Glowing Sky: Book One

Chapter Eleven - Lucas

"No," Adelaide whispered, her voice cracking on the word. She looked broken, terrified as all the color was drained from her face. Her eyes filled with tears, like I had just turned accused her of murder instead of asking if she was like me.

I took a step towards her, but when she scrambled back I stopped. "Look Adelaide, you know what I can do. Why don't you trust me with what you can do."

When she didn't move, I took another chance and walked towards her. She gazed up at me, frozen in place. Her eyes staring in to mine, an unspoken question on her face. I moved until we were inches apart, hoping that the close proximity would explain what her emotional read didn't. Why don't you tust me Adelaide?

She stared at me for a long moment and then took a step back, a spike of guilt rolling off of her. Adelaide looked away. "Because while you can sense the pain that others go through, I am the one that causes that pain." She looked at me, her eyes steady. "I am the reason why others experience fear and loss. That knowledge is not a burden I want to give to others. It's not something that should be shared."

What could she possibly have to hide? I had never heard of an ability that could hurt others. What was she so afraid of. I shoved my hands into my pockets. "Try me. Show me what you can do."

She stared at me with determination, her brows furrowed. "No."

"Look, whatever happened at the pool didn't hurt me. So maybe I am immune from whatever it is that you can do."

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. "I can't take that chance Lucas. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"That is my chance to take!" I said leaning back on my heels. She opened her mouth to protest, but I spoke again before she could. "What's your plan? To walk around with a level of fear and pain that will eventually rip you apart? That is no way to live Adelaide."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, two drops of proof of the burden she quietly bore alone. "I am just trying to survive."

"Let me help you. The way you helped me. There has to be a better way of dealing with this than just bottling it up. There has to be more than just surviving your life."

"I have it under control Lucas!"She took several steps back and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.

Anger burned inside. "Right. You almost got yourself killed at the pool. Is that what you do every day during lunch? Try to wrangle it in? Get it to bend to your will?"

Hurt flashed across her eyes. "You aren't an expert on my life. You don't understand-."

"You're right! I don't. But I have felt what you feel. I have felt it pull me under and nearly burry me. And as someone who has sensed many, many people, I can tell you that there has to be a better way."

She looked at me for a long moment and then sighed, her resolve melting slightly. I felt her doubt as she began to pace back and forth. "I don't know Lucas."

"Adelaide, let me try. You keep so much to yourself. Let me help. Just once."

She looked at me for a long moment, her eyes unreadable. "You won't see me the same way again." She blinked, clearing the sparks of fear that entered her twin honey brown eyes. "I don't want that to change. I like the way things are now."

"I don't if it means you are in pain. It's just an illusion of happiness if I am smiling and you are drowning inside."

We stood there, looking at each other for a long moment, the air tense between us. I could feel the war raging inside her as she weighed the consequences of her next words. After what felt like an eternity, she sighed.

"You won't let this go will you?"

I shook my head.

"Fine. Tomorrow. Meet me here, same time."

My heart sped up with a mix of surprise and excitment. "Why not now?"

She averted her eyes and adjusted her gloves selfconsciously. "I need to think through the best way to show you. Tomorrow. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay."

She turned to leave but stopped. Her next words were quiet, hope and fear stitched together in her tone. "If you don't show up tomorrow, then we can put this whole thing behind us. But if you do, you have to keep everything you see, a secret, forever."