The Devil's Daughter

~6~

🎼Well, I managed to survive my classes without bursting into flames and setting the entire school alight, or pulling out my hair until there were only threads of it left. But drops of sweat were streaming down my face, I felt like an inferno. Like Aunt Gladys going through menopause, oh god that would be a good insult for Nicole to throw at me. I'm so old I've reached my final fertility years.

I snatched my bag from my locker and tried to get out of the building swiftly and safely. I was being extra careful when slipping by people and keeping one hand firmly on the end of my hood despite how hot I felt. Which worked out perfectly until I saw Nicole the mole talking to Henry at his car. I mentally cursed at my luck. I was worried that people were to be able to smell the sweat stinking up my armpits. My body was roaring with heat and I was starting to feel nauseous. 

What was she talking to him for anyway? I found myself getting irritated as she twirled a lock of her hair as she spoke to him. And he, my best friend who knows better than most how she treats was happily chatting away as if she wasn't a thorn in my side. It's like he doesn't realise how attractive he is, how she probably wants him because he's one of the boys in our school that owns his own car. A lot of girls go up to him and flirt, and it's never bothered me before! He always politely turned them down or purposely put them off by talking about this card game he plays, some about magic and gatherings...

It's strange but it works. He gazed up at me and mouthed out,  'help me' while she blabbered on. I smiled and ran down the steps towards him.

"Alright, we better get going," I said, pretending Nicole didn't exist. I counted down the seconds before she opened her mouth like I knew she would.

"Excuse me but we're talking," she said, then smiled flirtatiously at Henry. Who in response shifted uncomfortably between us. Don't worry Henry we'll be away from her soon.

"I'm sorry did you say something?" I asked innocently and her eyes shot daggers. She looked back at my Henry and my body suddenly felt hotter. I focused on trying to keep calm. But all parts of me were perspiring like crazy like I was a walking flood. A throbbing and yet piercing pain began on my upper back. You know the kind of pain where it doesn't really hurt it's just annoying and making itself known to you that, oh it's there!

"Ew, you're all wet." I shied away from that comment, hating that she noticed it. I had no explanation nor a comeback for that keen observation. She seemed to be enjoying my discomfort and posed in a way that made her chest puff out more than a Fritagatebird. "You know, Henry, you're a really nice guy. You should find some other girl to hang around with. Your one is a freak." She grinned at him. Now pretending I didn't exist.

"You're just jealous that he prefers older women compared to little immature..." And that's when I felt it. An excruciatingly painful backache, it felt like something sharp was trying to push its way out of my muscles, out of my skin. My body was buzzing. The whole world was spinning and I was seeing double of Nicole. Like one wasn't enough.

"Henry," I whimpered feeling lightheaded.

"Angie are you okay?" I stumbled a little and Henry caught me.

"She's just trying to get attention as usual," Nicole said, but I couldn't focus properly on her or anything else around me. Another stab of agony hit me like someone was trying to claw out of my back and I screamed falling to the ground.

"Angie!" I heard Henry shout but his face distorted and frightened me. I tried to word what was wrong but couldn't form any words. Only groans and screams.

"What's wrong with her?" someone said. I screamed again as another stab hit. "Someone get a teacher!"

"She's faking." 

How can anyone possibly think I'm faking this agony? I tried to fix my vision by focusing on someone or something close and the only clear thing I could see was Blaz. He watched me with those coal-black eyes, they seemed to drill into me as he stood there nonchalantly. However, for once he wasn't smirking and his frowning face was the last image I saw before the darkness swarmed in.