Beautiful Claws by: Tauriel Rogers

12) The Secret Is Out

Just then, Sky's phone rang. "Yeah, I found her, but you guys need to get here and quickly!" Sky said.

"I don't want them to know about this Sky, the less people that know, the better," I pleaded, still in his arms.

"We're all friends here and we're going to figure this out," he said, looking me in the eyes. I could hear the sound of running feet and buried my face in Sky's shoulder.

"Oh my gosh," Candice breathed, putting a hand to her heart.

"How the hell did this happen?" Lily asked. Chris went right up to the ice and knocked on it, letting out a whistle.

"This is frozen solid. Unless we can melt this, the school's brats will be stuck in there forever."

"Who did this?" Candice was in amazed shock. I started crying...again.

"I did ok? I did it and I don't know how or why it even happened, but it did. I have Elsa powers," I sobbed as I explained.

"That makes no sense," Lily said.

"No, it does. I remember you telling me when you were a kid, when your family was attacked and murdered that people had powers," Chris informed us. I felt a lump in my stomach as I looked at Lily with wide eyes.

"It's true Anna, people can have powers, it's just very rare nowadays," Lily said.

"No one has to know about this," Skylar said authoritatively. We all nodded and figured out what to do with the ice. Finally, the boys decided to push them out into cold night air under the football bleachers. Evil I know, but what else were we supposed to do? The others went to the movie, but I wasn't feeling up to it and Sky offered to bring me home early.

"Thank you," I said giving him a hug on my doorstep.

"Of course," he gave me a kiss on the cheek. "AGH!" he cried out, putting a hand to his lips.

"What happened?" I asked worriedly.

"Your skin is hot," Sky answered.

"What? Oh no, not again," I said to myself, feeling my cheeks and forehead, realizing that my skin was indeed more heated than it should've been.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked me.

"I don't know ok? This started happening a few days ago." Sky looked at me harshly, still touching his lips.

"Get some sleep and I'll see you when school starts again in a few weeks."

"Skylar wait, please don't go," I pleaded, following him back to his car.

"Just," he stopped as he opened his door, "Just get some help," he said, then drove away.

It was my first day back from winter break and I was nervous about going back to school. Lily, Chris, and I had hung out quite a bit over winter break, but Skylar refused to join us, only texting me instead, and Candice was visiting family. "Hi guys," I greeted them with a nervous smile.

"Hey," Lily smiled and Chris nodded as he yawned.

"Tired?" I teased.

"Yeah. I was up late almost every night over winter break and I went to several parties," he answered.

"We would've invited you, but they didn't seem like your kind of parties," Lily told me.

"Fair enough. Have you guys seen Skylar?" I asked. They shook their heads. "Do you think he's avoiding me?" I asked Lily later in Physics.

"I don't know. I tried to talk to him about you over break, but he got all defensive. He was always either out or stayed cooped up in his room," Lily explained. I frowned and let my shoulders sag.

"I'm sure things will be fine. You'll see," she tried to stay positive.

The next morning at school, I knew something was up wrong when I walked through the hallway and conversations quieted down. People were pointing and whispering and looked scared. "Candice, why are people acting weird around me?" I asked her confused when I saw her by her locker. She turned around and looked me grumpily.

"I knew there was a reason why Melissa and Holly never liked you and since you took them away from me, I have no friends, so thanks a lot Anna. I'll be sitting with the cheerleaders like old times from now on and don't expect anymore favors from me," she said with thick emotion in her voice.

"Candice," I said, trying to sway her decision.

"You're like a disease and I certainly don't wanna be caught up with someone as weird as you, now don't ever speak to me again," she swiftly turned on her heel and walked away, leaving me dumbfounded. I quickly tracked down Lily and Chris making out in the hallway.

"You guys won't believe what Candice just told me," I started.

"Oh! Sorry, we didn't hear you come up," Chris laughed. "What's up?"

"Candice totally just ditched me and the rest of us because," I lowered my voice, "because of what's happened to me." Chris and Lily exchanged knowing glances.

"Should I tell her?" Chris asked.

"No, I'll fill her in. You get to class ok?" Lily answered, giving him a quick kiss.

"Good luck," Chris whispered and walked away.

"Tell me what?" I asked confused. Lily slung an arm around my shoulders and kept her voice quiet.

"When Candice realized Melissa and Holly wouldn't be back any time soon, she began telling people about you and your powers. She even posted pictures and might have twisted some things around," Lily explained. My face grew very pale. "Everyone knows now Anna, there's no coming back from this."

"What am I supposed to do? She practically committed my social suicide for me!"

"Chris and I will stick with you, but I can't say the same for Sky," Lily told me sadly.

"Why? Because I'm different now?" I questioned.

"We should get to class before we're late. Stay strong and we'll see you at lunch." She never answered my question and classes were awkward with everyone constantly staring and whispering about me. In Math, one guy raised his hand and made the comment that he didn't feel comfortable sitting next to someone that could freeze people whenever they felt like it. So, I was banished to a desk by myself in the back of the classroom. By the following day, word had spread to all of the teachers to and I had to sit in the back in every class now.

"I won't allow my friend to sit in the back by herself and I refuse to work alone. Either you're going to let me be with my friend or you're going to have to expel me," Lily threatened.

"I would never expel you for wanting to comfort your friend Ms. Rogers so please, by all means, sit in the back," the teacher reasoned.

"Thanks," I whispered to Lily. She returned my smile and we continued with the lesson for the day like nothing had happened.