Daphne Winters, a high school cheerleader and SGA president, hides a secret: her life is split between two alter egos-Sage, the disciplined planner, and Lexi, the rebellious thrill-seeker. As her 16th birthday and the "Year of the Wolf" approach, Da...
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Daphne stood in the center of the gym, surrounded by a sea of students clad in school colors, their cheers and shouts echoing off the walls. The pep rally was in full swing, with the cheer squad performing their routine flawlessly. The energy was palpable, the excitement infectious. But Daphne felt like she was moving through a thick fog, the noise around her muffled, as if she were underwater.
The gym was a cacophony of noise—shouts, laughter, the rhythmic thud of feet hitting the gym floor in time with the music. The smell of sweat and teenage energy hung in the air, mingling with the faint scent of popcorn from the concession stand. Banners and posters adorned the walls, proclaiming school spirit and pride, but to Daphne, they were nothing more than a blur of colors.
"Ready, Captain?" Madison, one of the cheerleaders, nudged her playfully, her face flushed with excitement. Madison was always so full of energy, so eager to please. It was almost annoying how perfect she was—almost. But Daphne couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed. Not today.
Daphne forced a smile and nodded, but her stomach churned with unease. Something felt off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The world around her seemed to pulse with a strange rhythm, her vision blurring at the edges. It was like the world was slipping away from her, and she was powerless to stop it.
She pushed the feeling down, focusing on the routine. She had to be perfect—there was no room for mistakes. The music blared from the speakers, and the squad launched into their final routine. Daphne moved through the motions automatically, her body remembering the steps even as her mind drifted elsewhere.
The crowd roared with approval as they executed the moves flawlessly. It was all muscle memory at this point, the routine etched into their bodies after weeks of practice. But to Daphne, it felt like she was on autopilot, going through the motions without really being there.
As the routine ended with a perfect pyramid, the gym erupted in applause. Daphne smiled, but it felt strained, like her face was a mask she couldn't take off. She caught a glimpse of Liam in the crowd, his eyes filled with admiration. But instead of comfort, his gaze sent a jolt of anxiety through her. It was too much, too intense. She didn't deserve his admiration, didn't deserve his kindness.
Before she could process the feeling, the sound of the bell echoed through the gym, signaling the end of the pep rally. Students began to disperse, heading to their next classes, their laughter and chatter filling the air. The noise was overwhelming, a cacophony of voices and sounds that made her head spin.
Daphne blinked, and suddenly she was no longer in the gym. She was sitting at a desk in her second-period English class, her hand holding a pen that was poised over an open notebook. The transition was jarring, as if she had been yanked out of one reality and thrust into another.
She stared down at the notebook, her eyes tracing over the words written there—words she didn't remember writing. Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. One moment, she was in the gym, and the next... she was here. It wasn't the first time this had happened, but it was the first time she felt the dread that accompanied it.
The classroom was a stark contrast to the gym, the bright lights and orderly rows of desks almost oppressive in their normalcy. The hum of the air conditioner filled the room, the only sound that cut through the haze in Daphne's mind. The teacher droned on at the front of the room, her voice a distant buzz that Daphne couldn't quite tune into.
"Earth to Daphne." Ruby's voice cut through her confusion, pulling her back to the present. Daphne turned her head to see her best friend grinning at her from the next desk. "Liam was just saying you totally killed it at the pep rally this morning!"
Ruby's grin was infectious, her brown eyes sparkling with mischief. She had always been the light to Daphne's darkness, the one person who could pull her out of her moods. But today, even Ruby's smile couldn't chase away the fog that had settled over her mind.
Daphne blinked, her mind struggling to catch up. "Thanks," she mumbled, her voice sounding distant even to her own ears. She glanced around the classroom, noting the other students settling into their seats, their faces familiar but distant.
"Seriously," Ruby continued, leaning closer, "what are you doing?" Her tone was more chastising now, the smile slipping from her face. "Liam just gave you a compliment."
Daphne forced a smile, nodding absently. "I know. I said thank you," she said softly. She could feel the edges of reality slipping away again, the world around her losing focus. Her heart pounded in her chest, a rising tide of panic threatening to overwhelm her.
She tried to ground herself, digging her nails into her palm, the sharp pain anchoring her to the moment. But it wasn't enough. The room seemed to tilt, the walls closing in on her. She needed to get out, to escape before she lost herself completely.
"Hey, are you okay?" Ruby's voice was laced with concern now, her smile fading as she noticed the tension in Daphne's expression. Ruby knew Daphne better than anyone, knew when something was wrong. And right now, something was definitely wrong.
Daphne opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. Her throat felt tight, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She could feel something shifting inside her, a presence pushing against the edges of her consciousness, trying to take control.
She wasn't fully aware of what it was, but she knew it wasn't her. It was like watching a stranger through a window, someone who looked like her but wasn't. The feeling was terrifying, and yet... familiar. It had happened before, and every time, it left her more fragmented, more disconnected from who she was.
"Daphne?" Ruby's voice sounded distant, like it was coming from the other end of a long tunnel.
Daphne shook her head, trying to clear the fog that was descending over her mind. She couldn't let this happen—not here, not now. She needed to focus, to stay present. But the harder she tried to hold on, the more she felt herself slipping away.
"Maybe you should go to the nurse," Ruby suggested, her hand gently resting on Daphne's arm. "You don't look so good."
Daphne nodded, the movement automatic. She stood up, the legs of her chair scraping loudly against the floor. The classroom seemed to spin around her, the faces of her classmates blurring together.
Daphne gripped the edge of her desk, trying to steady herself. Her vision swam, and the noise of the classroom grew distant, like she was sinking underwater. She could feel Ruby's concerned gaze on her, but it was hard to focus on anything other than the crushing sense of disorientation threatening to overwhelm her.
"I... I just need some air," she managed to whisper, her voice trembling. The words felt hollow, empty, like they were coming from someone else.
Ruby frowned, exchanging a worried glance with Liam. "Daphne, I can walk with you to the nurse."
"I'm fine," Daphne insisted, but the words were hollow. She knew she wasn't fine, not even close. Her head throbbed, and her vision dimmed at the edges, tunneling in as the room continued to spin.
Liam moved closer, his hand hovering near her arm as if unsure whether to help. "Here, I got you. Did you eat anything this morning?" he asked, raising his brow. "I've seen this happen on the field a few times. Adrenaline is a hell of a thing, especially on an empty stomach. It can cause you to crash unexpectedly."
Daphne opened her mouth to protest. She was an experienced athlete with cheer and track. She knew what it felt like when her blood sugar would drop. That wasn't it. Her mouth parted, but the words never came. The room tilted violently, and the last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was the look of alarm on Liam's face. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor, the world going black around her.
