TEN: BRODWAYS

I woke up panting in fear, my heart thudding violently in my chest, and I landed hard on the cold floor with a dull thud. My breath came in ragged pants, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to my skin like sweat.

"Are you okay, Terra?"

Pink's voice pulled me back to the present. She knelt beside me, concern flickering in her sharp eyes. She was already dressed for school, blue jeans hugging her legs and a black T-shirt that contrasted with her usual pastels and gloss. It was an oddly somber look for her. She offered me her hand, and I took it. Her grip was firm and steady.

"Yeah," I mumbled, allowing her to help me up. My legs were shaky, like I was still partly trapped in whatever hellish dream had dragged me to the floor.

She guided me to sit on the edge of the bed, brushing imaginary dust off the sheets as she did.

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.

"7:30 a.m.," she replied, giving me a once-over before turning to grab her mascara from the vanity. "You slept through your alarm."

I looked around the room. The curtains were drawn, but a pale slice of morning light crept through the gap, casting faint shadows on the walls. Everything looked normal and yet I felt… scattered. Like a mirror that had cracked somewhere in the middle of the night.

Panic itched at my skin. I needed to ground myself. I searched the walls and the desk for something, a calendar, a date, anything to anchor me but came up empty.

"What day is it?" I asked, my voice quieter this time. Almost fragile.

Pink paused, her reflection frowning back at her from the mirror. She sighed, setting her mascara down. "It's Friday."

My stomach dropped.

Friday meant tomorrow was the game.

The game meant crowds. Noise. Expectations.

And possibly... Nemus.

A cold shiver curled down my spine at the thought. Last time, he'd appeared out of nowhere. He wasn't supposed to be anywhere near Caveroop High anymore. He'd been banned, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't expect surprises

"You think you can make it to class today?" Pink asked gently, walking back over after making sure I was upright. She sat beside me for a moment before returning to the mirror to finish her makeup, her movements smooth and practiced.

I didn't answer right away.

Lately, I'd been… off. Things were happening to me, things I couldn't explain. Ever since the night Nemus attacked me, reality felt like it had loosened at the edges.

Clary and I had shared a strange, vivid dream one that felt more like a vision than a figment of sleep. And last night, I'd had another.

In it, Resa, Clary's sister Alexa, and Charles, Annie's boyfriend, died. Not in a violent, gory way, but in silence. Their faces pale, their bodies still, and no clear cause in sight. Just... gone.

The images still haunted me.

I knew I should tell someone, maybe Clary or Annie, but how could I? How do you explain that you saw someone you care about die in a dream? Especially when it felt so real.

Maybe it was nothing. Just a nightmare. I could shake it off. Pretend it didn't mean anything.

"So?" Pink asked again, now standing by the door. She slung a sleek black mini bag over her shoulder and looked at me with an arched brow, waiting.

I swallowed hard. My throat was dry.

After a long pause, I finally managed to say, "I'm right behind you."

My voice was barely more than a whisper.

Pink gave me a small smile and nodded before stepping into the hallway and disappearing from view.

I lingered a moment, staring at the door after she left. My heart still hadn't settled.

Something was coming.

And I wasn't sure I'd be ready when it did.

...

The bell rang, its sharp chime echoing through the halls and signaling the start of our next class. Clary and I made our way down the corridor toward our language class, our books clutched to our chests. The air still buzzed with the shuffling of students switching classrooms, but something ahead made us slow our pace.

Annie was standing just outside the clinic door, her whole body practically vibrating with fury. Her jaw was clenched tight, and her eyes were locked on a crumpled sheet of paper in her hands.

She wore a black maxi gown that fluttered slightly with each movement, paired with a faded blue denim jacket. Her honey-blonde hair was yanked up into a high ponytail, a few rebellious strands curling around her temples. The soft elegance of her look was in sharp contrast to the storm on her face.

"Annie?" Clary called out, clearly startled to find her sister here instead of in class. Her voice was cautious. "Is something wrong?"

Annie whipped around to face us, her expression wild with frustration. Her cheeks were flushed, her nostrils flared, and the paper in her hands trembled violently as she raised it up like a weapon.

"Can you believe that prick?" she shouted, loud enough to make a few passing students glance over. "He keeps failing me! Every single test I've taken, he finds some excuse to give me a lousy grade!"

Clary and I shared a startled look, her lips parting in concern, mine tightening with unease.

I stepped forward cautiously, lowering my voice. "Are you sure you got all the answers correct? No teacher would fail a student wrongly." 

"I'm very sure they're correct because I studied hard for this test and did my best," Annie said, clearly annoyed, as she handed me her script. 

I scanned through it and handed it to Clary, who did the same before handing it back to Annie. Before she could say anything else, Raymond came out of the clinic, closing the door behind him. 

Seeing us, he looked momentarily startled, as if we'd caught him off guard. Mr. Ray's dark brown eyes flicked over each of us, lingering on Annie, then narrowing slightly with a mix of confusion and concern. He straightened his posture, smoothing down the front of his dress shirt and adjusting the knot of his tie like he needed a second to compose himself.

"What are you girls doing out here at this time?" he asked, his voice calm but firm. "Is everything all right?"

Clary stepped forward, her voice even but laced with quiet frustration. "Sorry to bother you, Mr. Ray, but my sister just told me that you've been failing her… even though she's been putting in her best effort."

Raymond's gaze shifted back to Annie. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, and he let out a slow, disappointed sigh, the kind that carried more weight than words.

"Well, it appears that your sister has been using her abilities to cheat, which is totally unacceptable. It's called a test because it assesses your knowledge on the subject matter." 

"How did you know I cheated?" Annie yelled, as if accused of a crime. "Where's your proof?" 

"You forgot that I'm a magician, Annie. You may have used that trick on other teachers, but I hate to break it to you," he said, drawing closer to whisper but loud enough for us to hear, "it won't work on me." Then he pulled back, arranging his notes in his arms. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a class," and he walked away. 

Annie let out a frustrated shriek as she stormed off, and Clary and I went to class.

During recess, the cafeteria buzzed with life. Laughter echoing from tables, the soft hum of conversations blending with the smell of warm food. We sat at our usual spot near the back windows, picking at our lunches and casually tossing around predictions about how the upcoming inter-class games might go.

I mostly stayed quiet, my fork lazily stirring the mashed potatoes on my tray. Ever since my terrifying encounter with Nemus, the thought of going near the basketball court made my chest tighten.

"You're coming, right, Terra?" Pink asked, leaning forward with hopeful eyes, her pink-tinted lashes fluttering.

"I… I don't know yet," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, careful not to let the anxiety creep into it.

Pink opened her mouth to say something else when a shift in the room's energy pulled our attention toward the entrance.

Jennie had just walked in, Sofie trailing behind her. Despite the noise and movement in the room, everything seemed to pause for a heartbeat. Jennie carried her lunch tray with one hand, her expression unreadable. There wasn't a single smile on her face, just that usual detached coolness.

The cafeteria was packed, every table full, but the moment a group of nervous juniors noticed her scanning the room, they stood up quickly, offering their seats like they were surrendering territory to a queen. Jennie took the spot without a word and settled in, scrolling through her phone with one hand as she slowly began to eat.

"Have any of you noticed Jennie's recent behavior?" I asked, breaking the silence between us.

Eska lowered her voice. "Yeah. She's… quiet. Too quiet." She snuck a glance over but quickly looked away, like staring too long might invite trouble.

"At least she's acting a little more mature," Pink said, barely sparing Jennie a glance, stirring her smoothie with a straw. "Looks like detention helps."

Clary, who'd been quiet until then, shot me a look. Her eyes flicked from me to Jennie, then back again. Something about it made me uncomfortable.

"Doesn't it seem kind of weird to you?" she asked.

I shook my head slightly. I hadn't thought of it that way, at least, not until now.

But Clary wasn't done. Her gaze remained fixed on Jennie like she was studying a puzzle no one else could see.

"Come on," she said, setting down her drink. "We all know Jennifer. The school's certified troublemaker. Wherever she goes, chaos follows. And now, out of nowhere, she's just… well-behaved?"

"I like the improvement," I said. Pink nodded in agreement beside me, her tone casual.

But Clary leaned back, her expression unchanged. "I don't buy it," she muttered, sipping her drink slowly. "I still think she's up to something. Something terrible."

Meanwhile, at the library, which was relatively empty with only a few students present, Annie groaned softly so as not to wake the librarian, who was asleep at her desk.

She stared at the extra credit test Raymond had given her and sighed, looking at Charles, who sat beside her. She asked,

"What do I do?" 

"I think you should just calm down and go through it," Charles said, his voice steady but cautious. Both his hands were planted firmly on the wooden library table, as if grounding himself for whatever storm Annie might throw next. He wore a snug black T-shirt that read Ain't Your Daddy's Boy in faded white print, its edges curling slightly with age. His almond-shaped eyes, warm and perceptive, scanned his girlfriend's face carefully, searching for a crack in her frustration, some sign that she might listen.

Annie, hunched over with her arms crossed, looked up at him with a sharp glare. Her brow was tight with irritation.

"Are you with me or against me?"

"I'm with you," he said quickly, brushing a lock of his light brown hair out of his eyes. "I'm just trying to help. If you want, I can assist you with it."

She exhaled sharply and shoved the test paper across the table toward him.

"Fine. Tell me when you're done," she mumbled, letting her head fall forward onto her folded arms with a soft thud.

Charles blinked. He reached for the paper, but hesitated. "Hey," he said, tapping her arm gently. "I didn't mean I'd do it for you. I meant I'd assist you. Y'know, support. Teamwork."

Annie didn't lift her head. "Sorry, that word doesn't exist in my dictionary," she muttered, voice muffled. Then, with a dramatic sigh, she added, "I'll just get Alexa to do it for me. Thanks for being so useful."

Charles leaned back in his chair, lips tightening into a thin line. "Seriously, how long are we going to keep doing this?"

"As long as I get to go to the games," she said, finally lifting her head. Her tone was flat and dismissive. "Now stop bothering me. You're not my dad."

He winced slightly at that, then leaned forward again. "I'm just trying to be a good boyfriend here."

Annie dragged her hands down her face in frustration, her fingers pressing into her temples like she was trying to massage out a headache.

"That's adorable," she muttered, her voice laced with sarcasm, "but it ain't working."

With that, she stood abruptly, the chair legs scraping against the tiled floor. She snatched the test paper from the table, stuffed it into her backpack, and turned on her heel.

Charles watched her leave the library without another word, the soft thud of her boots echoing between the rows of dusty shelves. He sighed, resting his forehead in his hands.

After recess, I headed to the locker room to get my book for the next class. 

I saw Rejoice and Jesse at her locker, discussing and laughing, which stirred up a wave of jealousy in me. I couldn't understand that guy, one minute he's nice to me, and the next, he pretends I don't exist.

Is he playing with my feelings or what? 

I opened my locker, trying not to stare at them too much, but I couldn't help it.

He seemed so alive with her, even though she's a year above him in class.

Does he have a thing for older women? 

I shook my head, trying not to think too much about it. 

I pulled out my notebook, and a small piece of paper fell out. 

I picked it up and glanced at it. It read: 

Don't come to the games tomorrow.

I looked around to see if I could spot any suspicious characters, but there were none. 

I looked at the note again; it wasn't signed. Who on earth left this note in my locker, and why?

Could it be Nemus? 

I put it back in my locker and closed it, trying not to think too much about it. After all, I didn't even want to attend. 

On my way to class, I heard a voice behind me.

"Hey!"

I turned instinctively. It was Rejoice and right beside her was Jesse.

My stomach tightened the moment I saw him. My heart skipped like it always did when he looked at me that way, familiar, gentle, a little too complicated.

"Hey," I replied, my voice coming out slower than I intended. "What's up?"

"Hello! You're Terra, right?" Rejoice asked, flashing a bright smile. Her dimples deepened, giving her an effortless charm that somehow made you like her instantly.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Oh, cool. Nice seeing you again."

"You too."

Then Jesse gave a small wave. "Hey."

I hesitated, debating whether to pretend I didn't see it. But my hand lifted before I could stop myself. I waved back, a little stiffly.

He smiled, of course he did. "You coming to the games tomorrow?"

"Erm…" The question caught me off guard. I wanted to say yes. God, I really did. But the truth was, I wasn't sure if I could. Everything was still a mess, and my head wasn't exactly in game-mode.

So instead of answering, I deflected. "Are you?"

"Yeah, why not? This game could guarantee me a scholarship," he said, a determined edge to his voice.

No wonder he takes it so seriously.

"And I won't miss it for the world!" Rejoice added with a cheer, nudging him playfully.

"Well… okay then. See you there," I blurted out, half-smiling, before stepping away. I didn't even know if I meant it.

...

After school, Annie headed to Alexa's place.

The door creaked open before Annie could knock twice.

"Hey, Annie," Alexa greeted warmly, stepping aside to let her in.

Without a word, Annie walked straight to the white couch in the living room and sank into it, exhaustion clinging to her shoulders like a heavy coat.

"Want anything? Tea? Juice?" Alexa offered as she followed her in.

"No, thanks. My visit's brief," Annie said with a dismissive wave.

Alexa raised an eyebrow and sat down on the opposite couch. "Okay… So what's this all about?"

"I need a favor," Annie said bluntly, pulling the folded credit test from her bag. "You're the smartest girl I know, and I'm in a tight spot. Think you could help?"

Alexa took the paper and eyed it carefully. "Won't Mr. Ray figure it out? He knows my handwriting."

"I've got that part covered," Annie said, her lips curving into a sly smile. "A spell. Trust me, it'll look just like mine."

Alexa gave her a skeptical glance but started skimming through the questions anyway. One by one, she solved them with ease, her pen gliding confidently across the page. When she was done, she handed it back without a word.

Annie smiled as she looked over the answers. Then she placed her palm over the paper and whispered a short incantation under her breath. The ink shimmered briefly, then shifted, reshaping itself into her own handwriting.

"Let's see how he rejects this now," she muttered, satisfied.