Shackles on the heart (Book #1)

14. Manifestation

(Lincoln's POV)
I don't know what to do, she's in danger. They are watching her, I knew she looked scared when she seen that car across the street earlier, everything begins to click into place. This is why she stays by herself at school, this is why she has barely told me anything about her personal life. I finally get it, but who are these people and what do they want with RaeAnna and her family? What kind of danger could she be in? I'm beyond infuriated at this point, but I can't do anything about it, much to my disappointment. She trusted me enough to tell me this, even though it wasn't safe. Act normal, act normal, I tell myself, over and over again. I breathe in and out a few times, steadying myself, then I walk out of the bathroom to go back into her room. I plaster a false smile onto my face "Let's watch a movie Ann. What do you say?"

A look of relief visibly washes over her. "Yeah, I'd love that."

(RaeAnna's POV)
It has been a couple of weeks since Lincoln came over. He seen some things that he wasn't meant to see. I thought that they would find out, but they have given no indication that they know I told him information I wasn't supposed to. I guess I did it discreetly enough for them not to find out. Thank God for that, I would forever hate myself if something bad happened to him, my best friend. He has been so kind and understanding about the whole thing. He hasn't once brought up what he seen that day, he is acting as if nothing happened. Well, for the most part anyways. He has been around a lot more lately, maybe to make sure I'm safe or maybe to provide a distraction from it all, not that I mind, I could use a distraction from all of the stress.

I haven't been able to go to my self-defense classes for the past 5 days. I have become utterly exhausted, no matter how much I sleep, I'm still tired. I even fell asleep during a few of my classes at school, which I got into trouble for. I chalked it up to stress, i'm under a lot of pressure for an 11 year old, much more than what is considered normal. Instead of having to worry about my school grades, I had to worry about the much more complex issues I'm being forced to deal with.

I still had to worry about when the next mission would be; I was starting to feel angry about the whole situation. I wish I never had to do anything like that ever again in my life, but William wouldn't just let me walk away from this. I would never be able to have my freedom as long as he was still breathing, i've even had dreams of killing him, torturing him. It's not like me to think or feel this way, but I guess he just brings out the monster that was hidden in me all along.

I had just laid my head down on the cafeteria table, trying to rest when I heard somebody begin to approach me. I was much too tired to lift my head up, much too tired to care. "Hey! Pick your head up, dumbass! Why are you sleeping at school? If you want to sleep you should go home!" Great, just what I needed, someone to mess with me. I definitely was not in the mood to deal with any crap today. I lifted my head slightly, just enough to see one of the biggest bullies in school, Mary Cratow. "What do you want Mary? I'm really not in the mood." I say.

"Nobody talks to me like that, you dumb bitch, nobody! When did you get so ballsy all of a sudden?"

"Oh, it's always been there. Just never wanted to waste my precious energy on trash like you, but in all seriousness I'm not in the damn mood today. So just piss off already, pretty please. Today is not the day to mess with me. Go bother someone else, just leave. Your loud, annoying voice is giving me a major headache." I say, while rubbing my temples. "Get up!" She shouts.

"Yeah..I'd rather not."

"I said get up bitch before I have to make you."

"I'd love to see you try." I say, while smirking. Just as she goes to pull my hair, I instantly shot up from my seat and started punching her in the face, over and over again. I seen red, I couldn't stop, not even if I wanted to, my fists grew a mind of their own. I felt nothing as my hands met her face with a vengeance. That is until I felt a pair of arms around me, trying to stop me. "Ann, it's me. Stop okay? You're fine. I've got you. It's okay." Only one person calls me Ann, I immediately calm down. He seems to have that sort of effect on me.

When I started to come back to my senses, I looked towards what I had done. Oh my god, what have I done? Mary was laying there, her face full of blood. She is unconscious and not moving. She is unrecognizable, I notice that people have surrounded us and were just staring at me, dumbfounded. I have always been the quiet girl, the girl who always minds her own business, the girl who stays to herself, and now I was the girl who just beat the crap out of Mary. I told her to leave me alone, Why didn't she just listen to me?

I've never done something like this, what is going on with me? In all fairness though, I warned her to leave me alone. If she would have listened to me, this could have all been avoided. When she came at me in the way that she did, I just snapped, she picked the wrong day to mess with me.

"What in the world is going on ove- oh my god! Someone call an ambulance now!" The teacher yells. An ambulance? Is it really that bad? I'm going to be in a lot of trouble. "Who did this?!" The teacher shouts, loudly. One of Mary's stupid friends ofcourse tells him right away. "It was RaeAnna sir. She did it." The teacher looks taken aback like he couldn't believe who did it, i've always been a good student. The stress has really been pushing my limits lately.

"RaeAnna go to the office!" He says while pointing in the direction I need to go in. "Yes sir." I mumble and make my way there. I sit there for 15 minutes when principal Monroe finally walks out. "Come in." He tells me. I sit across from him on the brown, leather chair. "Tell me what happened. This is just not like you RaeAnna. You've always been a good student."

"I know, I've been under a lot of stress lately. She pushed my buttons, I told her to go away several times, she just wouldn't listen, then she went to grab me and I just snapped. I told her to stop bothering me."

"Wait, stress? What kind of stress could a child be under to cause them to do something as drastic as what you did out there? She had to be rushed to the hospital."

"Much more than you could imagine, sir." He looks upset by my statement. "Look, I know she started it, this isn't the first time Mary has bothered someone. That might help you, knowing her history, but you know the rules about fighting here. We will have to suspend you for a while, I'm going to need to call your grandmother."

"I..yes sir." Is all I manage to breathe out. I'm so exhausted, what is wrong with me? I've never been this tired before in my life. All I want to do is curl up in a ball and sleep this miserable life away.

(Lincoln's POV)
I've never seen her act like that before, I've noticed she has been much more tired lately and hasn't been talking as much. I need to go by her house to see if she is okay.

Mary is one of the biggest bullies at school and though I don't particularly feel bad for her, it was a bit extreme, I can admit that. Something is definitely wrong with RaeAnna. She is still, and will always be my friend regardless of what she does, I care for her too much.

"Woah dude." My friend Rylee says. "What the hell was wrong with that chick? She's a psycho." I become angry. Not even my friends will talk bad about her or say anything about her, not while I'm around. "Just shut up man! You don't know her so, stop acting like you do!" I yell out.

"Sorry man didn't mean to offe- oh, ohhh. I see what's going on. You like her don't you?" He smirks.

"Whatever, she is my friend and you will not talk about her. Ever! Got it?" All he does is nod. He knows when I'm being serious and when to drop something.

I'm worried about her, it seems like she is much more tense than usual. I need to make sure my friend is okay. I'm here for you, Ann. I'll always be here for you.