Kallos

Chapter Four

Kallos was woken up by the slam of a door startling her out of her beautiful dream. She heard muffled voices nearby, and slowly approached the door to open it. Her parent’s voices drifted up to her as they spoke. She did her best to hear what was being said.

“You think she knows?” her mom asked.

Kallos could tell she’d been crying. It hurt knowing she was the cause of her tears.

“How would she find out?” her dad inquired, sounding angry.

“Maybe they told her. James, you didn’t see how she looked when she came home. I think we need to talk to her. They said that her change would come when she was about this age. Plus, she is going to school with them.”

So, it was true! She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Kallos opened the door and walked down the stairs toward the living room. She needed to have them say things to her face. She saw her dad looking out the window, and her mother was standing near him.

“Mom, Dad.”

The turned around to face her as her voice cracked. She’d been right about her mother crying. Her father kept his face clear of all emotions. Kallos took a deep breath and held it in for a few seconds before letting it out slowly.

“I know I’m adopted.”

Her mom began to cry harder. Her dad wrapped his arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

“Oh, sweetie!” her mom cried. She reached out for Kallos’ hand, and Kallos took it. No matter what, this was her mother. “How long have you known?”

She looked into her mother’s eyes and smiled. “Not long, Mom,” she said, and squeezed her hand.

“What else do you know?” her dad asked.

Kallos looked at him, and knew that Sean and Ian had told her the truth. The look on her father’s face cemented every word they’d said. She felt her birthmark heating up, and briefly rubbed at the spot.  Her mother’s mouth dropped open. She quickly moved away from Kallos as if she’d been burned. Her mother turned to look at her father. He didn’t look as shocked as she expected him to be.

“I deserve to know everything.” She stared into his eyes and said, “When were you going to tell me?”

“When you were . . . older.” His voice cracked with his sorrow, and his heartache matched her own.

Kallos could feel her tears wanting to break free. She closed her eyes and prayed they didn’t fall.

“When I was older? This is something I should have known for quite some time!”

She opened her eyes. Her father looked away, spots of color invading his cheeks. Kallos turned around and stomped loudly up the stairs. She slammed the door behind her, and allowed her tears to fall freely.

I’m a freak!

Ian had mentioned she’d have some powers, though she had no clue as to what powers he was talking about. Kallos just wanted to be a normal girl who had normal boy problems. She wanted to worry about when she would get her first kiss, and not about changing into a freaking goddess. She wasn’t sure how she would be changing or what it involved. In the matter of just a few days, her whole world had fallen apart.

Kallos’ head pounded painfully, and her eyes burned from the crying. She lifted her head when she heard the sound of her cell phone’s ringtone. She grabbed it and quickly glanced at the screen. A number she didn’t recognize flashed across the device’s interface.

She pressed the answer key and said, “Hello?”

“Kallos, are you all right?”

Hearing the voice made her body heat up, and she knew exactly who it was. “I’m fine, Sean. It got a little crazy here, but now it’s fine.”