When I finished, I found Esmeralda waiting for me in my room. She stood, wringing her hands and studying my wrist. "You talked of blood in your dream the other night, and now this," she whispered.
"It's nothing," I said, changing my shirt. "It's just a scratch."
"The dreams are more often now. You need to tell me what you're feeling and if the changes I told you about are happening."
"Where are you going?" My mother asked from the doorway of my room.
It surprised us both, and Esmeralda and I jumped.
"What's going on?" my mother asked, seeing the apparent guilt on our faces.
"Nothing," I answered quickly. "I'm going to Clara's." I cringed, letting it slip.
They both looked at me, surprised.
"Clara, who?" my mother asked, as though there was more than one in my life.
I c****d my hea
