Avalon City

Chapter 6

"What are you doing out here so early, Aamon? It's only fair since I answered your question," I inquire, my voice holding an accusatory tone.

"I couldn't sleep either. I enjoy wandering the grounds when it's peaceful," Aamon explains, a sly smile playing on his lips.

Intrigued by his answer, I retort, "So, you're a campus stalker then?"

"No," he replies, "but I would become one if the person was worth it." He finishes with a smirk, "I'm the new RA in your dorm, so you'll be seeing more of me."

Suddenly, everything makes sense. As the new dorm attendant, Aamon would have seen my profile.

"Would you like to see more of me, Ava?" he asks, taking a step closer. Only my friends and family call me Ava, so it feels a little strange coming from him, but I brush that thought aside.

The proximity stuns me. His fingers brush my chin, his chest pressed against mine. His closeness takes my breath away. Aamon leans in, inhales deeply, and then steps back to meet my eyes.

The eerie vibe he gives off baffles me. Despite this, I can't muster the will to move away. His presence is both scary and captivating.

"Do I scare you, Ava?" Aamon asks, his voice low. I'm taken aback by his question. I am scared of him, but something about him also draws me in.

"Should I be scared? Do I have a reason to fear you?" I manage to whisper.

His lips twitch as his eyes turn pitch black. My reflection stares back at me from his inky gaze. I gasp and take a step back, the action makes him smirk.

"I can hear your heart hammering in your chest, yet you're still here," Aamon muses. My anger boils over. His smugness and his constant appearances, seemingly designed to frighten me, are unbearable.

My hands glow ominously, casting an eerie light. Suddenly, Aamon yanks his hand from mine, growling in pain. To my horror, I realize that my glowing hands have burned his skin.

The realization hits me like a bucket of cold water was tossed over me. I never intended to use my magic. My gaze shifts back to Aamon. The shock on my face mirrors his. I never meant to hurt him. It just happened.

I can't decide if it's a sign of my magic manifesting early or if my antidepressants pills aren't working anymore. Where is this intense rage coming from, and why is it scaring me?

The black ugliness of what I've done and feel is alarming, but it also fills me with a sense of power. However, that power vanishes the moment I realize I've hurt someone, even if that someone is just the creepy stalker guy.

His hand, now fully healed, bears only an angry red mark as evidence of my magic. As I stare at it, he clenches his fist, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"What are you?" The words are out before I can stop them. It's clear Aamon is not human. Humans don't heal that fast, nor do their eyes change the way his just did.

A disturbing smile spreads across his face, revealing sharp canine teeth.

"Ava, you're asking the wrong question. You should be asking: what are you?" His voice is velvety as his breath brushes across my face.

I take a sharp breath as that same trance-like state threatens to engulf me. But as soon as I give in, Aamon pulls away with a soft laugh. I glare at him, but he just shrugs, turns on his heel and walks away.

Once he's out of sight, my mind begins to clear. His words echoing in my mind, each syllable sounding like a coded message.

In a daze, I make my way back to my dorm. If Aamon is the new RA, he would know what creatures were living in the dorm block, right? So, why did he question me about my nature? He must know I'm a witch, he'd be aware of every person's abilities in the block he is assigned to.

Back in my apartment, I try to focus on reading, but the day's events continue to replay in my mind. Hours pass, and around early afternoon, I hear the familiar sound of the lock turning. The door bursts open.

Becca is back. Her blue eyes bright with excitement, she throws her bag into a corner before collapsing onto the sofa next to me. Her arms encircle my waist, her head resting on my shoulder as she leans over.

Despite the shock of her early return, her presence is a balm. Only yesterday, she'd called to say she wouldn't be back until the day before school started. "I missed you," she whines at me and I can't help but smile.

I don't have long to wonder about her unexpected return. My curiosity gets the better of me. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back until school starts?"

"Well, mom and aunt Tay had a fight. We drove back early. Mom was so mad she drove all night," Becca explains as I lean into her, resting my head on hers.

I try to imagine Becca's sweet-tempered mom, angry and driving all night. It's a strange picture. "What was the fight about?" I whisper.

"Same old stuff. Living in Avalon City, me going to this mixed school. But this time, mom snapped," Becca mumbles, exhaustion evident in her sigh.

I stay silent, not wanting to insert myself into her family drama. But Becca is clearly done with silence. "God, I missed this place!" She exclaims, sprawling across the sofa and kicking her feet onto my lap.

I can't help but smile as I tug off her flats. "Did anything interesting happen while you were away?"

"Not really, I spent most of my time at my grandma's and aunt's place," Becca says, her tone turning bitter. But then her face brightens. "But, I did start talking to someone online. He goes here too. I'm meeting him tonight, so don't wait up for me."

I feel a pang of disappointment. "I thought we were going to catch a movie when you returned."

"But I returned early." She bites her lip, looking at me pleadingly.

"Come with me," Becca pleads, but I shake my head.

Third-wheeling on Becca's dates isn't my idea of fun. Being alone isn't so bad if the alternative is to tag along. I shake my head.

"Okay, how about we catch up and watch a movie tomorrow?" She offers, and I nod.