Clash of Power by arabian (short books to read TXT) 📖

angry grimace. He lunged for the faery who had tried to hurt me. I looked down at the ground and covered my ears but it wasn’t enough. I could still hear the sickening tearing, crunching, and the wretched screams of pain.
When it had been quiet for a few minutes I looked up and saw Erin standing there looking at me strangely. Behind him was red. Red gravel, red trees, red leaves, and pieces of pale flesh and bone scattered all around the ground. I started to tremble so badly that my leg gave me immense pain.
After a few seconds of shaking I got myself under control. My broken leg needed immediate attention so I ignored Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome while I realigned my leg. My bone made a snapping noise when I got it back to straight.
“No, you shouldn’t--” Erin started but trailed into silence when he saw me stand up. “But, your---“ he sputtered uncomprehending.
“Let’s go.” I said in a dangerous voice. He seemed to understand that if we stayed here with the red I would give into the fear that should be inside me but isn’t. He walked over to his car and opened the passenger side door. I have to admit he is the quite the gentleman. My God. I just had a near death experience and I was thinking about how Erin is a gentleman.
I laughed at the absurdity of the fact that I was lusting over Erin even though I was almost murdered. Erin now pulling smoothly onto the gravel road looked at me as though I was some exotic animal that had just sprouted a third head. I giggled a little bit at his expression then stopped.
“I think I’m just slap-happy, Erin, don’t worry.” I reassured him. He didn’t look very reassured. I turned up the radio and listened to one of my favorite songs: “Evacuate the Dancefloor” by Cascada. I danced in my seat and acted as if nothing had happened.
When Erin pulled into the driveway I dusted myself off. Luckily whatever his name is didn’t ruin my dress.
“See you on Monday,” I said brightly. Erin looked a little worried as I grabbed my things. When I was up on the porch just before I closed the door I waved.

That Monday I was elated because it was the last week of school before Summer Vacation started. When I saw Erin he looked at me with an inscrutable expression on his face. I hugged him and greeted him with a bright cheery good morning. He glowered at me and stomped into the band room.
“What was all that about?” asked Lauren who looked thoroughly confused. Then she brightened and asked, “Did he kiss you?”
“No, of course not.” I said annoyed. Lauren looked crest fallen when she heard this.
“He was supposed to kiss you.” She said whining like a small child. Then her face became absolutely elated.
“Let me guess,” I said rolling my eyes but glad for the subject change. “Arnold’s here.”
“Yep.” She crowed happily. Arnold is Lauren’s newly acquired boyfriend who has red hair green eyes and a six pack that Lauren happily drools over. Contrary to his name he’s a cool and totally hot rocker guy. His favorite band is My Chemical Romance and he believes that school is prison for kids who haven’t committed crimes. I agree with that last bit.
“Hey,” he said in general greeting as he wrapped his arms around Lauren and looked at our little social group.
Rrrrrriiiiiinnnnnnggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“See ya’ll later.” I tossed over my shoulder as I hurried to band. I was so glad they couldn’t see me because since Erin had started coming to school the halls were teaming with faeries. I swear since he came the amount of faeries has more than tripled and whenever they saw me they would start whispering among themselves. One time when I was trying to ignore them I heard them say something about something about the summer king wanting his best warrior to find a suitable mortal for something.
The day seemed to fly by because I was looking forward to my friends and my plans. Today Erin’s driving us to Seattle to go shopping and see a totally awesome action movie that we’ve been waiting for to come out for like, ever. I fidgeted in technology foundations as I watched the clock. Each minute seemed to pass so slowly than I finally gave up and focused on our assignment. I was so absorbed that I jumped when the bell finally rang.
I hurriedly shoved my stuff in my bag not caring what crumpled or ripped. It’s the last week of school I could afford to be a little careless. I flew down the rickety old stairs whose sky blue paint was pealing to the ground floor where different machines were scattered around for the people who worked in wood shop and other miscellaneous classes. I swept through the doorway just barely making it through before the rushing tide of fleeing students clogged the halls.
After depositing my extra stuff at my locker I sped out into the parking lot looking for my band of friends. It really wasn’t very hard to spot them since Erin was the only person in the school who owned a Porsche and there always seemed to be a small crowd of car enthusiasts surrounding his car.
I walked into the midst of my little gaggle of friends and was totally ignored. I knew they could see me but they all just gave me the cold shoulder. The small amount of them who did acknowledge me glowered at me so intensely that I was at an absolute loss for words. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath then opened them again and started to speak but was cut off by Lauren who was acting as the spokesperson for the group.
“What the hell is your problem.”
“Wha—“I started but she cut me off again.
“We know that you’ve been telling the whole school Tessa and I have been sleeping around.”
I was so appalled it took me a moment to answer. “Where did you here this from exactly?”
“Maria of course,” she said snidely then sniffed.
Maria is a new friend of ours who is a faery who wears the glamour of a supermodelly looking girl. Her true self is something to rival the looks of Medusa.
“Lauren,” I sighed before continuing,” I’ve never breathed a word of such an atrocity. You know I never would and the fact that you even believe that really does hurt my feelings but you guys have never been and never will be whores so will you listen to the truth in my voice or some rumor that’s been going around. And anyway, I’ve never even used you guys’ names in the same sentence and that phrase you just told me.”
I looked Lauren straight in the eyes as I said this then when I saw the remorse in her eyes I smiled but didn’t give her a chance to answer, “Now are we going shopping for totally sexy dresses for the summer dance or are we going to stand here arguing all day.”
Everybody seemed relieved not to have to deal with the scene that would have followed if they hadn’t believed me then Erin strode up fuming,” Maria is a lying condescending little rotten juju berry who needs a taste of her own medicine. Oh, and by the way Maria only made up that story about Dallas because she wants to steal her friends and popularity.”
“What popularity?” I asked joking but under the light tone the question was real. I am not popular nor have I ever been popular so I was totally confused. Erin rolled his eyes at me, “And ‘rotten little juju berry’ seriously? Anyway,” I continued,” you’re too late everything has already been resolved so let’s leave before the movie is over.” At my words everyone jumped into action and arranged who was riding with who. Then we were off.
During the entire drive I sat and read a book I had just gotten. Just when we were almost to Portland I finished the book and sat there feeling glum because of the ending. I know that all stories can’t have a happy ending but I just hate unhappy endings they always break my heart, make me cry, or make me feel outraged and cheated.
Tears escaped the edges of my eyes as I thought about the ending. A girl was majorly head over heels for this guy that she had met and when she asked him how he felt instead of just saying no he said,” Of course I don’t love you.” He is so cruel, it was absolutely awful.
“Are you crying,” asked Erin.
“Maybe,” I said in a tight voice.
“Really, what’s so sad in that book that could make you cry?” under his teasing tome Erin was seriously curious.
“This girl fell in love and when she asked the guy if he loved her too, his answer was of course not.” I sounded bitter as if it was me who had been that girl. When I had read that passage my heart had broken with her and could not believe that anyone could be so insensitive.
Erin’s voice pulled me out of my reverie,” But, it’s just a book how could it make you so upset.”
“I know it’s just a book but there’s also the problem that it happens in real life all the time. But, the trajicness of it isn’t the reason why it made me so upset the reason is that the girl loved him, she truly loved him and even though he didn’t love her back he didn’t have to shatter her heart to tell her that.” Then I remembered how Erin the scary half-faery had pursued me so adamantly over his first few months at my school. I sneaked a sideways glance at him and saw that that was where his thought had retreated to as well. I remembered how I had been so rude to him at times but then I remembered why, I wanted to be with him so badly that it terrified me so I had tried to hide and deny that feeling.
I looked up with a defeated look on my face and was just in time to watch the semi hit us.

I opened my eyes blurrily and blinked until they adjusted to the harsh light of the fluorescents over head. I looked around and saw that I was in a small hospital room with clear glass doors that I guessed were sound proof because I didn’t hear the people talking as they rushed by.
The beeping of the heart monitor was slowly fraying my nerves. Finally I couldn’t take it any longer I ripped the stupid paper majig off my arm and sighed contentedly when the beeping stopped. Then I became even more annoyed because the machine decided to make a shrill ringing sound that was even more irritating than before.
Then to my intense surprise two doctors and three nurses burst into the room with those electric things they use to restart people’s hearts. They all stopped when I sat up alarmed at their sudden appearance.
“What’s going on?” I asked startled.
They ignored me and started grumbling about a false alarm and this and that.
“Excuse me, is anyone ever going to answer my question?” I snapped sarcastically. They finally seemed to train their attention back on me and while one of the nurses replaced that annoying thing back on my arm they explained to me that I was in the intensive care unit in something or other hospital in Portland. They told me that I’d been in a head on collision and that Erin had escaped with only