I didn't want to do it, but the stress of everything that had happened today finally got to me and as we drove in silence the tears began to slowly slide down my cheeks. I let them fall. Seth reached into his pocket and pulled out a silk handkerchief, silently handing it to me. Gratefully I wiped the tears from my face. He then reached into a different pocket and pulled out a sleek black cell phone. The conversation was very brief, simply 'I need you' before clicking the line dead and replacing the phone in his pocket.
I pulled into my usual spot by the curb before shutting off the ignition. We sat there for a minute. Silent tears continued to fall and he just stared at me as if unsure what to do. I couldn't take his silent scrutiny any longer and turned to face him. Seth mirrored my movements and turned so our knees were touching. I looked at him not knowing what I wanted to say. We just sat, comfortable in the silence. Slowly, as if he didn't want to, Seth raised his hand to turn my head. Amanda's slap had raised a red welt on my cheek. Wincing as he gently traced it with his fingers I closed my eyes and let him hold my face in his hand. Our eyes met and it was like every cheese cliche from every romantic comedy ever made. Time stood still, we moved in slow motion, my eyes closed and I leaned into him as he leaned into me. Just before our lips met and fireworks shot into the sky, Alex pulled up to the curb behind me and honked her horn. Seth reacted like he had been doused with a bucket of ice water, rapidly pulling back and exiting my car.
"Seth?" Alex asked, "What's going on?"
"Let's go inside. I'll explain there." With that he shut the door on my stunned face and with Alex in tow walked up my porch steps.
"Please, follow me home. Please, come inside. I just want this day to be over!" I screamed to the empty car.
By now they had made it to the door and turned to see why I wasn't following. Grumbling under my breath I flung the door open with too much haste, causing the heavy door to swing back and hit me in the forehead. Carefully this time I opened the door and pulled myself out, marched up to the house and let them inside. This time it was my turn to keep going. If I was going to listen to whatever explanation Seth cared to give then I was going to do so in the comfort of my own room. I passed the pair and headed up the stairs. I threw my messenger bag into the corner, kicked off my shoes and plopped onto the rumpled covers, grabbing my fluffy pillow and hugging it tight to my chest. It wasn't long until I was joined by Seth and Alex.
"Wow, you're room is - " Alex began.
"Messy." Seth finished.
"If you don't like it, there's the door." I said pointing to the exit. "I left school early because I wanted to be alone. I kept my end of the bargain. I didn't tell anyone, anything, and all day long I've been under Seth-O-Vision, was attacked by a brainless Harpy, and followed home. So please, say what you need to say and then get out."
Alex raised her eyebrows and turned to her brother as if asking him if he really wanted to be here. Apparently he did because he cleared his throat and began to make his way to my desk chair.
"I'm sorry for my behavior today. I wasn't sure if I could trust you. I had to be sure."
"By stalking me?"
"By watching you, yes, but also by learning your routine. Do you not have any friends?"
"I have friends," I grumbled. This time it was Seth's turn to raise an eyebrow. He had watched me all day. I was obviously lying. "Well I talk to people at least."
"Hmph, teachers don't count."
"I talk to students too!"
"Name one." Seth challenged me. With this Alex walked over and sat next to me on the bed, shocked that I couldn't name anyone. I felt my eyes fill with tears again and ducked my head, refusing to let him see me cry any more.
"Jessica?" Alex whispered. She reached out to touch the tip of her fingers to my bruised and swollen cheek. Her touch tingled at first, and then a cooling sensation spread across my cheek and partially down my neck.
"We're different than most people." Seth stated.
"Different how?" I asked sniffing loudly.
"You already know. You've seen it. You've felt it," he nodded to my cheek, "I think we can trust you. The question you have to ask yourself is if you can trust us?"
The silence was deafening. I had seen him kill a man. I had felt what I suspected was her healing my cheek. I had no friends or companions and I was losing my mother despite what she had said this morning. Hugging my pillow tighter I buried my head into its softness. Seth couldn't know that he was asking more than I felt prepared to give. When my father died it hurt so much that I had unknowingly shut myself off from world. Pushing people out of my life was just easier than dealing with any more potential hurt. It was also very lonely.
"I trust you." I mumbled into my pillow. Alex stood, moving to stand behind her brother and resting her hand on his shoulder. I couldn't help but stifle a giggle. It looked like they were posing for a picture.
"What we are about to tell you we haven't told anyone. Not even our parents. You have to promise us that it goes no further than this room." Seth began. I nodded my consent and he continued. "Alex and I are adopted."
I couldn't help myself; I snorted. "That's it? You're big secret is you're adopted? I'm pretty sure your parents know that. You've got to be kidding me."
"That's part of it. Of course our parents know we're adopted, but they and everyone else think we're just regular kids. You know otherwise. But there's so much more to it than that. Where we come from everyone is like us. Everyone has powers." Seth paused to let that information sink in. Slowly I nodded for him to continue. "We look human, we act human, but we're not human. Our world was destroyed by an ancient and powerful evil. Before it could overcome our world completely the Elders used their powers to send us here, to be safe from harm. We know there are others like us here, in this world, but we don't know who they are or how to find them. Once we do our powers will reach their full strength and together we will be enough to defeat the evil that our ancestors could not and finally return home."
"Are you punking me? I know I'm not popular and everything, but I'm not stupid either. Other worlds? Ancient evil? What you're telling me sounds like a sci-fi novel and not a very original one at that." I stood, pacing the narrow confines of my room. They were nuts if they expected me to just believe such and obviously made up story.
"It's true." Alex chimed in.
Scoffing I turned to her, arms akimbo, "Oh, well, in that case, of course it is! How long did you plan this sick joke? 'Let's punk the freak girl!' Just because you're popular and you're beautiful I'm supposed to automatically go along with it?" I didn't specify which was which, but I think Alex knew that she wasn't the beautiful one in my scenario.
"You need to calm down. Remember you've seen us use our powers." Seth said raising hands, palms out in a placating gesture.
"I am calm!" I yelled back, anything but. We were going nowhere. Logically I couldn't accept what they were saying, even if they were right and I had seen their powers. This kind of stuff just doesn't exist.
Exasperated Seth ran his hands through his hair, causing it to spike up in a fresh out of bed sort of way. I thought it looked better that way. He dropped his hands to his lap and glanced around my room as if giving up, when he spotted a perfect red apple sitting on the corner of my desk. Without saying a word he slowly started peeling off his right glove. Reaching out he touched the apple with the tip of his fingers. I watched as the apple slowly started to discolor and shrivel into a half rotten mass, barely recognizable as the scrumptious fruit that had once sat in its place. Removing his hand and replacing his glove he looked up at Alex. She reached out just as her brother and once again touched the apple with the tip of her fingers. Within moments the aging had reversed and the apple was restored to its original ripe form. As if sensing my skepticism she then picked i up and took a bite, crunching into the crisp flesh and wiping a bit of juice off her chin. Holding the fruit out, she casually dropped it into my waiting hands.
"Now do you believe us?" Seth asked
I shook my head in denial still unsure of what I had seen, but surprised myself when I replied, "I think I do."
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