Emotionally Scarred (2 page)

He stood there, still pointing the phone at me, playing his
cruel trick.

And I stood, pointing a gun right back.

Checkmate.

“What are you…?” He took a clumsy step back and looked
around as though there’d be someone to save him.

“I knew. I knew what you had planned!”

After dancing like a happy fool, thinking he actually wanted
me, the fear that it couldn’t be true took over. So I went to find Rafael, to
follow him and find out more. There had to be something going on with him, and
I daydreamed that he just had some cool, dark secret that only I could know,
like he had freaky powers too, or he really was from the 1950’s. Not that he
was simply a jerk.

“I heard you talking to Gavin. Saying you had me eating out
of your hands, and you were going to get a photo to blackmail me with to make
me do… whatever you wanted.” I jabbed the gun at him as I talked, my voice
growing louder.

“I knew about it all, and even then, I still hoped maybe you
were just saying that to your guy as cover but you really did want…”

I shook my head. I had to stop saying stupid stuff in front
of him, as though I were still waiting for him to reveal he cared for me.

No. I had my plan. I knew this was coming, despite any crazy
hopes I held. I came here knowing what I would do so that I’d come out of this
on top either way.

“Throw your phone over.”

He did, and I deleted the photo of me.

Rafael trembled visibly. His expression was frozen but his
fear was tangible to me. He had his hands raised in front of him. I pulled out
my
phone and flicked on the camera. Set it to video and kept the gun aimed at him with
the other hand.

“I want you to tell the world, Raf, what a jerk you are. A horrible
bully. Come on, I’m easy pickings, right? Go for the girl with the mangled face,
why don’t you.”

His jaw moved, but he said nothing.

“Say it!”

“I… I’m a jerk.”

“You are. You take advantage of girls. Say it.”

“I take advantage of girls.”

The fear flowing off him made me giddy. I hadn’t felt such
an intense emotion before and it filled me with energy. A grin spread on my
face.

“You’re nothing but a small-dicked, derivative, misogynistic
coward…”

He repeated me on cue.

“Who is about to
die
.”

I squeezed the trigger and Rafael twisted like he could
dodge a bullet. He couldn’t even dodge the spray of water shooting from the
gun. Working replica water pistols formed a large part of my Dad’s prop
collection.

Not all the wet on Rafael was from the gun. His pants were
soaked. I giggled as I flicked the video off on the phone and slipped it into
my pocket.

“Wow, a better performance than I could have hoped for. Now
listen carefully, Mr. Popular. You’re going to be my new bestest friend at
school. You’ll help show everyone how fab-u-lous I can be. Because if you don’t,
I will show everyone who you
really
are.”

My plan complete, I turned to strut away, the proud victor.

I felt the change before I saw anything. The fear gushing
from Rafael shifted to blinding fury. The heavy sound of footfalls charged at
me.

He shoved me hard from behind and I landed on my face. The aged
wood deck grazed my hands, turning them into splinter pincushions. I rolled
onto my back, looking up at him.

“No one is going to see that video, ugly bitch!”

He reached down, grabbing at the pocket of my shorts.

I wrestled against his hands, swatting him away.

“No way are you blackmailing me. You’re going to suffer.”

He slapped me in the face.

His anger flowed down, onto me, bathing me, seeping into my
muscles and warming them. I felt strong, the same strength I felt when I broke
that girl’s arm. The splinters didn’t bother me. My cheek felt hot where Rafael
had slapped me, but didn’t sting.

Rafael swung at me again and I knocked his arm away easily.
He pulled back, shocked, and nursed his arm where I hit it.

I leapt onto my feet, hands balled into fists, wanting more
fight. I wanted revenge for every painful word or look I’d ever suffered.

I kicked high and hard, hitting him right in the centre of
his chest.

He
flew
backward, like he was wired up for a movie
stunt.

I was a witch after all.

Rafael hit the figurehead at the prow of the boat. A
squealing groan came from the ship, followed by popping and cracking noises of
wood splitting. I felt the deck shudder, and knew the ship would fall.

I looked at Rafael. My body screamed with energy. I felt
strong, fast, and confident, like I could reach him, throw him over my shoulder,
and leap to safety in time. If I tried, maybe I could save us both.

In that moment, I chose not to.

I looked Rafael in the eye and casually stepped off the side
of the ship. I stood clear as the structure collapsed in on top of him.

~*~

I bolted away from Siren’s Haven before the dust settled. I
had to sneak back inside so my parents wouldn’t see that I’d lost my sweater
and come home half-dressed.

I deleted my video of Rafael for fear it could be used as
evidence against me. I fretted about the sweater I’d left and hoped it would be
considered just another piece of trash, not a clue to a crime. I plotted
various excuses and alibis for if I was questioned. I had answers for
everything.

But no one came for me.

A week later, I went to the funeral.

The grief I felt from Rafael’s family ached, pounding into
my skull, and I told myself it was the punishment I deserved. But not everyone
grieved. Two rows in front, gleeful relief came from a small huddle of girls
from school. I wondered what Rafael had done to them, whether they were on a
long list of blackmail victims. I told myself that no matter what he did, he
didn’t deserve to die, but I had to work hard to force a wicked smile off my
face.

After the ceremony, I wandered through the crowded church,
exploring the mix of emotions held by the funeral-goers. Some kids from school
just thought it was cool to be there, since Rafael was so popular. His death made
big news, and parents were already lobbying to have the “death trap” film set
demolished. They all believed it was an accident, and nothing could have been
done. I was the only person who knew that wasn’t true. I could have tried to
save him. My brain played through hundreds of alternate endings for the night
if I’d made different choices. I wish it would stop. I couldn’t take back the
choice I’d made.

There were a couple of guys I didn’t know drifting through
the crowd, taking donations for some anti-teen-death charity. They looked like
brothers. Both had the same cute, roguish charm. Their faces showed
commiseration, but my powers told me they felt smug, the same kind of smug
Rafael had felt as he pulled his trick. Every single person gave them money. I
watched with interest from a quiet corner.

Gavin, Rafael’s best friend and blackmail confidant, found
me there.

“You were with him, weren’t you?” His voice was a growl.

I faked scandal. “Me and Rafael? Why would
he
have
been somewhere with
me
?”

“I know he was going to meet you. You had something to do
with him dying. I know it. You’ve been weird all week. Why were your hands all
scratched up? What happened?”

He loomed over me. I saw anger in him like the glow of lava
bubbling under his skin. But now I knew what I could do with someone else’s
anger.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I drawled. I
rested a hand on the crossbar of a stone crucifix next to me. “But whatever
happened to him could happen to you too if you don’t keep quiet and leave me
alone.”

I squeezed my grip and the stone crumbled like chalk. The
patter of the pieces falling to the floor was covered by the talking crowd.
Satisfaction at my strength and the effect the demonstration had on Gavin
chased away any last scrap of guilt I felt.

Gavin ran away from me. If I wasn’t in the midst of a somber
funeral, I would have cackled like an evil genius.

The older boy with the donation bucket stared at me. I
stared back, waiting for him to glance to my scar, be disgusted and turn away.
My glare was a challenge.

But then he smiled.

He came over and introduced himself. Jake, with his little
brother Jamie. They’d read about the funeral in the newspaper and came to see
what donations they could get for their own charitable cause.

“I saw what you did,” Jake whispered, dramatically low
considering no one was interested in our conversation anyway. He kicked at the
broken stone on the floor and raised his eyebrows.

“I didn’t do anything. It was dodgy craftsmanship, broke on
its own.”

“You’re a fast thinker, too. Perfect,” he said. “Don’t
worry, I know what you can do, because I can do it, too. I’m so glad I spotted
you. It’s rare to find someone special, like us. How about we get out of here
and talk more. Doesn’t all this sadness give you a headache?”

I couldn’t stop my eyes widening. “You really feel it too?”

Jake grinned.

“Come on. I want to tell you how sticking with me will give
you everything you ever wanted. Everything that people like us deserve.”

Every nerve inside me ached to go with Jake, my body rebelling
against my better judgment. Jake was charming and so handsome it made my palms
sweaty. There was something downright supernatural about how tempting he was,
but I wouldn’t fall for sweet talk again.

"No. Go away. You’re not my type."

Jake looked stunned. I doubt he got turned down… ever. He
stared, assessing me again, his gaze lingering on my face.

He handed me a business card.

“What's this?” I asked.

“A gift, something I’m guessing is high on your wish list.
I'll let Dr Rachenko know you're coming and to put any work on my tab. I’ve
written my number on the back so you can get in touch again when you’ve seen
what I can do for you.”

I stared at the card.
Dr Rachenko- Discreet cosmetic
surgery and enhancements.

Jake tapped the card as I held it in my hands.

"Everything you ever wanted starts here."

Jake called his brother over and the two of them left the
building.

I stared at what Jake had given me, my fingers clenched and
shaking around the thin cardboard. Jake had offered me a new life, a new skin,
and I couldn’t stand the idea that it wasn’t true. I would make him follow
through on what he promised, if I had to.

I know now that I was born to be something other than a hero.
I never had that sort of strength in me, the strength to stay beautiful on the
inside. Ugliness had crawled inside me, driven in by the cruel words and games
of my peers. It sat there, next to the dull ache I felt in my chest whenever my
mind replayed the night at Siren’s Haven. A montage it chose to replay often.

It didn’t matter anymore. I would become beautiful on the
outside. Everything I wanted, I would take. I had great plans. Operation: New
Me, Mark II would not fail.

When I decided to write Emma’s backstory, I
knew that it was going to be the tragic origin of a villain, rather than the
normal hero’s tale. That’s the sort of story I’m used to writing, and that
we’re all used to reading- a person surmounting all the terrible trials thrown
at them to become something better. In my mind, the difference between good
people and bad people are the decisions they make in their darkest moments. Not
everyone has it in them to rise above, and it’s the ones that fall, that are
beaten down, that tragically become villains. That’s the story I wanted to
explore in Emotionally Scarred. I don’t want readers to think that Emma’s
actions are to be condoned, despite Raphael being not too nice himself. Emma
has it in her to become a true super-villain. Will she, or will she have a
chance to redeem herself?

Thanks for reading my short story, I hope
you enjoyed it. You can read more about Emma and whether her “Operation: New
Me, Mark II” plan succeeds and how she has to deal with what she’s done in
other books from the Empath Chronicles series.

If you enjoyed my story, I’d love it if you’d
take the time to leave a review for me on Amazon or Goodreads. I read every
review and appreciate all comments and opinions.

Born in 1981 to Australian and Maltese
parents, Selina lives on the Central Coast of Australia with her husband, her
baby girl, an unnamed cat, and a lorikeet who is far too clever.

During her life Selina has found ancient
Roman treasure, survived cancer, had knights joust at her wedding, been mugged
for doughnuts, made a living as an artist, eaten every bizarre and wonderful
food put in front of her, and enjoys sharing her stories through self
publishing.

Contact Selina or read more about her on
her website and blog-
www.selinafenech.com

When an earthquake hits her hometown,
teenage Livvy thinks this is her chance to make her dull life exciting and
indulge her special skill of reading others' emotions. Amid the disaster, she
is threatened by looters and fights back with a newfound quickness and
strength. Livvy is aided by the arrival of Jake, a gorgeous boy who has an
otherworldly ability to bend others to his will.

Jake sweeps Livvy into the world of the
Empaths, paranormals who have everything she has ever wanted. She learns she
shares their power of feeding on other's emotions; happiness energises them,
fear makes them fast, anger makes them strong and lust makes them hypnotically
charming.