NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter Two
Chapter Title: The Unshakable Force
Night felt endless. I lay on my bed, twisting and turning, caught in a battle with sleep that I was destined to lose. Every position felt wrong. Every thought was too loud. No matter how many times I shut my eyes, my mind wouldn't stop racing.
Why am I like this? I thought, letting out a frustrated sigh. I'd never had trouble sleeping before. But tonight was different. It was like my heart knew something my mind hadn't fully accepted yet.
I stared at the ceiling, following the faint cracks in the plaster with my eyes. The quiet hum of the night settled over me like a heavy blanket. Minutes ticked by, dragging into what felt like hours, and before I knew it, my eyes began to close on their own.
Just as sleep finally claimed me, the soft creak of the door pulled me back. My eyes shot open, heart thudding in my chest.
There she was — Mom, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, her face softened with a smile. Her gaze met mine, and for a moment, she just stood there like she didn't want to break the peace.
"It's time to get ready," she said gently, her voice like a warm breeze cutting through the cold. "I'll be downstairs."
Her eyes lingered on me, filled with something unspoken. Pride? Sadness? It was hard to tell. She turned away, her quiet footsteps fading down the hall.
I sat up slowly, wiping my face with both hands. My chest felt tight again, but I forced myself to breathe it out. Don't think too much about it, Ann. Just move.
Dragging my feet to the bathroom, I turned on the shower, letting the water come down in cold, sharp splashes. The chill jolted me, each drop a small wake-up call. I stood there, eyes closed, letting the cold wash away the nerves knotting up inside me. I imagined them running down the drain with the water, disappearing completely.
By the time I stepped out, the weight on my chest had eased just a little. I dried off, dressed in the clothes I'd laid out the night before, and headed downstairs.
The warm smell of breakfast wrapped around me as soon as I hit the bottom step. The soft clatter of plates echoed from the kitchen. I turned the corner and saw Mom, her back to me as she set the table. Her movements were slow, deliberate, like she was savoring every moment of this routine.
When she glanced up and saw me, her face lit up with that familiar, heartwarming smile.
"Come sit," she said, waving me over.
I sat, feeling the warmth of the kitchen seep into my skin. Everything felt so normal, but I knew it wasn't. We both knew it wasn't.
We ate in silence at first. The only sounds were the quiet clinks of silverware on plates. I glanced at her a few times, expecting her to say something. But she didn't. Not at first. She just sat there, eyes fixed on her plate, her thoughts clearly somewhere far away.
Then, she spoke.
"Ann." Her voice was steady but firm. She lifted her head, her gaze locking onto mine like she needed me to hear her, to really hear her.
I put down my fork, sitting up straighter. "Yeah?"
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. Her eyes softened, but her tone stayed sharp. "I hope you make me proud," she said, her words slow, deliberate. "But more than that, I hope you make yourself proud." Her eyes didn't waver as she spoke. "And remember this — it's not when you fall that you fly. Be an unshakable force in that academy. Show them that you're a force they can't reckon with."
Her words hit harder than I expected. They sat in my chest like a hot coal, filling me with warmth and weight all at once. I wanted to say something back, to tell her I understood. But my throat felt too tight. All I could do was nod.
Her gaze lingered on me a moment longer before she smiled, reaching out to squeeze my hand.
"You've always been strong," she said softly. "Don't forget that."
I nodded again, but this time, I felt it settle deeper. Not just in my mind, but in my bones. Be a force they can't reckon with.
Her words echoed in my head, over and over, like a mantra I knew I'd carry with me.
Not when you fall. When you fly.
Her words carved themselves into my heart, sharp as steel. Be an unshakable force.
I sucked in a breath, letting the weight of it fill my chest. No more doubt. No more hesitation. I wasn't walking into Phoenix Academy to blend in — I was stepping in to stand out. To dominate.
I am Ann Armstrong. Not a name to be forgotten. Not a face to be ignored. I am the storm they'll never see coming, the shift they'll never be ready for.
So get ready, Phoenix Academy. Change isn't knocking — it's kicking down the door.