1 Chapter 1

It was a cold morning in the suburbs of New York City. Clara was walking to school as normal. She was smart, very smart actually. Clara was a senior and only thirteen.

Everyone in the senior year hated Clara. She had a photographic memory and had a hard time making friends from the age difference. Even with that she was still very pretty. Her eyes were a pale green with dark brown hair. Her hair fell to her shoulders and it was curly so it was even longer. All the teachers adored her because she always knew the answer but sometimes they hated her since she would prove them wrong.

This normal day wouldn't be so normal. It was a field trip day and the seniors were headed to a career path center. It had places to try different jobs and an area with colleges they could apply to. During the field trip Clara's head began to hurt

There was one thing no one knew about her. Clara could hear thoughts. She was telepathic. Telling no one was the way she lived, hearing everyone's dark secrets and not meaning to. She heard every horrible thought people had of her and worst of all she could hear the thoughts that were never meant to be heard.

Clara decided to go to one of the university tables that was close to the back. She knew if was pointless, no way would her mom let her go anywhere but the community college nearby. No traveling and no going anywhere without someone she knew, those were the main rules now. Last year was different, she wasn't allowed to get off the bus until her mom or dad was there to walk her home, wasn't allowed out with anyone not that she had any friends but it was just unfair.

"Why do you even bother looking at these universities huh? You know your mommy would never let you out of her site, I'm surprised she doesn't wait at the school bus for you anymore." Clara's classmate began picking on her out of nowhere.

"Knock it off Gerard. Just because I can't go now doesn't mean I don't want to in the future," she began to walk away but Gerard grabbed her by her backpack.

"Yeah right. You are still a child and no one wants that at their university or even the community college. Maybe you should just give up now know it all," he kept going which was really ticking Clara off.

"Look just because you feel like you won't get into a college doesn't mean you need to project that one me," Clara said quickly before she could stop herself. That was her largest issues, she couldn't stop her words sometimes.

"You want to repeat yourself brat?" Gerard had picked Clara up at this point by the backpack.

"Just put me down!" Clara shouted a little and struggled to make him let go.

"Oh no you are gonna pay up for what you said to me," Gerard took her backpack off her and dropped her on the ground.

"Gerard stop!" Clara struggled getting back up a little, the drop definitely left a bruise even though it wasn't that far. "I am sorry okay! I am sure you'll get into whatever university you want."

"Nice try but too late now." He began going through her bag... she didn't have money today but a lunch and he'd steal that. He was a tall guy and an athlete so he typically ate a lot. "There it is, so many books ugh." Gerard threw the bag back at Clara which made her groan.

There were two books in there because Clara knew she'd be bored after the first few booths and wanted to read. They weren't light books either and weighted a decent amount. She slowly got up and any dirt off her from being on the ground.

Clara went over to the Harvard University booth that they had. It was very nicely done and she enjoyed looking at it. "Hello, I was just wondering if you could tell me about Harvard? Besides the usual," Clara asked the man behind the booth.

"Well as you know it's one of the top universities in the United States which is why we only take the best. You'd have to wait until you graduate though to apply, you do look a little young." The man pointed out that very obvious fact.

"Yes I know. I am a thirteen year old senior so that means I could apply," Clara added that and the man had a face of confusion.

"Mind if I ask how you are thirteen and a senior kid?" That question was always asked to Clara so she was used to it.

"Photographic memory so once I see something I know it. Useful in some ways and the worse thing ever in others," Clara smiled as she explained quickly. After a little bit more of a conversation like random questions the man believed she didn't know the answer to she moved on.

Later on when she was finding a place to read she caught on to a few thoughts about a cute guy hanging around. From the sounds of it, he wasn't talking to any of the girls and just slouched against the wall. Clara ignored it somewhat until she accidentally wondered over to the area which was a good place to read.

The guy took one look at her and walked straight over to her, which was freaking all the other girls out. "Her really? She's like thirteen come on!" One girl complained loudly, causing the guy to look back with a rather mean stare.

He came closer and stopped right beside her, freaking Clara out. "Look we need to talk about something but not here. I know you don't know me but I know you," he whispered so only she could hear.

"You sound insane so leave me alone," Clara began to walk away but he grabbed her. "Let me go you creep!"

"Calm down please I need to talk to you about something," he still kept his voice as low as he could. It was really annoying.

"Look I don't know you so there is nothing to talk about. Just leave me alone already, " Clara pulled her arm out his grip and walked off. The rest of the day was alright. Clara decided not to tell anyone about the incident because she knew nothing would come of it. He didn't really do anything wrong besides creep Clara out.

The next day of the trip wasn't much better. They went back to the same building because there was a place for the class to try out different careers like what they'd have to do. If was interesting but mostly physical working jobs and not intellectual based jobs. There was nothing for Clara to do besides maybe talking to the science laboratory area about working in one. They can't exactly let people play around with chemicals unless they know what they were doing.

Back to another area in the building to read. Clara had three books today since there was truly nothing for her to do. She could hear all the excitement of doing the policing and EMTs exercises from the other seniors. She was well into her book before anything happened.

It was that gut wrenching feeling Clara had that someone was staring at her. She didn't look around to see if anyone was, instead deciding to move. Clara was farther from the teachers than she should have been so she started walking towards them. She couldn't get too close as that guy from before walked into the path and turned to Clara.

"Hey Clara. I am sorry for frightening you yesterday but we do need to talk," his voice was much more gentle then yesterday.

"You know my name? How? I never told you my name," she stepped back. It wasn't a big step but the guy didn't let that gap stay and moved forward as well.

"Because you are the one I am looking for. I know it is scary but I know," he had his hands up as if it made him any less scary but it didn't. To Clara it meant he could grab her faster that way. She had to be louder."Why do you keep pestering me? Don't you have something better to do?" Clara finally yelled.

"Keep your voice down would you? I am not some creep okay. Just listen. I know you can hear thoughts and that's how you came over to me. I saw your reaction even though the girls said nothing yesterday. " the guy explained and smiled when he say her nod, "Also that part wasn't out loud so thank you for proving my point."

"What do you want?" Clara was demanding as no one ever knew her secret. It wasn't exactly something people would understand.

The guy held out his hand, " I am Philip and I am here to bring you home finally. I have known who you are because I brought you here to protect you. It's time you finally came home. " Philip smiled at Clara.

She didn't believe him, the nonsense he was saying. What a madman? Bringing me home when I already have a family. "I think you are mistaken Philip. Although I hear thoughts I am not the person you are looking for." Clara turned and began to walk away but he grabbed her. "What the hell do you want? I told you I am not the right person. "

"Clara, you are the right person. I would know. You are a different type of human from a different world. Bad people are after you and now that you are old enough you need to be taken back and have your other abilities triggered and trained on. You have a destiny waiting for you and it is time you began it. " Philip was using telepathy to communicate with her so no one would question what was going on. "Just think whatever you want to say so I can hear it okay? Don't speak out loud."

"How are you gonna prove this? There isn't another world and I have no destiny that I need to fulfill. This is crazy. " But she thought it because she listened. Clara believe some of it but not all.

"Fine then I will meet you on your way home and show you where you and I are from. You just have to be able to handle it Clara." Philip turned around and walked away, leaving Clara completely confused.

Clara couldn't stop thinking about the encounter. She was from a community outside of New York not some other world. Her parents would realize that wouldn't they? That she wasn't their kid.

She got her mind off of it by going back to her books. Clara wasn't ready to head home when it was actually time to. She was tempted to call her mom to pick her up. That's when it hit her. Philip some how knew where Clara lived just like he somehow knew her name. She didn't even know who exactly he was and that really made it harder.

Clara finally decided against calling her mom. In some insane way, Clara kind of understood what Philip was talking about because she looked nothing like her family. Her emerald green eyes weren't from anyone in her family as they all had the same colored eyes.

When she got off the bus she was still freaking out about the whole thing. It only got worse when she saw Philip... It was true he knew where she lived and it left so many more questions.

"If you knew where I lived how come you met with me in public?" Clara asked as she walked closer.

"Because it was much easier. Your parents wouldn't have let some strange teenager talk to their daughter. Your parents were a great match with the protection you needed," he smiled at her and they began to walk over to the community pool.

"Here? What's so special about here?" Clara looked around a bit. In all honesty she'd hardly been to the community pool. There was no point when she didn't really enjoy swimming and had no friends to have fun with.

"Well this is where the portal is linked," and as soon as he said that, a portal opened very quickly.