As soon as I spoke, Daniels left the room. Estelle looked horrified, but kept holding the cold object against my wrist. The pain lapped at me now, but was easing up.

"What... what did you see?" She whispered.

I shook my head, exhaling shakily. "I don't know. I don't even remember... Are you sure I said Levi?"

It was as if the past few minutes were wiped from my brain.

Estelle nodded. "Your eyes went all weird, and you went deathly still, then opened them and said my brother's name."

I groaned as my stomach seared.

After a few minutes, I began feeling slightly better. "What is that thing?" I asked, gesturing to what Estelle was holding on my wrist.

I was able to push myself up slightly and lean against the wall now. Estelle shook her head. "I have no idea, some stone he pulled from his pocket."

I didn't have enough energy to question how strange that sounded.

"I think I'm okay now," I sighed a few minutes later, the pain now dull. I didn't understand what had happened, but I was feeling too exhausted to care.

Estelle removed the stone, and the second it left my skin, the pain reignited. I barely let out a scream before she slammed it back onto my wrist, looking distraught.

"Maybe not then..." I said weakly.

Daniels returned after a few minutes with tape. He took my wrist off Estelle and wrapped masking tape around it and the stone, securing it in place.

"Is that some kind of ancient voodoo medicine," I asked groggily.

Daniels raised a serious eyebrow. "Something like that. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Confused."

"Drink this," he handed me a hip flask. I knew he wouldn't be giving me alcohol, but the stuff inside tasted just as bad. But it helped clear my head a little, if not make me feel like I was out of it.

"I don't understand," I heard Estelle hiss from the other side of the room. Daniels had gone to wash his hands, and Estelle had followed.

They looked at me, and must have decided I was too whacked out to understand or too far away to hear what they were saying.

"I've only read about it. In the event of injury, she feels what he feels. It's part of a heightened bond," Daniels whispered.

"So he's actually hurt?" Estelle asked loudly, earning a look from the principal.

"Yes, but nowhere near as bad as it seems. She's human remember, she'd feel it twice as bad as what it really is."

Estelle looked concerned, but nodded. That was all I heard, and to be honest, I didn't understand a word of what they were talking about. I was too busy trying to keep my eyes open.

About an hour later, I was feeling much better, and allowed myself to be helped up. Estelle wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping me steady as we walked out of the bathroom.

"I don't think I should go back in there... they probably think I'm crazy. Am I crazy?" I asked, thinking about the hundreds of faces who had witnessed yet another episode of me making a big scene in public. I'd read somewhere that you can get phantom pains with some psychological conditions... maybe I needed to be tested.

"You're not crazy," Estelle smiled at me. "You've been through a lot, but you're not crazy."

We ended up sitting in the hallway for the next few hours. Someone brought me a blanket and a sandwich, and I slept for an hour or so. Estelle never left my side. She was such a good friend.

At about 11pm, Daniels' voice drifted out from inside the gym. "Students, your attention please. All dangers have now been cleared, and you are free to go. School is cancelled for tomorrow, so rest up. Your parents are waiting outside. I urge you to go straight home, but please do no worry."

The door was unlocked and the noise in the gym picked up as the student rushed out.

Estelle and I stood, me slightly shaky but okay. I looked at the rock taped to my wrist. Do I leave it or... I shrugged. No harm in taking it home. I could return it once I got better.

We joined the sea of students, this time exiting the gym, and I noticed how people made sure to give me space, which was nice of them.

Outside, the cool night air hit us and I instantly felt slightly more awake. Estelle had looped her arm through mine, and led me towards the car park. Parents were crowded around the gym, searching for their children and whisking them away to the safety of their cars.

I looked for Alex, feeling very hazy.

"Estelle, do you know if Alex-" I began, but was cut off by a loud voice yelling and a commotion occurring in the large group of people in front of us.

Estelle gave me a smile and took her arm away, stepping aside slightly. "What..."

Then Levi literally burst through the crowd, eyes wild and determined. His face was dirty, a shallow gash on the side of his cheek. I barely had a second to compose myself until I found him in front of me so fast that my drugged out brain couldn't even register it.

And then I was in his arms. I don't know if it was me who collapsed against him, or he who grabbed me, or just a combination of both, but the rest of the world disappeared.

The pain that was tormenting me was washed away, and the remaining energy I had drained out of me. At that moment I don't think I was able to stand on my own. I felt tremendous relief, but I'm not sure why.

My face against his chest, all I cared about in that moment was the way I could feel his heart beating and his hands stroking my hair. I didn't question why he was here, at the school, why he had run to me, why I was suddenly feeling better... none of that mattered.

I noticed, in my groggy haze, that his shirt was stained with blood, stretching right across his abdomen. The thought crossed my mind that he should probably go to a hospital, but waves of cloudiness soon made me forget.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, low enough so only I could hear it. I was too exhausted to question why he was sorry, so I didn't.

"Danielle!" I vaguely heard someone calling my name, but couldn't find it within me to respond. Levi gently pulled me away, but only so I was facing away from him, and still leaning against his chest for support. His arm held me steady.

I blinked groggily. "Alex."

"Are you okay?" He hovered, unsure of what to do, how to help.

I nodded slowly. "I've never been so tired." My voice was slow and groggy, and Alex couldn't help but smile.

"Let's get you home." He made eye contact with Levi, who simply scooped me up into his arms bridal style and began following Alex.

I didn't make it even two feet until passing out cold, at peace.