Archaic by Regan Ure

need protecting from Felicity. She'd never liked me from the start and this would just add to it. Perhaps I was lucky she was the only one who was human and didn't have the power to zap me.
    "What time do you want me to come over?" I asked.
    "Seven," he said.
    "I'll see you then," I said, nodding my head before he turned and left. The front door shut as he left the house.
    A nervous fear settled in my stomach. I was scared that their enemy, the Hue, might be after me, and I was nervous as to how the Archaic would react to me finding out I knew their secret. I gripped my glass and lifted it to my lips to gulp some water down. I set the glass back down on the counter and took a deep breath in and held it for a while before releasing it.
     

     
    Anne arrived home at six. It was late so we made sandwiches and salad.
    "So how was your day?" she asked.
    "It was okay." I couldn't tell her that because I'd discovered a secret my life could be in danger. Just the thought of a Hue attacking me with a bolt of energy was enough to send a shiver of fear down my spine.
    To ensure my safety I would do as Jared asked and make sure I didn't go out after school. The part of me that didn't want to believe the reality of the danger soothed me with the thought that maybe Jared was just overreacting. Discovering that the Archaic and the Hue existed had made my life complicated and with that the fear that there would be repercussions for my knowledge of their existence.
    I had a quick shower and dressed casually in a pair of jeans with a white T-shirt with sneakers. I tied my hair back in a ponytail and threw my favorite blue hoodie on, since the weather was still cold. It reminded me suddenly that I still had Jared's hoodie, so I got it out of my closet so that I could give it back to him. I made up some excuse to Anne about having to get some notes from Jared. She bought it hook, line and sinker.
    My nerves set in just before seven when I walked up to his front door. I could hear voices coming from inside the house. I hesitated for a moment, trying to build up the courage to face a room full of mutated humans before I knocked.
    A beautiful woman opened the door. She smiled at me and said, "You must be Ava." She ushered me in with a warm and friendly smile. She was smartly dressed in a suit jacket and matching skirt with a white blouse and black high heels.
    "I'm Catherine, Jared's mom," she introduced herself. She was open and friendly. I could see the family resemblance. She had long, wavy black hair and the same shade of green eyes that Jared had.
    The hallway was empty. All the activity was coming from the living room that was just off to the right side of the hallway. My nervousness increased. If I didn't have Jared's hoodie in my hands, I would have been twisting my hands nervously. I took a hesitant step toward the room before I stopped. I couldn't do this--I was too scared.
    At that moment, Jared walked out of the living room and nearly walked straight into me.
    "You're here," he said, and I nodded my head. Had he expected me to chicken out? His eyes went to his mom, who motioned for us to go into the living room.
    "Here's your hoodie that you lent me the other night," I said as I handed it to him.
    "Thanks," he said, taking it and putting it down on the small table in the hallway. "Everyone's here."
    He waited for me to follow him, but I hesitated.
    "It'll be fine. There's nothing to be scared of," he assured me. Anyone in their right mind would be scared.
    Jared took my hand in his and pulled me toward the room. All conversation stopped when I entered behind him. I looked nervously around to see that all eyes were on me, my hand still in Jared's.
    I spotted Neve and Felicity first. They were sitting together on a two-seater sofa near the window. Felicity, as usual, didn't look happy. Her eyes bore into mine. I wondered if her face would crack if she tried to smile.
    Across from them sat two adults on a matching two-seater sofa, a man