Chapter 10: Revelation

Arriving home, Clara and I found ourselves alone; Dad was out with his fiancée, celebrating their engagement at the Jungle Retreat in Bali. Kyle was in the living room with Claire – Kyle and Claire were dating. Claire couldn't understand why Clara was interested in me, and neither could my dad or Kyle.

Claire, who drove a white BMW X3, had started a YouTube channel focused on fashion and modeling. She craved attention, unlike Clara, who was observant and intelligent, capable of affording even more luxury than Claire if she wanted to.

Clara walked to the window, folding her arms against the cold air. I got up and placed a blanket over her shoulders. She gently gripped the blanket, turning her head to smile and placing her hand over mine.

"It's so quiet here. I like it like this," she said. "How are you feeling?"

Realizing I wasn't talking, she continued, "Anyway, I'm sorry you had to go through that. I don't know what took them so long…" She paused, as if she had said too much. "What matters is you're okay now."She brushed her index finger over my forehead, staring into my eyes.

"Clara, there's so much I want to tell you. You have nothing to be sorry for. You saved me, you stood up for me, you were the voice I never had," I thought, unable to voice my feelings.

She moved her lips closer to mine, her warm breath sending waves through my body. I cupped her cheek as she smiled.

"We should probably get some rest," she said, turning back to the window. The minutes with her felt like seconds.

As I reached for my phone, a message from an unknown number appeared:"Important notification." I swiped up to read, "Your rank has increased to #1 congratulations." Clara, noticing my puzzled look, glanced at my phone and her eyes widened.

"You're…" she paused, gulping, then quickly started typing on her phone. She looked up at me, confusion mirroring my own.

"James, there's something you need to know. I don't know how to tell you, but sooner or later you will find out."

A knock at the door interrupted her. Clara looked at me.

"Are you expecting anyone?"

"No," I shook my head and walked to the door, but Clara stopped me.

"Wait," she whispered, locking the door and moving to the window.

Three more knocks followed. We saw a tall man in a long coat and hat standing outside, his face obscured. Clara stepped back, stretching her arm in front of me.

"Who is this person in our yard?" I pushed her arm away, and the man disappeared.

"Clara, are you there?" It was Claire and Kyle at the door.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming." Clara looked pale as she opened the door.

"What happened to you guys?" Claire asked, worried. "And why are you so pale? You creep, what did you do to my sister?"Claire swung at me, but Clara grabbed her wrist.

"Nothing happened. The door got jammed," Clara lied.

Claire glared at Kyle. "Your brother," she said with hatred, pointing at me. "Why does Claire dislike me so much?" I wondered as Claire handed Clara her black leather jacket. Clara turned back to me as they exited the room. Kyle glanced at me, shaking his head.

"I wish you could talk or say something,"he said as he left.

I closed the door and stared out the window. Clara glanced back at the garden shed before switching off her room light and closing the curtain.

My phone beeped. A message from Clara: "Stay away from the window. Goodnight."

"What do you mean? What is it you want to tell me?" I replied, but only one tick showed it wasn't delivered. Her phone was off or the internet was down.

I did as she said and stayed away from the window, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. I kept checking my phone, but the message remained undelivered. Eventually, I drifted into a vivid dream.

In my dream, I stood at the top of a grand staircase, over twelve thousand men lined up on either side of a red carpet. I wore a black suit, walking down the stairs with Clara by my side. She was stunning, with a sculpted figure, burnished complexion, and constellation eyes. Her lips tasted sweet when I kissed her. As we reached the bottom, a butler opened a door, revealing the same mysterious man from earlier.

"Climb in. You've been silent for long enough. It's time you start talking. Sit beside me," he said, patting the seat next to him. I looked around, but Clara was gone.

"You don't have to worry. Clara is safe," the man assured me. "You can speak freely now. You never spoke because you feared judgment. But you don't have to carry that worry anymore. Who you are will make the world bow at your feet." He shifted his hat. "When you wake up, things will be different. You will no longer be judged, and everyone will respect you." He placed his hand on my shoulder, and I felt a sense of familiarity.

"James, wake up. Dad just arrived."

The sun blazed through my window as I opened my eyes. Grace was standing there. "Welcome back," she said.

I stood up and smiled. "You guys are back early." Grace looked confused, and I suddenly realized I had spoken.

"I'll be out shortly," I said, turning towards the mirror. My shoulders appeared broader, my hair darker, and I looked like I had put on some muscle. My eyes shifted to the right, where a black suit and polished black shoes hung. Next to them was the exact premium limited edition card from my dream, emblazoned with my initials and "#1".

I felt different. I felt powerful.