Character Profiles - Meet The Heroes

Character Profile #1 - Skye Amaratafu

"I guess I'll write about Greece." Cyan mumbled, though she now gave a smile at the mention of Greece.

"Cool, cool." Thankfully, the bell rang, sending a tingle of relief through Skye's bones. She really didn't want to keep the conversation going, as nice as her classmates were. It was just easier that way. Besides, now she had an essay to work on!

"Looks like it's going to be a nice and sunny day today class." Mr. Feralding called, opening the blinds. "Go outside and enjoy the summer air." Skye opened her mouth to say goodbye to the girls, but they were already on their feet, Sunny's face portraying a painful sort of bliss.

"We have to go." Cyan said, grabbing her and Sunny's binders. "Bye." She tugged on Sunny, and the two girls zipped out of the classroom and into the windowless school halls. Skye looked on, puzzled at their sudden departure. The light seeped in through the classroom's large, rarely used windows. In the little town of Talvaine, the summer months were short, and sunlight was coveted. Why would that bother anyone? Sure, if you liked the rain, summer could be a bust, but after a while wouldn't the rain get tiresome? She grabbed her binder and quickly followed them out the door.

Why were they acting so strange? She thought as she tried to catch a glimpse of them in the crowd. The AC kicked on and Skye felt that tickling prick that she always got when there was a surge of wind. She pushed on, and finally saw Cyan and Sunny moving into the girl's bathroom. She then saw the two other girls that they sat with at lunch follow them in. Skye raced over to catch the swinging door. Why am I trying so hard? This draws attention. I can't have attention. Yet, even as those thoughts never left the front of her mind, she held the bathroom door open a crack, just enough to hear the voices coming from inside. Thankfully, no one else around her paid any notice to the girl eavesdropping by the bathroom.

"That was a close one." She heard Cyan say from her post outside the door.

"The weather app said it would be cloudy today. How was I supposed to know the sun would come out?" Sunny defended.

"Uh, because the weather app sucks and it's summer in Washington?" A new voice quipped.

"Oh, like you haven't had any near misses lately Adara?" Sunny shot back.

"No, thank you very much, I haven't." Adara said.

"Just wait until the fall."

"Guys!" Cyan shouted. "That's not the point. The point is that Sunny stay away from all the windows and eats lunch inside." They all mumbled in agreement, Sunny letting out a defeated sigh. Skye heard a splashing sound followed by a bunch of squeals. She never heard one of the school's infamous squeaky bathroom faucets turn on.

"Hey no water tricks!" The final voice giggled. Skye leaned in closer to the door, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening. She opened the door a little wider and let out a small gasp. There was a balloon of water over each of the girls' heads. Everyone looked wet except Cyan, whose hands were held out in a stiff way. They all stood in a square, facing each other. Cyan grinned and let the balloons fall, soaking the others. The warning bell chimed.

"Time to go." Sunny said. Skye watched in silent shock as Adara snapped her fingers and a bright orange flame appeared. It swelled until the whole room was like a sauna. They were dry and smiling. Skye stumbled away as they came out of the bathroom, ignoring her. They raced off to their classes, still in pairs, and Skye stood frozen in place.

                                                                                          ***

What did I just see? The question repeated itself over and over. She had moved over to a bench outside, holding her head in her hands, bent down over her lap. It had been like something out of a worst nightmare. Those kids -her classmates- were...like her. But they were together. There are people like me, she thought with a start. But how? It would explain why they were always together, never letting anybody else in. It shouldn't have been possible. And yet it was.

"Hey are you okay?" Skye looked up to see Sunny standing over her, a concerned look on her face. How much time had passed? She thought miserably. Has someone called my Dad? Do I need someone to call my Dad?

"Mrmmm..." She mumbled back.

"Do you need me to get you to the nurses office?" She asked this urgently. Skye realized that by being out here she was breaking the promise to stay inside. How wonderful it felt to be on the inside of someone else's secret for once, she thought wryly.

"No."

"Well, I can't just leave you out here." A breeze ruffled the tingling in her bones.

"I really am fine."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay then I'll-" Sunny stopped. Skye finally looked up to see what had caused the disruption. There was still the breeze, which was tingling now more than ever.

"What?" Sunny stood there, a frozen look on her face. Her short brown hair was blowing slightly with the breeze. In the breeze. Skye finally figured out what was wrong. Subconsciously, the wind avoided her, making it quite noticeable on windy days when her hair didn't get windswept.

"How...?" Sunny moved slightly out of the way, probably testing to see if she was blocking the wind. She wasn't. "How?" She asked again.

"I... saw you in the bathroom!" Skye blurted. Why did I say that? She fumbled inwardly for an appropriate way to finish that sentence. "I mean, I wasn't watching you like, creepily, or anything, but I saw..."

"And you can...?" Sunny mimed with her hands something that seemed like something Skye would do.

"My whole life." She whispered. Sunny seemed to contemplate that for a moment, tapping her feet. Skye noticed her shadow pulsed with every tap like a strobe light. She couldn't believe it.

"Follow me." Sunny finally said as she grabbed Skye's arm and pulled her off the bench. Skye was too stunned to speak. She let Sunny lead her, sure enough, into the girl's bathroom. Once the door was closed, Sunny pulled out her phone.

"What are you doing?" Skye managed to ask.

"Getting the others." A minute later three more girls came pounding into the bathroom.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Cyan asked. They all froze when they saw Skye standing stiffly in the middle of the room.

"Guys, this is big." Sunny said. She turned to Skye. "Show us what you can do." Skye's hands shook as she raised them and her hair with it. It hung there. Everyone was silent.

"What the heck!" Adara shouted.

"Woah," The fourth girl – Jade- whispered. Skye lowered her hands and hair, and looked down, her face a bright red.

"This is what we were missing." Sunny said. The others slowly nodded. The each took a deep breath and then the small bathroom was erupting in a display of elements. Skye looked in awe at the scene.

"How?" It was her turn to ask.

"We don't know." Jade said. "But we all came together." The bathroom returned to normal.

"We would love to tell you all we know, though it's not much." Sunny told her.

"And we keep this secret very seriously." Cyan added. "Just because you finally 'found' us doesn't mean you can go and tell your friends."

"That won't be a problem." Skye said, then immediately regretted it once she heard how pathetic it sounded. Thankfully, the others just nodded and pulled open the bathroom door. Once she stepped out it would be into a new world. One where she wasn't alone. One where she had friends. One where she belonged. 

I hope you guys liked learning about Skye!!

There will be one for each, so your going to have to wait to find out about them.

Have a good day/night!

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