Different.

Chapter 7: Special

I took a seat hesitantly on a long bench propped up against the wall, and Alexander sat next to me.

For a moment, Akshana simply glanced back and forth between us. Then, she spoke.

"How much do you know?" She asked, looking directly at me.

Her eyes were intense and dark, and her looking right at me made me want to squirm, but I didn't.

I could tell I was taking too long to answer, but I didn't know what to say. What did she mean how much do I know? I didn't know anything, that's why I was there.

Thankfully, I didn't have to answer.

"I haven't told her anything in case you wanted to tell her yourself," Alexander explained.

She nodded at him briefly, then turned back to me.

"You, are not like everyone else Kaylee," She began delicately, and I snorted.

That was a bit obvious.

She raised a brow, and I blushed, muttering an apology. After a moment she continued.

"You may or may not have noticed, but you can do things that most people can't do."

I scooted forward on the edge of my seat, eager to hear what was next.

"How do you mean?"

She glanced over at the long table, and for awhile didn't reply. The silence stretched so long that I actually thought she wouldn't say anything, when she finally spoke up.

"You've always known you were different, haven't you?" She asked in a quiet voice, her eyes watching my face for my reaction carefully.

I nodded slowly, unsure of where she was going with this.

She smiled, a quick flick of the corners of her mouth, and I relaxed a little. I gave her the answer she wanted.

And then it got infinitely weirder than it already was.

She sighed heavily, then looked me directly in the eyes, and I could see she was wary of how I would respond next.

"Based on what Alex has told me," She began, motioning to him, and I'd almost forgotten he was there, he'd been so silent. "I believe that you are what we like to call," she paused, and the tension in the room was so heavy I felt I might explode. "a shifter."

A 'shifter'? What does that even mean? What is she talking about? My thoughts were going a mile a minute, but I did my best to keep them all in.

As calmly as possible considering the torrent of questions running through my mind, I asked, "So...what does that mean?"

She nodded, clearly that was the response she expected. Does she do this often?

"A shifter is a...specially abled person. A person who has the ability to move objects with only their mind. I believe what happened on your first encounter with Alex-that is, the rock you punctured his thigh with-was your abilities instinctually protecting you." I said nothing, so she continued. "Now, this is extremely unusual, since normally it takes extensive training to strengthen an individual up to be able to withstand the aftermath. And you're also incredibly young...you're what, thirteen?" She asked, looking at me and tilting her head to the side.

I reddened and grumbled, "I'm fifteen."

From beside me, I heard Alex stifle a laugh by coughing into his arm. I was growing tired of his demeaning personality, but I bit my tongue.

Akshanas thick brows raised slightly, but she quickly wiped her face of emotion. "Well then I suppose this makes a bit more sense. You're of age...But using your abilities like that should've killed you."

My eyes bulged. "Excuse me?!" I shouted, and my voice cracked at the end.

She sighed again, heavily. "That kind of power and energy, exerting all at once? To say the least, it's not good. And with no training, you should very well be dead right now." She turned and took a few steps closer to me, a slightly curious expression on her face. "But you aren't. And that's what's so baffling."

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. All of this was too much to take in.

"So what does this all mean? I'm some sort of super freak with crazy powers? Am I going to sprout wings and fly away? Will I turn invisible?"

Alexander laughed, "Don't be ridiculous."

My questions even evoked a smile from Akshana. One that warmed her whole face and transformed her from intimidating, to breathtaking.

"It means," she said patiently, "you're not just different, Kaylee. You're special."