A World Apart

Chapter II, Amelia

I have a secret.

If anyone found out I don't know what would happen. I'd have to leave I guess. I have never lived in one place longer than a year, any longer and Ashlynn and I could be found out.

We are Element Children. People who can control the elements. My father used to tell me stories about us.

A long time ago five families were blessed by the spirts of the elements with their powers. One family was blessed with the power of water, the second was blessed with the power of air, the third was blessed with the power of the Earth, the fourth was blessed with the power of fire and the fifth was blessed with all four.

The last family is mine.

Element Children reflect the power they possess. The people blessed with the power of air have blonde hair and pale blue eyes. The people blessed with the power of the Earth have brown hair and gray eyes. The people blessed with the power of the water have blue-black hair and dark blue eyes. Finally the people blessed with the power of fire have fiery red hair and reddish brown eyes. Then the people in my family have the colour of hair that represents our strongest power and our eyes are clear, they turn the colour of whatever power we are using at the time.

Like me. My strongest power is the power of fire, so my hair is fiery red. Ashlynn's hair is blue-black, my father's was blonde. My mother who married into the family didn't have her looks passed down to us.

I want to kick myself when I accidentally burned Dawson in the hall. It's things like that that can expose us. When Dawson said he wanted to be my friend I almost let him try but it's too risky. I don't want to hurt anyone else. Ever since well, then.

When I was ten (seven years ago) and Ashlynn was five I developed my gift of fire. It was not a gift. I burned a whole school down. I was the only one who got out of the building alive. I will never forget that day.

It was the day I gained my powers, it was the day many people died because of me, the day we left Finland and the day my father left my mother, Ashlynn. And me.

My father left us on our own and I have never forgiven him. I don't know if I ever will. 

I climb up the steps of the bus and hesitate, there's an empty seat in front of Dawson. I sit down and hope he doesn't notice me. I wait and hunch over until I hear him stand up and get off the bus.

I want to get off and go after him. He's the first person I have ever wanted to make friends with, get to know and tell him what I am. 

I walk with my head down to my house. I throw the door open and stop in the doorway. I love this house. It's old and rustic, I want to remember it even when we leave. 

Ashlynn comes around the corner, "Amelia!" She says and hurries over. Ashlynn is without a doubt my favourite person in the world. My mother is not an easy person to care for, she's always too busy and stressed to care too much about Ashlynn and I.

I hug Ashlynn and she smiles. "How was your first day?" I ask her. My little sister gives me a sad smile. "I've had worse." I frown, "So, do you have any friends?" I ask. Ashlynn rolls her eyes, "Yes, I'm the most popular person in the school." I sigh and she bites her lip. "Maybe one friend and-" She stops and I feel a smile slowly break across my face.

"Do you have a crush?" I ask. Ashlynn's face flushes. I smile, "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?" Ashlynn looks up, "You have a crush?" I flush, "I think so." I mutter. Ashlynn take a deep breath, "His name is Gregory and he is the only one who was kind to me today." I squeeze her shoulder, "Then he has to be a good guy."

Ashlynn takes a deep breath. "Okay, you next." I smile. "His name is-" I stop and say, "You know what? lets actually enter the house?" Ashlynn laughs and we walk up to my bedroom. We sit on my bed and I talk as I take my shoes off.

"His name is Dawson and like your Gregory he was the only one who was nice me." I stop and then take a deep breath, "He actually wanted to be my friend." Ashlynn squeals. "You and he must be perfect for each other! Tell me everything about him!"

I sigh, "Okay, he has short chestnut brown hair, a splash of freckles across his nose, his eyes are a deep chocolate brown and he is slightly taller than me." Ashlynn claps her hands together. "You have to get a picture of him!" I feel my mouth drop open, "Ash!" I gasp, "I can't do that! We can't afford to get too close to anyone, we will have to leave remember." Ashlynn looks down at her hands.

"Maybe this time we can stay."