Nature calls

3 - Kira/Shawn

I'm sitting on the ground behind a flower stand with Shawn. It's a little awkward and I don't really know what to say.

"So," I start. "So," he says. Looking at him, the feeling of that pull towards him hits me hard right in the chest again. I take a deep breath and shake my head to try and get rid of it. Then I ask, "why are you following me?"

He scratches his neck. "I don't really know. The first day I saw you in town there was something about you. You felt different from the others, and you have a... Smell. I narrow my eyes. "Gee, thanks."

"No, no." He chuckles. "You smell like flowers. Like roses... And moss."

"Oh," I say, surprised. I might as well tell him what he smells like. "You smell like mint and strawberries." He burst out laughing and I can't help but smile because it's a nice sound.

When he's done laughing, he says, "seriously? Strawberries?" Still smiling, I nod. "Yeah." We're silent for a while, while we just look at each other. Despite everything I'm starting to feel relaxed. Then he asks, "how do you do what you do? The earth thing."

I shrug. "I don't know. It started when I was a child." He quirks a brow. "Your parents didn't explain it to you? Or didn't they have powers?" I shrug again. "Again, I don't know. I was an orphan. I only remember foster families."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he says with a soft voice. His fingers brush against my knee and a burst of electric tingles shoots through my body. The feeling makes me jump back a little and when I look at Shawn, he sits frozen with wide eyes. "What the hell was that?" I ask.

"...."

I look at him questioningly. "Shawn?" Then he quickly stands up. "I, uh, I have to..." Still with wide eyes he looks deep into mine as if he's searching for something. I furrow my brows. Why is he acting like this? "Are you okay?" I stand up and he quickly takes a step back. "Shawn?"

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Turning around, he sprints away from me, leaving me with a very surprised expression on my face. What the hell? I must have read our connection wrong because the feeling of his touch didn't feel bad to me. Actually, now that I'm think about it, it felt amazing.

I'm standing here, feeling so confused. Then I sigh. Alright, better go say goodbye to Kate before I go home. Making my way back to the town square, I find Kate at the same table I left her at. She stands up and hugs me. "Kira, honey, are you okay? What happened?"

"Nothing. I just got a little overwhelmed." I immediately spot Shawn standing with Sharon and Hillary. It looks like they're arguing, and they keep glancing at me. A flash of anger runs through me because I'm getting sick and tired of people talking about me behind my back. I'm not a damn circus freak!

"Kira, stop." Kate's voice is barely a whisper but it's still loud enough to make me snap out of it. "What," I snap. She nods towards the ground. "Look down." I do as she says and see that the ground under me is glowing green. Jumping back in surprise, the light fades away. What is happening to me?"

Only now do I notice the silence. I slowly look up and people are looking at me with shock written all over their faces, which makes me panic and hyperventilate. Oh no. They saw. No, no, no.

Small twirls of green light flows from the palm of my hands and in the ground around my shoes. I jump back again and shake my hands and legs trying to make it go away. Kate grabs my face with her hands, forcing me to look at her. "Kira, calm down."

"I... I..."

"Listen to me. Go home and stay there until I contact you, do you hear me?" she asks. I feel tears running down my cheeks and I can't breathe but I still manage to nod.