His Possession To Claim

The thick trees blurred as Aria's eyes welled with tears. Her legs felt like they were weighed down by lead, but she couldn't afford to stop. Her blood-soaked clothes clung to her skin, her tangled hair whipping against her face as she pushed forward. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to keep moving.

She didn't dare look back—she knew what was lurking. Each step forward felt heavier than the last. The trees stretched endlessly, their dark shadows casting sinister shapes in the dim light. Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed her leg, yanking her to the ground.

The earth was cold and damp beneath her palms as she tried to scramble away, but the pull on her leg only grew stronger. She felt it in her bones—a sinister presence loomed close, its darkness seeping into her core.

"Don't look back!" her father's voice echoed through out the forest, clear and commanding. It was the one thing keeping her grounded. Yet, before she could rise, the cold grip on her ankle dragged her closer to whatever horror was behind her. Aria screamed, clawing at the mud for any purchase, but it was useless.

The chill intensified as she could feel a cold breath fanning her gently. She could feel its iciness at the nape of her neck. Goosebumps erupted across her skin as a voice, deep and otherworldly, whispered into her ear. "Turn."

Aria's mind warred with itself. She knew she shouldn't, but the voice seemed to pull her, coaxing her, wrapping around her thoughts like a web. Against her will, her body began to move, her head twisting ever so slightly toward the abyss.

When her gaze finally fell on the space behind her, she saw nothing—only an endless void. Her chest tightened in fear as smoke began to swirl and form in the emptiness, creeping closer. It reached out like tendrils, threatening to swallow her whole,she screamed but it did nothing but engulfed her whole against her will.

"Earth to Ria!" Suddenly, a voice intruded.

Aria's eyes snapped open. She blinked, momentarily disoriented, before recognizing Jenny's face leaning over her. "Ria, wake up!" her best friend urged, poking her arm hard with relentless determination,her eyes darted through the class as she could still feel the shards of the dream. She couldn't tell which was real and which was not.

Aria sat up abruptly, her heart still pounding in her chest. Her surroundings came into focus. The thick, shadowy forest faded, replaced by the lush greenery of a farm. Vibrant flowers lined the edges of the open field, their sweet scent carried on the soft breeze. It would have been beautiful if not for the dozen pairs of eyes staring at her.

Did she just fall asleep in the middle of a class seminar? she whispered, mortified. The realization hit her like a truck. She turned to see Mr. Andrew, their biology professor, fixing her with a stern, unimpressed gaze. That gaze alone was enough to make her want to crawl under a rock.

The class was clearly not amused. Everyone looked exhausted and irritable. The intense summer sun had sapped their energy, and they were probably hungry, judging by the annoyed glares. Now, Aria was delaying them further. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead as she scrambled for an excuse, but none came.

Mr. Andrew folded his arms, his eyebrows raised. It was his signature "what was the last thing I said?" look, one she'd seen him use on other unfortunate students before. Aria had always managed to avoid his wrath—until now.

Jenny nudged her subtly. Aria glanced at her, desperate for a lifeline, but all she could see was Jenny's raised hands, pressed together in a diving motion.

What is that supposed to mean? What is her hand doing? Aria thought, panicking. Had she missed the whole lesson? She was completely doomed.

She squinted at Jenny's hands again,this time putting in more effort, trying to decipher their meaning,maybe it might actually pay off this time around,but the gestures only confused her more. Before she knew it,Jenny switched to another motion, wriggling her fingers like two strands twisting together. It still made no sense.

Aria's eyes began darting around, searching for any clue. The whiteboard was blank. The projector wasn't even on. Her panic deepened as Mr. Andrew cleared his throat impatiently.

"Miss Aria, we don't have all day,what was the last thing I said?" he asked firmly. Mr Andrew had seen her fall asleep almost at the beginning of the class but thought she would wake up as soon as possible,but she kept at it instead, it was almost the end of the class.

Aria was no doubt one of his best student,but he wasn't going to be partial and go easy on her.

"Uhm… uh…" Aria stammered, her mind blank as the silence in the room grew heavier.

A smirk caught her eye. She turned to see Daphne, her ever-present rival, watching her downfall with obvious glee. Daphne's expression radiated smugness, as if she were savoring every moment of Aria's humiliation. Aria quickly averted her eyes; refusing to give her the satisfaction. As her eyes drifted elsewhere, they collided with anothers—intense, piercing, and undeniably captivating. Her heart skipped a beat, doing an awkward double spin, while butterflies exploded in her stomach. Her eyes almost popped out as she swallowed hard, feeling like she'd just been hit by a truck of emotion.

He was in class? She thought he heard him saying he wasn't feeling well and skipped? Of all the times to be a complete idiot, it had to be in front of Jared. Aria silently scolded herself, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Uhm…" She took a deep breath, deciding to focus on Jenny. There had to be a glimmer of hope somewhere, right? She turned to Jenny, whose hands this time were now swimming around each other in the most absurd,rhythmic motion.

"Where did I get this friend from?" Aria cried inwardly, her expression betraying her confusion. Jenny, noticing Aria's perplexed look, immediately positioned her hands in front of her legs like some sort of mystical dance, causing Aria to scrunch her face in disbelief. Was this some weird code she was supposed to decipher? She couldn't help but give Jenny a side glare while trying to grab whatever that was.

"What is going on over there?" Mr. Andrew's voice sliced through the air, pulling everyone's attention back to the class. The class was almost over and the remaining time was definitely being abused by someone he least expected. "Jenny?" he asked, raising an eyebrow with the kind of skepticism only a tired professor could muster.

"Nothing, ju…just uhm…" Aria trailed off, eyes scanning the room again. She caught sight of Daphne's smug grin—her favorite look when Aria was losing. The rivalry between them had always been at a constant, and it was clear Daphne was thrilled to watch Aria take a fall,she ignored her not before quickly stealing a glance at Jared—her 'sweetheart,but he had his back turned against her. Was he disappointed? Aria couldn't really say as the pit in her stomach only deepened. She felt like a stray puppy that had been abandoned,she couldn't help but pout,her eyes losing its twinkle from earlier.

"We don't have all day" Mr Andrew added with a more stricter tone. Just as she was about to look away, Jared made a sharp turn, causing her to pull her gaze away from him,directing it towards the professor, her heart practically jumping out of her chest.

"Fish," Aria blurted out in the worst possible moment, earning a loud scoff from Daphne that could've been heard across the class.

"Excuse me?" Mr. Andrew's voice was flat, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard,and this time it came in loud and clear. "You were talking about the fish in the aquarium." Jenny, who had been wildly gesturing with her hands like a mime in distress, shot Aria an angry side-eye. All her efforts had gone down the drain without any right done to it, the injustice. "Fish? Really? Are we marine biologists now? How exactly does that relate to DNA replication?" Jenny muttered, throwing her hands up in disbelief.

Aria glanced up at the professor with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes. Maybe—just maybe—she'd miraculously got it right? But no, she was met with a room full of laughter,her professor was so disappointed that he shook his head in disbelief.

"Some people are just a lost cause," Daphne's voice rang out loud enough for everyone to hear,most especially the recipient it was intended for. It was a direct hit, and Aria felt it. Her eyes squeezed shut as she silently cursed herself. And Jenny, why couldn't she just give me something she could work with? Frustration was written all over her face. She didn't need to say it out loud; her eyes and expression did all the talking. She threw Jenny a sarcastic "Great job, friend. Well done!" look, only to have the same look,even more intense coming back from Jenny.

Aria shot her a look that could melt steel. The nerve of Jenny to give her that look. "You better tell me where you got that kind of guts. Did it come with a free toy in the bottom of a cereal box?" She grumbled grumpily.

She glanced over at Jared again, only to find him still scribbling in his notebook, his back firmly turned against her. This sent Aria into another spiral of annoyance, and she turned her attention back to Jenny, ready to unleash. They locked eyes, neither of them willing to give an inch. "The nerve," Aria said, almost unable to contain the frustration earning a loud scoff from both friends,who promptly turned their faces away from each other in dramatic unison

"Alright, class dismissed," Mr. Andrew declared, as if he couldn't wait to be rid of the chaos. "Except you Miss Aria,wait behind." The rest of the students gathered their things and filed out of the classroom, leaving Aria to face the music.

"Looks like someone will finally be getting the lecture that might better their lives," Daphne tossed over her shoulder with a smirk, practically skipping out of the the class. The other students followed on cue sluggishly dragging themselves.

"Great," Aria muttered under her breath.

Jenny crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Excuse me? I was trying to help! You're the one who turned 'DNA replication' into 'fishes in the aquarium.'"

Aria groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I can't believe this is happening," she mumbled.

Jenny leaned closer, lowering her voice. "At least Jared was here to see the show. You'll be the talk of the week now."

"You can say that again" Aria replied, her voice muffled by her hands.

As Mr. Andrew approached,Jenny needed no one to tell her her time was up exiting the space. Aria straightened up, bracing herself for the lecture she knew was coming. Today was officially the worst.