City of Angels and Darkness (Contest Version)

Chapter 4

-Los Angeles, 2007 -

Amelia breathed in deeply and said quietly, "I know it's not the same, but -" Her voice broke and she had to swallow. Never before had she showed her scar to anyone and it felt strange, but not as uncomfortable as she had imagined.

"I was seven years old - too young for a healing Rune, so it had to heal by itself. And that's what's left."

Still, Mark was not saying anything. Amelia could not bring herself to look at him, she was afraid he might be disgusted by her scar. Her hands were shaking, her fingers clenched into the fabric of her shirt. Just when she was about to drop her shirt, she felt Mark's hand on her skin. He had bent forward and put his fingers on the red scarred tissue on her waist. His touch was so soft that Amelia barely felt it, but nevertheless it sent shivers up and down her spine, making her body feel as if it was completely on fire. Now it was her, who held her breath while his fingertips wandered gently over her scar. It was the first time someone else touched her wounded and healed skin and it felt weird and intimate. Mark's fingers were soft and cool and to her own surprise, she found the touch soothing and somehow thrilling.

"What happened?" he asked without taking his hand away. His voice sounded hoarse and concerned. Amelia turned her face and looked at Mark, who was still staring at her skin, with a very concentrated look on his face. "We were playing - Grayson and I. I was chasing him around our house. My mother told us not to go too close to the fireplace but Grayson did not listen. I was afraid but he was mocking me, calling me a fraidy-cat. I wanted to show him that I wasn't. I wanted him to see that I was brave."

Mark lifted his head, letting his hand rest on her waist, and their eyes met.

"My dress caught fire. It happened so fast - there was nothing anyone could have done." Amelia shivered at the memory of the flames, burning into her skin. "Grayson saved me from being burnt worse. Her tore off my dress, burning his own hands. If it had not been for him, I don't know what would have happened."

She frowned. "I know it is not comparable to what makes you different - but I want you to know that I understand."

Mark pulled back his hand and Amelia dropped her shirt. "I know how it feels, when people look at you because you are different. But I can cover it up. I can hide my scar. And I do it because it's ugly. Because I don't want to see it myself. But the thing is - it is there and it won't go away, so I will have to live with it. I will have to accept it and you will have to accept your specialness as well."

He looked up to her, disbelief in his eyes, and whispered, "How can it be possible, that - while everyone else who looks at me just sees the differences - you just see what we have in common?"

Amelia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe I look at you in a different way than all the others do."

Mark stood up so that it now was Amelia who had to lift her face. He was standing so close to her that she could sense the warmth of his body. His closeness made her knees shake, her skin tingle and her heart beat faster. It was beating so loudly, pounding against her ribs like a wild animal trying to break free from its cage.

Mark's face was tight, almost expressionless, as if he was afraid to show his feelings. His glance rested on her face.

"What is it that you see?"

Amelia felt her cheeks burn and for a moment she wanted simply to run away, but her feet felt like glued to the wooden floor. She tried to calm her breath and to stop her hands from shaking. Deep inside she knew that there was no turning back, she had come this far - now she had to go all the way, no matter what the consequences were. She breathed in deeply and said, "You. I see only you."