"What's wrong, Ava?" he asked when he got into the driver's seat. Instead of starting the car he turned to me and watched me as I continued to ignore him and stared out of the windshield of the car. Emma still stood in the same spot where Jared had left her and she was watching us.

"Nothing," I muttered before I averted my gaze from Emma and stared out of the side window. I had no right to be jealous because we were only pretending and when this was all over he would be free to be able to date whomever he wanted, even Emma. As much as it hurt, I would need to find a way to face it without my heart crumbling into a million little pieces.

I heard Jared release a heavy sigh before he started up the car. The drive home was quiet. I kept my eyes fixed on the scenery outside and I felt relief when we pulled into our street. I couldn't wait to get away from him so I could try and mend my slightly bruised heart.

My relief quickly evaporated when, after he parked his car outside my house, he followed me into my house. I was still mad at him and I wanted to be alone. I understood he needed to be here with me to keep me safe but I was going to end up saying something I regretted if I didn't get some space from him.

I walked straight to my room and closed the door. I dropped my school bag next to my desk.

Five minutes later I heard the doorbell ring. By the time I got to the top of the stairs Jared had opened the door and I saw Tyler standing in the doorway.

What was he doing here? Then I remembered every time he just showed up like this it meant he wanted to take me for training. At the moment I would do anything to escape Jared for a couple of hours so I could pull myself together.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Jared asked Tyler and then he glanced back to see me on the stairs.

"Yes, it is essential especially when we know she's in danger," Tyler insisted as he stepped through the doorway. I wasn't sure why Jared was being so difficult about it. Tyler was right; the sooner I got trained up the sooner I could protect myself. It would also better my chances of being able to protect myself against this unknown evil that was coming for me.

"He's right," I insisted as I stood in front of them. Jared still didn't seem to be happy about letting me go with Tyler.

"I'll protect her with my life," Tyler promised when Jared hesitated. Jared then glanced from me to Tyler and ran his hand through his hair. It was a sure sign that he was agitated.

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "You call me as soon as you're back home," he instructed me as he held my gaze.

Relieved I was going to get the space I needed, I nodded my head in agreement.

"Okay, I'll see you later," he said before he turned and left.

"Why is he so reluctant to let you take me for training?" I asked Tyler as we walked outside onto the porch. I closed the front door and then we walked side by side down the path to the road.

"I'm not sure," he admitted as we took our usual route to the clearing.

It was only when we came to a stop in the clearing that I realized I hadn't told Tyler I'd managed to exert energy. I'd got it right just before Kennedy died. I wondered if I would ever think of her name without feeling a physical pain in my heart and an overwhelming feeling of guilt.

"I've got something to show you," I said cheerfully.

"Really?" he asked, giving me his undivided attention.

I held my hand open and closed my eyes. I remembered the feel of anger at the thought of Jared and Emma standing outside the school entrance today. I let the anger fill me and overwhelm me. It was then I could feel the throb of the energy inside me in sync with the beating of my heart.

"Wow," I heard Tyler whisper in awe. I knew it had worked. I slowly opened my eyes, the familiar silver tint to my surroundings confirming I was exerting energy. A blue flame of energy danced in the palm of my hand. Tyler's eyes were fixed on it and then his eyes flickered to me, pride shining from his eyes.

I closed my hand and I felt the energy draw back into my body. My eyesight returned to normal.

"How do you feel?" he asked, looking a little perplexed.

"I feel fine, why?" I asked.

"It's just that it takes a lot of practice not to exert too much energy so that we avoid feeling completely wiped out," he explained, looking very surprised.

"I honestly feel fine," I reassured him.

"Maybe it has something to do with having both of the energies," he mumbled to himself. I shrugged because I had no clue why I could do what they couldn't.

"Have you managed to expel any energy?" he asked, his mind firmly back on the training.

"I did try but all I managed to do was singe some grass," I answered, and he smiled as he tried to suppress a chuckle at my apt description. I mirrored his smile. It wasn't often he was this at ease. He was usually so serious all the time so I loved these moments when I saw the softer side of him, when he wasn't so guarded. It was nice and I wished it happened more often.

"I shouldn't laugh because you actually managed to exert some even if it was only enough to kill some grass," he said, trying to suppress a smile.

"The trick to exerting the energy is to point your hand at the object and then you need to harness the energy and exert it," he explained as he held out his own hand. I watched as he opened his hand and in the middle I saw a flame of white energy flicker. Then he pointed his hand to a tree with his hand still open and the palm facing the target. Brilliant white energy shot out of his hand and hit the tree. A round burn-like mark on the trunk of the tree where his energy had hit was the only hint of the action. It was strange to think that I would be capable of doing that.

"Now it's your turn," he said, turning to face me.

"No laughing," I insisted with a wave of my finger at him. I knew he was going to laugh at me when he saw what little damage I could do when I exerted power. Even I had to try and suppress a giggle when I remembered singeing the grass.

"I'm not promising anything," he replied while smiling at me.

I opened my hand and directed it to the tree he'd just hit. I allowed the anger to overwhelm me and I felt the flicker of energy in my hand. I tried to shoot the energy out of my hand like Tyler had but instead of shooting out my hand it did more of a belly flop and landed a foot away, burning a little round patch of grass.

Laughter erupted next to me and I glared at Tyler playfully even though I was trying to suppress my own smile.

When Tyler finally stopped laughing I tried again. This time it belly flopped a little farther away, leaving another patch of burned grass. Tyler just smiled but I could see him trying to hold another chuckle in.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd had this much fun. We spent the next hour trying to get me to exert enough energy to shoot to the tree but all I'd managed to do was make a little path of round patches of burned grass leading toward the tree.

"I think it's time to go back," Tyler said, taking in the darkening light.

I didn't want to go back. At least here with Tyler I was having fun. I'd managed to forget about Kennedy and my heartbreak for the time we'd been in the clearing. Going back meant remembering Kennedy and seeing Jared, which would only increase my heartache. I wanted to stay here in the clearing and forget about everything.

Reluctantly, I walked back beside Tyler.

"So how are things going?" he asked as we reached the edge of the clearing.

"With what?" I asked.

"With Jared," he said. He gave me a side glance but I tried to shrug it off.

Surely Tyler knew that we were just pretend-dating so Jared could keep a closer eye on me.

"You do know that we're not really back together, right?" I revealed as we started walking through the forest.

"Yeah, I know," he replied.

"It's the same as it was before. Nothing has changed." Putting my heartbreak into words was hard. I was so tired of feeling these emotions, I wished I could flick a switch and feel nothing.

"He'll come around," he assured me with a brief side glance. I wasn't convinced. I didn't think he would ever get over my betrayal and even if I could go back in time and have a chance to do things differently, I wouldn't. I would follow the exact same path and make the same decisions.