Orange is a burning color

Boombox

      After dinner someone brought out a decades-old boom box. Everyone started dancing to The Beach Boys. I remembered that night, when me and Cole were talking about our favorite songs. I remembered him saying anything by The Beach Boys. I was sitting a little ways away when Allie sat by me.
      "You look like your missing someone," she signed.
      "What makes you say that?" I signed back.
      "You have the same face I had when you and Andrew went to camp," she replied. "Is it a boy? A girl?" Her face showed genuine curiosity.
      "His name's Cole," I signed in reply.
      "Is he your boyfriend?" She was asking a lot.
      "I guess you could say that," I signed slowly.
      She grinned at me. "How did you meet?"
       "I was with the league for a while, he was friends with Andrew and mistook me for him when they brought me in," I explained.
       "And what's making you miss him so bad?" She signed curiously.
       "His favorite band's The Beach Boys," I replied.
      "Is that what's playing?" She asked. "I can feel the vibrations of the music."
       ""Wouldn't it be nice" is playing," I replied with a smile.
      She put an arm around me and I leaned my head on her shoulder and sang along to the song.

     When they called for lights-out I said my goodbyes to Allie and headed back to the cabin. I saw Zu, Liam and Ruby ahead, they looked so happy.
      Once I was inside the cabin I flopped onto my bunk and made myself comfortable. Everyone said their goodnights and I was left in the silence, staring at the ceiling. It had been about an hour when I felt a light buzz in my pocket and pulled out the burner phone to see Cole was calling.
       I got out of bed and slipped some shoes on. I snuck outside and went back to the tree I had been in earlier. I picked up as it started to buzz again.
        "Hey Darlin, I was worried I'd caught you at the wrong time," Cole said when I picked up.
        "Not at all, I just had to sneak away real quick," I said laughing.
       I spent the next hour chatting with Cole. He told me about how Cate cried watching him leave and all his friends had bet if he would come back without a single cut. I told him about how much I missed having him around and how I saw Allie.
       "Hey don't get so hotheaded you set something on fire," I said.
       "You think I'm hot," He asked.
       "In your dreams Stewart," I said laughing.
       "Night, Elli," he said.
       "Night Golden boy," I replied.
      When the phone finally hung up I made my way back to the cabin, the feeling that eyes were on me

       The next morning I gave Zu a hug before Ruby took her to go see her cousin. I looked up and saw Clancy's eyes on me.
      That was something he liked to do, watch me and Ruby. I often could feel his eyes on me.
      Everyone had gone to do their morning assignments and I was still unassigned so I sat there until I saw a boy struggling to carry the boom-box from the night before.
       I ran over to help him. He handed it to me with a smile. We had gotten only ten steps when I felt electricity go from my fingers and into the boom-box. It literally fried. Becoming a metallic smoking mess. I dropped it and backed away, confused.
       "I'm sorry," I muttered and ran for the main cabin.
      I had walked into Clancy's office in time to see Ruby leaving. She nodded to me and walked out, closing the door behind her.
     "I was just about to send someone to come get you," Clancy said from behind his desk. "I wanted to inform you that you and Ruby will be working with me."
     I just nodded. "Uh I blew up a boom-box," I said still stunned at what I did.
    Clancy's face dropped. "What?"
    "I thought you'd know something about it since you're an Orange too, but I was holding it and it literally fried," I said rushed.
     "How did it fry?" Clancy asked stepping out from behind his desk.
     "It was like electricity went from my hands and into the boom-box," I explained.
     "Go down stairs and greet your sister and then come back here," he said.
     I was too stunned to not comply. This had never happened before and I was freaking out. I found Allie sorting food and said hello. She gave me a hug and I felt the electric current that was flowing through me dampen and was replaced with something else.
     I went back to Clancy's office and found him sitting at his desk again. "Okay, did you make physical contact?" He asked.
     I nodded.
     "Put a hand out and imagine the door slamming," he instructed.
     I looked at the door and imagined it slamming. Like it was reading my thoughts it slammed shut. I felt my eyes widen.
     "Fascinating. It seems you can copy the abilities of other Psi," he said.
     "What?" I asked looking at Clancy.
     "No Orange is the same. From what I learned we all use different parts of the brain to do something different, it seems you copy the abilities of another Psi and use them."
      "So you're saying I'm like a super-freak?"
      "I wouldn't word it like that but yes."
     I spent the next thirty minutes with Clancy as he explained that he'd have to test what I could do more. Once that was over I went to find Ruby. I found her with Chubs,watching Liam fail at sports.
      Maybe I could have a place here, with my friends.

   It had been a few weeks since we'd arrived at East River. I'd trained with Clancy like Ruby did but unlike her I still didn't trust him so once I wasn't needed, I left.
    I actually had found Chubs one day when I was exploring and proceeded to hang out with him, but today I was sitting in front of the cabin reading.
    Liam and Ruby were inside, canoodling. I saw Zu and Hina rush past me and into the cabin and I got up after them.
   Hina's mouth was going a mile a minute and Zu was darting around the cabin collecting her things. I wasn't sure whom to pay attention to. Every time Hina opened her mouth I was reverted to the same state of shock. Hina could talk faster than Jude.
    Ruby grabbed Zu and sat her on the futon. Zu was glowing with happiness. I slightly touched Liam's arm then used the gained telekinesis to shut the door, not that anyone noticed, we were all too shocked.
     "Us and four others," Hina said, breathlessly. "Three Blues and a Yellow. Kylie finally got permission to leave camp."
Three Blues, California, Allie. I turned and ran out of cabin. I ran until I was at Allie's cabin and walked in without knocking. She was packing a bag.
"You're leaving, aren't you," I said getting close enough for her to hear.
I have to, Mia and Mom are in California, I have to go find them. She signed.
I just found you. I replied.
I'm sorry, I knew Clancy would never let you leave. She looked sad.
     I grappled her in a bear hug. "Come back safe, please."
     "I will," she said.
     I went with Allie to the path where everyone had gathered. A few others were there, Including Zu, Chubs, Liam and Ruby. I walked over and said goodbye to Zu.
     "Watch over my sister for me?" I asked.
     Zu nodded. Watch over the others for me. She signed back. When had she gotten so good?
     I nodded.
    Clancy appeared at the head of the path, Hayes towing behind him. His face was pinched with annoyance or anger.
     "Kylie has decided to go tribal and will be leaving immediately."
     A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd.
     "She will only take these five with her," he shouted. "There will be no more requests to leave granted until our numbers are full. Is that understood?"
     Silence.
    "Is that understood?"
   Noises and shouts confirmed that, yes, it was.
   I gave Zu a big hug before walking over to Allie and doing the same.  With one last wave I watch them walk away. I walked off immediately, not able to stay and watch my friend and my sister walk into the unknown.