Chapter 3.
1106 Words
CHAPTER THREE
Beyond the Horizon
I woke up drenched in sweat, the lingering threads of a nightmare still clutching my mind. For the third night in a row, the visions had returned stronger, more vivid. Shards of light, distant voices calling my name, and shadows that seemed alive. My heart pounded as I sat up in bed, blinking against the faint morning light streaming through the lace curtains.
My room was my sanctuary, an elegant retreat from the world. Soft lavender walls framed a canopy bed draped in sheer white fabric. Books lined the shelves in neat rows, their spines catching the sunlight. A vintage vanity sat in the corner, its mirror reflecting the soft blues and whites of the room. Everything about it was calm, serene, everything I wasn’t.
A soft knock pulled me from my thoughts.
“Ari?” Lila’s voice came through the door.
I opened it to find her standing there, her ever-present energy dimmed by concern. She stepped inside, taking in my rumpled pajamas and tired eyes.
“You didn’t show up at school,” she said, folding her arms. “What’s going on?”
I sighed, sinking onto my bed. “I told Dad I wasn’t feeling well. Blame it on my monthly flow.”
Lila raised an eyebrow, then sat beside me. “And the real reason?”
I hesitated. Could I tell her about the nightmares? About the voice calling my name?
“Just… tired, I guess,” I said instead. “Yesterday was rough.”
Her expression softened. “I won’t force you to talk about it,if you ever feel comfortable to relay and talk to someone I'm here to give you an ear, Ari but you can’t let it consume you. Your dad wouldn’t want that.”
I nodded, though her words didn’t quite reach the ache in my chest.
“Now,” she said, standing up and grabbing my arm. “Get dressed. We’re going to school.”
“Lila, I”
“No excuses,” she interrupted, hands on her hips. “You’ve already missed enough. And besides, I need you there to save me from that boring geometry class.”
They both laughed, I smiled. “Fine. But that’s just because we are in our finals.”
School was the same as always chaotic, loud, and full of people I’d rather avoid.
As Lila and I walked down the cafeteria, I felt the familiar pang of unease settle in my chest. And then, like clockwork,Harden, one of the hottest guys in school, was staring at me in the courtyard“ a quiet open space close to the cafeteria”.
But then Harden walked into the cafeteria.The room seemed to hold its breath as he strode in, his broad shoulders and effortless confidence commanding attention. He was the kind of guy who didn’t need to try, everyone already worshiped him.
Including me.
I tried not to stare, but it was impossible. Harden was everything I wasn’t bold, charismatic, and utterly magnetic. He sat with his usual crowd: the athletes, the cheerleaders, and, of course, Miranda.
Miranda was everything I despised. Beautiful, ruthless, and entirely too aware of her power over people. She caught me looking and smirked, leaning closer to Harden like she was staking her claim.
Lila nudged me. “Stop drooling, Ari.”
“I wasn’t”
“You were,” she said, grinning. “But seriously, don’t waste your time on him. Guys like that are more trouble than they’re worth.”
I sighed, picking at my food. “I know. It’s just… I don’t know. He’s different.”
“He’s not different,” Lila said firmly. “He’s just good at pretending to be.”I just couldn’t argue with that.
“Well, well,” she sneered, her eyes narrowing at me. “If it isn’t the school’s resident ghost.”
Lila stepped in front of me before I could respond. “Why don’t you mind your own business, Miranda?” she snapped.
Miranda smirked. “Just give your little friend here some attention. She obviously needs it.”
“And you obviously need a personality transplant,” Lila shot back.
The crowd that had gathered snickered, and Miranda’s face flushed. Harden, to his credit, looked uncomfortable.
I kept my head down, avoiding his gaze. My heart felt like it was being pulled in two directions, one part yearning for him, the other wishing he didn’t exist.
That evening, as I sat at the dinner table with Dad, the topic of love came up.
“You’re quiet,” he said, breaking the silence. “Something on your mind?”
I hesitated, poking at my food. “Do you think… love is worth it?”
He set down his fork, his expression thoughtful. “Love is the most powerful thing in the world, Ari. It’s not just about romance it’s about connection, sacrifice, and finding pieces of yourself in someone else.”
“Sounds messy,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
He chuckled. “It is. But it’s also beautiful. Like the moon’s reflection on the water imperfect, but mesmerizing. Sometimes, you don’t see the beauty until you let yourself feel it.”
I frowned, his words swirling in my mind. “What if it’s not real? What if it’s just… infatuation?”
He smiled gently. “Then it’ll fade. But if it’s real, Ari, you’ll know. It’ll change you.”
His words stayed with me long after dinner. As I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t help but think of Harden.
“It’s just a crush,” I whispered to myself, echoing Dad’s wisdom.
But deep down, I knew it wasn’t just that or maybe it was.
“I longed for him,” I murmured, my voice barely audible. “And as much as I longed for Harden, there was something far greater waiting for me. Something the universe had chosen for my soul.
“A better version of him,” I whispered to myself, the words lingering in the air like a promise.
While sleeping, the visions returned.This time, they were clearer than ever. I saw flashes of a glowing shard, half-buried in the earth. A shadowy figure reaching for it. And a voice that felt both familiar and foreign.
“Arinaya,” it said again, stronger this time. “You must find it. The Shard of Eternity.”
I jolted awake, my heart pounding. The words echoed in my mind, refusing to fade.
What did it mean?
I didn’t know yet. But one thing was certain: my life was about to change.
- Writer
