The cold night air did nothing to soothe the fire burning beneath Sophia's skin. She pressed a trembling hand against her chest, feeling her own heartbeat hammering wildly. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.
Her reflection… her hair… her eyes. That wasn't a trick. It was real.
She sucked in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself, but the feeling of being watched only grew stronger.
Then, she felt it.
A shift in the air.
A presence—dark, intense, and entirely unshakable.
Sophia's head snapped up, her gaze darting around the dimly lit parking lot behind the school. The streetlamps flickered as if something unseen had disturbed their glow. Shadows stretched unnaturally against the pavement.
And then… she saw him.
At first, he was just a silhouette, standing near the treeline beyond the lot, partially hidden by the night. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black. The wind stirred, carrying the faint scent of something rich and intoxicating, like burning embers mixed with the sharp freshness of rain.
Her stomach clenched.
Who is he?
Her body reacted before her mind could process. She took a step forward, drawn to him in a way that made no sense. Her heart pounded—not with fear, but with something far more unsettling.
The stranger didn't move, didn't call out. He simply watched.
A low hum filled her ears, almost like a whisper beneath her skin.
Her breath caught as she blinked, and suddenly—he was gone.
Vanished.
Sophia's pulse raced. She spun in place, searching for him, but there was nothing. Just the rustling trees and the distant thump of music from inside the school.
Had she imagined him?
Her body still tingled, the aftershock of something unknown pulsing through her veins.
Then, footsteps.
Ryan.
"Sophia!" His voice was laced with concern as he jogged toward her. "What the hell happened back there? You just ran off."
She struggled to find her words. "I—I needed air."
Ryan studied her closely, his brows furrowing. "You look different."
Sophia swallowed hard.
"I don't feel like myself," she admitted.
His hand reached for her, brushing against her bare arm, but the moment his skin touched hers, a sharp jolt shot through her body.
She gasped, stepping back.
Ryan winced, shaking his hand. "Damn, it felt like static electricity."
Sophia didn't respond.
Because deep down, she knew—this wasn't just electricity.
Something inside her was awakening.
And someone—whoever that man was—had been waiting for it.