I was afraid. Everybody could tell, but nobody would mention it either, because they felt exactly the same way.

Two months ago, I would not have been willing to risk my life for any of the people in front of me. Everything was different now. Though I would never wish to admit it, these people were my friends, and Ashton, especially, was much more than that. If I would not do it for them, I at least had to do it for the boy who had changed me in so many incredible ways.

That was why I planned to leave during the night to give myself up to Matt.

Leah was still sat on a dusty rug next to Michael's unconscious body, trying not to cry. I felt guilty at the sight of it; they were doing this because they wanted my power, and it was my responsibility to stop running from Matt and Josh and finally fight back. Even if it meant leaving Ashton, I had to go.

"Lilah, what if you could create a force field around Anna and Michael? Wouldn't that be able to stop the spell?" Luke was the first to speak, his blue eyes piercing into me. I felt vulnerable under his gaze.

"All I can do is make it rain. I wouldn't know how to create a force field," I sighed, looking at Ashton expectantly. If anybody knew what to do, it would be him. He may not have Anna's leadership qualities, but he had enough knowledge to at least try and come up with something.

"You have enough power to do it, but you're weak from the spell, and only you can know how to use your powers. If you keep denying them, you're never going to be able to use them." His voice was gentle; probably worried that I would have a breakdown or act like my usual hostile self if he spoke any harsher.

"She could do it, though," Calum added, his arms crossed over his torso. "Maybe she should try."

"She needs to rest," Ashton replied without hesitation. I hated that he was trying to make decisions for me. I could speak for myself. I had not needed him before and I certainly didn't need him now--or at least that's what I told myself.

"There's no time for rest!" Grace looked more panicked than I had ever seen her, which only made me more frightened. "Our friends are unconscious! We need to help them, now!"

"I'll try, okay?" I stood up shakily, surprised when my knees didn't give out on me. "Just give me a minute."

I sat down next to Ashton and exhaled slowly. I had no idea what I was doing, but I could at least try to help them. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine Anna and Michael's bodies in an elastic band. I pictured the elastic stretching further across them, protecting them from the invisible spell. When I opened my eyes, nothing had changed.

I tried again, and this time I could feel the power surging through my veins. It was in my fingers and my toes, but it was like trying to catch something that was always just out of reach; I was too far away, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't grasp it.

"That's enough. You look like you're going to pass out again." Ashton interrupted my focus, his fingers entwining with mine.

"I can do it. I can feel it." I squeezed my eyes shut as another wave of dizziness consumed me. I had to do this. I was so close.

"No, Lilah, stop."

"Just let her do it!" Luke's voice was surprisingly loud, making me jump. "She said she could."

"Look how pale she is, Luke!" Ashton stood up with his hands balled into fists. His eyes were glistening with anger. Luke mirrored his stance, towering above him. Still, Ashton didn't falter. "She's not doing it," Ashton continued, his voice firm.

"Ashton-" I began, only to be interrupted by Luke's angry bark.

"That's not your decision to make! Anna is lying there right now! God knows what's happening to her! If Lilah can help her, she has to!"

"Stop!" I shrieked. My head was pounding, filled with shouts and fear and confusion. I stumbled out of the living room before they could carry on, my lungs burning from lack of breath. I needed air.

I collapsed onto the grass outside of the lake house and tried to catch my breath, feeling faint again. I felt so weak, and there was that nothing I could do. I had never been like this before; my skin had always been thick and my heart had always been protected by stone. Now, it seemed like my thick skin had been replaced with paper and the stone with glass.

The only way it would ever be over was if I gave myself over to Matt.

"Lilah." Ashton had followed me out and was now crouching in front of me. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to protect you."

"I know," I whispered, running a hand through my knotted hair nervously. "But I can make my own decisions."

"We'll figure out another way."

"What if there is no other way? What if they don't stop until they have what they want?"

Before he could reply, it began to rain, the first drop landing on Ashton's eyelash. He rubbed it off without thought, and then, realising what was happening, he smirked. "You've made it rain."

As if automatically, the rain began to fall harder, droplets running down my cheeks in ragged patterns. I shook my head in disbelief, shivering from the sudden coldness. I couldn't help but be grateful for the earthy smell that I had missed so much, wishing that I could have been in my forest whilst the rain drenched through my clothes. Sitting next to Ashton beside a lake wasn't the worst place in the world either though, and maybe another time it would have been perfect. I just wish that I didn't have the events of today painfully weighing my shoulders down.

As if Ashton could read my thoughts, his face softened. "This isn't your fault, you know."

He pulled me to his chest and rested his chin on my damp hair, uncaring that we were getting unbelievably wet.

"I know you want to help, but the spell affected you too, and I don't want you keeling over on me."

"I just want all of this to be over," I admitted. "What if he never stops?"

"Listen to me." He pulled away, much to my dismay, and tilted my chin up to face him. His eyes were just as beautiful as they had always been, and suddenly I wasn't missing my forest as much as I had before. His hazel eyes with specks of green were better than any woods I had ever been to. "I'm not going to let him hurt you. We'll figure something out. I promise."

"You can't save me all the time, Ashton. I know you want to, but you know it's impossible. If they want my power, they'll find a way to get it."

He shook his head in denial. "I will do anything I can to stop them. I'll keep you safe."

Little did he know I had already made my decision.

*

It was still raining when I sneaked out of the lake house at one am. I had stolen Ashton's car keys from his coat pocket and was heading to the car when I saw it.

It was a silhouette of a boy, standing in front of the lake with his hands behind his back.

"I knew you'd come out eventually," the voice said smugly. I instantly recognised it to be Calum's. "So predictable."

My heart dropped into my stomach at his foreign tone; he sounded menacing, and looked it too: nothing but a black figure surrounded by shadows.

"Calum? What are you doing out here?" I questioned calmly, taking a few steps towards him so I could make him out more clearly. His dark eyes looked almost black, highlighted by the partial moonlight that beamed through the gaps in the clouds. He was soaking wet, but only wore a t-shirt and jeans. I had never seen him like this before. He had always been the bad boy, but he had never been scary.

And then I figured it out. I remembered his sudden interest in me keeping my power when we had been trying to come to a decision at Anna's house, and his pep talk yesterday. 'Be careful who you trust,'  he had said. He wasn't talking about Ashton; he was talking about himself.

I remembered walking in on him earlier today. He had hidden his phone as if there was something that he didn't want me to see. Straight after, the spell had caused me to faint and made Michael and Anna fall unconscious. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

"You're working with Matt, aren't you?" I desperately hoped that he would laugh and say 'no, of course not. Don't be silly.'

Instead, he smirked. "You are as smart as they say."

He didn't give me chance to reply, as he pulled something out from behind his back and hit me with it. I didn't even have time to scream from the sharp pain it caused. The darkness had drowned me before I even had time to hit the floor.

I was glad for it. I would rather sink into an endless amount of nothingness than feel my heart do the same.

AN: WAHT

WHAT

SAME

DID U ALL LIKE THE PLOT TWIST LOL I TRIED TO MAKE IT ALL TENSE AND SHOCKING BUT I'M NO MARLENE KING

GUYS

I'M STARTING A NEW LUKE FAN FIC. I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN THE FIRST CHAPTER AND I PLAN ON POSTING IT NEXT WEEK, WOULD ANYBODY BE INTERESTED IN REAADING IT???? IT'S NOT FANTASY/SUPERNATURAL LIKE THIS ONE THO

ANYWAY LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE PLOT TWIST AND THE CHAPTER IN GENERAL AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY FRIEND LEAH (CobainWannabe) WHO IS ALWAYS SO SUPPORTIVE AND ALSO Denise89 WHO ALWAYS LEAVES AMAZING COMMENTS AND JUST THANK U TO U ALL I LOVE YOU GUYS

OKAY THAT'S ALL I THINK SORRY MY AN WAS LONG I WAS EXCITED TO POST THIS CHAPTER SO IT BETTER BE GOOD OR I'LL CRY

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