Chapter 1 – Rebirth in Shadows
Page 2 (Part 4/5)
The next day dawned crisp and clear, Arcadia Oaks bathed in the kind of soft light that made the town seem innocent. But Seraphine knew better. She walked through the school gates with her mask polished to perfection, her every step measured. Today, her target wasn't Jim or Toby.
It was Claire.
If Jim was the key and Toby the unwitting ally, then Claire was the gatekeeper. Her suspicion wasn't overt, but it lingered in every sidelong glance, every moment of hesitation. If Seraphine wanted to secure her hold, she had to dismantle that barrier. Carefully. Subtly.
Her chance came in English class. Mr. Strickler droned on about Shakespeare while students scribbled half-hearted notes. Claire sat two desks ahead, her neat handwriting flowing across the page.
Seraphine leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice just enough. "Your notes are amazing. Mine always end up a mess."
Claire turned, surprise flickering across her features. Then she smiled faintly. "Thanks. I've had practice."
"Would you mind… if I copied a bit later?" Seraphine asked, tilting her head with feigned nervousness. Vulnerability was a key she wielded with precision.
"Sure," Claire said after a beat.
A thread tugged loose. Seraphine smiled brightly, as though grateful beyond measure. "You're a lifesaver."
At lunch, she pressed further. Instead of flanking Jim or Toby, she slid into the seat beside Claire.
"You always seem so put together," Seraphine remarked lightly, opening her carton of milk. "How do you manage that? I feel like I'm always running to catch up."
Claire chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Trust me, I'm not as organized as I look."
"I don't believe that," Seraphine teased, letting warmth lace her tone. Her power brushed gently, coaxing openness. "I bet you've got everything figured out."
Claire's smile faltered for just a heartbeat. Something shadowed her expression, quickly hidden. "Not everything."
Bingo.
Seraphine leaned in slightly, her voice dropping into conspiratorial softness. "Me neither. Guess that makes us human."
The faintest crack appeared. Claire looked at her longer this time, as though trying to decide whether to trust her. Seraphine gave nothing but sincerity in return, her mask flawless.
By afternoon, Seraphine escalated the game. She "accidentally" bumped into Claire at her locker, letting a couple of books tumble to the floor. Claire stooped to help.
"Ugh, I'm hopeless," Seraphine muttered, frustration curling at the edges of her words.
"You're not," Claire said gently, handing over a notebook.
Seraphine hesitated, then let her voice dip. "It's just… new schools are hard. And sometimes I feel like I don't really… belong anywhere."
The words weren't lies, not entirely. But they weren't truth either. They were weapons, sharpened and polished.
Claire's eyes softened. "I know what you mean."
There. The gate had shifted.
Seraphine smiled faintly, as though comforted. Inside, she savored the victory. Each piece of sympathy, each shared moment, was another strand woven into her net.
That evening, she lingered in her room, the shadows pressing closer as though eager for her report. She traced the edges of her desk with a fingertip, recalling the way Claire's defenses had wavered.
"She'll open up," Seraphine whispered. "All it takes is patience. And once she does…"
Her smile curved sharper.
"…I'll know exactly how to use her."
The gift thrummed in agreement, pulsing through her veins like a second heartbeat. Seraphine closed her eyes and imagined the trio again—Toby, already wrapped tight; Jim, resisting but inching closer; Claire, slowly lowering her guard.
A web nearly complete.
And she was the spider at the center