Summer Solstice

The Truth About Us

I watched the boys take turns sparring, and tried desperately to stay calm. Freaking out was not my nature, I was pretty laid back most days, but Konai was coming back to tell me..... everything.

I sighed and reached over my shoulder, tugging my ponytail forward. I ran my fingers through the strands, trying to distract myself. My eyes drifted to the ground and I focused on the grass at my feet.

"You know, it's really nice having you here." Nalu plopped down next to me and wiped the sweat off his brow. "It's kinda great that you aren't afraid of us."

His clothes were grass stained and splotched with dirt. He stared at his hand a moment, then wiped the dirt on his jeans. It was Cailan and Dasan's turn to wrestle, and Nalu looked thoroughly tired. He turned to look at me and smiled widely. I had to smile back. He was cute, in a 'little brother' kind of way.

I stared back down at my feet, "To be honest, I was kind of worried at first...."

"Why?" Tin dropped down onto the ground just on the other side of me. He sat up and leaned his back against the log.

"Well, it's not like I knew what to expect. You were all just mythical creatures to me. Make believe stories don't really give a girl a lot to go on."

I smiled and Tin chuckled and looked down. "No, I guess not."

"But it really helps that you guys are totally normal. I wasn't sure what to expect, and this definitely wasn't it. I thought you guys would hate me..."

"Hate you?!?" Miki sounded upset. From across the field I saw Sky's face turn towards us.

I shrugged helplessly. "I thought I would just be this huge interference, or maybe Konai would get into trouble for bringing me here. But you were all so polite and understanding."

Joe was sitting on the other side of Miki and leaned forward, smiling. "It's not like we have a choice, you're Konai's girl. But just so you know, even then, you're still okay with us."

"Why, because you guys can see my aura?" I snorted. "Yay, I'm pretty like a rainbow." I said sarcastically.

The other boys laughed and Miki shook his head. "Only Teddy, Sky and Konai can do that. Joe can a little bit, but that's one of the traits that we don't usually gain until our birthdays."

I looked up at Sky, then peered past Miki to look at Joe. "How can you, if you're not eighteen yet?"

I looked down at Tin when he patted my leg, "When we're seventeen, we've gained most of our heightened senses, but we start to change, get ready for the whole..." He made a wild gesture with his hands, as if he were performing some kind of magic trick, "Oh...wah... eeee.....oooooh!"

Miki laughed, but the other boys rolled their eyes.

He grinned, dropping his hands, "After our birthdays last year, we each gained a... trait. Something singular that the others don't have. So when we're out here together, we can kind of show each other what it's like. Sort of." He picked up a small rock and tossed it at Joe. "Joe trying to explain auras is kind of like listening to a two year old explain quantum physics."

"It's hard to explain, okay?" Joe chucked the rock back, thumping Tin in the shoulder. "Besides, it's not like I can see it all the time, it comes and goes." He got up and walked off towards where Cailan and Dasan were still wrestling.

Tor walked past Tin, thumping him in the leg with his foot. "Smooth, really." But he grinned as he turned and sat down next to Miki.

"He'll get over it," Tin pulled up a piece of grass and blew on it, "He needs to learn to lighten up, or his birthday is going to be one rough ride."