Glowing Sky: Book One

Chapter Six - Adelaide

I sat across from Lucas, soaked to the bone. I tried to look everywhere but at him, which had suddenly become impossible. His deep green eyes acting like a homing beacon, tugging at me to look back at him. 

The coffee shop was warm, cozy, and I tried to convince myself that the warm air was what was making my face turn a light shade of pink. I found myself staring at him now. He had somehow learned to read my moods, the hidden pieces of myself that not even people back home in California could see. 

The thought of California sent a pang of pain through me. I blinked and pushed the thought away. It isn't home anymore. I felt myself being analyzed as Lucas' forest green eyes fluttered over my appearance. It was overwhelming being noticed, being seen. He knew I was hiding things but hadn't called me out and I wasn't sure if he planned to. A mix of strange comfort and surprise wrapped me in contradiction as I realized I felt  like I could trust this boy I hardly knew. 

Being seen, although terrifying didn't have to be if he continued to play oblivious, allowing me to live in denial. His reading of my moods may end up being a nice change from others always attempting to guess what went on in my head. Believe me, no one needed to know what kind of circus I had up there.

His purple hair seemed less stupid when it glistened in the fluorescent light of the coffee shop. I shook my head and smiled at my silly thought. That had to be the worst line of poetry ever thought up. 'Your hair glistens beautifully in florescent light.' Yep, no career as a poet for me.

"You have a nice smile," Lucas said glancing up from his menu, pinning me with his eyes, burying me in a set of emotions I could hardly process.

My face filled with color as I clasped my hands tightly in my lap. "Thank you. Your hair is growing on me," I admitted.

He smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "See, I knew it would. It isn't stupid."

My heart stuttered to a grinding halt. Did he read my mind? Does he have an ability too? If he does, he would know about that terrible glistening in the florescent light line. I'll have to fake my death and leave town. "I never said it was stupid."

"You thought it." He gave me a knowing smile, a hidden joke I didn't get playing across his lips.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, tearing my eyes away and looking down at the menu, trying to remember how to read, how to process letters and turn them into lines that my brain could process as words.

"Lucky guess." He chuckled.

A waitress came and after copying Lucas's order, and having no idea what I asked for, I looked at Lucas again. "So how did you know?"

"Know about what you were thinking?" He tilted his head, causing parts of his purple hair to fall into his face, framing his strong jaw. I pulled my eyes back to his eyes after a beat too long.

I nodded. I needed to know how much he could read. If he could read thoughts, I would have to leave now and keep my mind on lockdown whenever he was around. He couldn't know about my past. It could get us both killed. "You read people very well. You have read me several times today. That isn't something that happens unless you know someone really well. And I wouldn't call us friends."

His green eyes flashed in amusement. "Are you always so blunt?"

"I don't like to waste time." I shrugged. It was an understatement. Some things required fast results, while others required as much side stepping as possible.

"Let's just say I have a talent." He looked away. I was surprised by the sudden emotional wall that went up around him. He was always so open that the change threw me off. It was unsettling. Curiosity pulled me to get answers.