Other Than This

6

Melanie stood up by the tables outside of the hospital. Her mom's shift had to be over soon, but that was the furthest thing from her mind. That kid had disappeared. That had to be the only explanation. She was sure that he had been standing there, shaking his cup. Melanie walked over to the food truck, standing right where the boy had been. Her head moved from side to side, eyes scanning everything around her. There. From where she was standing, she could now make out a styrofoam cup. It was seemingly floating in the air. She could not be sure that she was not the reason for it floating. Maybe she had become too lost in her thoughts that some part of her brain started using her powers. Abilities. She was not sure what she wanted to call them yet. Or if she even wanted to name them. What she did know is that this could be her.

At least, it was a possibility. Until fingers started to appear around the cup, holding it. Slowly, then all at once, the boy who had been standing behind the food trucks. He was there as if he had been the whole time. He hadn't noticed Melanie until he went to go take a sip of his drink. Both of them remained motionless. Melanie felt every emotion she thought possible run through her.

Relief. She was not the only one. Despite the news running rampant with stories say otherwise, Melanie thought she was a singular issue that had to be fixed.

Joy. The boy didn't look dangerous. He looked normal. She wouldn't be surprised if he was taking IB courses at his school. Or even maybe in college.

Excitement. What was the likelihood that they would meet here? Out of all the things that could have happened, this is what the universe did? She couldn't believe it.

Fear. What if this was some kind of trick to get Melanie to turn herself and her abilities in?

The boy seemed to be going through the same thought process. Until Melanie realized, he had no reason to know that she was like him. She didn't know how to verbalize it. "Hey, I'm like you," doesn't seem like the appropriate response or introduction. That's until she realized that he looked terrified. Melanie was brought back to her own fear.

"Wait," She was not sure what she meant by the word that croaked out. She didn't have to figure it out: as she said it, her hand moved from her side to in front of her. Simultaneously, the cup went from being in his hand to right above his head, with his hand not moving. The cup hovered for a moment before crashing to the floor. "I'll totally buy you another drink."

"That was you?" The boy stood bewildered. "So that means-"

"I'm Melanie Downey."

"You are like me. You have-"

"Yeah, like you. I've never seen anyone else...like us in person."

"Isaac, by the way."

They both stood there - in silence. Melanie, not sure how to continue; Isaac, looked as if he was going through a deep evaluation process. They would have kept standing there if her phone hadn't started ringing.

"My mom-"

"Give me your snap. So we can text."

"Mels Downey Junior." She said at the same time as pulling up her Snapchat code.

"That's funny - like Robert Downey Junior." Isaac laughed shortly as he held his phone up to Melanie's.

Melanie chuckled, "Something like that."

•••

look who finally updated. i swear i'm writing. the past months have been wild. hell, the last week has been too.