A Fairytale...

Chapter four:Unseen Forces

The next day, Sharxea walked into Arcadia High with a sense of determination. Despite the strange sensations she had experienced the day before, she was eager to continue her new life in this town and to spend more time with Matthew. The memory of their time together filled her with warmth, but that warmth was tinged with unease. She couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was off.

Her first few classes passed without incident, and by the time lunch arrived, she was looking forward to meeting up with Matthew and the others. As she entered the cafeteria, she spotted him at their usual table, chatting with Hina, Gwen, and Mark Lester.

“There’s our new star!” Hina exclaimed as Sharxea approached, waving her over with a grin.

Sharxea smiled and took a seat, feeling a bit more at ease now that she was surrounded by her friends. “Hey, everyone.”

“So, how was your first day of Arcadia tour with Matthew?” Mark Lester teased, winking at her.

Sharxea felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “It was fun. He showed me around town, and we went to this amazing bookstore.”

“That place is a treasure,” Gwen agreed, her voice calm and reassuring. “I’m glad you got to see it.”

As they continued to talk, Sharxea found herself relaxing even more, laughing at Mark Lester’s jokes and getting to know Hina and Gwen better. It felt good to be part of this group, to have people who seemed to genuinely care about her.

But that uneasy feeling returned as the conversation turned to the upcoming Fall Dance.

“So, Sharxea,” Hina began with a playful smirk, “do you have anyone in mind to go with? Or is it too soon to ask?”

Sharxea hesitated, glancing at Matthew, who was suddenly very focused on his lunch. “I… I’m not sure yet,” she admitted.

Matthew finally looked up, his expression unreadable. “You should go, though. It’s a lot of fun.”

Before Sharxea could respond, a strange sound echoed through the cafeteria—a low, rumbling noise that made the ground beneath them vibrate. The chatter in the room died down as everyone looked around in confusion.

“What was that?” Gwen asked, her brow furrowed.

“I don’t know,” Matthew replied, his voice tense. “But it didn’t sound normal.”

Suddenly, the lights flickered, casting eerie shadows across the room. Sharxea’s heart pounded in her chest, the unease she had felt earlier surging to the surface. Something wasn’t right, and she could sense it deep within her.

The noise grew louder, more insistent, as if it was coming from deep beneath the school. Students began to murmur nervously, some standing up from their seats. Then, as quickly as it had started, the rumbling stopped, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

“Everyone, please remain calm,” a voice came over the intercom, the principal’s tone steady. “There’s nothing to worry about. Please stay in your seats, and we’ll investigate the situation.”

The reassurance did little to calm Sharxea’s nerves. She exchanged a worried glance with Matthew, who looked equally unsettled.

“What do you think that was?” she whispered to him.

“I don’t know,” Matthew admitted, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting something else to happen. “But whatever it was, it felt… wrong.”

Sharxea nodded, unable to shake the feeling that something dark was lurking just out of sight. She had felt this way before, in the moments leading up to major events in her life—moments when her powers had stirred, warning her of danger.

But she couldn’t reveal that to anyone, especially not to her new friends. She had promised herself she would keep her abilities hidden, no matter what.

As lunch came to an end, the students were allowed to leave the cafeteria and head to their next classes. Sharxea walked with Matthew, their steps quick and tense as they made their way down the hallway.

“Are you okay?” Matthew asked, concern lacing his voice.

“I’m fine,” Sharxea lied, forcing a smile. “Just a little shaken up, that’s all.”

Matthew didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press her further. “If you need anything, I’m here.”

Sharxea’s heart softened at his words, but she quickened her pace, determined to get out of the school and clear her mind. The feeling of being watched was becoming overwhelming, and she needed to be somewhere she felt safe. As she stepped outside into the cool afternoon air, she let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

Sharxea walked toward her car, trying to shake off the lingering sense of unease. But as she reached for the door handle, she paused, sensing a shift in the atmosphere around her. The air felt charged, as if something was about to happen.

Slowly, she turned around, scanning the parking lot. At first, everything seemed normal—students were talking in groups, others were heading home, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure standing near the edge of the lot, just beyond the trees.

Sharxea’s heart skipped a beat. The figure was too far away for her to make out any details, but something about it felt familiar—an unsettling familiarity that sent chills down her spine.

Before she could react, the figure disappeared into the trees, leaving Sharxea staring at the spot where it had been. She felt a sudden urge to follow, to find out who or what it was, but something held her back. Instinctively, she knew it wasn’t safe to go after it, not yet.

She turned back to her car and quickly got in, locking the doors behind her. As she sat there, gripping the steering wheel, her mind raced with possibilities. Could it be related to the strange events earlier? Or was it something else entirely?

Whatever it was, Sharxea knew one thing for sure: she couldn’t ignore it. There was something happening in Arcadia, something that was pulling her deeper into its mysteries. And the more she tried to avoid it, the more it seemed to draw her in.

As she started the car and drove away from the school, Sharxea couldn’t help but glance in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see the shadowy figure following her. But the road behind her was empty, and the only thing she saw was her own reflection, eyes wide with uncertainty.

One thing was clear—she needed to figure out what was going on before it was too late. And if that meant confronting whatever was lurking in the shadows, then so be it.

Sharxea was done running. It was time to face the secrets of Arcadia head-on.