Running From Myself

No.23 - Already?

Aria's POV

I sprinted into the school, human speed, and I gathered my things from my locker. I'm surprised the school was even open. With my head elsewhere, I completely missed the sound of footsteps coming my way. Fast. Before I could react, I was slammed against my locker, forcefully. I held my nose in pain as I turned around to catch a glimpse of who did it. A girl.

'Listen up, pipsqueak. Stay away from Luke Brooks. He's Dark property. If do not heed my warning, the Shadow Queen will personally kill you and all your stray mutts. Just like she has done for 100 years.' The girl barked at me, with fistfuls of my hair in her hands.

'I don't even know you. What have I done to you?' I said outraged, as I strived to kick her off me.

She slapped me across the face, causing my head to fly to the right. I gritted my teeth through the pain.

'Of course you do my darling Vi. It's me, your best friend Ivy.' She smiled as she tugged at my hair even harder.

'Ivy? I don't know an Ivy. What do you want? I haven't done anything wrong.' I cried, trying to play the innocent card.

'You silly girl! If I so much as see you near him, I'm going to rally my troops and summon my Shadows and we'll kill you. I warned you at the League Award Ceremony, I won't say it again. Understand?' She shouted, ramming my head in my locker. Clearly she didn't fall for that one.

'You were at the Leagues?' I was vaguely aware of the sound coming out of my mouth. My world was spinning out of control. I was about to crash.

'Of course I was darling. I watched you. I studied you. Now I know all your tricks. All your moves. The gods sent a girl with no magic to face the Queen of the supernatural. How sweet.' She slithered, her face a mere inch away from mine. I could claw her face of right now.

'Uh oh. Looks like you'll be doing none of that.' She said sweetly as if she read my mind. She grabbed my face in her hands and compelled me to stay perfectly still. I was trapped.

'Now darling, why don't we have a little chat, for old times sake.' Her soulless golden eyes drilled into my soul, searching for my spark. My flame.

'Tell me, how is Ben these days?' She asked with a twisted grin. 'I heard that he's looking rather handsome. You must let me taste.'

I roared at her in fury. No one touches what's mine.

'Don't you dare! You stay away from him.'

She simply laughed at my response.

'If I was in possession of such a man, I'd do the same darling. I don't blame you. So don't blame me for protecting what's mine.'

'He never even loved you in the first place. You never mattered to him! You were just another pretty face in a room full of models.'

I received another slap, this time to the other cheek. But that didn't stop me.

'You're so desperate. Fighting for a man that doesn't want you. Pathetic. Maybe it's because that's the closest thing you'll get to love. And you know that. I'm everything you want. I have everything you need. I'm everything you're not!'

'Enough!' She snapped, the mask hiding the demon inside slowly slipping away. Her golden eyes glowed like fireflies as her thirst for my bloodshed grew.