The Gifted

Sam

I watch from afar. She has a beautiful golden dress that makes her golden hair shine. I'm still among the shadows but my heart is in the spotlight as I watch her shine.

Adeline helped me get in as a date. She said it was to get a glimpse of the people we might cross paths with. She said that the leader must have inside intel and be accustomed to their way of speaking.

I bothered her saying that she's just using that excuse to ask me out. She kept rolling her eyes but she didn't deny it.

I don't know what it is with her. But ever since we've been close lately, my every sense ignites when she's around. I can see that fire within her, too. But we hold back. I'm not sure why.

But now I see that she's among her element here. She's meant to shine. I wonder what her life was like outside the city. I wonder if I would still let my heart ignite if we were in another world...

Her eyes find mine. They are bright blue today. I like them better that way. Unlike me...I hide my yellow eyes with eye contacts that Adeline brought in for me. She even let me use it for school.

"A true leader must have their head up high always," she said to me as I happily put the contacts on. "That way I can find you from across campus..."

She tells me things. She lets down her walls and I listen to her heart. She's such an amazing girl. People don't see it. All they see is that stiff and arrogant woman trying to pick up a fight with everyone.

What do they expect when all her life she's been hated because of her status?

She's kind. Loving. But my favorite part of her is that cunning and cleverness she tends to have. She's so smart. So quick to see things. I love to observe her beautiful mind whenever she speaks to me.

I admire her.

But I don't want to say it. My heart wants to yell it out loud, but I'm too afraid to fake it. To see it fall like this city. I don't want to fall with it when she can run away. The guards and servants can easily save her and leave me behind.

So I stay among the shadows. I let my heart tremble as she gives me a half smile from afar. She seems to talk to a man that keeps looking down at her body. This makes my blood boil but she seems so used to it.

Of course she is. Everyone wants her. Including me...

Adeline finally seems to escape him and makes her way across the ballroom. She comes among the space under the stairs where no one can see me. She scoffs and crosses her arms on her chest.

"What are you doing here? You should be out there talking with Dr. Luthenburg or my father." I shake my head and her eyes soften. "Are you not comfortable here?"

I pull a bit on my collar and mumble, "A little. I've talked already. I'm not every good with suits."

I'm surprised that she doesn't click her tongue in annoyance. Instead, she gives me a soft smile and gestures for me to follow her.

So for once, I obey her command and follow her up the large stairs. We pass a hallway I remember seeing when Gabriel took Kat in his room. That's when I first looked into her bright blue eyes...

We go into a sort of elevator. People also find other elevators around the house, but Adeline presses on a clear neon button and it turns bright yellow at the feeling of her thumb.

"DNA recognition?"

"Thumbprint," she says as the walls turn clear like the button. I can see everyone, but no one seems to see us fly up. I can even see people in other elevators shoot up, but we are invisible to them.