"It's starting."
Six men were huddled in a dark tiny room facing the only source of light In the room—an old lamp.
Their faces all held a look of excitement, dread, and fatigue.
"I'm tired from today's work," one of the men said.
"They are drawing close. This is just a sign," another sighed.
"We need to do something."
"We are doing something!" The one in the middle snapped.
"It's only a matter of time before they strike, we have little time."
The men nodded in agreement and then one of them smiled.
"I know just what to do," he said as thunder rumbled in the sky.
****
"Scot? What are you doing here?"
Scot shrugged. "I was around the neighborhood and came to check up on you and saw you out in the rain."
Claire had eyed him warily. "And you didn't think to bring me in? You just came and sat down in my house?"
"You looked like you needed the rain to cool off that's why I left you," he replied.
"Okay?"
"Alright, I'll leave you now."
And he had stood and walked out like it wasn't creepy he had been in her house without her invite and had left her outside asleep in the freaking rain!
"Hey, watch it!"
Claire blinked coming out of her reverie as she stared at the girl she had just bumped into picking up her books from the floor.
She had zoned out on her walk to her locker remembering how Scot had invaded her house and now she had bumped into someone.
Zoning out had helped her because she didn't have to hear all their nasty voices whispering about her or the looks they threw at her but now she was acutely aware of that.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, bending to help the girl.
"She talks," the girl snickered.
Claire frowned, glaring at the smirking blonde cheerleader.
"I guess you're fine now get out of my way," Claire snapped.
"Hey! Watch your mouth you filthy murderer," one of the female cheerleaders snapped walking towards them.
Claire rolled her eyes; she knew it was a pathetic attempt but that was the only way to keep her tears at bay.
She channeled her pain into anger.
"If I was a murderer I would have wiped you off the surface of this Earth!"
The students in the hallway cheered waiting for who would make the next come back.
"What is going on here?"
Claire snorted when she saw Anna, the queen of bitches and the leader of the cheerleaders strutting towards them with two other girls who were always around her.
She had known these girls since junior year and they never once glanced at her or terrorized her but now after the police officer's visit, she has gotten her exposure.
Except she didn't want to be known as a murderer but pity that was what they took her for now and she would start facing all forms of bullying and humiliation.
"I asked a question, ladies," Anna prompted, her fake red nails pointing at them, a smirk etched on her painted red lips.
"Nothing, I was just leaving," Claire said immediately trying to leave but Anna stepped in her way.
"Aren't you the girl who's suspected of killing her parents?" Anna asked with a frown.
"I didn't kill my parents!" She screamed.
"That's not what my dad said," someone in the crowd said, "And he's a sheriff."
Fuck you and your sheriff dad! She almost screamed but was stopped by the voices of students whispering nasty things about her.
Anna grabbed a handful of her hair tugging at it painfully.
"Till yesterday nobody knew you existed, I'd like it to stay that way, bitch," Anna hissed in her ears.
"Let her be, Annabelle!"
At the sound, the students began to disperse one after the other, their heads bowed low in fear. Only Ann remained and her goons though they looked terrified.
"Liam, fancy meeting you here," Anna smiled at him, batting her lashes at him.
"Leave her alone, Anna," he said calmly.
Anna chuckled sarcastically. "Sure."
With that, they strutted away leaving her with the dashingly handsome Mayor's son, Liam Hudson. His thick brow was arched as his dark green eyes regarded her silently.
He parted his pink lips to speak but she beat him to it. Not by speaking of course, but by walking away. There was no way she was gonna talk to the biggest jerk in history.
"Thank you for saving me, you're welcome," he called after her sarcastically.
‘’I never asked for your help,’’ she snapped.
Claire ignored his ranting and went straight to class. Since when did the Mayor’s son suddenly start defending her?
Claire decided to take a detour to the library before going to class. She met the librarian who was staring at her with something akin to pity.
Claire snorted when she saw her. “What do you want?”
“I just wanna know how you’re doing,” the librarian replied.
Claire scoffed. “Last time I was here you seemed too eager to throw me to the wolves so why are you worried about me now?”
“I didn’t know they were here to accuse you, Claire,” she sighed.
Claire took a hesitant step back. “I came here to run away from the mayor’s son not to listen to you. I don’t know you so there’s nothing to apologize for. Just stop creeping up on students.”
Claire got to class and was surprised to see her favorite seat was occupied by an annoying familiar face, Liam.
“What are you doing here?” she asked through gritted teeth.
“Shh...I saved you a seat. The teacher is coming,” he replied, grabbing her wrist and causing her to sit on the empty seat beside him.
She didn’t have time to protest or get a new seat because the Literature teacher came inside, all smiles as he kept his textbook on the desk.
“Why is he so happy?” she grumbled under her breath.
“Maybe because his wife gave birth to a healthy baby girl last night despite the raging storm,” Liam chipped in.
Claire glared at him. She was yet to understand what Liam wanted from her and it was beginning to irk her.
“What do you want from me, Liam?”
He ran a hand through his styled black hair. “I’ll tell you after class.”
She wanted to protest when she noticed the teacher was staring intently at her. Claire snapped her mouth shut and sighed while trying her best to remain calm and not act curious.
“Good day, students,” the man began his brown eyes still fixed on her.
Creepy, Claire thought as she broke eye-contact with the man.
“Congrats, on your wife, Sir,” one of the students said.
The next couple of minutes was followed by students cheering and congratulating their teacher while Claire remained seated staring daggers at Liam.
“What’s your problem with me, Claire?” he asked suddenly.
Claire looked at him like he had sprouted another head.
“You’re seriously asking me this question? This time yesterday you didn’t talk to me, you didn’t know I existed and now you want me to talk to you and be nice?!”
“Keep it down, Claire,” he said.
Claire eyed him angrily. “Fuck you, Liam!”
“Detention, Ms. Ryes!”
Claire glared at him. “No, I’m not going to detention!”
“My parents just died, and no one seems to be sympathizing with me! I’m sick and tired of you guys treating me like I have no feelings, I didn’t kill my parents!”
“Like we care,” someone scoffed in the class.
“I believe you, Claire,” Liam said.
Claire glared at him. “Back off, Liam.”
“Ooh! Savage!!” the class echoed as she walked out.
She was sick of these people trying to make her life more miserable than it already was, she got into her car and drove back home.
Pulling up into her driveway she saw a drop-dead gorgeous man standing on her porch and she gasped when she saw his eyes.
Iridescent glowing golden eyes stared back at her.
She walked towards the man with creamy-olive skin, his long black hair was pulled into a ponytail that fell just below his shoulder.
His muscular chest, broad shoulders, and sharp jawline made him stand out amongst other men.
There was something unearthly about this man, she thought as she stood before him.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"Hi, Claire. I'm Adam, your father."