Freaks

V

Your POV:
I've often sensed companionship, friendship; you know, the kind that makes you feel accepted, like maybe you've actually found your place in this crazy-ass world. But this was the first time I had experienced it for myself, and sensing an emotion is different from experiencing an emotion.
Very different.
Peter slid a cassette tape across the diner table to me. I felt the smooth plastic and examined it,
"Roundabout" by Yes
I slid it out of the case a clicked it into his cassette player before slipping his headphones over my head.
"Alright. Nice pick, Maximoff," I said tapping my foot to the beat.
He grinned,
"Yeah, I know."
I rummaged through my backpack and placed a cassette on the table before saying,
"Not as good as this one though."'
He picked it up and his eyes went wide with amazement,
"No way, you have the new Rolling Stones album? I've been trying to get my hands on Sticky Fingers for weeks! What else do you have besides Wild Horses?"
"Besides that one, only tracks one, nine, and seven. My neighbor owns a cassette store, let's me get first pick."
"I think you just got ten times cooler, ___."
My attention was quickly grasped by the couple that walked into the diner. I could sense everything. Aggression, sadness, pain, fear. All wrapped up into a vile bundle. It made my skin crawl.
I kept my eyes on the them, drowning out whatever Peter was saying over the music blasting into his ears.
I saw the guy push her into the booth, and tightly grip her wrists.
I couldn't breathe.
Peter eventually noticed my attention was elsewhere and questioned,
"What's wrong?"
I gripped my head in pain and breathed heavily.
"I have to go. I'll see you later, Peter."
I got up and quickly made my way to the door.
"Wait, your tape!"
"Just keep it for now," I said before pushing it open and running home.
That was one thing I despised about my powers. Sometimes they dictated what I did. No turning them off.

*

I was abruptly woken at one in the morning by a prominent tapping on my window. I rubbed my eyes, still weighed down with sleep. I couldn't see who was there, but I could sense him.
Peter.
I slid up my window and he said with a sly grin.
"Good morning."
I turned on a lamp and replied as he climbed in,
"There better be a good reason as to why you're climbing in through my window at one in the morning."
He handed me my cassette,
"I finished the tape."
"And that is not a good reason," I replied with a laugh.
His voice fell into a more serious tone,
"Hey...back at the diner. Did I do something to tick you off or something?"
I sensed nervousness on him, something I hadn't really ever picked up from him. I didn't think anything was ever that important to him.
"No, no. It wasn't you, really. I just got a really bad migraine."
"So you're not mad?"
"No. But the fact that you woke me up extremely early slash really late to ask if I was mad is a bit ironic."
He laughed,
"Alright, I'll let you sleep now."
"Wait. Before you go..."
I opened a drawer and pulled out another cassette tape.
"Here's track one of the album."
He placed it into the pocket of his black bomber jacket and said before returning outside,
"Sweet. See you later."
I felt my cheeks turn pink as he vanished off into the night.