CAIA

As we walk up the steps, I go to knock on the door before Elianna reaches past me and pushes it open and I'm hit with a wave of music, shouting and laughter. I've forgotten what it's like, to be young, and free, parties on Regnum were almost non-existent, Gage enforced so many laws parties became pointless, the only time we got to dress up was for the Chancellors ball, and that wasn't exactly the type of party teenagers wanted to be attending.

"Were you really just about to knock?" she asks with a smirk and gestures for me to go in.

"No," I mumble to myself before stepping over the threshold. Immediately the smell of alcohol and strong aftershave fills my nose making me feel slightly nauseous. 

"Don't do anything stupid. Remember, we're not here to bond with these people, we're here to save them," I say as I turn to everyone else but they've already started going off into different directions and I let out a sigh. 

"Don't worry, I see a few girls in need of saving," Kaleb says as he makes his way over to a group of girls dancing in the main room.

"Gross, I thought he was the decent brother," Elianna says, dragging me through to the kitchen. 

"He is," I shout over the music. "But he's also male." 

I watch as Elianna squeezes through the students as she makes her way to the glass cabinet with what looks like expensive alcohol.

"Elianna. I don't think that's meant to be used," I say, trying to intervene but she just shrugs her shoulders. She pulls on the cabinet door and surprisingly it opens.

"If we're not meant to drink it then it would have been locked," she says and I smirk, shaking my head. 

"Have you got permission to be in there?" A voice says from behind me and I gasp, quickly turning on the spot to see the coach from earlier on today and I let a breath out.

"You. What are you doing here, you're a coach," I say and he laughs.

"I volunteer. I'm still a student here, I just need to do a little coaching to pass my course, plus it looks good for future reference you know," he says and I force a smile.

"You're a student?" Elianna says chiming in.

"I am, I'm in my senior year," he sas and I don't even have to look at Eli to know shes got a grin spread across her face. 

"Well how about that," I say, and he looks at me confused, as Elianna raises an eyebrow.

"What?" he asks, and I shake my head.

"No, nothing. I just hadn't pegged you for a student," I say and he smiles.

"It's my dashing good looks and facial hair, isn't it," he says and I smirk before pursing my lips, unsure on how to react to his comment.

"Yeah, sure. That's what it is," I say, with a smile and he lets out a laugh. 

"I'm joking by the way, I'm not really that narcissistic," he says with a grin.

"Mm, isn't that what all narcissistic people say? Anyway, I have to go, I'm going to find people with a little less facial hair," I say and Elianna smirks, giving me a nod. "Not before I take this however." I grab hold of what I assume to be whisky and fill a red cup to the brim. I walk through the crowds of students, sipping on my whiskey. I wince as it slides down my throat, burning as it goes. I've never been one for drinking, but almost dying on my journey to Earth to be a pretend Mundane after finding out my father is alive when I have believed him to be dead for the last five years is enough to make even the sanest of people need a drink.

I take another sip as I bump into someone and I quickly look up.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going," I say and he smiles.

"No, it's my fault," he says and I just stare at him for a moment, looking at his perfect forest green eyes, and dirty blonde hair.

"You're not from around here, are you?" he asks and I quickly shake my head. 

"No. I've been here a few days." I can't help but notice the way he's looking at me, almost as if he's trying to observe me.

"That's funny, because I was so sure we had met before," he says and it clicks. I knew I had seen his face before, I just couldn't figure out where.

"Nope. Not as far as I'm aware." The panic I felt when I had my first vision all comes flooding back and I chug down the rest of my drink.

"Everything okay?" he asks and I shake my head.

"No, my throat. It burns," I say, taking a hold of my neck and he takes the cup from my hand and sniffs it.

"You're drinking whiskey?"

"It was the closest beverage to me," I say and he lets out a small laugh.

"Well judging by your reaction you've never had whiskey before, so I'll give you a heads up and let you know you'll be regretting that decision in the morning," he says and my eyes widen. 

"Come on, we'll get you something a little more ... fruity."

*****

ELIANNA

I stand awkwardly in the middle of the room, once I realise Caia has gone.

"The guys aren't gonna like that," Coach says, taking a seat in one of the armchairs in the conservatory.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Your friend seemed kinda thirsty," he says, nodding to the bottle of whiskey in my hand that is now half empty and I let out a laugh.

"Shit, I'm so sorry. I had literally no idea that she even drank," I say with a shrug and an apologetic smile, putting the bottle back on the shelf.

"No, bring it over here. No point in putting it back now, may aswell finish it," he says with a laugh, gesturing to a chair for me to sit. I hand him the bottle and he picks up two glasses from the table in front of us, fills them and hands me one.

"So, you and your friend, you've just started?" Coach asks, taking a sip from his glass.

"Yeah, we're from ... down south, fancied a change I guess," I say, stopping myself from blurting out that I'm practically an alien.

"Yeah I get that, I've not long been here myself," he says with a nod.

"What made you move?" I ask, taking a sip from my own glass, wincing slightly as it burns its way down my throat.

"Sick of the expectations my family had for me, constantly wanting me to fight their battles," he says, looking down at his glass as he spoke.

"I get that," I whisper, as his eyes meet mine, I can't help but watch how his blue eyes glow in the dim lighting. I follow his eyes as they trail the length of my body and back up again, my breath hitches slightly as his eyes meet mine again.

"I should go," he says, standing suddenly and setting his glass on the table. I stand, putting my glass down carefully and watch as he walks towards the door.

"Sorry, there's just something I need to do. I'll see you around campus," he says opening the door to let the music and laughter fill the empty room I'm stood in.

"Wait," I say, taking a step forward and he turns around. "What's your name?"

"Lucas."

"Elianna," I say quietly.

"I'll see you around Eli," and with that he closes the door behind him and I slump back into the chair, releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding.

*****

CAIA

I follow the guy from the clearing into the kitchen, trying to find my way out before he realises who I am. Just as I spot the back door he hands me a red cup full of a fruity smelling liquid, and I look up at him hesitantly.

"Fruit punch. There's a bit of a kick to it, so I wouldn't drink too much but it's definitely better  than drinking straight whiskey," he says with a laugh.

"I, um-"

"You don't trust me do you?" he says and I pinch my lips, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable.

"No, it's just-"

"Here," he says, taking the cup from me, taking a sip. He moves the cup away from his face, as he smiles at me. "I'm not trying to kill you off, don't panic." 

I take the cup from his hand as he lets out a small laugh and I smile before taking a sip, welcoming the way it slides down my throat, compared to the burning of the whiskey.

"That's much better," I say, smiling at him when he nods his head, a grin plastered on his face. I can't believe what I'm doing, first I down almost half a bottle of whiskey, and now I'm taking drinks from the guy who see me practically posing with the dismantled pod from another planet.

"I thought you'd approve," he says, when I head someone call my name and I turn on the spot/

"Oh, you made it then," I say, as Mara tugs on her black body con dress.

"I had to get changed ... twice," she says with a laugh. "Where is everyone?"

"Um, I last see Eli in the kitchen, Kaleb went to chat to some girls, and I have no idea where the others are, just grab a drink and mingle," I say and she nods.

"That I can do," she says, grabbing herself a fruit punch as a girl squeals her name, calling her over.

"Who's that?"

"My roommate, I'll catch you later," she says and I smile. 

"That's Mara," I say, like he's meant to know who she is and he narrows his eyes.

"She's new here too, we moved here together," I say and he laughs.

"No, I got that part. I just don't understand why I get to know her name, but I don't get to know yours," he says and I purse my lips, as I feel the heat rise to my cheeks.

"Caia ... Arden," I say and he grins.

"Oh, that's where I know you from," he says and my breath hitches. "You're Barbie, from the sports hall."

"Barbie?" I ask and he laughs.

"The blonde hair," he says and I let out a breath. "You brothers have joined the football team ... and um, their two friends ... Sam and Maxx?"

"Sawyer," I say and he smirks.

"That'll be the one. The ladies have taken a liking to him."

"They have?" I ask and he nods his head.

"So what about you? Do you have a name?" I ask and he nods again.

"Carson, Matthews," he says with a half smile as someone pushes in between us and forces her tongue down his throat. I take a step back and stand awkwardly, staring at my feet, just waiting for them to finally stop.

"Hello, Maddison," he says, gently pushing her away and I roll my eyes when I realise who it is. I can't help but notice the weird feeling I have in the pit of my stomach. The sight of her kissing him makes me almost angry, and yet at the same time I know I have little to no reason to care. 

"I've missed you Carson," she says, with a high pitched, whiny voice and I screw my face up.

"So much so, you had your arms wrapped around Sawyer's waist and stained his cheek red with a kiss, but that's none of my business," I say, taking a sip from my cup and turning on the spot as I begin to walk away.

"You jealous whore!" she screams over the music and my mouth falls slack with shock as I clench my fist, turning fast on the spot, heading back towards her.

"Listen here you distasteful little bi-" I'm ready to hit her when I'm cut off my Sawyer grabbing hold of my arm, and taking the cup from the grasp of my hand before pulling me towards him.

"Outside. Now."

"You can't tell her what to do like that," Carson says, piping up, when Sawyer glares at him. 

"That's funny, because I think I just have. Caia," he says, walking towards the door and I follow behind.

+++

Sawyer pulls on the front door; cold air instantly surrounding my body, sending goosebumps all over my arms. 

"What was that?" he says with a stern tone and I take a breath. I haven't been spoken to in that tone since I was a child

"What?" I snap.

"Don't play stupid with me Caia, I'm a Sensus."

"Don't you play the Sensus card with me, Sawyer. Oh look at me I'm a Sensus, I can predict when people are going to use their abilities," I say, as a drop of rain lands on my cheek and I look up to be met with flashes of lightening, quickly followed by a rumble of thunder that rolls across the sky. The wind quickly picks up, so does the rain and my hair, along with the trees and the bushes, thrashing about in the gusts that follow.

"Caia. Cut it out!" Sawyer yells, shielding his eyes from bark and debris.

"I'm doing this?" I ask, not even realising the heat that's rising from my clenched fists, sending pins and needles through my veins as it goes. The bitterness in the air no longer bothering me. 

"No shit! Now stop it before you cause some real damage," he says, scowling when a loose branch scrapes his cheek, leaving a trail of blood behind it. I quickly try to channel the heat in my hands but it's as though I'm giving it more power as the wind and rain pick up even more, the thunder roaring even louder than before.

"Why isn't it stopping?" I shout over the clapping of the thunder.

"Concentrate Caia, channel your energy. Tell it what you want it to do," he says, shielding his eyes from the rain. I take a breath; slowly un-clenching my fists, I feel the sparks of energy shoot across my palms. With the next breath I inhale and close my eyes, drawing the remainder of the energy coursing within me to the palms of my hands. I hold my arms out in front of me as a bolt of light leaves each hand, taking the energy with it.

As the heat begins to leave my body; I hear shouting from inside the house, followed by a crash and then a bang as the energy leaves my palms much too quickly. I open my eyes to see that the storm has stopped but looking to my left I notice the cause of the loud bang. During the quick release of energy a tree had fallen onto someone's truck, completely crushing it.

"Caia! What the hell?" Sawyer says, standing beside me, examining the now crushed frat boy truck.

"That'll buff right out," I say and he lets out a breath and I shrug my shoulders with a grimace.