Elora had a dream last night of her mother. It was the first time her mother came to her in a dream, she cried so much in the dream that in reality there was streaks of tears on her face. She just cuddled with her mother in the dream, her mother didn't say anything but looked at her lovingly.
A short dream that only included a cuddle changed Elora, she didn't know yet but it did. Elora woke up wiping her tears not sadly this time but with a small smile on her face.
The dream made Elora realize that she couldn't run from her destiny the more she tried to run, the more she would fail.
That same day she spent all day with Mira, she knew Mira was stressed and tired these days and Elora could not deny that she added to Mira's stress, so she spent the entire day with Mira, they laughed, dined and shared stories about Elora's parents.
Mira taught Elora about balancing her life, saying she shouldn't let fear of being a Clove revealed to the public a obstructing factor for her.
Her relationship with Jessi had also improved significantly and they now addressed themselves as besties, most times Elora would sleep over at Jessi's house and vice versa.
Seeing this significant growth in her life made her feel proud of herself for not limiting her self.
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There was something wrong in Hawthorne High.
Elora quickly sensed that.
She woke up this morning with a bad premonition but overlooked it.
Yes, Hawthorne still breathes and whispers to her which she had grown accustomed to.
Elora could feel it before she saw it—before the scream, before the collapse, before the whispers crawling like vines up the walls. It clung to the air that morning, thick and cold, like frost pretending to be fog.
She stood near her locker, watching the morning shuffle of students with detached calm. Jessi was late, again, probably dealing with another breakfast "incident" at home
Since their third coincidental meeting Elora hadn't seen Devin for two weeks, His presence resence vanished form Hawthorne.
But ofcourse her personal satellite brought her the news of Devin being out of Hawthorne to handle family business which explained the reason his presence vanished.
Jessi seems to have caught the fact that Elora was interested in Devin which Elora continues to deny but Jessi was Jessi and was determined to get her bestie any thing and anyone.
Although they only had three awkward and brief moments and not knowing anything about each other, Devin had undoubtedly become an unshakable factor in her life.
Whoosh!!
That's when she felt it. Again.
A shiver—not through her skin, but through the root beneath it. A stillness behind the noise. Like something holding its breath in the walls.
Then came the scream.
From the west hall.
Then a thud.
By the time Elora ran toward the sound, a crowd had already begun to form. Whispers moved faster than feet. When she pushed through the cluster of gawking students, she saw the girl—Mara, a sophomore. Pale. Twitching. Eyes open but unseeing.
Surprisingly Devin was already there, but why couldn't she feel his presence if he was back already. Devin crouched beside her, checking her pulse. Elias hovered just behind him, looking unsure whether to joke or panic.
"She's breathing," Devin said quietly. "But she's not responding."
"She walked right into the wall," someone whispered. "Like she didn't even see it."
"No," another voice said, "she was sleepwalking. I saw her eyes."
Elora's fingers tingled.
This wasn't a seizure.
This was something else.
She clenched her fist indecisive. She gently maneuvers her way through the crowd.
Right on cue, Devin lifted his head and turned left catching Elora's emerald eyes.
Elora froze unsure of whether to hide her eyes or not since her eyes were weird.
She was more surprised seeing Devin beckoning her over, not holding back she walked up to him kneeling beside him with a natural ease that made Elora herself shocked.
"Let me try something," she whispered
Devin looked up at her. Met her eyes.
Didn't question her.
Didn't stop her.
As if reading her mind, Devin and Elias communicated through their eyes.
Elias squats picking up Mara princess style while Devin tells the crowd
"It's just dehydration, we'll take her to see the doctor"
The crowd murmured and dispersed gradually until only the trio was left.
Elias turned leading the way with Mara in his arms while Devin and Elora followed behind him with thick tension between them.
On getting there, Elias placed Mara on the bed.
Elora looked hesitant
She looked from Devin to Elias in deep contemplation on what she was about to do, knowing this could be a big mistake.
"You know that we know you're not human right?" Elias broke the silence
Elora breath hitched
"Yeah, your nearly glowing emerald eyes is a give away" Devin added
Elora didn't know what to do in such a situation, so she bit her lip in embarrassment
"So..... I am Elias Stonecrest , and this dude is Devin Knight, whom you know already know or met on few occasions, and we are neither humans" Elias said slyly causing Devin to glare at him
Elora was caught off guard by his confession although she knew already.
Elora certainly wanted to enter the ground but their playful banter made her smile.
"I'm Elora Peterson, I just moved in to Hawthorne months ago " Elora said
"Nice to make your acquittance Elora" Elias drew his hand forward for a handshake but cursed silently withdrawing it.
"I am a healer, lets see what I can do concerning her, don't let anyone else know okay" Elora said
Elias and Devin gave an affirmative nod.
Drawing breath in, air stilled in the room.
Emerald tendrils swirled around Elora's fingers
She channeled in using a technique Mira taught her.
Elora placed two fingers gently against Mara's temple.
And let her magic breathe.
Just a little. Just enough
Warmth flowed from her fingers like dew at sunrise. A pulse of green light, faint and quick, passed from her hand into the girl's skin.
Devin cocked his head to the side watching in fascination
He didn't speak.
He just watched.
Mara's body started twitching.
Not long.
She blinked.
Inhaled sharply.
And sat up.
Elias muttered something about miracles.
"What happened?" Mara asked, confused. "Where am I?"
"You fainted," Devin said smoothly, helping her to her feet. "Come on. Let's get you to the nurse."
Elora stood, heart racing.
She felt his eyes on her as they walked.
But knowing.
Later, by the tree-lined path behind the cafeteria, he caught up with her.
"Hey"
"Hi"
Awkward silence.
"What you did was amazing, you saved a life."
She didn't deny it.
"I had to. She was—there was something wrong."
He nodded. "What was it?"
"I don't know. But it's not the first time I've felt it."
"You can heal," he said, voice low. "That's... rare."
Elora looked at him, uncertain. "You're not going to tell anyone?"
"No," he said. "I won't and neither would Elias."
And just like that, something between them shifted.
Not into trust.
Not yet.
But into something close.