As they delve deeper into their project, a sudden chill fills the library. Aria shivers, rubbing her arms. Jackson notices her discomfort and offers his jacket. As he leans in, Aria catches a glimpse of his eyes, a strange, almost otherworldly glow illuminating them.
"It's getting late," Jackson says, his voice low and husky. "We should probably head home."
As they walk together, Aria feels a strange sense of familiarity that she can't quite explain. She glances at him, noticing the way the moonlight seems to dance on his skin, highlighting his sharp features.
A sudden gust of wind blows through the night, the leaves on the trees and Aria shivers. Jackson turns to her, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright?" he asks, his voice soft.
"Cold night," he murmured, his voice low and raspy.
Aria nodded, still reeling from what she had seen. she can't shake the feeling that something is different about him, something mysterious and alluring. She knew then that there was something more to Jackson than met the eye.
—
On presentation day, Aria and Jackson stood before the class, their nerves a mix of excitement and anticipation. They began their presentation by defining love in various forms: familial, platonic, and romantic.
As they delved deeper into their topic, their voices blended harmoniously, creating a captivating performance. The class listened intently, their faces reflecting a mixture of curiosity and empathy. Aria and Jackson's presentation was not just informative but also deeply personal, resonating with their audience on an emotional level.
"Thank you, Ms. Blackthorn and Mr. Martin for that informative and wonderful presentation. Well done." Mrs. Smith said with a smile on her face, assuring them both that they've done a great job.
"Hey Jackson, are you okay? You look pale," Aria asked, her brows furrowing as she leaned slightly toward him. Her voice carried a note of genuine concern, and her eyes scanned his face, noticing the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead and the dark circles under his eyes.
Jackson hesitated for a moment, his fingers fidgeting with the strap of his bag. "Uhm—y-yes, I'm good," he stammered, his voice lacking conviction. He avoided her gaze, staring instead at the edge of the desk. "I'm just tired," he added quickly, his words tumbling out in a rush.
Aria tilted her head, unsure whether to believe him. "Are you sure? You—"
"I should probably head home. Bye," Jackson interrupted, standing abruptly. His chair scraped noisily against the floor, drawing a few curious glances from nearby students. Without waiting for her response, he grabbed his things with jittery movements, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked briskly toward the door.
Aria watched him go, her chest tightening with unease. What's going on with him? she wondered, the lingering image of his pale face burned into her mind. She opened her mouth to call after him but stopped herself, the sound of the door clicking shut echoing in the quiet room.
Aria was unable to focus on their following subjects because of what happened. Jackson looked like he was sick.
Aria is walking home alone since Lucas and Ava decided to take some alone time and have a date since they haven't seen each other for a while. Normally, she would hang out with them but she thought that she should give them privacy once in a while, and she was also not feeling well.
After what happened with Jackson earlier, she felt something in her head that wasn't quite right. It was like she suddenly felt dizzy so she tightly gripped her table, then that feeling was gone, then the table suddenly broke down like it was hit with something. She cannot believe what just happened because this wasn't the first time it happened.
She thought that this must not be a mere coincidence. The first time it happened was when she was playing her guitar and there was this weird feeling of dizziness. After gripping the guitar, all the strings came off and the guitar's body cracked slightly in the middle. She was just 10 years old at the time so she thought it just happened out of nowhere.
But now that she's turning 18 years old in a few months, it seems like it started happening again. So, she brushed it off and decided to just go home instead.
As she was walking down the side of the road, watching the cars passed by, lost in her thoughts. She noticed a family in the car, laughing and singing their hearts out to the sound on the radio.
A mother and a father with their daughter. It looks like the child is around 5-6 years old. She felt sad and alone again; no one to turn to, except her best friend, Ava of course, who is not with her at the moment. She wondered what it felt like to have a family, someone who's going to take care of her, support her and just be by her side no matter what.
She wondered what it would feel like to have a mother who cooks for you in the morning, packs your lunch, kisses you goodbye and stuff that mothers do.
She wondered what it would feel like to have a father who will teach her things not learned in school, play tea parties with, and be treated like a princess as she should be.
While thinking about this, she saw something from her peripheral vision. It was like someone was following her but it was in the woods. She turned to look in the forest and suddenly, she was able to see it all at once, it was like she had an x-ray vision built in her eyes, then when she blinked, it all went back to normal.
Aria stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. Did I really just see that? she thought, glancing back at the dense woods. The faint rustle of leaves sent a shiver down her spine. She quickened her pace, gripping the straps of her bag tightly as the eerie sensation of being watched lingered.
The world around her felt different now. Her senses seemed heightened—she could hear the faint hum of cicadas in the distance and the rhythmic crunch of her own footsteps on the gravel road. Every sound felt amplified, sharper, as if the world had turned its volume up a notch.
She forced herself to keep walking, but the vision she'd just experienced played on a loop in her mind. Was it real, or was her exhaustion messing with her head? She thought back to her strange moments of strength—the guitar strings snapping, the table breaking. What was happening to her?
—
Back at home, Aria locked the door behind her and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. The house was silent, except for the faint creak of old wood beneath her feet. She flicked on the living room light and dropped her bag onto the couch, her mind still racing.
"Get a grip, Aria," she muttered to herself, running her hands through her hair. But the unease wouldn't leave. Instead, it grew heavier, like an invisible weight pressing on her chest. She quickly grabbed the family photo in her drawerl—the only one she had. It was faded and worn, showing a young Aria between her parents. She didn't remember much about them, only that they had died when she was very young, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. But even her grandmother had passed a few years ago, leaving Aria with more questions than answers about her family.
She put it back in the drawer and made her way to her room. Collapsing onto her bed, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. Maybe she was just overthinking everything. She looked outside her window, staring at the full moon, its silver light casting a soft glow across her room. The world outside seemed so quiet, so still, yet her mind was anything but. Thoughts swirled like a storm, each one tugging her in a different direction.
Aria pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them as she let out a small sigh. The moonlight reflected in her eyes, a mixture of wonder and longing. She couldn't help but think about Jackson—the way his smile had felt genuine, the way his words had resonated with her, and the way his presence made her feel less... alone.
She immediately dismissed her thought. Maybe it was just the stress of school or lack of sleep. But deep down, she knew it was more than that.
—
The next morning, Aria woke up with a start. Her alarm hadn't gone off, but something else had woken her—a faint noise, like a whisper. She sat up, her heart racing, and looked around her room. It was empty, but the sound persisted, soft and barely audible, like it was coming from outside.
She hesitated before pulling back the curtains. The woods beyond her house looked normal, bathed in the pale light of dawn. But there was something in the air—a tension she couldn't explain.
As she stepped away from the window, her phone buzzed on the bedside table, startling her. She picked it up and saw a message from Ava.
Ava: Hey, you okay? You seemed off yesterday. Call me if you need anything.
Aria smiled faintly at the message. Ava always had a way of checking in just when she needed it. She quickly typed a reply.
Aria: I'm fine, just tired. Let's catch up later?
As she set her phone down, her mind wandered back to Jackson. His pale face, the way he had rushed out of the room—something was definitely off with him. She couldn't shake the memory of his glowing eyes, the chill in the library, and now her own strange experiences. Were they connected somehow?
Determined to get some answers, Aria started preparing for school. After that, she quickly grabbed her bag and headed to school early, hoping to find Jackson before class started. If anyone knew what was going on, it had to be him.