* * * *
With the long holiday around the corner, I needed to cross a few things off my mental checklist. First, I needed to pin down my next victim for a power swap. After that, I needed to talk to Sam and hope for answers.
I’d planned to test my ability on Rachel before I went back to the Compound, but Clay watched me closely. Since he knew something happened when I touched other people, he subtly kept everyone out of reach. I pretended not to notice so he wouldn’t become even more protective.
Luck turned in my favor when Rachel texted and asked me to meet her and Peter for lunch. Having just left my morning class, the timing couldn’t have worked better. She suggested a small ma and pa diner close to the campus; the same one Clay and I had walked to so long ago for our sunrise breakfast. I quickly agreed, told her what to order for me, and rushed over the scraped sidewalks to my car.
I cautiously drove the few blocks to the diner. The salt on the roads made everything slushy, and my worn tires liked to slide when I least expected. I eased into the crowded parking lot and snagged a spot near the door.
Through the windows, I spied Rachel and Peter already snuggled in a booth. The waitress had just delivered our food, and they didn’t notice me park or get out of the car. They stared at each other. I saw their lips moving in quiet conversation. Rachel kept stopping to grin at Peter.
I opened the door, briefly blasting the patrons with the frigid air. It caught Rachel and Peter’s attention. They wore secret smiles as they watched me approach. I slid in across from them, the vinyl seat squeaking, and peeled off my hat and gloves. The warmth of the room heated my cheeks and turned them red in seconds.
“Hi, guys. This is a nice surprise. What’s the occasion?” As soon as I said it, I noticed the glint on Rachel’s ring finger. “Oh, wow...” It came out sounding as stunned as I felt. The rational side of me said it was too soon, but the part of me that saw them together and saw their synchronized pulses, knew it was perfect.
“Peter proposed last night, and I said yes.” Rachel’s happiness bubbled from her.
I stood and reached across the table to hug her. She bounced up from her seat and excitedly hugged me back. I grabbed hold of the opportunity. Focusing, I repeated what I’d thought and felt the other times I’d shocked someone. Was she doing the right thing? Was Peter the right one for her? What if I was wrong? I dredged up all my concerns and hope for her, held it tight within me and then let it flow through to her.
The shock jolted us apart immediately. The intensity of it burned my fingertips. Rachel settled next to Peter with a surprised laugh. I sat too, smiled, and opened my sight wide, forcing the full view of the world as I’d seen when I’d shocked Luke. It strained me a bit, but I didn’t let go. This time I really looked. The tiny sparks of all living beings covered the world. I focused the view so I could see the occupants of the diner in detail.
Peter and Rachel pulsed in time as usual. I expected Peter to be different, somehow, to signify his match with Rachel, but I couldn’t see anything unusual. They did appear a bit dimmer, like their light had faded. I remembered that happening when I’d touched Luke and quickly pulled back from such a close up view.
While I looked at Rachel’s tiny spark, something caught my eye. Faint pulses rippled out from her. Much like the ripples made by a pebble thrown into a pond, they spread outward, passing through all other sparks. One approached Charlene’s spark. Instead of passing through, it bounced off and came speeding back.
Startled, I scanned the sparks, zooming in and out as needed until I identified five uniquely colored sparks like me. The ripples didn’t pass through them. Instead, they bounced off and came flying back. Right at me, not Rachel.
The return wave of the spark midway between Charlene and me hit. I absorbed it, and a wave of dizziness rushed through me. That was the first indication of the drain I’d felt previously. I watched Charlene’s wave approach and knew that when it hit, I’d get worse. It made sense now, how I grew weak and sick shortly after transferring my ability. Each hit of return energy knocked me further on my butt. If I’d paid more attention to it before, I would have noticed it when I shocked Nicole and the other girls. But why had it acted differently when I’d touched Luke? Why had just one of the five become focused? I still had so much to figure out. For now, the clock ticked, counting down the time until I would turn into a shaking mess.
I’d noted all of this in the few short seconds it’d taken for Rachel’s surprised expression to clear.
“I’m so happy for both of you,” I said before she could say anything about my momentary pause.
I smiled while I braced myself for Charlene’s energy wave, just minutes away.
“Gabby, after Peter proposed, we both decided we’d tortured you and Scott enough and should get our own place. So as soon as we find something, I plan on moving out. I wanted to give you as much time as possible to find a roommate before I actually left.”
I nodded and smiled at her as if I understood. Would another roommate really put up with Clay-the-moody-dog, or Clay-the-mute-man? I couldn’t blame them for wanting to find their own place. I knew she missed Peter when they were apart.
She picked up her fork and started eating her salad. Peter took another bite of his BLT sandwich. My burger and fries sat before me, still untouched.
Her announcement and the continued strain of staying focused on the vast scale of lights for so long took their toll. My head started to pound. I saw the second wave rush toward me and couldn’t help the slight wince when the pounding in my head increased to full force. I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering.
Thankfully, Rachel still wore her love-goggles and didn’t notice.
“Don’t worry about me. Clay will be there enough that I’ll make him pay the other half of the rent. So, did you set a date?”
The conversation turned to wedding plans until Peter glanced at his watch and reminded Rachel of their next class. She pouted playfully. I smiled, barely holding back a shiver, and assured her we’d make time to talk wedding stuff soon. The third wave hit, stunning me. Two to go, and they weren’t far off.
“You feeling all right?” Peter asked as they stood. “You look very pale.”
“I’m fine. I skipped breakfast, and I think my blood sugar is getting revenge. It will pass.” I picked up a fry and ate it. My stomach rebelled.
“You should have that tested,” Peter warned, helping Rachel into her jacket.
I nodded and reached for the ketchup while they walked out the door. Squirting a big pile on my plate, I looked up in time to wave to Rachel as they backed out of their spot. I pretended to nibble on a fry as I watched their car. Once they left, I dug out my cell with shaking hands and dialed Dale’s Auto Body. It looked like I would need to miss a few more classes.
Dale answered after the third ring.
“Hi, Dale, it’s Gabby...Clay’s girlfriend.” It felt weird giving myself that title, but I pushed it aside. Bigger issues to deal with. “If he’s there, can I talk to him?”
Dale chuckled. “Sure, but I don’t imagine it’d be much of a conversation.”
I heard him call out to Clay. A moment later, a husky voice said, “Hello?”
After not talking to me for so long, hearing his voice startled and annoyed me slightly. He would talk to a perfect stranger, but not me? I opened my mouth to say something about it, but the pain in my head insistently prodded me to get on with the important news.
“Clay, I did it again. I’m at the diner where we had breakfast. I need you to come get me before it gets worse.”
He didn’t say anything for so long that I looked at the phone to see if I still had a signal. The screen said disconnected. Would it have killed him to say “Okay” or maybe even “Bye” before hanging up? His hello had been too shocking to recall the sound of his voice.
I sighed and put my cell away. With Sam
’s frequent calls and Rachel’s occasional texts, my remaining minutes dipped into the double digits. I needed to adjust my budget to buy more airtime. Did life really need to throw me this many curveballs? And all at once?
I forced myself to eat more of my mostly untouched meal so the waitress wouldn’t bother me as I waited.
The last of the waves hit me. Only determination and a hand over my mouth kept me from whimpering. After about ten minutes, I settled the bill and watched out the window for Clay, barely checking the need to curl into a ball and lie down on the padded bench. The waitress kept a close eye on me, probably thinking she would need to clean up barf soon. She might.
Dale’s huge tow truck pulled into the parking lot. Clay opened his door and leapt out while it still rolled to a stop. Through the window, he spotted me. His eyes never left me as he strode in and Dale pulled away.
Clay still wore his greasy coveralls, and with his hair pulled back, he looked like an angel—a grimy one—coming to save me. Again.
“Hi,” I whispered, tilting my head to meet his gaze.
His eyes softened as he looked me over.
My legs trembled just sitting there but with so many students from campus, I wouldn’t leave by any means other than my own two feet. I handed him the keys to my car, slid out of the booth, and reached for him. Standing, I wrapped my arms around his waist. I hoped it looked like I wanted to snuggle instead of holding myself up. He maneuvered us out the door and to my car with no trouble.
Minutes later, he carried me through the back door. He knew the drill and gave me a drink before he tucked me into bed.