Gizel had finally gotten home after a long day of classes and trying to stay away from Fang, though she hadn’t seen him since the tree incident.

“Bunnzie!” The small Amilia runs out of the living room as soon the front door was shut. Gizel giggles as she bends down and hugs the small girl.

“How are you Amilia? Staying out of trouble?” Gizel asks, petting Amilia's hair slowly.

“Mmhmm!” Amilia nods. “I was making pictures for you and mommy! Mommy has been feeling, um, that one thing that makes you shake lots.” She says, trying to explain. Amelia was an amazing little girl and could feel people's emotions without even touching them. Gizel furrows her brow and looks towards the kitchen.

“Amilia, how about you go finish your pictures. I’m going to see Mommy and Daddy.” She says putting on a smile and rubbing Amilia’s head softly. Amilia nods and rushes off to the living room again.

Gizel gets back to her feet and slowly goes to the kitchen where she sees Alejandro comforting Mari, who had her head resting on their dining table. Alejandro was a spaniard through and through and always looked like he’d fallen out of a modeling catalog, no matter what time of day it was. He had tanned skin and sparking green eyes. His hair was light brown and he had some stubble on his face that Mari had an obsession with touching. But that wasn’t all. He was also like Amilia with recognizing people's feelings. “Um, mom?” Gizel says softly and Alejandro puts a finger to his lips.

“Your mother is having a moment, Conejito.” He says in that thick hispanic accent that Gizel had become so accustomed to.

“Alright... Love you.” She says softly, blowing her adoptive father a kiss before going up to her room, but of course her peace doesn’t last long as her phone starts to ring. “Yes?” She sighs out as she sits at her desk.

“Oh, don’t get too excited for me, Ember.” Malcolm's voice sounds strained and almost forced. “Did something happen?” He asks and that prompts another sigh from Gizel.

“Just tired and I think my mom is struggling with Romeo. He seems to be taking a lot out of her recently.” She laments and stares up at her ceiling.

“Hm, sounds stressful. I’m really sorry about that.” He says, then adds. “Anyways, sorry to spring this on you, but I need help studying for something and I was wondering if you could come by my dorm room. Don’t worry, Josh won’t be there so he can’t bother us like last time.” He says, seeming nervous. Gizel tills her head and looks at the clock on her wall.

“It’s kinda late. Does it have to be now?” She ask.

“Yes.” He answers quickly. “My, my test is tomorrow and I could just use little more help.” He says. “Please? I’m just so nervous about this test.”

Gizel bites the inside of her cheek as she thinks. “Fine.” She says, leaving her room and starting towards the stairs. “But you owe me. Big time mister.” She says.

“Yes. Anything you want, Ember.” Malcolm says before hanging up. Gizel puts her phone away and looks to Alejandro.

“I’m going out. Be back in like an hour. Two tops.” She says softly. Mari groans and Alejandro nods.

“Be safe.” He gives her a soft smile while Gizel blows him a kiss as she exits her home.

✿❅✿❅✿

It takes her about ten minutes to traverse the campus grounds and get to the male dormitories. Gizel slowly walks the halls looking for Malcolm’s room. There’s a slew of males either screaming in the halls or screaming inside their rooms. Gizel hopes and prays that they’re yellings are ones of losing at Mario Kart and not those of the impure type. She cringes at the thought and knocks on Malcolm’s door, to which immediately opens. “Good, you came.” Malcolm says as he pulls Gizel into his room.

“Um, yes?” Gizel looks around and rubs her shoulder. “This must be serious if you grabbed me so hard.” She says, furrowing her brow. Malcolm nods and moves her so she’s sitting on his bed.

“This is very serious. If I fail this...” He trails off and looks to his feet, his face contouring in anger and frustration, his hand forming tight fists.

“Malcolm. Did something happen?” Gizel asks softly, reaching her hand out to touch his. This seemed to snap Malcolm out of whatever he was thinking about because he gripped Gizel’s wrist with an intensity that made think that her wrist might brake. “M-Malcolm!” She gasps. “Wha-what is this?! Let go! That hurts!” She tries to pull aways from him but that only makes his squeeze harder.

“Gizel.” He says softly, using his other hand to cup her cheek. “I want you. Please, let me be your first?” He says gently, which contradicted the pain he was currently forcing upon her. Tears filled her eyes, she couldn’t form any words, she just wanted to cry. “I’ll take your silence as a yes.” He says before forcing his lips onto her own.

Gizel was absolutely frozen. Malcolm had never been this rough with her before. He was also gentle but this? This was a new Malcolm that she did not like. “S-Stop.” She croaks out as he pins her on his bed. “I-I don’t-” She let out whimpers of displeasure as tears rushed down her cheeks. Malcolm smirks.

“You know, you look cute like this. All cute and defenseless.” He leans down, close her her ear. “Wanna know a secret?” He chuckles. “I never liked you. You’re fat, stupid, and try way too hard to make people like you.” He says.

“Th-then why?” Gizel manages out, balling her hands into weak fists.

“That’s a good question.” He looks at her softly but there’s an evil fire in his eyes. “It’s because it was my mission. I was sent to claim you.” He says, letting his eyes roam her clothed body. “Would you like to know why I call you Ember?” He asks. “It’s not because of your hair or your soft demeanor. It’s because it’s easier to snuff out than a fire.” He laughs.

That was it. The last straw for Gizel. She tightened her fists and gritted her teeth. “Stop!” She screamed. “I’m not just some easy girl! You can’t and won’t have me you-” Her skin started to feel hot and if her eyes weren’t squeezed shut she would have witnessed her tears turning into steam. “You JERK!” Malcolm let go of her and blows on his hands from the heat that radiated off of her.

Gizel gets off the bed and ignites her hands so flames rest in her palms. “You know what’s special about an ember, Malcolm?” She asks. “If treated with enough fuel.” She raises her right hand. “IT CAN TURN INTO A FIRE!” She smacks him across the face and a rush of air booms through the air, destroying windows and letting the fire that had started to spread across her body tavel out in the hall and around the building.

Gizel’s memorise get fuzzy past that. She mainly just remembers flames and seeing red everywhere. However, when she is fully conscious again, she was sitting in the back of an ambulance with a blanket wrapped around her. She looks around, frightened, and checks her wrist to make sure she wasn’t in cuffs.

“Hey.” A voice says softly. Gizel jumps and stares up at a woman with short black hair and glasses. In the glowing, red light of the flames her skin looked almost yellow, but Gizel figured it must have been a trick of her eyes. “Are you alright?” The woman asks. “You passed out the moment you came out of the building.”

Gizel just stares at her for a moment before blinking herself back to reality. “U-Um, yes. I was with my boyfrien-”

“Get ‘em inside!” A man yells as a stretcher passes Gizel. “We hardly have a pulse! We need oxygen!” Gizel gasps inwardly and puts her hand to her lips as she looks at the sea of other ambulances and gurneys.

“Oh my God.” She whispers. “Did… did I do this?” She asks herself.

“Hm?” The woman puts a hand on Gizel’s shoulder. “What do you mean, dear? How could you have done this? It’s not like you have powers or anything.” She jokes. “Just be glad you have your life and that you came out first. Some of these kids will definitely have permanent scarring.” Gizel’s eyes fill with tears.

“I. I have to go!” She says, getting to her feet and rushing home. The woman behind her tries to call out her but when Gizel doesn’t turn back her face sours. “Plan ‘B’ then.” She mutters, putting her knife back into her pocket.