"The Exotasi were enacted in 2001, after 9/11 with the mission to find possible terrorists in the united states, but the branch quickly became corrupted. Now, it's more of a secret police. The director of this group is Jacob Shepard. A dominant with compulsion abilities." A picture of a middle aged man with grey, slicked back hair appeared behind the good doctor. He had faded blue eyes, and was wearing a black tux with a green tie.
"He calls most of the shots. But, he has trusted leaders to work in his place, " Phinneus Brown informed, pointing his remote back to the slideshow playing on his projector. A photos of a very familiar man flashed next. I gasped, recognizing him immediately.
"Samuel Maxwell. Born in South Carolina, and a strong dominant." Brown looked at me with an all too knowing gaze. He has been teaching me about our enemy for days, and I've spent countless hours learning their weaknesses, and loop holes.
"For Maxwell's abilities to work, he needs to see you. As long as you're out of eye sight, no harm will come to you."
This went on for hours, and I saw countless photos. My head was pounding, but I was determined. I would not be a weak link to the Sarama. Afterward, I went to the gym and trained. My brother... What did he look like? I knew he was a dominant, but what were his powers? Was he being tortured? Was he locked away some where, alone? I sucked in a breath as I hurried to tape my knuckles. I quickly approached the punching bag and went at it. I punched until my knuckles ached in protest and kicked until my legs shook.
"Ok, Rocky, chill out," Carmen's voice floated over. I stopped and turned to look at her.
"If you need to release some anger, I know someone with the same problem," She said, a hard smirk on her pink lips.
I didn't say anything at first, the image of her in my Dominant's shirt still in my mind. She helped me to escape, only to try and take my place. Carmen hadn't been around since Atticus called her out, and that was two weeks ago. Carmen's nearly perfect mug had been around every day before that.
"Fine," I finally decided.
"Let's spar."
______________________________________
A hard kick was planted into my chest, making my ribs ache as my breath rushed out of me, followed by a punch to my jaw. I was knocked off balance, realing, but twisted the last second and used my arms to preform a back flip, creating enough space for me to round house her in the stomach. She took the kick, then flew backwards. We circled each other, both out for blood.
"I'm surprised you haven't flown away again, little bird. Isn't that what you do when times get tough?" Carmen quiped, her blue eyes as cold as ice.
"I'm sure you'd love that Carmen, so that you can try to slither your way into my pair's arms."
She launched forward, throwing a fist toward my chin. I dodged her, nailing her in the side simultaneously. We seperated, circling each other again.
"He was mine before he was yours. I was the one who took care of him," She hissed, her lean body tensed like a snake, ready to strike.
"That's where you're wrong, Carmen," I spoke calmly, then delivered a tornado kick to her pretty face, the power of which sent her flying back. She fell on her ass, and sat there, her angry glare on me as she wiped the blood from her cheek.
"He was never yours to begin with. He had always been mine, since we were conceived. When he was made, so was I, with the intention to balance each other. To him, you have always been what you are now: his friend, nothing romantic," I declared calmly, standing over her. She flushed red with rage, then kicked out my knee. I tumbled down, hissing in pain as she threw herself on top of me. She held my arms down with her knees, successfully holding me to the ground. Her pretty face came close to mine.
"He would have accepted me," She whispered in my ear harshly. "If you hadn't have showed up, in a few years, he would have taken me. I saw it."
I knew she was referring to her gift as a dominant: clairvoyance.
"But here I am," I said sharply, surprising her enough by bucking my body powerfully, knocking her off me. We rolled away, facing each other several feet apart.
"So stop acting so desperate and go find your own pair!" I yelled at her.
"I have!" She shouted back, tears reaching her pretty eyes.
I was stunned into silence. All our rage was gone as we panted, out of breath, and feeling bare.
"W-what do you mean?" I finally asked.
She sighed in defeat.
"I met him before Atticus's mom and dad died. He went to our high school. He was really sweet and shy, nice to everyone. He loved reading, and wanted to be a pediatric doctor. He volunteered at a children's hospital. His name was Tristen Fields."
"What happened to him?" I asked softly.
"The night Atticus's parents died, we had to leave town. We went to California, and changed our identities. I never got to say goodbye or explain anything to Tristen... but I didn't have to. A year later, he found me," She paused, laughing lightly.
"I'd never seen him so mad. He yelled at me for leaving, demanded answers, answers I couldn't give. So instead I told him I didn't want him, that I left because I couldn't stand him. That I didn't want such a weak pair...."
I could see the sadness in her eyes, the never ending blackness of it, like a void. It caused my chest to hurt.
"Why would you do that...?" I wondered quietly.
"I knew the truth about the world around us. I saw the pain that Atticus' parents went through. They were like my family and I knew that Tristen wouldn't be able to do it, to fight. And I didn't want him to have to give up his dreams for me, especially when I knew of the feelings I housed for Atticus in my heart."
We sat quietly for a moment.
"And you never saw him again?" I asked.
She hesitated.
"One time I thought I did... but I thought it was impossible."
I nodded at her to continue.
"In California, 2 years after I joined the Sarama and a year after Atticus was initiated, I went back to California to tie up some loose ends with him... and I swear I saw Tristen. He was in a park with a woman and a child. He was staring at her, and laughing. For a moment... I had wished it was me he was laughing with, but then I remembered the life I lived and I would never wish that on him."
I was thoughtful for a few minutes as I took in the information.
"For someone who fights for recessive equality, you seem to doubt us a lot," I began. Her blue eyes looked at me, unsure of what I meant.
"Tristen is your pair. Which means he was made to be with you, to be able to adapt to any problems you faced together. He would only be stronger with you. I think that instead of underestimating him, you should have told him the truth. I understand that you felt guilty for your... feelings for Atticus, but he's your childhood friend. Most people have a little something special for someone that close. Those feelings would have faded the closer you and Tristen got, but now you're just clutching onto him because you're afraid of losing him. You're scared to be alone, and of being replaced, because thats what happened with your pair.
I think you should find Tristen. What you might have seen in California is probably nothing. You should at least try for him. If a gym receptionist like me can accept the truth, then I'm sure your Tristen can too. He deserves the truth."
She was silent and after a beat, I stood up, grabbing my gym bag and leaving her alone in the training room. Only she could decide to do the right thing.
YOU ARE READING
Pairs
Teen Fiction"Let me go," I demanded weakly, knowing I was helpless against him. "Now, why would I do that kitten?" He grinned, a devious spark in his eyes. "Because I don't want you," I whispered breathlessly. His hazel eyes turned to hard topaz. "Oh, come o...
