Defying Nature [ON HOLD]

Chapter 5

"How do you know Jack?" Sun was shocked, how could Mikey know? Had he listened in on three year's worth of conversations? She was freaked out. No one knew. Right? He couldn't know, that would ruin her chances with this Sun Drop thing. They'd lock her up and hold her captive in some facility somewhere.

"I heard you talking in your room to Jack." Mikey said quietly. His voice wasn't high or squeaky like Tommy's, it was lower. More like her dad's, but higher than that. If that makes sense.

"When?"

"Yesterday, and a few other times. You call him Frosty. I walk by your door when I come out of mine, and I hear what you guys say." Mikey wouldn't look at Sun. Facing his shoes he asked, "Where does he come from? He doesn't go through the front door."

Sun was stunned, what should she say? What could she say? She'd give out everything. Quickly she formed a plan, it wasn't the best but it had to work. "Jack is the kid who lives upstairs. He climbs down the fire escape to my room to do homework with me. He goes to my school."

"But, yesterday I heard you yelling at him. I got cold when I passed your door." Sun saw Sally inch away out of the corner of her eye. Mikey didn't notice.

"The window was open." Sun was just saying the first thing off her mind and hoping it sounded reasonable. "I should--"

"But-- but you can't leave us again!" Mikey was crying again. Silent tears running down his face. Sun couldn't take this. Too much crying, too much sadness.

She ran down the hall into her room, the door whisking shut behind her. She threw open the window, wanting Jack go come in. She wanted him to tell her that it was going to be alright. There weren't anymore tears, no more sad kids. She wanted him to hug her, or to hold her hand. Back outside when she fell, she wanted Jack to catch her, not to create snow to break her fall.

But she knew that couldn't happen. They tried once, on accident. It was three years ago. Jack had come in her room only eight times before, it was winter time and Sun crawled under desk, by the vent to get warm. The hot air blew onto her, warming her up. Jack flew in and crawled under the desk with her. They were looking out the little sliver of window they had under the desk when Jack's foot moved just a little, but that little movement was all it took.

 His toes touched hers and Sun froze. They both screamed. Her fingers were frozen and his toes were burned. Sun crawled out from under the desk and screamed at Jack to leave. He staggered up and out from the desk and tried as quickly as possible to get out of her room. As he glided out the window, Sun looked and saw his face. It wore a look of sheer terror and fear.

That's when Sun got him shoes. She thought it would help. Jack didn't come back for three weeks, and when he did, there were the shoes waiting for him on the fire escape. He put them on, then slowly came in.

Since then, both have worn shoes when they see each other. They can't touch each other. Not even fingers. They don't hug, hold hands, they don't catch each other when they fall, nothing. No physical contact at all. They'll burn and freeze each other.

But now more than ever, Sun wanted Jack to come in and tell her it was going to be okay, Sun wanted Jack to hug her, or hold hands. But she cried at the fact that this couldn't happen.