Shine

“Elora” The voice was prominent this time. “Princess.”

I whipped around taken aback by the darkness of the forest.

“We’ve missed you, Princess.” The voice was sharp and deep. A crown on my head was ripped off.

“Where are we?” my voice sounded distant and weak.

“Away from Avalon. To a better place.” He chuckled. He was tall and had a scar across his cheek. His eyes were so deep brown they almost looked black. I didn’t want to go, I wasn’t sure why. I wanted to be as far away from him as possible.
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I wake up shaking every time, sweat dripping down my face. It feels like I’ve had a fever. I brush back my hair and catch my breath. I’ve been having these dreams for about three months. I haven’t told my mother, in worry she will send me to the nearest psychologist. I roll out of bed and put on my glasses. As I padded down to the kitchen I heard them fighting again.

My hands grip my necklace, the necklace I grew up in. It read, “Elora Shine”, in beautiful calligraphy. My mother never told me what “shine” meant, my middle name was Ann. But I loved the necklace, nevertheless.

“Adam, I just asked if you used the credit card for the repair. You don’t need to get angry.” My mom retorted slamming her cup down against the table. “Oh, Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?” She smiled suddenly. I rolled my eyes. It’s annoying the way they smoothed things over as soon as I entered the room.

I’m not nine anymore. I can handle these kinds of things.

“I slept fine.” I lied and popped two pieces of toast into the toaster.

“That’s good.” My mom nodded and sipped her coffee.

“I filled your tank.” My dad said straightening his tie.

“Thanks, Dad.” I said pulling my hair into a tight knot. “I’ll see you later tonight.” I took out my toast and made my way back to my room to shower.

“Elora!” David’s voice rang from behind me in the parking lot.

“Hi David.” I smiled locking my baby Audi. He grinned. David was on the football team. He was very tall, and very popular. He was practically every high school girls dream, except for mine. The main turn off for me was his popularity.

His arrogance destroyed his beautiful lips and gorgeous hair.

“How are you?” He asked as we walked towards the high school.

“I’m great.” I replied shortly. I saw my friend Alex standing at the door. Her mouth strung wide open as she saw me walking towards the school with David Armstrong.

It was homecoming season, and well, Alex was one of those girls who had to have a date.

“Good.” David swallowed with another jaw dropping smile. I smiled back at him to avoid awkwardness and trekked a little quicker towards the building. “Elora, wait!” He suddenly reached out and grabbed my arm. I turned back around. My stomach dropped, I knew exactly the words about to come out of his house. “Do you have a date to homecoming?”

I cringed. “No I don’t.”

“Cool. You’re coming with me then.” He smiled again.

And there it was-the quality I hated most in him.

“David, I…” I struggled to find my words. “Is that a question, or a command?” I asked, crossing my arms. His face scrunched up.

“Oh. I figured you would want to go with me.” Then I could sense his nervousness. I rolled my eyes.

“Sorry. I’m busy that night. My mom’s got a…work thing.” I shrugged. He nodded.

“Oh, okay then. That’s cool. I’ll ask Alex.” He said and walked ahead of me, like it was no big blow at all. A twinge of regret hit me suddenly. It might have been nice to have a date to a dance. I shrugged it off while I watched David saunter over to Alex, her eyes becoming bright and hopeful. He had to keep up appearances; I was just another check off the list.

School was long, as always. I was glad to drive home to my house. I could escape to the patio and watch the forest, and while my mother was still at work, I could walk. Alex had been extremely giddy all day, as David had asked-scratch that- told Alex they were going to Homecoming together. I hadn’t heard the end of it since first period. She hadn’t even asked what David and I were talking about in the parking lot. I didn’t tell her either, there was no need to add my story into the mix, plus it would just upset her to think she was a second pick...or third…maybe fourth. And, I would be the gossip of the school. I can see it now, “Oh, hey Elora! So why’d you turn down David Armstrong again?” I slammed the door of my Audi and turned the key in the ignition.
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“You’re not like the others. That’s for sure.”
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I shook the chuckling voice out of my head, and turned up the mix tape in my Cd player. That voice had been hitting me too much. I wasn’t sure if I was going crazy. These nightmares, the voices-sometimes I could even control light. I could lie in bed and wish for the light to go off, and it would. Once when I was thirteen I pulled light right out of the lamp. I focused really hard on the lamp, I remember feeling a tingling in my hands and suddenly the light was coming towards me at a great speed. It was so fast I couldn’t stop it. It threw me against the wall and I hit it with a bang. My mom ran upstairs and the only excuse I could come up with was that I had “fallen”. I hadn’t tried that stunt since. Once again, I couldn’t tell anyone.

I would immediately be sent to an institute deemed “unstable”.