy blanket even though I wasn’t covered by anything. I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Struggling to sit up straight, I glanced at the small clock on the table beside my bed. Damn! It was already 10:00 a.m.! Why hadn’t Daniel woken me up like he usually did? Sunlight filtered through my curtains, casting patterns of light on the floor, but even that seemed blinding. I tried to get out of bed, but as soon as I stood up, I almost fell over. My legs felt numb, and I could feel heat rising from my feet, spreading through my entire body in waves, like fire snaking up my veins. “Oh my God,” I muttered, feeling unbearably hot. I grabbed the table to steady myself and looked at the picture of my mother, her eyes seeming to look back at me with concern. “Give me strength,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “What’s happening to me?” The s
Bryan nodded. “Okay.”When I went to collect the pizza, one of the girls from the group reached out and held my hand. “The new moon awaits,” she said.I looked at her, confused. “What do you mean?” I asked, almost whispering. She stared at me as if she was seeing straight into my soul.“The new moon will open your eyes, the new moon will be your light. Trust the new—” Before she could finish, a blond guy grabbed her hand, and she snapped out of whatever trance she was in, suddenly looking terrified.“Sorry about that,” the guy said, his green eyes focused on the girl. “Sophie gets a bit weird sometimes and starts saying things that don’t make sense.”Sophie blinked a couple of times, then forced a nervous smile. She looked like she was still too scared to meet my eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Please excuse us,” she said, clinging to the guy’s hand as they walked away.I just nodded, still trying to process what had just happened. My thoughts were interrupted by the piz
Three days had passed so quickly, I could hardly believe it. High school was turning out to be survivable, and living with Daniel was slowly becoming less awkward. My friendship with Bryan had also grown closer, and I was grateful for that. He was easy to talk to, and I found comfort in his presence. But everyone at school had made up their minds that Bryan was my boyfriend. The rumors didn’t bother me, and Bryan didn’t seem to care either. We actually laughed about it.The weather here in Zimbabwe was usually blistering, the kind that made my skin feel like it was roasting under the sun’s relentless rays. Days like today, when the world felt hushed under the weight of the clouds, were a rare blessing.I decided to call Bryan it was a good day for a hot cheesy pizza anyways.---The pizza place was buzzing with the usual lunchtime crowd, a mix of students and families crowding around the red-checkered tables. Bryan and I snagged a booth by the window, and I tried to focus on our conver
The cold air from the classroom made my skin prickle. I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the room, and for a moment, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. It wasn’t just the chill, but a creeping sensation, like invisible eyes were on me, watching my every move. The walls seemed to close in, dark shadows stretching across the floor, the corners of the room cloaked in dim light. I blinked, trying to shake the sensation, convincing myself it was just my nerves. Bryan nudged me gently. “You okay?” “Yeah,” I whispered, forcing a smile, though my insides churned with unease. “Just... the cold air.” Bryan looked around the room and shrugged. “Yeah, this place has a weird vibe sometimes. It’s always freezing in here. You’ll get used to it.” He smiled warmly and gestured for me to follow him to a pair of empty seats toward the back. I slipped into the chair next to him, placing my bag on the floor, still hyperaware of my surroundings. The classroom wasn’t particularly la
PRESENT DAYI sighed as my father drove me to school it felt like I was being dragged to hell. Just a few weeks ago, I was living comfortably with my mom, Emily McHawlin, my world as normal as it could get. Now, I was living with a man I barely knew. A man I had believed was dead my entire life. My father, Daniel, who had suddenly emerged from the shadows, insisting he was back for my own good. Life has a funny way of slapping you in the face when you least expect it, twisting fate in ways that leave you breathless.I shook my head, still unable to fully process the turn my life had taken. A new father, a new home, and now, a new school.I pulled my cross-body bag off the shelf and stuffed a few notebooks inside, trying to focus on the mundane task. My thoughts raced as I questioned how I even agreed to this. Me, Prisca McHawlin, starting a new life on someone else’s terms. Daniel had convinced me it was “healthy” to get back into a routine, but there was nothing healthy about this si