Blind Spot

Chapter 2 - Shiny on the Inside

When piqued, Wendy was rabidly determined. Rosie had always intended to keep her home in Jacob's Beach private, but when Wendy found out she'd been walking home at night, she insisted on seeing it to make sure it was a safe walk. She'd even weaseled her way into the camper to take a peek around. Then she'd driven Rosie to a used bike shop and helped her pick out the cutest bike they had.

As Rosie was contemplating telling Wendy what was going on, she felt a shift in the air around her. The sad, sick energy detached itself from her neck and dissipated. The angry red, jealous haze receded and the static buzz in her mind quieted.

She sat up and looked around.

Everything was just as it was before but her personal space wasn't being invaded by auras. She felt...safe.

It was disconcerting.

"Oh, good. Max is here. He can give us a ride to your place. I want you to go home and get some rest."

Wendy started gathering her things while Rosie sat there stunned. She'd never felt such peace inside herself unless she was completely alone. She'd tried, years ago, to manage having other people's feelings and emotions surround her, inside of her, trying to control seeing people and colors that weren't there, that no one else could see. Worse, seeing things that hadn't happened yet that she wasn't able to explain. She'd never gotten the hang of it. Peace was something she'd never achieved on her own.

"There's my generous, big sister that promised to buy me a drink."

Rosie lifted her head to see two men standing at their table and quickly looked away. One was a broad blonde, her muted senses barely reading anything but the royal blue color of loyalty that surrounded him. The other was shorter but still tall in his own right and was clearly Wendy's brother, the same shade of brown hair on his head with matching caramel eyes. A shiny emerald green aura emanated from his body.

"We're leaving," Wendy told them. "I need you to bring us out to Rosie's place. I had a few glasses of wine and I can't drive."

"What's the big rush?" The tall one asked.

When Rosie looked to Wendy she found her boss indicating that she, Rosie, was the big rush.

"I told you, I'm fine." And, in the last few minutes, it had strangely become true. She was fine. The noise had disappeared.

Wendy's brother bent to get a closer look at her face, smiling as he inspected the napkin pressed to her nose.

"Still bleeding?" He asked.

She didn't think so, but the chances of her moving the napkin were slim to none. She wasn't looking for friends or a boyfriend by any means, but she wasn't into complete humiliation either.

"It's fine," she answered.

He looked at her for a second longer, still smiling.

"Seems okay," he shrugged and found his way to the seat next to her.

The taller guy sat next to Wendy across from them.

"Are you sure you're okay? You didn't look good for a few minutes there."

"Stop babying her. If she says she's okay, she's okay."

Rosie could see his hands through the veil of her white hair as he fiddled with a coaster. They were working hands, dirt caked under his fingernails and calluses on the insides of his knuckles.

"You didn't see her, Max," Wendy argued.

They were talking about her like she wasn't even there. Rosie's embarrassment climbed to new heights.