Minutes to Midnight

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dallas’ POV

Theo wanted to know everything there was to know about me, and I knew that what I told him would definitely disappoint him, because I disappoint myself. I mean, I try to do my part by giving food, money and shelter to the poor, but the constant thought that is always on my mind is that there are millions of people that need to be saved, and there’s just not enough of me to go around.

“So, give me the dirt on these guys. Tell me who I should stick with and who I should steer clear of,” I asked Theo, my eyes silently sliding back down to the bottom of the jet, landing on a not-so-friendly pair of black eyes.

“Well, obviously, you’re gonna want to stick with me; you’re officially my biffle, but you’re definitely going to want to keep away from Logan. Logan’s a grade A asshole and he hates anyone that steals his spotlight, so you’re automatically fucked, since everyone’s gonna be talking about how much of a late bloomer you are, so… yeah, you already know Alex and Adam, they’re cool, I’ve never really talked to Adam before, but I’ve seen him around and he seems pretty nice.

“Alex is my bestie and he’s so cool like, uh… I don’t really know what else to tell you… if you’re a spirit controller then you’ll probably get the spare bed in the dorm room I share with Zeke, Morgan and TJ… maybe not, I don’t know…” Theo babbled on and I smiled; he seemed to be such a genuine person.

The world needs more people like Theo.

“W-what about Zeke? What’s his story?” I asked, lowering my voice; I had asked – politely – if Alex would swap seats with me and he kindly did. “Well, Zeke’s a strange guy… he doesn’t have any friends, not at the school anyway, so he keeps to himself… you know, minimum dialogue, moody glares, that kind of guy,” he told me and I nodded, biting my lip.

“What was the whole level eight thing about?” I asked.

“Oh, right, we judge the power of our elements in levels; eight being the highest, one being the lowest, people rarely ever make it to eight in their entire lifetimes, so for a seventeen year old to have that kind of power, with any of the elements… well, it’s scary and weird… just… don’t mix with him, because the last guy that tried to “befriend” Zeke got bad first degree burns… god, I’ll never forget that day last year; it was the scariest shit you’ll ever see, I swear, the look of pure hatred in his eyes could have put Freddie Krueger to shame… he seemed so angry… it’s weird… he’s weird… change of subject please, that guy gives me the creeps” Theo told me and my eyes widened as they subconsciously flickered to the back of the jet.

“No joke?” I asked in disbelief. “No joke, he’s 100% certified creeper, don’t know how Alex has put up with it his whole life” Theo said with a role of his eyes.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge this Zeke guy, because, lets face it; this is the opinion of many, but not all, I mean, somewhere in that hard, aggressive shell of a man, there’s a guy that just wants to be understood… to be accepted.

I didn’t want to fool myself; I knew that, from Theo’s words, getting close to him would not be easy at all, and I may come out of it with scars, but that doesn’t matter if I can get that turtle to come out of his shell. It’d make me feel a hell of a lot better about myself if I could help him in whatever way I could; everyone deserves a second chance.

He can’t be that bad, right?

“When will… I find out what… power… I control?” I asked him shakily and he chuckled, shaking his head, “newbies…” he muttered to himself.

“When you settle in with your roommates and your dorm room, there’ll be a school assembly and, along with the new guys, you’ll go up with Principal Halen and find out. I remember the year me and Alex came here; we were fifteen, like every other new guy that comes here, other than you… you’re a weird late-bloomer kind of kid, and I don’t know why… but anyway, me and Alex clicked on the plane ride to the school instantly, ‘cause we’re so cool like, and it’s like, the most amazing moment in your life when you find out what element you control; it’s like a hidden part of your identity has been unleashed… that one moment is better than any amount of sex in the world… it’s magical…” he trailed off, looking out the window, at the fluffy white clouds with a distant look in his eyes.