She smells the smoke before it hits the alarm.
With a slight shake of her head, she walked briskly towards the establishment. And just as the sound of the fire alarm went blaring, one girl came running out of the door. The girl was fast for someone so tall and before her body can react, a mass of people came dashing out of the grocery store as well. It all happened in just a moment.
I can't lose her...
Looking between the smoking building and the girl she was supposed to go after, she made one final decision. With a sigh, she walked towards the store that's starting to be eaten by a fast growing fire. She was almost impressed at how the flames grew so big for a short amount of time. It only shows how much power was behind it. Raw and untamed and dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Entering the widely open glass door, she stepped inside. Completely unbothered by the growing thick black smoke, walking through the quickly moving yellow-red flames.
She went to the center, right in between the shelves of burning boxes of cereals and oatmeals. Looking around making sure no one is around, and that the security cameras are burned to malfunction, she closed her green eyes.
Composing herself to a calm and sound mind in just a split second, a skill she mastered through time, she opened her eyes once again, her irises turned into the color of the red flames. She raised her open palms and with a surge of pure hot energy, the fire was sucked into her hands, flowing right through her veins like a river. It made her skin glow as the red fire travelled through her veins and her eyes were a brighter shade of red.
It only took her a moment to pull in all that fire and all that was left were the charred debris and the burnt smell of wood, cardboards and plastics. The huge fire was already put out even before the firetruck's sirens can be heard. A fading gray smoke still clouded the room.
Then, it only took her a couple of seconds to look like a normal human being again and not some glowing person with red eyes that anyone can mistake as the demon incarnate.
She wonders what could have caused the girl to unleash her power in such a public place. If a single spark from her caused this much damage, then she must be dealing with something beyond her own skills. And from experience, she's certain a fire like this can only come from a fit of rage. As far as history goes, fire elementals tend to be short tempered and impatient.
However, from what she had laboriously gathered so far, the girl was sweet and easy going despite the difficult circumstances she was living in. There was no indication of her being brash or emotionally unstable. For all the time she has been following her, the girl seems to have her emotions in check all the time. However the burnt state of the grocery store says otherwise. There was really no way of telling for sure until she gets to talk to her.
At least she knows where to follow the girl.
• • •
Oh god, what have I done...
She leaned her back to the red brick wall while catching her breath, unaware that she had ran twelve blocks. Very much further away from the store she unintentionally set fire. And much further away from her so-called home.
The alley was dim and the passersby paid her no mind as her knees gave out. Her body was shaking as she allowed herself to slide and sit right down the ground. She really thought she can control it now but each time she's overwhelmed by strong emotions, it just surges out of her.
She can't even remember what exactly ticked her off...
What is wrong with me?...
Her phone buzzed in her pocket as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She was thankful for the buzzing distraction since the growing dread, confusion and agitation in her chest was about to get all over the place, making her feel that familiar heat flowing through her once again.
She can't burn down another place. Again.
Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she tapped and slid the green button on the screen and answered. Despite still feeling agitated, she felt a slight calm at the chirpy voice on the other line.
"Hey Dinah! Where you at girl?"
She shut her eyes, sighed and counted ten backwards before answering.
"Dinah?" The chirpy voice said on the other line.
"Hey Riley... What's up?"
"Well, Auggie's been complaining about everything as usual, Seth's being philosophical about the life of bugs, Regina is being sassy while Ava has been whining about curlers and tiaras. I'm not sure how Maya is doing with the other kids and our annoying matron is taking forever in that conference thingy. We already raided the pantry like bandits and I ran out of popcorn to feed these children to shut them up and now they're driving me insane... So, where you at gal pal? Where is the actual food for us?"
Dinah opened her eyes and looked at her empty hand. A brand new rush of overwhelming guilt coursed through her chest and that familiar heat began to take course in her veins once again. Gritting her teeth, pushing back down the sudden energy that she feels crawling right under her skin, she answered as calm as she could.
"I'll be back in the orphanage soon, Riley. Just a small delay in getting my paycheck in the gift shop. I'm on my way to the grocery now..."
"Better hurry up, it's getting wild with these little apes here - Ava! That's flat iron for clothes not hair!! You don't - ... Okay Dinah please just hurry up, it's chaos here and you're the only one these nutjobs listen to,"
The call ended at that.
Still processing everything that has transpired in the last half hour, Dinah forced herself back to her feet. Making sure she didn't burn her hard earned money that she's about to use for groceries, she started walking towards another store. After all, she's still responsible for burning the kitchen last time with all the food in it and it only serves right to spend her paycheck to at least buy the other kids something to eat.
For the last six years of her young life, she tried her best to understand why she has this curse. Because of all people, Dinah cannot see the reason why.
Why she's the only one who can touch fire without burning her own flesh. Why she's the only one who can spark a flame and unable to put it out. Why she's the only one who can set someone's hair on fire just by glaring at it after they pissed her off. For the past six years since she was twelve, she has burned many things into dark piles of ashes.
Dinah understands it was her fault why she ended up in that orphanage. A massive guilt she carries for a long time now weighed her like tons of rocks on her shoulders. And the guilt for all the other things she has burned were piled up, gnawing slowly at her, inside out. She doesn't know how to make up for all of it. She tried to be nice and gentle to compensate for her terrible actions but there is something in her that can only be described as rage.
Rage and anger she can't seem to get rid off. And even if she's been struggling to understand herself, she does get it why no one ever wanted to be her foster parents. She is different. She is cursed.
Cursed with fire.
No one else knows how much of a fire hazard she literally is. Not even Riley or Maya knows about it. The first two people who has become her source of what little piece of serenity she has since losing her parents.
How she managed to keep it a secret was beyond her comprehension. Considering her unstable self, she cannot take the risk of people knowing. She might end up hurting them. And she will not allow herself to hurt either Riley or Maya or the little kids in the orphanage. She won't be able to take it, since losing her parents was the worst thing she could ever endure.
And it was all her fault.
Mentally refusing to dwell in that darker thought, she entered another store. She willed herself to think of the most calming thoughts to prevent herself from sparking another fire.
She thought of Seth's big bright eyes and Auggie's cute little smile. She thought of Regina's soft giggles and Ava's happy dance. She thought of Riley's poetry and Maya's guitar strumming.
She thought of the little things her little family did and smiled.
Calm and collected, Dinah briskly picked food items and placed it in her cart. Humming to continually keep herself relaxed, she didn't notice the dark haired girl trailing behind her. She didn't notice until she reached the fruit section.
Reaching for some peaches that Maya is so fond of, Dinah looked up and met the light green eyes of the strange dark haired girl. For some reason, the eye contact caused her to feel some sort of pull. The girl grinned and Dinah felt herself blush. She knows the concept of attraction and crushes but never, for the life of her, she found herself attracted to anyone or had a crush. She was so wrapped up dealing with her abnormality to even acknowledge the physical beauty of another human being, whether it's a male or a female.
However, upon seeing this dark haired girl with light green eyes, Dinah is convinced that this girl is absolutely attractive.
Still with her strong resolve to keep calm and carry on, Dinah continued humming a tune as she picked on fresh fruits. She can sense that the strange attractive girl was looking at her. And the feeling was starting to bug her and the relaxing effects of her humming are about to wear off.
I can't lose control again...
"Hi..."
Frozen, Dinah found herself staring at the peaches in both of her hands when she heard that husky voice. She didn't turn. She just stared awkwardly at the peaches.
"Those are nice looking peaches..." The strange girl said.
She blinked. Slowly, she faced the other girl and politely smiled, "Yeah... It is,"
"You are Dinah Jane Hansen. Correct?"
Once again she froze.
Unable to form coherent words because her tongue felt frozen as well. If there's anything that isn't frozen in Dinah, it was her thundering heartbeat and racing mind.
Not too many people know her full name. Just Riley, Maya, the orphanage directress and her boss at the gift shop she's employed at since she was fifteen. The kids doesn't know her full name, and the few people in their neighborhood whom she managed to be cordial with only know her by her first name. Regina even had the audacity to call her Dinah Vagina, to the horror of anyone who heard it. That pretty much sums up everything.
And considering her tragic history with fire, she doesn't go around flaunting her full name.
"Hey, it's okay" the strange girl saw her tense up and took a slow tentative step closer to her, "I don't mean any harm. I want to help you, and in turn you can help me too,"
She doesn't want to accept what she thinks the strange girl was insinuating and Dinah found herself gulping nervously as she felt that familiar heat again. Running and flowing through her, unrestrained, insistent and strong. She shut her eyes tightly, her jaw clenched. She willed the robust energy that's threatening to burst another flame out of her.
"My name is Lena..." The girl spoke again, closer to her this time, "...and I have the same power as you do. I can help you,"
Dinah's eyes flared open, blazing red. The next thing she saw was black...
• • •