After the screaming was done, I found myself stuttering, unable to comprehend what was going on. She was trying to come up with a solid excuse, muttering things like, “It isn’t what it looks like, I just ma practicing a magic trick. It’s an illusion of the light and, you know… no wya this could actually happen. Heh. Nope. No way…” I was tripping over myself trying to even get out a discernable word. Suddenly, I felt my body get stiff. I tried to move, but I couldn’t and, out of pure anxiety and reflex, I froze the newcomer in place. From their stance, it looked like they were trying to run. Now that they were frozen, she began to stutter herself and I saw tears forming in her eyes.
That’s when I realized something. I was paralyzed. And on my feet.
Don’t think it. Don’t think it or you’ll…
“Why haven’t I fallen yet?” I said aloud, voice shaky. Then, of course, I promptly fall over. Right on top of the girl. Neither of us would let up, afraid of what the other might do, and so we laid there, focusing our powers. We were silent for so long that I almost fell asleep, but rattled myself awake again when I realized the implications of the situation. I focused some of my power to blast-flip myself gently off of her, but liad face-up next to her. I couldn’t afford to use any more of my power, lest she try to attack me should my power run out.
After an hour, my mind was straining. I could tell the grip on her powers was very loose, as well.
“So.” I said out loud. She blinked, and I saw a glimmer in her eye all of a sudden. I blinked. “Um…” She did what she could to wipe away the tears. “You’re… you…” she stuttered. Her voice was just like mine; somehow both emotional and slightly flat.
“This is, uh…” I started.
“Ni-”
“Uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, uncomfortable. Yeah.” She said.
“Wait. What were you going to say?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
“I wasn’t!”
I heard two letters’ sounds in half a syllable. You were going to say something.”
“You’re just hearing things…”
“Nope. I know I heard you start to say something.”
“Nah.”
“Yeah.”
She took a breath, and it was definite shaky. “You’re right. I did start to say something.”
She was silent.
“Well, what did ya say?”
She grinned. “I said this is nice.”
My heat rate probably doubled. “How so?” I asked. “We’re kinda locked in a battle of wills…”
Suddenly, I could feel myself move again. I blinked. “Wha..?” I turned to the girl, and she was smiling. I reloaded her body with kinetic energy, and she could move again. She stood up. I started to turn away, but felt a hand on my shoulder. “Wait. I, uh…” I turned around. She was looking down. I felt myself grow pale. “What is it? W-what..?” She looked up at me with just her eyes. “Can we just… can we hang out for a minute..?” She asked.
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I guess…” I said, half hoping and half horrified at what she might say. Does she want to train with me? Does she wnat me to stay to kill or capture me? Did they send her to take me to some government facility? Or does she actually… I literally pounded my head, trying to knock the anxiety out. “What’s… what’s wrong?” She asked shakily.
I scratched the back of my head. “I’m just not sure what’s going on. I’m really not good socially, especially with attractive girls…” she looked down, and I grew flustered. “I’m sorry! Did I offend you did I say something wrong? I don’t know… I can’t tell a lot of the times with things like tha-”
That’s the moment when she gripped me in a strong hug.
No way. This isn’t some movie. This isn’t some film; not a stroy, nothing like that. It has to be a trap; if not for me, thne for her. No way she can love me. No way anyone can… My eyes filled with tears. “Why do you… did you...but…” I drew a shaky breath. I looked at her, and suddenly she pushed me away, a horrified look on her face. “Oh god. What am I..? No, I didn’t mean to make you unocmfortable. No, it’s…” she shook her head and began to back away.
“Wait.”
She stopped in place, standing stark-straight, both of us amazed at how calm my voice was. How gentle it had become.
“You did nothing wrong.”
She turned to me, a small grin on her face. I smiled warmly. “I hope we can train together.” I said, not controlling my words. My mouth seemed to have a mind of it’s own. My brain rattled off several strings of extreme insults, but my mouth would not shut. “I know it’s sudden, but honestly, what are the odds of anyone else like us in the area?” She nodded. She held out her hand. “My name is… just call me Kat for now.”
I nodded. “Call me Potato.” She giggled at that, and we shook hands.
“How about every day after school?” She asked. “I have no life-”
“Outside of school. Me neither.” I replied. She grinned.
“I think we’ll get along just fine.” She giggled.
That’s when I realized something. I was paralyzed. And on my feet.
Don’t think it. Don’t think it or you’ll…
“Why haven’t I fallen yet?” I said aloud, voice shaky. Then, of course, I promptly fall over. Right on top of the girl. Neither of us would let up, afraid of what the other might do, and so we laid there, focusing our powers. We were silent for so long that I almost fell asleep, but rattled myself awake again when I realized the implications of the situation. I focused some of my power to blast-flip myself gently off of her, but liad face-up next to her. I couldn’t afford to use any more of my power, lest she try to attack me should my power run out.
After an hour, my mind was straining. I could tell the grip on her powers was very loose, as well.
“So.” I said out loud. She blinked, and I saw a glimmer in her eye all of a sudden. I blinked. “Um…” She did what she could to wipe away the tears. “You’re… you…” she stuttered. Her voice was just like mine; somehow both emotional and slightly flat.
“This is, uh…” I started.
“Ni-”
“Uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, uncomfortable. Yeah.” She said.
“Wait. What were you going to say?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
“I wasn’t!”
I heard two letters’ sounds in half a syllable. You were going to say something.”
“You’re just hearing things…”
“Nope. I know I heard you start to say something.”
“Nah.”
“Yeah.”
She took a breath, and it was definite shaky. “You’re right. I did start to say something.”
She was silent.
“Well, what did ya say?”
She grinned. “I said this is nice.”
My heat rate probably doubled. “How so?” I asked. “We’re kinda locked in a battle of wills…”
Suddenly, I could feel myself move again. I blinked. “Wha..?” I turned to the girl, and she was smiling. I reloaded her body with kinetic energy, and she could move again. She stood up. I started to turn away, but felt a hand on my shoulder. “Wait. I, uh…” I turned around. She was looking down. I felt myself grow pale. “What is it? W-what..?” She looked up at me with just her eyes. “Can we just… can we hang out for a minute..?” She asked.
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I guess…” I said, half hoping and half horrified at what she might say. Does she want to train with me? Does she wnat me to stay to kill or capture me? Did they send her to take me to some government facility? Or does she actually… I literally pounded my head, trying to knock the anxiety out. “What’s… what’s wrong?” She asked shakily.
I scratched the back of my head. “I’m just not sure what’s going on. I’m really not good socially, especially with attractive girls…” she looked down, and I grew flustered. “I’m sorry! Did I offend you did I say something wrong? I don’t know… I can’t tell a lot of the times with things like tha-”
That’s the moment when she gripped me in a strong hug.
No way. This isn’t some movie. This isn’t some film; not a stroy, nothing like that. It has to be a trap; if not for me, thne for her. No way she can love me. No way anyone can… My eyes filled with tears. “Why do you… did you...but…” I drew a shaky breath. I looked at her, and suddenly she pushed me away, a horrified look on her face. “Oh god. What am I..? No, I didn’t mean to make you unocmfortable. No, it’s…” she shook her head and began to back away.
“Wait.”
She stopped in place, standing stark-straight, both of us amazed at how calm my voice was. How gentle it had become.
“You did nothing wrong.”
She turned to me, a small grin on her face. I smiled warmly. “I hope we can train together.” I said, not controlling my words. My mouth seemed to have a mind of it’s own. My brain rattled off several strings of extreme insults, but my mouth would not shut. “I know it’s sudden, but honestly, what are the odds of anyone else like us in the area?” She nodded. She held out her hand. “My name is… just call me Kat for now.”
I nodded. “Call me Potato.” She giggled at that, and we shook hands.
“How about every day after school?” She asked. “I have no life-”
“Outside of school. Me neither.” I replied. She grinned.
“I think we’ll get along just fine.” She giggled.