The Marked

After a long morning jumping from class to class, keeping what little cool I had, I was sitting at a table in the school cafeteria. Apparently, the knowledge that I was catching people's thoughts in my brain wasn't enough for me to lose appetite. Actually, I was wolfing down my third pizza slice. Jenna was stabbing a cherry tomato while glaring at me.

"What?" I said with a mouthful.

"Did you run the marathon? You never eat this much and... you hate olives."

I chewed twice before swallowing. I looked at the pizza in my hand. Cut olives were among the melted cheese and bacon. Coming into the cafeteria I'd been starving, too much to even notice or taste the black olives. Usually I would've spent two minutes trying to pick out all tiny cut-up pieces before eating, today hadn't been a problem because I'd bought two slices and when it didn't satisfy my rumblies, I'd bought a third. Safe to say I was chowing like a wolf who hadn't killed hunt in days. Hunt. I blinked, tilting my head, breathing in. Hunt. I cocked my head, looking at the line. It was almost nonexistent. Inhaling an awfully familiar whiff, I found my eyes squinting. Hunt.

Something heavy patted my shoulder and I whirled around to see Jenna making a face.

"I'm all for you having a relationship, but guys don't like clingy-types. Not the ones I've met, anyway."

"I wasn't looking for Wade." I answered, noticing I'd dropped my half-eaten slice on the plastic plate. I picked it up. Should I get rid of the olives?

"Then what?" Not even I knew what caused the spacing out moment, so I shrugged. I decided to let the olives stay and took another bite. Jenna watched, chewing her rabbit food. She was an ovo-lacto-vegetarian. Which meant the only animal products she ate were eggs and milk, and dairy products. The rest was all vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, soy—you catch my drift. "You've been acting weird since your birthday."

I accidentally bit my tongue. I hid a wince by sniffing. Jenna could be pretty perceptive when she wanted to be, I mean, when she wasn't rambling about the amazing pair of boots she'd seen online or strangely shaped pens, or listing all the reasons why we shouldn't eat meat.

"I don't think I've been acting any different. Maybe you're imagining things. Because of your caffeine withdrawals, you know?"

If Jenna were a cat her ears would've flattened.

"I'm not having withdrawals and that's a low blow! You know not getting a caffeine fix is the hardest thing about being a vegetarian." Because caffeine could interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients. She'd explained in detail plenty of times.

"It's not like you can't drink any coffee. You just have to have self-control." Ha, expecting Jenna to be paced about something was like waiting for an elephant to step on an ant and apologize.

She waved me off.

"I haven't touched the stuff in two weeks and even if I had, I know you, Clark." She pointed her plastic fork at me, a piece of lettuce stuck to it. I rolled my eyes at my last name. "Don't you think I know when you completely ignore my ramblings? That's right, Missy, I do. And I've caught you rubbing your temples when you think I'm not looking and dozing off in Economics." She lowered the fork, bracing herself on both arms and whispered with a hint of concern. "Seriously, okay? If there's something going on, tell me. I know I talk a lot, but I always listen when you want me to."

"I know that, Jen." I really did.

"Good. Because if after so long being partners in crime hadn't taught you that, I don't know what would. If you go to prison I'll tattoo my entire body with what's secretly a map for us to breakout. First, I'd have to get arrested, though, but that's easy-peasy." Jenna rubbed her chin, like she was imagining the whole thing. Maybe she was. Prison Break was one of her all-time favorite shows. Plus, her creativity for thinking-up crimes and ways to assassinate people was unparalleled. Saying it like that made her sound like a killer, I grinned. She just had a... morbid sense of humor.

I wanted to share. I did. But how could I tell Jenna anything about what's been going on for the last few weeks? Not even I had a clue about what the freck was going on inside me. I found myself snapping at words that shouldn't mean squat—like hunt. And there was the strangest smell that prickled my back. Whatever the smell did, my tattoo seemed to respond, heating my entire bloodstream. That sensation was too familiar, too much like what I'd experienced in my last nightmare. Too scary. Hearing people's thoughts shouldn't be possible, but I could live with it, even if it was tots bizarre. But that smell... it was like it wired my brain differently. Like it programmed me to track and... kill.

The dread I felt at the last word must've peaked out from under my carefully constructed just-another-normal-day face, because Jen groaned heavily, throwing back her head in complete exasperation. I think she wanted to whack me on the head with her salad container.

"Should I move to another table? I don't want to get vinegar on my hair." I teased, doing what I could to slip into Chloe-mode.

"You're making me angry, Chlo." She mumbled with a sigh, stabbing a piece of boiled egg.

"I can tell, you're trying to obliterate your salad." Jenna looked me in the eye with her blue eyes—she wasn't wearing any colored contacts today—and I prepared myself to lie. "Look, you know I tell you everything. If there was something major going on I'd share, but I'm just a little stressed. It's our senior year and the pressure's making me... antsy. Mr. Peterson—from Calc—gave us a pop-quiz today. I didn't do that hot on the first one and I'm not sure how today's went..." I trailed off watching my best friend shake her head.

"Seriously? That's it? I don't think you need to be that worried about grades."

"Yes, I do. I have no idea what college I want to apply for. My GPA has to be pretty solid so I can get in wherever." That was true. But lately I hadn't been worrying too much over college. Also, there was Wade. My first boyfriend. I was more than a little distracted by him.

...why would she lie? She can be an overachiever—a real masochist! The dork.

My mouth hung open in stunned silence. That was... It was Jenna thinking! Her thoughts. Way to be invasive of other people's privacy, I thought with a pang of guilt. It wasn't like I wanted to snoop around Jenna's or anyone's privy musings. It wasn't like this—whatever it was—came with instructions on how to handle a turn on/off switch.

"Fine. I'll stop worrying... for now." She declared and started talking about her parents' complete lack of faith in her. She was still being denied access to computers and her online accounts were down. In their defense, Jenna could spend money left and right in a snap of her fingers. Mostly it was on pens and boots. The boots I got. The pens? Nope. But I loved her anyways. "I was thinking we could go shopping after school? Window shopping will have to quench my inner-shopaholic." Chloe needs a tutorial on make-up. Her eyes would look fantastic with a dark eye shadow... Aw, that was sweet of her. Wait. Maybe that'd make Wade even more into her! Ah. Like I need him to steal her away more...

'Kay. That last part about Wade stealing me? Not so sweet. I stopped myself from making a snappy remark. Because one: those were her thoughts and she wasn't as oblivious as Heather about the things she said or didn't say and number two, I could see why she was pissy at Wade. Jenna and I had hung out during summer, but it wasn't like all the others before, where we pretty much lived at her house or mine or went down to the beach to ogle hot surfers. I'd been with Wade a lot. I wasn't guilty about spending that time with him, discovering who he was. Though, ever since school kicked off, Jenna had given us plenty alone time within these four walls. Wade liked that she was 'so cool about it'. But maybe she wasn't as okay with me being gone so often as we thought.

"Only if we go for cupcakes afterwards."

"Ooh, those with the gooey chocolate inside?" Yum. I took a bite of my cold pizza, nodding with twinkly eyes. "Awesome. Maybe it'll make your stupid Calc worries puff out of existence. Chocolate is the answer to a lot of life's problems." A little part of me agreed that distracting myself was the best way to go about this, since I didn't know what else to do.

After the pizza was finished, we were walking to our next class. Jenna was talking with a few of our friends. I found myself texting Wade. I'd seen him in Calc. After class let out, we only got to kiss real quick since he had to jog to his French class. During lunch he hadn't come around, texting about getting something to eat with Caleb and some other guys from the soccer team. I just had one more class today and it was Economics. Wade texted back quickly, saying to have fun with Jenna and that he had practice after hours.

"Chloe, are you and Wade going to Monica's party? I hear there's going to be a Dj!" Lana, a girl with freckles scattered on her nose and cheeks, asked. We'd met Lana in eight grade. Back then, she'd been a total tomboy. Now, she was still a tomboy, but didn't skate in the halls and had her hair in a ponytail instead of cropped short. "And booze. Of course." She winked.

"When is it?" I asked while we walked for Econ.

Lana's eyebrows jumped.

"Ah, this Saturday. How can you forget what's probably going to be the most awesome senior-year party?"

"How can you forget Chloe's inability to remember dates?" Jenna shot back, laughing. Lana broke out in a fit, too. I grinned, shaking my head. "But she is coming. Wade or no Wade."

"Why are you and Wade so confident about your persuasion skills? It's bad to be that cocky." That made me think of the plans he'd secretly made for my birthday. We hadn't gotten around to doing anything because of my cold. What surprise could he have planned? Great, now I'd spend a good chunk of class conjuring up surprises that could-have-been-but-probably-not.

"There's nothing wrong with confidence."

"Overconfidence," Lana sang poking Jenna's back.

"Right," Jen shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that either." She grinned at us before waltzing into the room like a dancing pixie.

"Coffee and shopping withdrawals?" Lana asked, eyeing me from the corner of her eye.

"Yep,"

"Is she going to drag me shopping?"

"Well, you can volunteer to come today. After shopping's done we're munching those awesome-sauce cupcakes." Her eyes lit at the sugary mention. She'd ate them a couple of times when we'd been over at my place for studying. "Yeah, those."

"It's tempting. But going shopping with Jenna is an Olympic sport. Too radical even for me." Lana faked a shiver, getting me to chuckle.

We were halfway into our Econ classroom when I found someone sitting at my desk. Well, it was the seat I always took. I didn't know the guy well, his name was Leonard—I think. My head did an abrupt tilt, though, my eyes squinting at the lithe boy. My nostrils flared. The reaction was immediate. Earlier, in the cafeteria, I'd caught a faint whiff of salty-sweet. But now it wasn't only a tiny whiff. No. The three-spiral tattoo between my shoulder blades burned.

I moved with stunning grace. Moved towards my desk. The desk didn't matter. That he was sitting in my seat didn't matter. It mattered that he was inside school. Put him down. Do it. It's easy. Like before. In the dream... Do it.

I grabbed the back of his shirt and tugged. Leonard weighed nothing as I plucked him from my seat and sent him sprawling on the floor. I glared down at the dirty blond haired guy. He looked spooked. Yes, he's afraid. He should be. He knows. I knew there was something I should pay attention to—around me. But all I wanted to do was reach down and plunge inside his chest...

Leonard yelped. I blinked, gaining some control.

"Chloe!"

Chloe. That's... my name. Do it. Come on, do it. He's right there. It's easy. What's easy? I asked myself in a daze. You know. You've done it before. Just like in the dream.

"Chloe!" The voice grew insistent and a hand clamped down on my elbow. I knew the grip was strong. Meant to leave a bruise. But it didn't hurt much. "Chloe! What the hell are you doing? Put him down!" Jenna. I blinked again, turning to face her. She looked at me straightly, amazement and worry wrapped into one. "Chloe?"

"Yeah?" I whispered, trying to understand why my arms were so heavy.

"Let him go!" She hissed, eyes darting around us.

With a frown, I saw her knuckles whitening from holding my elbow. Then I looked at my clenched hands. They were gripping Leonard's shoulders tightly, and... his feet were inches off the floor. Oh. Crap. It took a little effort to force my fingers to let go. Eventually, I did. The heat inside me didn't quiet down much. Still, this was wrong... No, it's not. You know you're meant to do it. You have to.

"No," I whispered and Jenna looked at me with a WTF expression. I waved off the embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I... I haven't been feeling good this last week and, huh... You were in my seat." Face-plant the wall, Chloe. You're an idiot.

"You could've said something..." Leonard choked, edging back a step. His Adam's apple bobbled. I felt myself beginning to slip again. No. Keep it together. I formed a shaking fist, anchoring myself to the ground, to keep from pouncing. God, why was I thinking like this? "I would've moved..."

"She ate olives." We both looked at Jenna who shrugged. A sweat bead trailed down the side of my face. "I don't know!" She threw up her hands.

I stole a glance over my left shoulder. Our Econ teacher wasn't here yet. Good. I moved around Jenna whispering I wasn't feeling great and she mumbled how I shouldn't have eaten three pizza slices. I saw worry written across her eyes, though. Could I blame her? No. I was worried about myself. Lana tried asking me something but I didn't stop for her. I needed to get somewhere away from that guy. No idea why or how I knew, but if I stayed in his presence too long I'd do something very bad. You're supposed to. You know this. You need to do it. No! Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!

I burst inside the girl's bathroom. Please don't let Jenna follow me, I prayed silently, checking the cubicles to see if I was alone. Coast was clear. I found myself leaning over a sink, splashing water on my face. Hoping the blistering heat inside my veins would vanish. I heaved through my nose a couple of times. I was hearing a shit ton of voices again, nothing that made sense. Isolate. Focus. Focus on you. Isolate...

Gripping the edge, I glared up and nearly fell on my ass. It was me. But it wasn't. My long dark hair fell behind my shoulders, silky and shiny. The brown eyes staring back were sharp. Calculating. Not warm. What had me staggering were my pupils. They were vertical. Freaking. Vertical. Like a cat's. It took me five seconds to realize my reflection was wearing my clothes and copying my every move. God, this was me! I lifted a hand to my face, feeling along it with trembling fingers. I blinked and my eyes were still the same freak show. Focus, it came again. My own voice with a steely edge. Focus. On what? I thought desperately. On yourself. Breathe in and out. Focus.

It didn't make sense, that some part of me knew what the hell was happening and how to calm down, but I followed other-me's advice and kept my focus on breathing in and out my nose. Forget the voices, I told myself, focus on breathing. I didn't know how long it took. All I knew was that the strange sweltering died and when I felt confident enough, I opened my eyes to stare myself down. No more vertical pupils.

The door slammed off the wall.

"Chloe!" Jenna ran inside grabbing my shoulders. "What the heck was that?" she squealed, shaking me a bit. "You went total Rambo on the dude! I kept calling you and you were totally zoned out, walking toward him and then—then, you grabbed him off the ground!" Jenna was filled with awe. And confusion. Loads. That made two of us. "Does Wade make you bench-press with him or something? Because that was... I don't know! You were insanely strong."

Huh. I wished I could give an answer for what happened. The little know-it-all voice didn't perk to provide one. Thanks a lot, I mentally cringed.

"I..." it escaped in a barely heard whisper.

Jenna's blue eyes widened with expectations. Crap. What? What can I tell her? I thought, pulse sky rocketing in a whole different way from before, when I'd gone all Miss Muscle on Leonard. Was this a panic attack? Mom had described them well enough. I'd never had anxiety issues. Not anything major. A little nervous? Sure. But this? I gasped once, trying to break free of Jenna's hold. She forced me back into the tiled wall. The begging in her expression made my knees buckle and made me want to confide in the person who was like a sister, not just a best friend.

"Jenna..."

"Yeah?"

"I lied to you." Jenna's lips settled into a thin line. She remained quiet, a big feat for her. "I'm not worried about classes and... Remember when you said you'd go to jail for me?" It spilled. I couldn't put a lid on it now.

Jenna took a big calming breath, maybe so she wouldn't knock me into the wall, and stared me dead in the eyes.

"Chloe, we made a freaking blood pact when we were nine years old. We swore to be sisters forever and to always share chocolate cupcakes. We're cupcake-buddies. Have you any idea how important that is?" A hollow chuckle whisked past my lips. We'd pricked our finges and came up with some stupid verse that went: We'll laugh together, cry together, lie together! Partners in crime for now and ever. Wherever you'll go, I'll go too, because sisters stick together forever! It was probably childish. Truth was, since we'd made those vows we'd always followed through.

"Remember when we promised to go wherever the other went?" She nodded, smirking faintly. "I need to tell you something. I want to. Because it's driving me up the wall, Jen. But... You'll have to hop on the crazy train with me. Because... I might be going a little nuts."

"Okay. Chloe, you're scaring me a teeny bit. Are you dying or something?"

"No!" I almost rolled my eyes at her. At least I didn't think so. "I need to show you something. Not here. At my place. Can we skip the shopping spree?"

"Yes! If it means you'll tell me what's gotten into you—yes!" She hissed, backing off knowing I wouldn't make a mad dash out the door. She smoothed her fingers through her chin length Californian hair. "Are you alright, though? You still look pale."

"I feel okay now. Promise." I was calm. Not wanting to murder people. "Is Leonard okay?"

"Beats me. He grabbed his stuff and left after you ran out." He'd left? I frowned. He got away. Bad job. Should've done it. Go after him. Catch the scent. No, I told it. "Where are you going?"

I stopped, placing a hand on the bathroom's door.

"Back to class." Something told me I wouldn't throw anyone else around. Leonard triggered my tattoo for some reason. The smell. It's the smell. "We should still buy cupcakes on the way to my house, though. I think we'll need the sugar rush."

"Jesus, Chloe. Way to be cryptic..." Jen mumbled, lips pulled left in a funny pouty face.

Walking into Econ was embarrassing. Everyone's eyes were on me. Nice. Ignoring stares, I walked to my seat, seeing my bag on the desk. I must've dropped it when I pulled Leonard from my seat, Jenna probably put it there. I took a seat as Jenna apologized for us both to Mrs. Peacott. I think she said something about olives. Again. Jen really wasn't the best at excuses but I appreciated her trying to protect me.

I just hoped I didn't lose after sharing the insanity of my last few weeks.