Many people thought Dahlia was oblivious to the world around her, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. She noticed everything—how the storm had changed them. Airam had grown more withdrawn, often staring off into space as if lost in another realm. Freya, on the other hand, seemed perpetually on edge, overwhelmed by something she wouldn’t talk about. And then, there was Dahlia herself.
Earlier in the week, she had argued with her father about the incident in the forest. His voice had risen, sharp and unyielding. “I just want the best for you!” he shouted.
“No, you don’t! You just want to control who I’m around!” Dahlia fired back, her voice shaking with anger as she stormed toward her room. Her father had always disapproved of her friends, seeing them as a bad influence. Now, after what happened in the forest, his disapproval had hardened into something more. He wanted her to cut ties with them entirely, blaming them for what he saw as reckless behavior. But he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—understand that it had been a mistake, an accident.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Slamming her bedroom door shut, Dahlia sank onto her bed. Frustration bubbled within her, hot and relentless. She raked her fingers through her hair, trying to calm the angry thoughts swirling in her mind. On the nightstand beside her, a water bottle sat quietly. But as her emotions churned, something strange began to happen.
The water inside the bottle started to heat, tiny bubbles forming at first, then growing more intense. The soft popping sound pulled her attention. Turning her head, she stared at the bottle in confusion. It was practically sweating, condensation dripping down its sides as if it had just been pulled from an oven.
Curiosity flickered through her anger, and she reached out hesitantly. Just as her fingers brushed the bottle, the water inside erupted in a sudden, violent burst. A spray of scalding water splashed across her and the room, leaving Dahlia soaked and wide-eyed with shock.
Her breath came in uneven gasps as she stared at the mess around her, her heart pounding. The question repeated in her mind like a mantra. But deep down, beneath the confusion and disbelief, she knew the answer.
