I was overwhelmed and panicking.

"Don't forget that you have to go to the hospital to get your IV at twelve!" Carol yelled through the house.

I groaned at the mirror while the tiny little black dress hung off my fingers. Another glance and I threw it back inside my closet.

I had nothing to wear, again.

But someone else in this house surely did. "Do you have any cute, night-out dresses?" I asked Aunt Carol while hopping downstairs.

She tore her attention away from the book that she had been reading and pulled down her glasses to her nose. Her eyes scurried across my body.

"None of my dresses are going to fit you, sweetheart." She said.

"Why not?" I grunted. This was exhausting.

Her eyes fell over her chest before she returned my gaze. Only then I understand why they wouldn't ever fit me.

"Right!" I exclaimed. "I'll just go get some new dresses from the mall. Do you want to come with me? We could go on a little spree." I suggested with a lopsided smile.

"I have no money."

"Carol—"

She laughed hysterically and drew her glasses up. "I'm joking. I don't feel like heading out. These are my few days off. Let me enjoy my peace. You should go." She explained.

I grabbed my bag off the counter and threw it over my shoulders. "All right."

"Don't forget to go to the hospital." She reminded me once more as I left the house.

According to the doctor, I had to get an IV every day for the next couple of days so my condition couldn't get worse. I called it all bluff and decided not to get it for the day.

The morning ray of sunshine spread all over the town. The roads were once again crowded by the townspeople and businesses were up at running.

While inside the car, I wondered about the new people who had been moving into the town—none. It was rare to have someone new settle in the town. The people that came here were previously residents, family friends or they were known. There hadn't been a single family that was new and that had settled in this town.

Everyone knew each other in some way. I was brought here by Aunt Carol when I was young and then, my parents were murdered and I couldn't live alone or anywhere else that was unsafe for me.

I stepped into the mall and quickly found the dress I had been looking for. Just a glance and I knew it was the perfect one for tonight.

Minutes after I bought the dress, I continued to roam in the mall, getting a few more things here and there and spending my time.

A sharp pain collected in my hand and I moved the bags to my other hand. The pain remained, it pricked my skin and felt like a thousand needles were sliding in and out. A small hiss left my lips before I finally decided to glance at my left hand.

My eyes widened, a scream almost burst out of me but I held it in.

"Fuck, fuck." I groaned, holding my hand open.

The nails had begun growing and changing as before. They slipped out of my nail buds and turned into claws.

"Eos." I heard my name from a distance.

I quickly fisted my hand and hid it behind while looking straight up to the source of the voice.

I sighed and asked, "What do you want?"

"You have to listen to me. That new boyfriend of yours isn't who you think he is." Bryce ranted, jealousy clear in his words and his eyes. He stepped forward, carefully and continued, "Please. Listen to me. You don't know—"

I threw the bags over my shoulders and rolled my eyes. "God. You're obsessed, Bryce. Just fuck off and find a new chick to bang because this one is certainly out of your hands forever." I told him in clear words. As much as his presence terrified me, I didn't want to show him the fear I had from him after our last conversation at my house.

"No, no, Eos." He tried to grab me but I swung back.

"Fuck off!" I yelled.

"Just listen to me..." He pleaded, terror in his eyes as if he had seen something very wrong.

"Get lost."

I tried to move backward and get away from him but he stretched his arm and tried to reach for me again.

This time, I didn't hold back.

My arm flung in the air and my newly-found claws dipped into his arm, leaving an ugly mark.

Bryce yelped back in pain while holding his bruised arm that began bleeding. His eyes widened a little more and the terror within them flashed again. "What—what is wrong with you?" He stuttered.

I closed my hand and the pain reduced. "Don't come near me," I stated before walking away from him. Every word came out clear and I hoped he understood it.

I felt his glare on my back for long and hard.

When I returned to my car, I broke down, crying and sobbing while staring at the state of my hand. The claws had stopped growing and the pain had lessened but my hand looked uglier than ever.

I reached for the nail cutter I had picked up on the way and tried to trim them down but the moment I pressed the metal against the blood covered claws, an immense pain grew at the tips of my fingers and I gritted my teeth.

"Ouch." I groaned before lifting my hand and looking at them again.

My right hand was free of the terror that had been on my left one. I felt no pain anywhere else except for the hand where the claws were formed. They were sharp, curved, and definitely lethal. The tips of the claws were a sturdy brown while the roots were a dark brown, almost black.

I glared at it for another minute before wrapping my hand with a black neck scarf I found inside the car. I couldn't look at it any longer.

And I had a date to attend in just a few hours.