Veil of Vision

Chapter 1- Two Sides

Janus D'Angelini was, the perfect high school freshman. Polite, kind, and compassionate, she was the kind of student who teachers adored and classmates couldn't help but like. She was adopted by the Fouries , a warm and caring South African family who had moved to the United States before she was born. They loved her deeply, and she grew up surrounded by warmth and encouragement. Even though she kept her Italian name as a connection to her heritage, everything about her life felt right. She excelled at school, balanced sports and music, and had a natural talent for putting people at ease.

But, as Janus was about to learn, even perfect lives have shadows.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, between classes, when she spotted them: a small group of students clustered around a boy, sneering and taunting him. Janus frowned, recognizing the boy as Ezra, a quiet, reserved kid who often sat by himself. His shoulders were hunched, his face pale as he tried to ignore the group's taunts. Janus felt her stomach tighten with anger and sadness—she had always hated bullies.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Janus called, stepping forward. Her voice was strong, though calm, as she approached the group.

One of the bullies, a tall boy with a smirk plastered on his face, looked her up and down and scoffed. "Or what?" he sneered.

Janus took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed. "There is no or the outcome is all the same," she replied firmly. "Violence isn't the answer, and this isn't right."

But her words didn't have the effect she hoped. The boy shrugged and turned back to Ezra. "What are you gonna do about it, Little Miss Perfect? You know some of us have struggle in our life. Everyone knows you're too nice to do anything."

The other kids laughed, and Janus felt her cheeks burn. She clenched her fists, but held her ground. "Ezra doesn't deserve this," she said. "You can't just go around hurting people. Throwing fists isn't the answer to all your problems."

"It does. In fact not like you have any problems to solve." The bully took a step closer to Ezra, his hand drawn back into a fist, ready to strike. The tension in the air was thick, and Janus felt her heart pounding.

Then it happened.

Just as the bully's fist was about to connect with Ezra, a blinding light flared in Janus's mind, like a flashbulb going off behind her eyes. In that split second, an image burned into her mind: the boy's face, battered and bruised, lying limp on the ground. She saw a hospital room, sterile and cold, with him lying motionless on a bed, his face pale and bruised. A sharp wave of panic surged through her. It was as if she were seeing something that hadn't happened yet—but somehow, she knew it was real.

"No!" she cried out, her voice louder than she intended. Before she realized what she was doing, she surged forward and caught the bully's fist mid-air, gripping it with unexpected strength. The boy stared at her in shock, his smirk fading into wide-eyed fear.

"Oh look at you what happened to everyone keeps their hands to themselves," the boy mocked.

"Stop it," Janus said, her voice low and almost unrecognizable to herself. "Violence is never okay. If you want to feel strong, find another way."

Her words seemed to hang in the air, carrying a weight that went beyond the usual reprimands of a high school student. Something in her voice made the bullies pause, a flicker of fear flashing in their eyes as they stared at her. For a moment, it was as if she were someone else entirely—someone powerful, authoritative, someone who commanded respect.

Ezra, taking advantage of the distraction, quickly scrambled to his feet. He glanced at Janus, his expression a mix of relief and confusion. "Th-thank you," he stammered, and then, almost as if compelled, he turned and bolted down the hall, disappearing around a corner.

Janus released the boy's hand, and he stumbled backward, rubbing his wrist. He looked up at her, almost as if he expected her to strike him. "What... what was that?" he muttered, eyes wide with fear.

Janus felt herself snap back into her usual self, the strange force that had surged through her suddenly gone. She blinked, taking in the scene with fresh eyes. "Just... go," she said, barely recognizing her own voice. "All of you. Just leave him alone from now on."

Without another word, she turned and walked away, her heart pounding as her mind replayed the strange, vivid vision over and over. What was that? she wondered, her thoughts swirling in confusion. She had never felt anything like it before—a split-second glimpse of a future that hadn't happened yet, one that she somehow managed to prevent. The memory of the boy lying in that hospital bed lingered in her mind, too real and vivid to ignore.

As she walked down the hall, her body felt strangely heavy, as though the vision had drained her energy. She glanced down at her hands, half-expecting to see some sign of what had happened. But there was nothing. Just her normal, steady hands, a little red where she had gripped the bully's fist too tightly.

Janus took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "What was that?" she muttered under her breath. She thought back to all the times her family had told her how special she was, how there was something unique about her. She had always assumed they were just being affectionate—something all parents said to make their kids feel loved. But now, she wasn't so sure.

She replayed the moment in her mind, trying to make sense of it. The vision had felt so real, and in that instant, she had known exactly what to do. The strange authority in her voice, the surge of strength... it was as though something else had taken over, something that understood how to handle the situation in a way she never could.

As she left the building, heading for the quiet of the school courtyard, she noticed a few students giving her curious looks. They had probably heard about what happened, or seen her confront the bullies. But none of them said anything, and Janus was grateful for the silence.

Sitting on a bench beneath a tree, she closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. But the vision lingered, refusing to fade. She knew it would be impossible to forget—especially the eerie feeling that she had somehow looked into a possible future, a future she had changed without even understanding how.

Was this...

Magic

This is my first piece so tell me if you like it :D

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