Chapter 19 - Rossie's eyes glows

A Quiet Saturday Evening, with a SparkIt was one of those rare, peaceful Saturday evenings at Ethan's place - the kind of calm that felt like a reward after weeks of chaos.

His parents were out of town, leaving the big living room all to Rossie and her friends: Ethan, Michael, Angela, and Becky.

The bruises and cuts from their recent ordeal had finally faded, leaving only faint scars - and a quiet bond no one else could understand.

For once, the world felt steady, and they were determined to keep it that way.

•••••••••••••••••

Textbooks, notebooks, and half-empty soda cans were scattered across the couches and coffee table - a casual study session for upcoming exams.

But the mood? Anything but tense.

Rossie flipped through her history notes, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

"Honestly, I'd take memorizing boring dates over fighting creepy shadow monsters any day."

Becky, sprawled on the floor with her chemistry book, snorted.

"Right? Give me equations over enchantments. This is basically a spa day."

Laughter bubbled up, warm and easy.

Michael, lounging on the couch with his physics book balanced on his knee, shot Ethan a teasing look.

"Bet you're still gonna panic-study the night before, huh? Mr. Overprepared."

Ethan smirked, flicking a crumpled sticky note at him.

"Better than you forgetting Newton's laws mid-test, genius."

Their banter flowed naturally—a sign of relief to be together, safe, and just… normal.

Across the room, Angela sat cross-legged in an armchair, quietly scribbling in her planner.

Michael's eyes kept drifting to her, even as he pretended to focus on his book or sip his soda.

He'd been head over heels for her for months, maybe longer, but he buried it under layers of cool indifference, too scared to let it show.

Angela caught his gaze and smiled slyly.

"What? My handwriting's that fascinating?"

Before Michael could answer, she reached into her bag and pulled out a tiny, folded paper star, its edges perfectly creased.

"Made this for you," she said softly, tossing it into his lap.

"Thought you could use some luck for the exams."

Michael fumbled to catch it, his usual composure slipping as his fingers brushed the star.

"Oh—uh, thanks," he stammered, unfolding it to reveal a tiny note inside: You've got this. —A.

His cheeks flushed pink, and he ducked his head, pretending to study the star like it was some complicated physics problem.

Becky smirked knowingly, while Rossie's eyebrows lifted, her expression softening.

The air shifted—charged with something unspoken until Ethan's voice cut through, steady and firm.

"Alright, lovebirds, focus up." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"We need to talk about what happened..the warehouse, the occult group, all of it.

That stays with us. No one else can know, not even the names of the students involved.

It's for our safety—and theirs. We've got a shot at normal now, and we're not messing it up."

Becky nodded, her playful grin fading. "Yeah. My mom would ground me for life if she found out."

"Mine would think I'd lost it," Angela added, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

Michael met Ethan's gaze, still holding the paper star. "We keep it locked down. Together."

"Exactly," Ethan said, easing back. "Which means we've got to nail these exams too.

No distractions, no slipping. We've survived worse....we can handle this."

The weight of his words settled over them—a quiet promise to move forward.

But Angela wasn't one for heavy moments. She hopped up, grabbed her phone, and tapped a few buttons until soft music - something mellow with a steady beat filled the room.

"Okay, enough serious talk. Exams aren't till next week. Let's dance it off."

She turned to Michael, her smile bold and inviting. "You in?"

His heart thudded, nerves fluttering, but he stood, brushing them aside with a shrug. "Yeah, sure."

They moved to the open space by the couch. Her hand found his shoulder, his settled awkwardly on her waist.

The others watched, Becky clapping lightly, Ethan shaking his head with a grin.

Rossie stayed seated for a moment, the only one without a partner. Then she stood, brushing her hands on her jeans, and started swaying on her own.

Her movements were clumsy at first, but a genuine smile spread across her face. She caught Becky's eye and laughed, spinning in a little circle.

The room filled with music and motion..a fragile, perfect bubble of peace they'd fought so hard to claim.

For now, the secrets could wait. The exams could wait. They had this moment—and it was more than enough.

•••••••••••••••♪••••

It was a quiet Tuesday evening, around 7:00 PM. Rossie Carter stepped into her warm shower, the water feeling like a comforting hug after a long day at Haul Academy.

She let the steam envelop her, her thoughts drifting like the mist. As she reached for her soap, she noticed something odd in the mirror - a faint shimmer in her reflection.

Wiping the fog off with a damp hand, Rossie leaned in for a closer look, her breath catching in her throat.

There it was, a strange greenish glow in her hazel eyes that felt both magical and a little creepy, like fireflies trapped behind glass. She blinked hard, thinking maybe it was just the lighting, but nope, the glow still lingered, pulsing softly before fading a bit. Her heart started to race—part fascination, part dread.

Then, almost like a whisper in the back of her mind, came a voice saying,

"You are marked, child. The light and shadow will claim you." Rossie froze. The water pounding against her was suddenly way too loud and way too hot.

Was this what the voice meant by being marked? Trembling, she quickly turned off the shower, wrapping herself in a towel as a wave of questions flooded her mind. The eerie glow was gone, but the feeling it left behind wouldn't let go.

The next morning, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, was bright and lively at Haul Academy. By 10:00 AMthe campus was buzzing with excitement for sports day.

Students in bright jerseys were dashing around, laughter and cheers echoing everywhere. Rossie, dressed in her handball uniform, tried to shake off the unease from the night before. The game was her focus now—a chance to dive into the thrill of competition.

When the whistle blew, something shifted inside her. Rossie felt a spark igniting, and her bracelet warmed against her wrist. She lunged for the ball, her feet hitting the ground with a precision that felt almost unreal. She moved faster than she'd ever imagined—dodging defenders with a grace that was almost superhuman. To everyone watching, she was just a blur, with the ball seeming to dance around her as she scored over and over again.

The crowd went wild! Gasps turned into cheers, and hands clapped in a thunderous wave.

Her teammates were staring at her in awe.

"Rossie, how'd you do that?" one of them called out, half-laughing, half-in disbelief. She couldn't help but grin, breathless, feeling the adrenaline pumping through her.

From the sidelines, her friends Michael and Becky were whooping with excitement, while Angela, a rival player, just crossed her arms, giving her a begrudging nod.

But as the applause washed over her, Rossie caught her reflection in a nearby window. That greenish glow was back, flickering in her eyes—an echo of the mysterious prophecy.

For a moment, her smile wavered. Sure, she had just crushed it in the game, but beneath all the cheers, a thread of worry woven through her thoughts.

What was really happening to her? And what did it all mean?

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