These New Eyes, My New Life

These New Eyes, My New Life: Chapter 19

    "Ah! Put it out! Put it out!" I screamed.

    Cole put the little flame in the pile of leaves out, laughing at my antics.

    We were at the park, and it was about eleven forty-five. The only light we had was the huge fluorescent lights, lighting up the tennis courts fifty feet away, and the occasional flame of my making. We were alone in the park, and I was having fun. I could tell he was, too. This was better than any date.

    My ability was fire. How freaking amazing is that? I could control fire, and heat. I could make things catch fire. I could heat things up. I could produce a flame out of thin air. And all it took was a glance and a thought.  I didn't even have to wave my hand like witches had to in movies! It was so amazing. I was proud of myself.

    "Oh my God. This is just…" I trailed off, searching for the correct term.

    "Freaking awesome?" Cole offered, grinning at me.

    I giggled. "Exactly!"

    I began to center myself, to clear my mind of everything but fire.

    "Don't catch the squirrel on fire again…" Cole's taunting voice came to me.

    I snapped my eyes open. "Careful, or I may catch you on fire," I said with a threatening smirk. I closed my eyes, and began thinking of fire… and not the squirrel I had caught on fire fifteen minutes ago.

    Fire… heat… flames….

    Words floated through my mind, and I wasn’t thinking of catching fire to anything in particular; I was just thinking about it. I let it engulf me, and a cell phone ring snapped me out of it.

    I jumped slightly, and looked around. I grabbed my phone.

    "Hello?" I answered, my voice breathless.

    "Ooh Bekka! What have you been doing?" Ashleigh's voice came on the other end.

    I sighed. "Nothing, Ash. You know I'm kind of on a date," I said through my teeth.

    "Oh, I know."

    Pause. "Well what did you need?" I forced my voice to not be snappy.

    "What did you get for the science homework number nine? Because I just don’t get it. And-"

    "I don't know Ashleigh. I've gotta go. I'll call you when I get home," I hung up. "Or not," I said, tucking my phone safely in my bag.

    "Everything okay?" Cole asked.

    "Oh yeah, totally. If you count Ashleigh being insane okay," I said, shaking my head.

    Cole laughed.

    I had an idea. "Watch this," I muttered, my eyes excited.

    Cole was intrigued and watched.

    I thought of a flame in my hand, but not touching my skin, not burning me. I thought of this for a few long beats, and I opened my eyes at Cole's astonished laugh. I laughed in disbelief myself; there was a blue and orange burning flame, just standing in my hand. It seemed to be coming from my skin, floating in the air. There was just light heat coming off of it, and I knew my fire wouldn’t harm me.

    Cole walked over to me, eyes fixed upon the flame.

    "It's amazing," he murmured.

    I didn't know whether or not to say 'thanks'. Was it appropriate to say thanks when someone complimented you on your flame? I had no idea. The thought almost made me laugh out loud.