Chapter 5 The Waters of Haven: Secrets Beneath the Surface

---

I immediately become nervous but decide to be cordial. "Hey, Stephanie, what a coincidence seeing you here. It's a nice coincidence, though."

"Well, I can't say the same about you. You humiliated me today and had the guts to think I'll accept that sorry excuse of an apology." She and her cronies start moving closer to me while I keep moving back.

"It wasn't half-assed. I was truly sorry even though what happened to you wasn't my fault. Also, don't you think you're being dramatic? It was only the two of us in the restroom, and it was just water that poured on you. I saw you in a new change of clothes, meaning you sorted yourself out."

Stephanie laughs at what I just said, and it scares me. "I was being dramatic? Don't worry, I'll show you what it is to be dramatic. Girls, grab her," she orders, and they rush toward me before I can run.

"How did you get here so fast?" I ask, shocked because I hadn't even noticed them moving. Maybe I missed it out of fear.

"There are some things you and the rest of those lowlife scholarship scum will never understand about Haven," Stephanie sneers.

"What are you planning on doing to me?" I ask, visibly shaking.

"Don't worry, you'll experience it now," she says as her cronies tighten their grip on my arms. The anticipation twists my stomach into knots, making it hard to breathe. Stephanie's fist collides with my abdomen, each blow feeling like a heavy stone crashing down, stealing the air from my lungs.

I double over, gasping for breath, but the relentless punches keep coming. Pain radiates through my body, mingling with the taste of copper as blood fills my mouth. Black spots dance in my vision, threatening to engulf me as I struggle to stay conscious.

"Remember, you're a nobody in this town-and probably anywhere you'll ever go," Stephanie taunts, her words slicing through the haze of pain. "From now on, if you ever see me, turn the other direction. Do you understand me?"

My voice comes out as a strained grunt, barely audible through the agony. "Yes."

Stephanie's voice drips with a sickening mix of superiority and cruelty. "You're lucky I went easy on you. I didn't touch this pretty face of yours on purpose. Wouldn't want people to get curious now, would we?"

"No," I manage to whisper, my voice trembling with pain and defiance.

As Stephanie and her followers saunter away, leaving me crumpled on the forest floor, the pain overwhelms me, and darkness claims my consciousness.

I wake up when it's dark, feeling disoriented. It doesn't take long for the pain and memories to come crashing back before tears begin to pour from my eyes. I'm going to die here if no one comes-and no one is coming because I'm in the middle of the forest. I lay there, drifting in and out of consciousness, until I feel drops of water on my body and wake up.

"When I thought this day couldn't get worse, it does," I mutter as tears leak from my eyes again. The rain becomes heavier and drenches me until I begin to feel a tingling sensation on my belly, exactly where Stephanie had hit me.

"God, please don't let this pain get worse," I beg, raising my shirt to see my body fully healed. "I must be dreaming." I press my belly and discover the pain is completely gone. Flabbergasted, I stand up and begin my journey home.

"How did this happen? Maybe I'm dreaming," I mumble, slapping myself to make sure I'm awake.

I hypothesize different ways I could have healed but can't come up with any reasonable explanation. By the time I get home, Mum is waiting for me at the door.

"Serena!" she yells, running toward me. "Where have you been? Do you know how worried I've been?"

"I'm sorry, Mama, I-" I begin to explain but decide to keep the incident to myself. There's nothing she can do about it if she knows anyway.

"You what? Explain yourself, young lady."

"I decided to explore the town after school and got lost in the forest." I'm technically not lying.

"That's not a good excuse. You couldn't call to let me know when it started getting dark? Not to mention when I did call, you didn't answer."

"I wanted to, but there was no network there," I say, giving her my best apologetic look.

"Look at you, you're completely drenched. What will I do with you? How can you even get lost? This child of mine," she mutters, fussing over me. I stop her before it gets more embarrassing.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Mama. You don't have to worry; no more exploring for me. I'm fully explored after today," I murmur the last part.

"Good. Come inside so you can take a warm bath. I'll make soup and chamomile tea for you," she says, placing her hands on my shoulders and ushering me inside.

Once inside, I take off my wet clothes and sink into a tub filled with warm water and bubbles.

"God, this is what I need," I moan out as the water eases my aching muscles. I stay there until Mum comes knocking.

"Baby, your food will get cold if you don't come and eat now."

"Alright, Mum, let me just get dressed and I'll come out." I get out of the tub and put on comfortable pajamas. At the dining table, I eat my soup and drink my tea, both soothing my racing thoughts.

To take my mind off the traumatic events of the day, I question my mum.

"How was your day, Mum?" She gives me a sarcastic look and I add, "I mean your day before my getting lost incident."

"It was good, baby, stressful but good. There's a promotion available that I'm thinking of working toward, but I'm new so I don't know if I should apply."

"It doesn't matter if you're new. When someone is good at their job, they're good. I believe you can get this promotion if you work toward it."

"You're right. I'm going for it. It doesn't matter that I'm new. The fact remains that I'm fantastic at my job. I'm going to bed now, but don't forget to wash the dishes when you're done. I don't like dishes in the sink," she reminds me for the hundred-thousandth time.

"Yes, Mum, you've been telling me this for years. Go to bed. I love you."

"I love you too."

I wash the dishes and sweep the floor before going to bed. Lying in bed now, my mind focuses on today's events. Stephanie almost killed me today-and if she had, no one would have known it was her.

I'm puzzled about how my body miraculously healed after rainwater touched me. I link it to the tap incident, my bathwater turning cold, my tea cooling fast, and the strange dreams I've been having.

The only connection between all of them is water.

If water is the connecting factor, what does that have to do with me? I also remember how fast Stephanie's cronies moved and visibly gulp.

"There is something strange about this town, and I don't want to know what it is. No wonder Candace warned me," I whisper to myself.

I make a vow to stay away from the Untouchables from now on. If I can even avoid my classes with them, I will. My mind races until I finally fall asleep.

---

I almost skip school the next day, but I'm a terrible actress, so Mum doesn't believe me when I pretend to be sick. I make sure to avoid all the Untouchables, using my "ninja skills." I'm currently in class, and Stephanie is here; I've already prepared my game plan to dash out once the class ends.

I should drop out of school and become a professional ninja who avoids people. That doesn't even make sense.

What I don't realize is that after yesterday's incident, a much bigger problem is waiting for me.

Throughout the day, I feel eyes on me. I know it's not Stephanie because I'm actively avoiding her. When the final bell rings, no one needs to tell me to race home.

As I walk, I get lost in thought until I suddenly feel someone watching me again. Looking around, I see no one, and my heart begins to race. I quicken my pace, looking over my shoulder, but I still can't find any sign of anyone following me.

I break into a run, determined to give myself a head start in case it really is Stephanie and her gang. I sprint harder when my house comes into view, shakily unlocking and slamming the door behind me. I lock it quickly, leaning my back against it as I catch my breath.

"Why can't my life be normal?" I sigh before heading to my bedroom.

Something fishy is definitely going on in this town.

---