Chapter Twelve: Rest

I sneakily crept out of my car fully assured that the red head had disappeared into the mall. I hadn't been to the since my dad's anniversary and just when I find myself here I couldn't have the rest and relaxation I deserved. I yawned and rubbed my eyes fervently trying to ignore the exhaustion that had become quite acquainted with my blood, this was just another step to sleep. It seemed easier to use Rhea's time freeze to go through his bag figure out if it was him but even if by some miracle she agreed to join me, the guilt eating me up would never let me look at her. She looked too much like her brother, I'd see her as dead and devastated when the only person she loves dies.

I stood by the door frame to the electronics store where I spotted Ben and located him behind the counter with a name tag, he must have worked there. I smiled, this would make things a bit easier. I took out my purple cat hoodie and put it on trying hard to mask my face with its hood, it would look suspicious if I came here after he refused to hang out with me. I walked straight to a shelf and pretended to be intrigued by the light bulbs, I glanced at his bag and smirked at my carefully formulated plan.

Putting my hands behind my back, I pushed over the shelf of extensions and waited for the red head to run over there, it didn't take long for my distraction to work and I crawled to the bag and opened it feeling anxious, this bag could be the solution to all my current problems. I took out a notebook with his name on it and slowly opened it to build suspense, it wasn't the handwriting, and it wasn't even similar. I held back tears, I was out of suspects whoever the person was, was extremely clever. I sighed and closed the book before shoving it in the bag, I was devastated, and I wished it was Ben or even Tyson,

"Lyra…" I shrieked at the hoarse voice and looked up at Ben's lean figure, he looked confused and then a slight frown formed on his face "What are you doing here?"

"I…" I slowly got up and tripped on my shoelace before my tired body crashed into the annoyed boy, I could feel my cheeks turn scarlet as I listened to his uneven heartbeat.

"Get off me." I turned even redder and leaped off him before running off not allowing him to comment further. I ran into the parking lot, took out my car keys and walked in the moment I opened the door, I felt angry, sad and embarrassed at the same time. Angry at Ben for not being the culprit, sad because I couldn't rest and embarrassed of the previous events. I was out of suspects, it wasn't fair, and I couldn't have a moment of peace, not since I was given this curse.

The movements of people in and out of the building stopped and I sighed, I hated this job it was really stressful. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply before finding myself in the Anders' living room, my usual desperate hello seemed to be clogged up and I looked away from her. The guilt was starting to kill me from the inside and it was painful. I really wanted to tell her about the vision but my guilt only seemed to gnaw harder at that thought. The tired brunette brought her hand forward and I hesitantly placed mine before thinking back to the vision and we were off.

~~~~~~~~~

My alarm flooded the quiet room with its annoying tune and I tiredly turned it off, I barely closed my eyes let alone slept, it felt as though the vision the engraved into my brain. I walked into my bathroom and tried to stay in the warmth and lavender scent of my bathtub for as long as I could, it wasn't as comforting as it usually was and I hated it, there wasn't a place I could relax anymore. I sighed and got out the moment the bath dropped to a certain undesirable temperature, today felt like more than a school day but I hadn't circled the date on my calendar. I applied my usual lotions, got dressed, put on my makeup and tied my hair into a sloppy bun. I hung my backpack on my right shoulder and left my room.

"I'll see you later mum." I said to the woman busy in the kitchen,

"Where do you think you're going missy?" she walked out of the kitchen fully dressed with a scowl as she inspected me

"Um…school?" I answered confused and she shook her head

"You've been so tired these days, you have a gig today so no school, now hurry up and get changed." I dragged my feet upstairs and changed into a Dior shirt, shorts and a purple cashmere jacket, my makeup wasn't sloppy so I didn't have to redo it.

I freed my hair and brushed it softly before putting a headband on it. I really didn't like the kind of people who I met on my gigs, they'd just add to my stress, I sighed and left my room where my mum was impatiently checking her watch.

"We're already late come on, I'll buy you a taco at the agency. She took my hand and dragged me out of the house before I could process half of what she had just said. The car ride there was in silence and I wished time would freeze so I could get out of here, I knew better though, this was one of the few days no one died, it was annoying, I strangely wished someone would die, there were too much people in the world anyway, "We're here." I mother announced in her squeaky voice and I sluggishly got out of the car with her, "I'll go get you a taco and I'm off to work, I'll pick you up at six but if I'm late take a cab and I'll pay you back later." I nodded and walked into the giant building swarming with more bullies and fake people than my mum would ever imagine.