The final bell rang, signaling the end of another school day at Moon High. Jessica exhaled heavily, her shoulders sagging with relief. She made it through the rest of her classes without incident, though the strange sensations that had plagued her all day still simmered just beneath the surface.

As she navigated the crowded hallways, the cacophony of voices and slamming lockers threatened to overwhelm her heightened senses once again. Jessica gritted her teeth, focusing on the exit doors at the end of the corridor. Just a few more steps and she’d be free.

That’s when she heard it—a familiar voice, tinged with fear and frustration.

“Come on, man. Just give it back.”

Jessica froze, her head snapping towards the source of the sound. There, tucked away in an alcove near the water fountains, was Kevin. Her former best friend looked small and vulnerable, his lanky frame dwarfed by the hulking presence of Brad Thompson, Moon High’s resident meathead.

Brad dangled a thick book just out of Kevin’s reach, a cruel smirk twisting his features. “What’s the matter, nerd? Can’t reach your Japanese cartoon porn?”

“It’s called a manga, and it isn’t porn!” Kevin shouted.

“Then why does it have lots of naked women in it?” Brad chuckled. “Japanese are weirdos.”

“You uncultured swine!”

Something hot and primal surged through Jessica’s veins. Before she could think better of it, she was striding towards the pair, her vision tunneling until all she could see was Brad’s smug face.

“Hey!” she barked, her voice carrying an authority she’d never possessed before. “Leave him alone, Brad.”

Brad turned, surprise flickering across his face before it settled into a leer. “Well, well. If it isn’t Miss Pom-Poms herself. Come to rescue your boyfriend?”

Jessica bristled at the taunt, but she forced herself to stay calm. “He’s not my boyfriend. And you’re not funny. Just give Kevin his comic book and walk away.”

“It’s called a manga!” Kevin corrected. “Did you forget too, Jessica?”

Brad’s eyes narrowed, clearly not used to being challenged. He took a step towards Jessica, using his considerable height advantage to loom over her. “Or what? You gonna cheer me to death?”

The surrounding air seemed to crackle with tension. Jessica could hear Brad’s heartbeat, could smell the stale sweat and cheap body spray that clung to his letterman jacket. Her own pulse quickened, that strange energy from before coiling tighter in her chest.

“I’m warning you, Brad,” Jessica said, her voice low and dangerous. “Give. It. Back.”

For a moment, it looked like Brad might actually back down. But then his face hardened, and he shoved Kevin roughly against the lockers.

“Make me,” he sneered.

Something inside Jessica snapped.

In a blur of motion too fast for the human eye to track, she lunged forward. Her hand closed around Brad’s wrist, squeezing with a strength that shouldn’t have been possible for her slender frame.

Brad’s eyes widened in shock and pain. The manga fell from his suddenly nerveless fingers, hitting the floor with a soft thud.

“What the—” Brad shouted, but his words cut off in a strangled yelp as Jessica twisted his arm behind his back.

She didn’t mean to do it. She didn’t mean to push hard. But the rage coursing through her veins demanded action, demanded retribution.

There was a sickening crack, followed by Brad’s agonized scream.

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Jessica stumbled backward, horror dawning as she realized what she’d done. Brad crumpled to the ground, clutching his clearly broken arm to his chest.

The hallway, which had been steadily emptying as students rushed to leave for the day, suddenly filled with curious onlookers. Whispers and gasps rippled through the crowd as they took in the scene—Brad writhing on the floor, Kevin pressed against the lockers with a stunned expression, and Jessica standing between them, her face a mask of shock and confusion.

“Jessica?” Kevin’s voice was barely above a whisper. “How did you... What just happened?”

She turned to look at him, her mind reeling. How could she explain something she didn’t understand herself?

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice shaking. “I didn’t mean to—I just wanted him to stop.”

Kevin nodded slowly, his eyes wide with a mixture of gratitude and fear. “Thanks, I guess. But Jess... that was intense. Are you okay?”

Before Jessica could respond, a booming voice cut through the chaotic murmurs of the crowd.

“What in God’s name is going on here?”

Vice Principal Simmons pushed his way through the throng of students, his face flushed with anger. He took in the scene with a practiced eye, zeroing in on Brad’s injured arm.

“Someone call the nurse,” he barked, then turned his steely gaze on Jessica. “You. My office. Now.”

Jessica felt the fight drain out of her, replaced by an icy dread. As she followed Mr. Simmons through the parting crowd, she caught snippets of whispered conversations.

“Did you see that?”

“She just snapped his arm like a twig!”

“I always knew she was a freak...”

The walk to the vice principal’s office seemed to take an eternity. Jessica’s mind raced, trying to come up with some explanation for what had happened. But how could she explain something she didn’t understand herself?

Mr. Simmons settled behind his desk, fixing Jessica with a disapproving glare. “I’ve always known you to be a model student, Ms. Tumblerlee. So, would you care to explain to me why you felt the need to assault another student?”

Jessica swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. “I... I was just trying to help Kevin. Brad was bullying him, and I—”

“Broke his arm?” Mr. Simmons finished, his eyebrows climbing towards his receding hairline. “That’s a bit more than ‘helping,’ don’t you think?”

“I didn’t mean to!” Jessica protested, her voice cracking. “It just happened. I don’t know how—”

Mr. Simmons held up a hand, cutting her off. “Save it, Ms. Tumblerlee. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this kind of violent behavior will not be tolerated at Moon High.”

He scribbled something on a detention slip, then slid it across the desk towards her. “You’ll be serving detention today. And you’re lucky I don’t suspend you outright.”

Jessica stared at the pink slip, feeling as though the ground were crumbling beneath her feet. “But, Mr. Simmons, please—”

“That’s final,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. “Now, I suggest you call your father to let him know you’ll be staying late today. Detention starts in ten minutes.”

Dismissed, Jessica stumbled out of the office in a daze. She leaned against the wall, trying to steady her breathing as she pulled out her phone. Her fingers trembled as she dialed her dad’s number.

One ring. Two. Three.

“Jessica?” Her father’s voice came through, tinged with concern. “Everything okay?”

Jessica closed her eyes, fighting back tears. “Dad, I... I’m in trouble.”

“What happened?” The worry in his voice sharpened.

“There was a fight. Kind of. I got detention.” The words tumbled out in a rush. “Can you pick me up after? Around 10?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. When Daniel spoke again, his voice was heavy with disappointment. “We’ll talk about this when I pick you up. Just... try to stay out of any more trouble, okay?”

“Okay,” Jessica whispered. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

The line went dead, and Jessica slumped further against the wall. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly?

As she made her way to the detention room, that strange energy from before stirred within her once more. It felt different now—darker, more insistent. Like something clawing at the inside of her chest, demanding to be let out.

Jessica shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as if she could physically hold back whatever was trying to break free. What was happening to her? And more importantly, how was she going to stop it?

The detention room loomed ahead, a last reminder of how spectacularly her day had imploded. Jessica took a deep breath, steeling herself for the next hour of silent contemplation.

A chill ran down her spine as she reached for the door handle. For just a moment, she could have sworn she heard a low, inhuman growl echoing in the empty hallway behind her.

Jessica whirled around her heart racing. But the corridor was deserted, silent save for the faint hum of fluorescent lights.

Shaking her head, Jessica pushed open the detention room door. Whatever was happening to her, whatever strange force was coursing through her veins, she’d have to deal with it later.

For the moment, her only option was to sit silently and hope that she would get through the coming hours without further disastrous incidents.