The Gifted

Dan

I'm finished at last. I stare at the microchip I've made to put into my bracelet.

There's no reason to celebrate anymore when I don't have my girl to smile with. I feel even more exhausted than relieved.

But today is the day for us to change the world. I find this funny. My world seems so gray without her smile. There's no reason to fix a city if our hearts aren't connected.

But I still listen to my father give his speech. His long and boring speech.

My eyes land on Blake. She quietly listens to my father speak by her sisters, but I can tell that she's also finding this boring.

She is nervous. She wants to get this over with.

By the time Dad is done, his eyes turn soft. Even sad as he lastly says, "No matter what happens today...we are in this together. Lets use our gifts, whether Gifted or Normality, to good use. Lets inspire people to be better. That's the purpose of all of this."

"What if all of this is a mistake?" my mother suddenly says. We all furrow our brows at her but I understand her. Anything could happen to those going out into the building.

This could be the last time I see my friends and family.

So I take a good look at them while my father comforts my mother.

The first person I observe is Sam. He's always been someone I look up to. He's a Fallen but...I've always seen him more of a brother than Dom. His yellow eyes shine with determination and strength runs all through his firm muscles. He's like a soldier. I wish I could be just like him...

Then my eyes land on my other brother, Dom. I've secretly hated him all my life. But this mission brought me to understand him more; see him eye to eye. He's a good guy despite of his firmness. He has a soft heart that cares more than I could imagine. I guess the only person that helped him bring that caring soldier is Nikki.

Nikki. She also stands tall and firm by his side. She has her arms crossed on her chest and her big blue eyes glisten with hope. Something so rare to see in her. There's not even a hint of fear in them. From a medic to a spy. From a stranger to a friend.

Mia. She has her reckless brown eyes shine with wonder. They carry peace as she nods to my father's words. Sympathy crosses on her expression for my mother's worry. I remember a conversation I had with her once. She told me her dream, after we finish this mission, is to put a cafe with a live jazz band playing all day in honor of her father.

She really was one of the very few people among with Blake that would stay with me on those long nights doing the microchip. I'll never forget the loud laughs I've had with her.

Someone else that looked after me was Kat. She would bring me cups of coffee or tea with that contagious smile of hers. Emms would smile at me from afar as she trained. They both stand with a quiet firmness. Fear does run through their eyes, but it's not enough to bring down Emms' determination. It's not enough to take that smile away from Kat.

Jordyn also stands behind Emms. The lover boy is what I would call him before I was with Blake. He has a strong hand on Emms's shoulder; it almost feels like he's giving her strength through that hold. She touches it with a tender smile and they both turn into people I barely know.

But my person is the most beautiful of them all. The most hopeful. The most fearful. She fidgets a bit with a tall posture. But her eyes look around the room.

I wish we were on the beach. She should be there instead. Laughing and smiling like she does on the waves. The breeze blow through her hair and the sand covering her feet as much as her beauty covers her whole body.

But she feels as far away as the presidential siblings are. We decided that they should stay at their huge house. They could distract or keep eyes inside for us. Or maybe we just still hate them for what they did.

Now that I think of it, this whole thing could be for nothing if their father knows. I could really die...

My father ends his speech and lets us wait until he's done with Gen's part of the mission. She has to swipe and my father has to immediately hack in the system to let her enter the room with our student name tags. With that, she'll be ready for us behind the building so we can enter with identification. I hope this works. Really. It's risky to hack into their camera and security system for so long. We will have to do our job quick if we want to get back.

So I walk up to Blake for the last time. This could be my last time drowning in those warm eyes...

She's talking with Kat with a firm look but her eyes find mine. They shine with hope so my heart takes a small leap at her beautiful brown eyes.

"Hey, Kat," I gently say. She gives me a small smile. "Do you mind if I talk with Blake for a little while?"

"Sure." Kat gives us one last smile before walking off to talk to Emms.

I let out a small sigh and we both seem to walk towards the stairs. I don't know where to start but she still waits for me. I've always been so stupid but she still loved me either way. How could I not see that?

"Blake...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I've missed you. I let my ideas blind me from the outside world. I let them stop me from seeing you smile. You were only trying to be nice and I pushed you away. You're not a distraction. You're not a weight on my shoulders."

I take a step closer and take her soft hands. I give her a small smile and look into those shining eyes starting to tear up. "You're the sunshine that my skies need. You are the sun. My breeze. My wind. You are the reason I do this. And no matter what happens, my every thought will be of you."

Her eyes glisten at my words and reflect her heart melting. She fights whether she should hug me or stay still. My heart anxiously waits for her response. For her lips...

But just as she sadly tries to say something, Dom appears and says, "Sorry, guys. Dad is calling us in the Lab already. Gen has given the signal."

And just like that, my world falls apart as Blake sadly lets me go. I watch her give me one last pained smile before going to the Lab with Dom and those that will watch us from underneath.

The last thing I remember from Blake is her hand giving mine a soft squeeze. I don't even know if it means good luck or I'm sorry.

And like always, the smartest guy on the team is left confused and lost. My heart blows her one last kiss as she turns the corner and disappears.

With a long breath, I stand towards the door. We await for the moment my father tells us in our earpiece to start towards the directions we've separated on the map based on the clarity of the streets. No one must know we ever passed there.

Who knows? Maybe no one will ever see us pass by there again anyways. And the last thing I did was hurt the only girl who loved me for the idiot I am.