Unrequited

Chapter Twelve: Back To School

Song: Familiar - J. Balvin, Liam Payne

That night, I visited Josh once more. This time he was making dinner when I arrived.

"Good evening, Meridian," he said, not even turning around to look at me.

"What's happening at that warehouse?" I asked right away.

"You were there?" he asked in shock. "What the hell does Noah think he is doing?" he growled.

"I ran into Adel," I continued, ignoring his outburst. "What is happening at that place?"

"They're making weapons and armour," he said bluntly.

"For what?"

"For the endless war that has been raging on for the past few millenia," Josh muttered. He turned to look at me now, and I saw pure rage in his eyes. "You are not to go back in there, do you hear me?"

"You can't tell me what to do," I retorted, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Yes, I can." His eyes glowed red, and my invisible mark burned, uncomfortable but not painful. I felt my knees grow weak, and I fell to the ground before him.

"Yes, Master," I heard myself say, as though someone else was controlling my voice.

"Go back home," he ordered, and suddenly I was falling through darkness against my will. I fell into my bed at Noah's house, and as soon as I landed I felt control return to my body. Tears pricked in my eyes, and I wiped them away, curling into a ball and forcing myself to sleep.

"Rise and shine," Noah said, and I opened my eyes to a sun-filled room. "Time to go back to the warehouse." I jumped out of bed.

"I can't," I replied immediately, my mouth almost with a mind of its own.

"Why not? I thought you were supposed to be the daredevil," he teased.

"I just can't go back in there!" I cried hysterically, and Noah went silent.

"Fine. I'll take Trent. Get dressed for school."

"What?"

"Someone has to take over his position at the high school. You're going to see your friends again."

"But the school year is almost over," I pointed out. "I'll look stupid going back for the end of year twelve."

"Meridian, this is about more than how people see you. We need you." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. Get me a school uniform."

When I walked into school an hour later, it felt eerie. My old house was just behind me, where I had lived with Josh for years. My old friends were only metres away, and my old life was all around me, and yet I knew I would never be that person again.

"Meridian?" I looked across the yard and saw Erick and Madi holding hands on the quad, both staring at me openly.

"Hey," I said, walking over to them.

"Oh my God!" Madi squealed, running over to hug me. She threw her arms around me, and I realised I had missed being hugged. With Josh being closed off and Noah being professional, I didn't get real hugs anymore. I squeezed her back with a genuine smile.

"I'm back," I said to them both, pulling away.

"Where were you?" Erick asked angrily, stepping towards me with a glare. "You had us so damn worried."

"I, um... I got kidnapped," I said honestly. Immediately, his anger was replaced with sympathy.

"Seriously?" he gasped. "That's horrible! If I'd known I would've sent out search parties."