Serendipity

Chapter 8

"Come on, I'll show you something." Xander said to Steff as he pulled to a stop at the side of the road, a couple of days after their confrontation. They got off his car and walked towards the grassy field, to the well a few yards from the road.

"Here it is." He said, gesturing towards the well.

"Oh-kay..." She raised a brow. "What's with this well?"

"It's special."

She glanced beneath the well and gave him a confused look. "But it's dry."

Xander smiled. "It seems like that, but strangely, it provides water every five years. It's the third year now, so when you come back here after two years, you'll see something that's unbelievable." He looked past her, pointing at the mountain, so far, but can still be seen from their location. "The spring at the bottom of that mountain is where the water from this well came from."

"How is that possible? I mean, how come it only provides water every five years?"

He shook his head. "I don't know either."

Steff crossed her arms. "So why did you show me this?"

"Like what I said, it's special, like you." He paused for a moment and realized what he said made her feel uneasy. "And me.. Everyone of us. We're special, right?" He said in a nervous tone.

"Yeah." she nodded, "Right."

"Are you living with your parents?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Yes."

"Did they know you're here?"

"Yes. I called them right after I got here. I told them everything and they assure me they're not going to say even a single word about me. I also called yesterday, and uhm, I told them that I'm staying with you in your house."

"What did they say?"

She sighed. "At first they got scared because you're Dylan's friend. They want me to leave but I told them you helped me and that you're not like Dylan, that I can trust you."

He crossed his arms. "I bet if they see me, I'll get a hook shot and an uppercut."

Steff laughed. "What about you?"

"What?"

"Are you living with your parents? Well, obviously, you have your own house here, but what I mean is the town where you originally live."

"I'm living with my new parents." He said, turning toward her.

"Can you please elaborate, Dr. Stevens?" She said in a teasing, yet formal tone.

He smiled. "My aunt and my uncle, they're now my mother and father."

"What happened to your biological parents?"

He shook his head. "Long story."

"Then make it short."

"That's not possible. I can't make it short because every part of it is significant. "

"You could've said, 'I don't want to talk about it' or something like, 'next question please?'."

Xander laughed.

"What about Dylan? How did you became friends with him?"

"We've been friends since we were child. But a few years ago, his parents told me to stay away from him. But we can't help it, we still see each other. So we're like secret friends now."

"I bet you wouldn't answer me again if I ask why his parents want you to stay away from him."

He grinned. "Maybe."