Tired. That’s how I felt the next morning when I dragged myself out of bed. The emotions from my nightmare had plagued me long after I had woken from it.

And then having to deal with Damien. He was so persistent with a singular goal in mind. And nothing else mattered.

I closed my eyes momentarily on the bus, trying to shut out the annoying voice of Damien. He was more determined this morning especially after a momentary show of weakness.

When the bus arrived at school I couldn’t wait to get off. Being in a confined space with Damien was not fun.

“What’s with the frown Tessa?” he asked as I hurried to my locker and he kept in step beside me.

I wanted to snap at him but I kept my mouth shut. This was how he tried to wear me down, trying to get a rise out of me so I would mess up. I wouldn’t just be the new girl, I would be the crazy new girl.

Then I saw the aura. The gray one. I stilled in the throng of people and stared at the boy who was getting something out of his locker. A girl beside him spoke, he nodded.

“Him again?” Damien sneered. I felt his eyes on me. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

I couldn’t answer him, even if I wanted to.

The boy stopped like he could tell he was being watched. He looked over his shoulder right at me. I held my breath, unable to look away. Then I swore he looked to Damien beside me.

That wasn’t possible, was it? I was the only one who saw Damien. I stepped in his direction and then stopped. What I was contemplating was crazy. I turned away and headed to my first class, my head down. Damien’s presence beside me every step of the way.

I had drawn attention to myself, one thing I avoided at all costs.

“I don’t get your fascination with him,” Damien said annoyed on as I tried to concentrate in class. It was difficult to tune him out and still be able to take in what the teacher was saying. “He is just some idiot.”

An idiot who can see you. I replied in my mind.

The need to speak to the boy was stronger than before. But when I had spent so many years avoiding interaction with other people, I didn’t know how to approach him or start up a conversation. Just the thought of it, nearly sent me into a full blown panic.

But then I reminded myself, if I could deal with Damien I was capable of handling anything. I just needed to figure a scenario where I would be able to approach the boy and start up a conversation.

It was lunch time and I headed out to sit outside under some trees. I sat down, Damien was beside me talking as usual.

I got out my sandwich and took a bite. I played with a blade of grass as I chewed with my free hand.

A shadow fell over me.

“Look who is here,” Damien commented as I lifted my gaze to see the boy with the gray aura.

“Hi,” he greeted.

“Um…hi,” I stuttered, feeling self conscious and completely unprepared.

He glanced at Damien briefly. And for the first time in a long while, Damien was silent.

“You’re new,” he mentioned conversationally.

I nodded, putting my hand up to shade my gaze from the sun. “I moved here about a week ago.”

“You mind if I join you?” he asked and I found myself nodding.

This had never happened before but it was definitely a way of getting to know him better so I could figure out what Damien wouldn’t tell me. I glanced in Damien’s direction, he was seething. And despite my nervousness I was enjoying that for once Damien was annoyed.

“I’m Parker Jones,” he introduced himself, holding out his hand to me.

I hesitated for a few moments before I reached out and shook his hand. “I’m Tessa Davis.”

“Tessa, it’s nice to meet you.”

He was really nice even though I couldn’t decipher his aura.

“So where did you live before you moved here?”

I pressed my lips together. This was why I didn’t like to interact with people, these were invariably questions that came up and I didn’t want to talk about the past I was trying to forget.

“Not far from here.” I shrugged. I was trying to be as vague as I could be. My past had to stay in the past, it held no place in my future if I wanted to survive.

The weight of having Damien around to remind me of what had happened every moment of every day was more than I could cope with.

“I’ve lived here all my life,” Parker revealed. I heard Damien scoff.

“That must be nice,” I murmured. We had moved too many times, I had lost count.

“Sometimes,” he murmured distractedly. His eyes went momentarily to Damien.

I put my sandwich back in its container.

“I know this might sound crazy but I need to ask you something,” he asked.

There was something about his tone that made me stare at him. I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure I liked the seriousness of his tone.

“I’m having a party at my house on Friday night. Will you come?”

I barely knew him but I reminded myself I needed to find out why his aura was different and if Damien wouldn’t tell me why I had to find out myself. There was no way to figure that out from a distance.

“Sure.” I didn’t sound as nervous as I felt. I had never been to party before and the fact I was even contemplating this was crazy.

He gave me the address and I put it into my phone.

Parker stood. “I’ll see you then Tessa.”

I nodded. He gave me a brief smile. He was a good looking guy and seemed to be confident about his effect on the opposite sex. I wondered for his reason for inviting me to his house but any doubts I had I pushed out of my mind. This was my chance to get the information I felt would help me better to understand why he was different. Did it really matter? My gut said it did and that was enough for me.

I watched while he walked away, hitching his back pack over his shoulder.

“That’s not a good idea,” Damien warned beside me.

“That’s only because you don’t want me to find out why he is different,” I snapped back without even thinking about the consequences.

When I realized my mistake I did a quick look around before I sighed with relief. There had been no one around to witness it and for that I was grateful. I reminded myself I would need to be more careful. The unexpected meeting with Parker had unsettled me but I felt hopeful.

I wanted to find out why his aura was different and I needed to find out why he could see Damien. So far I had never met anyone else who could see the demon who had been haunting me for most of my life.

“It’s dangerous to go to someone’s house you don’t know Tessa. Did your mother teach you nothing?”

I frowned, using all my willpower not to argue back with him. I had been lucky enough before but I couldn’t chance making the same mistake twice.

Ignoring the arguing demon besides me I ate the rest of my sandwich, contemplating the upcoming party I had been invited to. I wasn’t even sure I had anything suitable to wear but this wasn’t about fitting in. It was purely to get information. I was hoping that I would find something to explain why he was different.

I was tired when I got home, Damien had been extra annoying today and my patience was wearing thin. When I made it to my room I was ready to scream to rid myself of the build up of frustration that Damien wouldn’t stop going on about Parker and every reason why I shouldn’t go.

“You need to stay away from him. The further away, the better.” The tone of Damien’s voice caught my attention.

His eyes met mine. Gone was the annoying boy who danced on my every nerve trying to push me to lose my temper. There was something different in his eyes.

“Tell me why he is different,” I asked outright, in the safety of my room where no one could hear or see me. “You tell me what I want to know and I will stay away from him.”

Our eyes held but he remained silent.

“I’m not here to help you Tessa. I’m here to collect your soul, that’s it.”

I frowned. “Then why warn me Damien?” I raised an eyebrow.

But he kept quiet.

There was more to this and I had to figure it out.