That was the last straw. I’m never coming back. They can’t change me. They can't fix me. No one can. If they can’t love me for me, then fine. I’ll get out. Mom's words are still whispering through my ears. “Can’t you just stop it?…Well you would if you cared at all that you’re ruining our lives!” Her last words to me were "Fine. Dont come back." What kind of mother would say that to their child?
As I walk down the empty, poorly lit street, it starts to rain. Well this is just perfect. I’m heading to Sweeney’s Pub. I remember the first day I went there. I was only sixteen. It was another incident with my family, but nothing compared to our last falling out.. I was planning on going back home. Eventually. I was walking down this same cruddy street when I just found the place, glowing, like my own personal safe haven sent to me directly from God himself. I knew they would I.D. me so I went into my shadow form and just walked right past the guard and into the bathroom. I changed back and ordered a beer. I don’t like that fruity crap. I like the burn of vodka or whiskey. It let's me know that I'm still here. That I'm still alive. The bartender looked at me, a little suspicious. He leaned over the bar and saw the bouncer at the door and shrugged. He'd probably been there long enough, too long to care anymore anyways. He set a beer in front of me. I hadn't experienced all the wonder and glory of Jack Daniels yet. The man saved my life though, I swear. My phone kept vibrating as I drank, but I just ignored it. I didn’t want to talk to them. After six beers, I got cut off. I told the bar tender to just put it on a tab because I would definately be back. I stumbled back home, but I got lost several times so it took me a few hours. When I finally got home and fell through the door after vomiting on the front step, my parents were furious. The fact that I was so wasted that I couldn't even speak for fear the alcohol would come back up probably didn’t help my situation. But I didn’t regret it one bit.
I’m not an alcoholic. I’d like to think I could admit it if I was. I just have a drink or two when life is tough. It’s an occasional thing. I can see the pub now so I change into my shadow form and walk past the same bouncer as I do everytime I come here. I walk to the bathroom and come out looking like a perfectly normal and unsuspecting human.
As I make my way to the bar, I sence someone watching me. I sit down on a stool and turn to see a man in a booth directly behind me. He’s wearing dark clothes and a dark hood covering most of his face. He looks too old for what he’s wearing. He has a dark gray hoodie over a white v-neck, dark wash jeans and what look like b;ack Vans. I can tell from his thick beard that he has dark hair. His skin seems to be tan. He’s facing me with a beer bottle in his hand, leaning back, feet crossed on top of the table. Altogether very creepy. I raise an eyebrow and I see the corner of his mouth twitch up into a little smirk.
I turn around and order a Grey Goose. The bar tender tries to give me a small glass but I tell him to give me the whole bottle. He raises his eyebrows but sets it down in front of me. As I drink, I can still feel the man’s eyes on me. I decide to pry into his mind so I can figure out what the hell his deal is. He’s not really thinking anything, but his emotions are all blurred and mixed together, like intrigued but amused at the same time.
Then something in my mind shifts and clicks into place. I’ve never had this feeling before. He’s like me. I don’t know how I know, but I’m positive. I’m instantly terrified. What are his abilities? Will he try to hurt me?
Someone sits down next to me. I turn my head and it’s him. I quickly look away from his face, but then there’s this voice in my head that doesn’t belong to me. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I gasp and drop my bottle, but he catches it with impossibly fast reflexes. He sets the bottle down in front of me and chuckles.
“Who are you?” I demand. He puts his hood down and his face quickly morphs into that of a young man. I nearly fall out of my seat.
“My name is Ashton McLain. Nice to meet you, Makenna.” My mouth falls open.
