Kalila's Pov.
A long day gone and tomorrow another day of training. I just hoped that we would cover most of it so Malachi would know what he's doing. I really felt like he had it in him. He would've turned away and left it alone never bothering to become chosen and live life daily as if nothing ever happened. I knew he really didn't want this big responsibility, but he took it anyway. Though he was probably still wary about it . Who wouldn't be.
I told him, how I felt today. It just tumbled out and I spilled. It felt good though to tell someone how I felt about being labeled as the popular girl next door. Alot of girls envied. Something I didn't appreciate, and one would think being labeled as the popular one was an awesome title. But there was peer pressure and choices that seemed hard and confusing. I shoved my bag under my bed and decided to shower. I done my fair share of laps around the gym with Malachi. Just after one lap he already began to start faltering. We couldn't stay on the same basic level of training, we had to move quickly and fast. The rate of the Betsalel always increases rapidly. I just hope that we can move on quickly enough so we can find the source of the problem to why they are multiplying rapidly. I sighed as I had sat on the bed and thought about today. I hope I wasn't trying to sound sappy to get attention. To be honest I couldn't understand how I felt about Malachi. One minute I just feel this strong connection, for a brief moment a surge of energy and then it's gone, but I don't really want to get attached. I just couldn't. the consequences of a guardian getting close to the chosen and something bad happening to him, it-. I shook my head and refused to think about it anymore, just get back on the task at hand and that we need to purge the Betsalel away from human kind. I do believe the charm should be working, but it won't work for long. I feel bad that he has to be tormented by the shadows Cyd even told me that previous chosen's had went crazy after a time, from the serious nightmares, but Malachi, I do feel as if he is different. I feel that he will be the special kind of chosen.
I felt a twinge in my hand and glanced at Gafna. She glowed dimly. I don't know why she is acting up. My phone went off just before I could calm my seal. Irritated, I picked it up but said in the nicest tone "Hello?" "Hey what's up girl?" It was my friend. Any other time I would enjoy having her as a friend but with more important things on my mind it was hard to stay focus to regular activities we would sometimes do together. I know she probably sensed at times I wasn't acting like my self. "Hey how are you?" "Pretty good so far, I just got back from going shopping." "Nice." "Yeah." I didn't have much to talk about I was hoping she would grow bored. "Listen Kalila, I know you got upset on the bus when I said that comment about Malachi..." I had forgotten what she had said, for a moment I was puzzled but I didn't reply. "I know your mad because when your mad you talk very little to me, and what I said about him, I'm sorry. Forgive me?" Still not recalling the events I squinted and just blurted out "I do forgive you." She seemed more relaxed and just started pouring out random subjects to talk about. I just agreed and half listened. "Carlos seemed pretty angry today, I heard he got beat at dodge ball-by Malachi." The last part of it made me twitch, I don't think her apology was all that genuine after all. The sting of the last word, Malachi. Carlos's name caught my attention and curiously I replied "Yeah? What did he do?" "Well-of course he stormed off and had a fit but as I was passing by his lockers he said something to his friends about getting Malachi back for humiliating him. I don't know exactly what but Malachi needs to be careful." At first, I shrugged off the thought of Carlos doing something terrible to hurt Malachi, I didn't think Carlos would stoop to just about anything to get Malachi, but then I remembered when he told me about him probably wanting to. I could hear the fear in his voice. I then grew concerned. I don't know what Carlos was capable of, I didn't know what he did to Malachi, I only had a few accounts with just name calling but it had to be more than that. I bit my lip "But, Carlos is having a party next weekend and he invited you." That caught me off guard. "A party?" even after he had been "humiliated" in front of people-well not totally humiliated but still, even after that incident in dodge ball? "No, I don't want to go." I said immediately, I knew where this was going, I didn't like him nor could I stand to even be around him. Victoria whined "Why not Kalila, lets get out and have some fun-it won't be that bad, plus you need some time away from the books and all." "Vicky, you know what he want's me at that party, no." I heard a frustrated sigh. "Kalila...." I wasn't going to fight. "I got to study." "But we aren't having-" "BYE Vicky." I hung up. I didn't care if she ended up mad, she would eventually get over it, I had more important things to worry about. I felt the throb of Gafna. As if talking in person I said "What is with you?" Gafna started glowing and got brighter before I knew it my vines sprouted and began spreading throughout my arm. It wasn't painful, but it didn't feel good. If only Cyd was here, maybe he could explain. My hand began going numb. I hated it when that would happen. I clenched it to get feeling but it still wouldn't respond. The black vine designs spread upward towards my chest.
When I was young I thought it was terrifying. I wanted to scream but knew if I alerted my family they would run up and see a girl with half her body with black vines. This time I tried to relax and it only took about 10 minutes for Gafna to finally recede back into the seal. I sighed once more. Usually something like this meant something was going to happen. I had to get ahold of Cyd.
Malachi's Pov.
I had the necklace around me and kicked the covers over me. My muscles were pulsing with heat from all the workout. I tried to move my legs but they were like jelly. I hated exercise. I often thought about it when I was little and thought of being well toned in body to attract all the girls and even attempted to try it, but all I got was the coach screaming at me at what a wuss I was and how I couldn't even pull my chin over the bar as I was hanging, during fitness. I tried to turn over and my body pulsed even more. I was exhausted and yet I was comforted at the fact I got to know more about her.
I sometimes wished I couldn't think about her, but how could I? It was Kalila! I was also dying to know what she was going to say before she ran off but, it probably never would be revealed to me. I closed my eyes and welcomed the sweet sleep over me. I wanted my mind to ease and relax...
A few hours later I awoke from a nightmare...
At school I was tired again, not to mention the after effects of a work out from yesterday. I couldn't move hardly. People greeted me, and one kid smacked me on the back and from the impact I bent over in pain. Kalila noticed and helped me. As she held on to me she said. "Malachi, I have a weird feeling something is going to happen. Maybe not today, or tomorrow but soon, and I think we are going to have an encounter with a Betsalel." I wanted to groan, and I wanted to turn away and ignore her, but she was right and my nightmare confirmed it. "I also want to warn you about another thing. I opened my mouth to ask what it was, suddenly I was jerked up. Kalila's eyes widened. I didn't even have time to react before I ended up staring into the eyes of a very angry athlete. I heard Kalila mutter a curse and she shouted out to him to let me go. "Why are you so worried Kalila? You shouldn't be, especially to nobody like him." He breathed in my face, he didn't necessarily have bad breathe but it was discomforting. "By the time I'm done with him it will be like he never existed," He smirked at me and said to me "After school, in the field. You better be there." He warned and spat at me. With that he dropped me to the ground and my legs refused to move. The soreness all intensified after he had handled me in such a way. I glanced over at Kalila, who refused to look at me for the moment. I bet I embarrassed her.
"What do I do?" I looked to her for answers during our class. She drummed her pencil lightly. "Well, you could skip out and just go to training with me." "And be made fun of even more?!" I slightly raised my voice which made the teacher flash me a warning stare. Kalila inhaled and exhaled very slowly. "Malachi we need to work quickly to stop the shadows and I sense something about to happen soon, we need to be prepared. I mean does it matter about the....." She trailed off as her eyes met mine. I was staring at her with a somewhat cold expression. It DID matter! I didn't show up, He would make it worse, he was already ticked because I beat him in dodge ball, even though I didn't intend to hurt him during it (Then again I kind of did.) and Kalila saying basically to just brush it off and ignore it. She clearly didn't know what I went through with him. I didn't say anything for awhile and refused to even listen to the lecture, which caused me to miss out on some valuable notes. I didn't care. I had no one at this time to help me. I felt my stomach churn. That familiar fear, and that nightmare playing over and over in my mind; the two didn't mix well. I swallowed, but there was nothing to swallow. My body shook, from tenseness and from the pain. What do I do? What do I do? Buzzed around in my head. Kalila watched me, but couldn't say anything. For that time, I was thinking she was abandoning me, and of all things this as well.
I was in trouble.
