Don't Judge A Flower By Its Color

Chapter Seven

"Another round of daiquiris!" Oceana yelled to the middle age bartender. She begun to rock a bit in her leather stool, causing her to release a high pitch giggle. Thankfully she fell face first into the counter instead of the rough looking biker on her right.

After signaling to Barney to cut her liquor intake short, I decided to hop down from my own stool and searched for Dark Shadow. He had gotten here twenty minutes later than us. When he had finally showed up, Oceana was already downing drinks like they were going out of style. He told me to take care of her first and that he could wait till she quit.

He sat in the back corner booth underneath a low lit light, nursing a white ceramic cup. The strong smell of lemon greeted me warmly with a hint of ginger. It left a tingle in my nostrils.

I fell next to him and lifted the tea bag tag, reading aloud the name.

"What?" He questioned, setting the cup on the wooden table top once he notice me cringe.

I raised the paper tag to him, "ginger."

It took him only a second of judging the disgusted look on my face before giving a huge grin. He shook his head once then decided to ask how my friend was.

"She's doing okay."

In reality, she wasn't anywhere near okay. She was still torn about the fight her and Dr. Mary had. She wouldn't admit to it but the things Dr. Mary said were bothering her.

"And you," Dark Shadow propped, "how are you?"

I rest my elbows on the table, staring off at the television which hung from the ceiling. It played a local news channel. The reporter in a grey suit relaid details from what happened during the fire at Martin's Labs. There was little info on what caused it but plenty of causalities.

If only me and Oceana saw it sooner...

A larger hand rested on the top of my forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Dark Shadow held a straight face. His usual kindness on the back burner. He was trying to be comforting.

I released a shaken breath. Somehow, this felt familiar. A tender touch and a pair of green eyes watching softly.

Before an impossible hope could cross my thoughts, we moved a few inches away from the other. He raced his fingers through his hair and my hands laid in my lap. Sweaty palms pressed tight together.

"You really want to know?" I mumbled, feeling restricted to say anything else.

He wasn't like them. He wasn't asking for research purposes. He wanted to know because he cared.

Are you sending me another sign of humanity?

"I do, but I don't expect you to answer my questions without letting you ask some of your own."

He shrugged off his long trench coat and slung it over the back of the booth. He pulled up the collar of his black turtle neck before offering the drink menu that had been near the metal condominiums rack.

I took it from him, trying to contain a giggle.

"You do realize I'm underage?"

"Impossible."

"Not really," I shrugged while reading over the list of drinks, "I just turned nineteen a couple months ago."

He considered this information before offering a late congratulations. It was sweet but not needed. Unless, his goal was to make my stomach tie in knots.

I hid behind the long green curtain of hair, praying silently he hadn't notice the glow that lit my cheeks.

A couple fingers brushed the locks back, causing me to jump at the gentle touch. Through his dark eye mask, he met my wide eyed gaze with a softer one. His lower lip in between his teeth.

The sight was oddly attractive. I begun to squirm, unsure how to respond. The doctors never taught us how to act in these type of situations.

How to act around boys was foreign territory.

He moved closer and smirked at that random hiccup that burst between us. I dug my nails in the leather seat while his finger traced the bruise on my face. It stung but felt so warm.

I shouldn't let him get close...

That thought was too late. I was already lost in him. He rested his lips against my cheek and drew me into a protective embrace.

"I won't let them hurt you ever again."

I swallowed the ball of emotion and hid in his bold chest. It was unrealistic to trust him. He didn't even know who hurt me. His hold somehow persuaded me to believe him though.

"Okay," I whispered clinging on to his sweater, "ask whatever you want."

He started with something simple. He asked me about Oceana. He wanted to know how we met.

I couldn't shy away the smile at that memory.

A week after Dr. Manor choose my younger self as his next experiment, he decide to move me into the basement with the 'metas'.

It was the farthest room away from his lab, down a dark cement hallway. He'd open the door to a taller girl who was applying cupcake smelling lip gloss. The minute her sights landed on us, she claimed me as her younger sister.

From that moment, Oceana became the closest thing I had to family. She took care of me and tried her hardest to save my innocence. She always showed me the bright side of life.

"So, Dr. Manor?"

"Dr. Manor is a strict man." I muttered loosening my grip on Dark Shadow.

"Is he the one who-"

"Can we save that question for next time?" I plead weakly at him, "it still so fresh. Kind of hoping to forget a little while longer before me and Oceana have to get home."

"Of course," Dark Shadow agreed, "you know we do need to find her a heroic name as well, Madam Nature."

I glanced to the time at the corner of the television. We really should have been leaving. Dr. Mary had wanted us back an hour ago but what could one more hour hurt?

"How about Aquawoman?" I suggested, ignoring the clock to get lost in Dark Shadow's presences.

He made a face of distaste and right then I forget about being a pawn in the devil's game.

A/N:
My little one side sitters :)
They are definitely an odd pair. Their cuteness is gonna give me cavities.

If you are enjoying this story- please consider voting :)

Thank you!