Mortal

Chapter Nine: Charlotte

I wake up in the infirmary. I feel dizzy and lightheaded. I see Serin in the bed across from me, reading a novel.
"Serin? What...?" He looks up from his book.
"Oh, you're awake." He puts his books down. I notice his arm is in a cast.
"Xeraph! He, he threw me, and then you, you tried to stop him, and then... What has happened? How long have I been out?" He laughs.
"Slow down, okay? You suffered severe head wounds. You have a concussion. The doctor will be here soon."

Three weeks later

I walk into class and sit beside Serin, happy to finally be out of the infirmary. He smiles at me, and I smile back. While in the hospital, we solved our issues and became friends. I still haven't spoken to Xeraph since the roof...I wish that he wasn't angry with me, but it couldn't be helped. I don't love him, and I was a fool to think that he could love me. He just loved my power. After class, we walk back up to the roof, a ritual we have come accustom to. I sit on the bench and wait for the magnificent light of dusk. Serin doesn't sit today. I look back at him, he stands a few feet away from the bench. He looks blank.
"Serin?" I ask, standing up.
"Huh? Oh! Haha, I guess that I got lost in space..." He smiles unconvincingly. I put my hand on my hip and sigh.
"The truth, please." He sighs.
"Sorry. I just, I don't want to ruin this. I really," he hesitates, scaring the crap out of me. "I really love hanging out with you." I blush and turn away. I'm so embarrassed. I already know that he loves me, but him saying stuff like this always makes me uneasy, for some reason. I swallow hard and clear my throat.
"I love to hang out with you too." I say, without turning around. An uneasy silence hangs in the air, making my ears hurt.
"Charlotte... Can I ask you something?" I turn back to Serin and nod. "Can I.... well, don't take this wrong, but...I want to kiss you." I just look at him, shocked at his forwardness. I trying to sputter out an answer, but Serin keeps going. "It is about a prophecy that an odd creature once told me. I just want to see if anything happens." I hesitate, but agree. What can a kiss hurt, right? He smiles shyly and steps towards me. I tilt my head up to meet his green eyes. He leans down and touches his lips to mine. I take a sharp breath and lean in more and more, until we are chest to chest, toe to toe. I close my eyes and-----
I gasp, breaking away from Serin. I look at his eyes, sure mine are full of fear.
"Charlotte," he says. "What did you see?" I shake my head.
"I-I-I" I sputter. "I saw you, and Xeraph. But, you were children. Xeraph was crying, and you sat defiantly in a wagon." I grab his arm. "Serin, why did I see your past when I kissed you?" Serin looks content with the situation, which angers me.
"This means it is true." He says, almost at no one. "You are the hero of the prophecy. When you kiss someone, mainly me, your Nephalem instincts kick in, and you see the past of said person."
"But, if this is true, why didn't I see Xeraph's past? I kissed him many times, and I never experienced this." Serin smiles goofily.
"I knew you'd ask that." He bows in front of me. "It is because I am your true love. Your soul mate, your destined partner."