CHAPTER 5

My head hurts since last night’s dream and now I can't sleep. I spent the whole night changing sides on the comforter but it gave me a backache too. The morning glowed like a fairytale and I pulled my jacket from the hanger and went out to breathe some fresh air. Little birds are chirping and I can sense a peace lingering in the woods.

Not sure but I felt relaxed somehow, despite the troubled sleep. A dense fog floats over the valley, covering a major portion of the woods and it is colder than usual. I breathed peacefully until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I gasped but relaxed the next moment when my eyes fell on my mother’s face. She smiles at me and her embrace warms me every time I gaze upon her.

“Wake up so soon?” she asks.

“I couldn’t sleep better since these dreams are haunting me again.” I explained to her.

“I thought this trip would help you ease the pain of those haunting dreams. I think we will see your physiatrist after this trip.”

“There is no need. Not to be rude but these dreams are not letting me go. Sometimes I think I am bound to them. Is it possible they are memories of past life or something?” I ask.

“I don’t know, son but I believe in the afterlife. Life is weird and different, we can’t explain it properly until we live it completely.”

Mom’s words echo in my head. Dad comes out too and sits beside me.

“I think you are a tired son. Maybe we should leave for home.” he states.

“Dad! I am thankful to you that you brought me here with you. It was a great lesson to learn.” I smile.

“I can’t see you in pain, that's why we are going back today. I can relax at home and we can play your favorite video games too.”

“You are the best, Dad!”

We packed our bags and left the woods for good. They say that peaceful surroundings bring peace with them but everything alters in my case. I don’t know if I was hallucinating or that girl was real, I want to forget everything and move on with my life.

My alarm hits my ears and I wake up. Took a shower and ran to grab some breakfast before the bus leaves.

“You are always in a hurry, Onyx.” mom yells

“I overslept!” I scream while leaving from the main door, running in the streets wildly to reach the stop in time. Luckily, the bus was waiting for me. I send my gratitude to the driver and take my seat at the back since it is crowded now.

Reaching at the premises, I completely forgot about the same bully staring at me somehow. What is his problem? I hate his guts. If you are strong then help other people who need help instead of bullying weaklings.

I head straight to the class and take my usual seat. I hear someone yelping and it’s no one but Martha and ben.

“Hey! I hate being here!” Martha sneers.

“That’s a great way of saying good morning.” I replied.

“I had fun on these vacations!” bet states cheerfully.

“I didn’t.” Martha said.

“Neither me, the trip was awful!” I say and both of my friends look at me like an alien delivering his speech.

“What?” I doubt.

“You went on a trip? How is this possible? I can’t believe the forest department didn’t capture the extinct animal in their premises. You should have been on news networks!” Marth gasps.

“That was rude!” I complain

The teacher enters the class and gestures to us to take our seat. “Good morning class! Let me introduce you to our new student. Fiarra Jensen!”

My jaw hits the floor and I hear the bone crackling. Even in the worst dream, I never imagined a single thing to come alive yet this girl, she is a ghost! She is standing in front of my eyes and her eyes piercing into me. I pinch myself quite hard but nope, it’s not a dream.

The girl approaches me and takes the spare seat beside me. I keep looking at her like a ghost.

“Hello! Mate!”

I am dead! I am so dead!

I stayed silent like I got stung by a poisonous animal and my senses paralysed.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Are you real?” I asked her in shock.

“I thought it was me on weeds.” She comments and focuses on the class.

I notice few students exchanging looks because she is prettier than other girls in the class. The classes are over and we are free to go back home.

“Onyx!” the girl calls my name.

“What?” I hid slowly, “why are you here? You are stalking me and mentally torturing me.”

“I am your mate and I will never do anything that will harm you.”

“I am sick of your mate thing. I don’t know who you are and what your intentions are. You are psychologically torturing me. Just stop that and leave my way.” I cleared the facts and left the class.

“Dude! What’s gotten into you? You just embarrassed that girl without any reason?” Martha asks surprisingly.

“You know nothing, Martha so please shut up.'' I leave them behind while walking down the staircase when I feel someone pulling me behind.

“Mikkelsen? You think you are smart? Tell me show you who is smarter.” Bradley punched my face and I lost my balance on the stairs. My vision darkens and I fall on the back. I howl in pain and tears blow out.

“Pathetic! This punch will be remembered in the name of Mikkelsen.” Bradley raises his fist in the air to hit me again but before he could blow that powerful punch on my face, someone grabs his wrist and twists it behind his back.

I adjust my glasses and watch the whole scenario in awe. Fiarra gives Bradley a hard time in the fight.

“How dare you? Take your hands off my mate or I will chop them in pieces.”

“You! Bitch!” Badley lashes at her but Fiatra easily dodges his attacks, counter attacking him.

I have never seen a girl kicking ass except for movies, she is amazing.

“Next time, if you try or bully anyone weaker than you, I swear I will beat the pulp out of you. Make sure you never look at my mate again. Consider this a warning or a threat cause i give a fuck about it.” Fiarra stares deeply at Bradley who leaves the place with his cowardly mates.

I get up on my feet and watch in amusement. She is perfect.

“What happened here?” Principal Louise shows up.

“New girl and Bradley had a nasty fight over a geek weirdo!” a student blurts out.

“Fiarra Jensen! In my office right now!” she yelled and went inside the building.

Fiarra carries her bag on her shoulder and goes inside but I grab her wrist and stop her.

“Why did you do that?”

“I don’t get you?” she asks.

“Why did you save me from him? No one has ever come forward to fight for me or others even then what is so special about me for you?” I ask perplexed.

“You are my mate, Onyx! You know nothing about your existence. I will explain it to you later.” She winks at me and runs inside.

I stare at her back flabbergasted cause no one dares enough to break the rules of college but this girl just set an example in front of people like me. Who she is and where she came from? There is something between us that connects us in a different way.