Unseen Crushes

Ariah Byone sat in science class, her eyes wandering to the boy who had captured her attention for what felt like an eternity. Finney Blake, with his messy brown hair and bright blue eyes, was oblivious to her gaze. She had a secret crush on him, but knew he had a crush on Donna, the popular girl in school. Ariah sighed inwardly, pushing aside her feelings. She had more important things to worry about, like her upcoming math test and her mom's constant reminders to focus on her studies. As she scribbled notes on her pad, Ariah's mind began to wander to her family's history of hoodoo. Her mom, Celeste, was the town's medicine woman, and Ariah had grown up surrounded by the mystical and spiritual practices of her ancestors. She had a gift, one that she struggled to control - clairvoyance. Ariah had always felt like an outcast among her peers, who didn't understand her abilities or her eclectic style. Finney, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling with his own demons. Ariah had noticed that he was often absent from school, and when he was present, he seemed distant and preoccupied. She wondered what was going on in his life, but didn't have the courage to approach him. As the class ended, Ariah gathered her things and headed out of the room. She was lost in thought, her eyes scanning the hallway for a glimpse of Finney. That's when she saw him - standing by his locker, looking more lost than ever. Ariah's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met, but Finney quickly looked away, unaware of her gaze. Ariah continued on to her next class, her mind replaying the brief encounter. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness, knowing that Finney was out of her reach. But little did she know, their lives were about to become intertwined in ways she never could have imagined. That evening, Ariah was at home, lounging on the couch and listening to music, when she had a sudden urge to draw. She grabbed a sketchbook and began to doodle, letting her pencil wander across the page. As she drew, she started to feel a strange sensation, like a buzzing in her fingers. The images on the page began to shift and change, revealing a glimpse of a dark and foreboding place. Ariah's eyes widened as she realized that she was seeing a vision of Finney, trapped in a dark and confined space. She felt a jolt of fear and adrenaline, knowing that she had to do something to help him. But as she looked closer at the vision, she saw that Finney was not alone - there was someone else with him, a girl with a familiar face. Ariah's heart skipped a beat as she realized that the girl was herself.