Manifesting | kotlc

- chapter - twelve -

i'm sorry in advance for how short this chapter will be

Blythe stared at me with awaiting eyes, most likely not expecting me to be telling such a life-changing secret. In my mind I tried to test out different ways to to explain my ability. To lay down gently the lies I've been telling her for weeks now. 

Instead, what came out was a stuttered and accidental loud shout, "Pyrokinetic!"

Blythe fell back in alarm and I slapped my hand over my mouth for announcing my secret in such a loud, bashful way. I didn't even explain it. I just said the name of my ability. 

Yet, something I've discovered over the course of our friendship is our ways of reading not only each other's body language but also each other's intentions and minds. All without the abilities to help us cheat into doing so. I didn't need to fully explain, all it took was saying the name of my ability and Blythe would understand what I was trying to communicate. 

She stared at me with a mix of frustration and astonishment. We stayed silent, locking eyes as I practically pleaded her to say something first. I didn't want to make the first next move, but it seemed like she was too surprised and angry to say anything either. 

She opened her mouth, as if about to attempt to respond, but then closed it once more, along with her eyes. She took a deep breath, and I knew that she was putting more thought into her response than I did into my flustered shout. Finally, after what felt like hours of time, she opened her mouth once more. 

Her voice was weak as she questioned, "Are you telling me that you manifested into an ability?" I looked down at my feet and nodded, not wanting to lock eyes with her. I could hear as she sucked in a surprised breath and a few seconds later when she released it. "How long?" 

"A few weeks. The day that Eamon and I butt heads." 

I took a startled scoot back when she leaped to her feet in front of me and screamed, "What?" 

"Blythe-"

"You told Eamon Foster about this before me? How could you? And I'm assuming your best friend Lyra knows too, hmm?" Her eyes were filled with accusations as mine were filled with tears. 

"Quiet down!" I whisper-shouted as I heard the steps of one of her parents outside the door. 

Despite her anger, Blythe still was able to compose herself so she could grin at her father as he opened the door to ask if everything was alright. "Oh, we're doing just dandy dad, thanks for asking." The smile was wide and painful and I'm not sure why he believed it. 

Blythe took a seat once more in front of me, seemingly calmer than before her father's interruption. "Because I love you and because I know you so well, I know you wouldn't keep this a secret without a reason. Explain." 

I gave her my most thankful look as I thought out my answer. "My ability is different than most," I began to tell her. "Most people manifest into an ability in some fun natural way and they can control it." 

"What about you?" She questioned. 

"My ability only works when I feel an emotion strongly. I've been working with Marella Redek to try and control it but sometimes I'll just find myself really angry or really sad and suddenly there a fire in my palm and I have to quickly run to the closest isolating place and hide until I can make it go away." I looked down at my hands foreignly, as if they didn't belong to me. "Whenever I thought about telling you, I would get so afraid the fire would appear and there wouldn't be space to tell you, instead I could only show you." 

I hadn't told anyone other than Marella of the fact that I was still struggling with my ability to such an extent. Most people learned rules and advanced their abilities, but I was being taught to control mine. To tame mine instead of advancing.