Electric

Pain, pain, go away

After overexerting herself to save Aqua and not become a frozen statue, Ella passed out. 

The next thing she knew was she was in Ms Luncam's classroom, in the teacher's desk chair. Two sky blue eyes hovered over me. "At least you're awake now. How are you feeling? Try moving carefully. " "I think I'm fine, " Ella tried to sit up and immediately felt like she had been punched by Frost all over again, "Owwwwww!" "What did I say about moving carefully? I think you should stay in the chair for now. " Ella gave up and sunk back into the chair, causing the back to squeak loudly. 

"Why are we here? You know, instead of the nurse's room? " Ella questioned, being careful not to move her abdomen. 

"It's after school hours now, the school nurse has left for the day. " 

"Oh. Where are the other Guardians?" 

"They retreated after holding back Angelina long enough for you to defeat Frost and unfreeze me."

"What?! Why didn't they defeat her instead?! I thought that the Guardians should have been able to defeat her. "

"They were about to, when they were attacked by 'me', allowing the Evil Princess to prepare her 'Worship of the Queen' spell. To avoid it, they retreated immediately after I told them through telepathy that I had been freed by you. "

"'Me'? You mean someone who looked like you...? Like sort of or full on identical clone?"

"Yes! You're not that dull after all! You wouldn't be able tell us apart if you saw us standing side by side."

"Thanks, I guess?" Ella said with an uncertain tone. "Where are they now?"

"They've gone home."

"Home?! You guys don't have a secret Guardian base where you all live?" 

"No, we don't live in a magic school called Hogwarts where our parents' memories have to be changed so they don't realize we've disappeared and we have at least one near-death experience per year and one full out war by graduation. "

hUh? wuT aRe yOU tAlKinG aBouT?!

just had a random thought lol. chill. 

"What even. Don't read my thoughts! Also, I just nearly got frozen by a large block of ice, I think I'm chill enough. That definitely counts as a near-death experience." 

Aqua ignored Ella's retort, "if you want even some shred of privacy, you need to put up a mental block..."

"TELL ME HOW!"

"...but for now, I think you shouldn't have one since you're still a new Guardian and we won't know when you are in danger and need our help."

"Ugh. Can't I just be powerful constantly without passing out afterwards?" Ella glanced out into the corridor where the lights were all out. Did I do really do that? 

"That's not how it works, Ella. It seems to me that you still have much to learn about being a Guardian. Anyway, luckily you only broke the lights in that corridor instead of in the whole school. That would have been very hard to cover."

Ella stopped replying and instead cupped her hands and stared intently again, trying to make the dark mist reappear. 

That's not going to work until tomorrow, at least. You've really overexerted yourself and your Guardian abilities. Keep in mind you're still a new Guardian. Go home and get some rest. 

Ella stubbornly sat on the desk chair, refusing to move until Aqua opened her water bottle and poured over Ella's head. "I said go home and get some rest." Ella squealed in protest, "Oi!" Aqua stared at her innocently through thick lens which made her eyes look even bigger and childlike. "What?" Ella, clutching her stomach, shuffled out the classroom and out the school gates, Aqua strolling ahead. 

Outside the gates of Actually Hell, Aqua waved goodbye to Ella, before then turning around the block, out of sight. It was then Ella realized that Aqua had moved the water from her hair and clothes back into her bottle. Feeling the dry uniform shirt sleeve, Ella pulled her phone out with her other hand. After calling her dad to pick her up, she turned around and just stared at Longville Middle School. So much has happened in just one day...I went to being bullied by Angelina and her cronies to having to defeat her as a Guardian with my fellow Guardians. I have much to digest. 

About 10 minutes later, Ella's father's silver car drove up to her. He ducked his head out of the car window, "How's my Ella doing? What were you doing after school? I was so worried. " His dark blue hair with white streaks matching his crescent moon eyes that smiled at Ella. She smiled back at her dad as she got in from the passenger's side. "Same as always, dad. I was analyzing an English text with a classmate. Sorry for not telling you in advance." "As long as you're alright, I'm happy." 

As the car sped down the highway in silence, he spoke up, his voice wavering. "You look so much like your mother. I miss her." "I know, dad. You've said that like a hundred times since she disappeared a month ago. " "I wish I told her that more. I don't know where she is, she could be dead! I would pay any ransom to get her back, but I haven't received any note. Maybe she was killed in cold blood. " he said mournfully. "Don't talk like that. We mustn't lose hope. "

Despite her positive words, Ella's heart sank at the thought that her mother could be dead. Dead, just like that. Life is so fragile. The two of them spent the rest of the ride in solemn silence, her dad occasionally brushing tears out his eyes. 

Arriving at home, Ella got out quickly and tried to walk normally to mask that she was in pain. He's already sad about mum going missing, I can't add this burden on him. I'll deal with this myself. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched her dad reverse the car into the garage, before shuffling into the house and heading straight for the bathroom. 

Once she had locked the door and checked it that it was indeed locked, she checked her stomach for bruising. There was the bruise from the jock punching her on the bus, but that paled in comparison with the ugly blue-black bruise that covered most of her abdomen, all thanks to Frost. Luckily, she hadn't gotten frostbite from being so close to him. 

Taking out a cold compress from behind the mirror, she unlocked the bathroom door and headed to the kitchen where her dad was making dinner, his expression was calm, his hair tidy, as if he hadn't been tearing up only minutes ago. The only thing that betrayed his sorrow was his eyes, just staring at the wall as he grated some cheese into a bowl. She went around the kitchen island and opened the fridge. "What are you doing?" "I just wanted a snack." "No, it's almost dinner, you're not going to be able to finish if you have a snack now." "Okay then, dad," she slipped the cold into the ice section as he turned to check on the stew. 

I'll collect it after dinner, for now, I'm going to do my homework. With that thought, she grabbed her bag from the bathroom, then headed to her room. She began to work on English first, because it was her favourite subject. Whereas normally she'd be thrilled to do English homework, today she found it hard to focus, her mind wandering back to the fight with Frost. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to clear her mind but the thoughts only got louder.

Why did my powers fail me? 

If I had failed a second time, Aqua and I would have both been frozen statues. 

I can't let it get so close again. 

Aqua is much more powerful than me, and yet she was turned into an ice statue by Frost easily.

I was wrong to be so overconfident. 

I'm so weak and useless. 

My mum is missing, my dad is depressed and all I can think about is my own stupid Guardian problems. 

Maybe I'm not fit to be a Guardian.