My curse

Sky

Grocery shopping can be fun. It can be something therapeutic and a great distraction from your problems.

That's what I thought as soon as I looked at my planner and realized I have scheduled today for this task. I like to buy ingredients and come up with a meal in my head, find alternatives when that one ingredient I had in mind can't be found in the market. I like doing something from scratch because it gives me a sense of purpose. But what I don't like is the part that comes after.
I hate walking all the way from the supermarket to my apartment, holding the bags of vegetables and goods I've bought. It is heavy and very hard to hold. As a gym rat, this shouldn't be a problem, but it is in my world.
The part where I have to organize and put everything I brought where it belongs is fun only when I haven't walked a couple miles and exhausted every once of power I had.

I take a piece of paper and start writing down everything I need to buy.
Once done, I wear my baby pink long sleeve top and my favorite jeans with white sneakers. I love the top because it covers my hands, but it's not very warm, perfect for summer when you have this curse. I leave my hair down and add some parfum and clear gloss. The white bag that I chose to take is so worn out, but it will do.

I know I am relaxed and happy when I hum a very made-up tone out loud. As I open my apartment door to leave, humming and almost dancing, I stop dead in my tracks, the song frozen in my throat, at what I see. Or rather who I see.

Elijah, his right hand on the handle of the apartment next to mine, looking at me with a wide smile, a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. There is a dark aura around him. As if he is barely holding himself together from destroying everything.
I notice how his dark blue shirt fits his shoulders nicely and how his black cargo pants hug his legs.

"Hello, neighbor." He waves his left hand in my direction and opens the door, disappearing behind it.

I stand in the middle of the corridor, not knowing what to think and how to react.
Am I excited he is living next door? Or am I angry because now he is closer to me, which means he can easily discover my secret?

I walk down every aisle in the supermarket looking for the items on my list.
I was wrong. Grocery shopping is not a distraction because right now, the only thing I can think of is Elijah. I don't look where I am going as I try to think of a solution to this new problem, and at the same time look for the next item in my list that I need to buy.

It all happens very quickly, but I see it in slow motion unfolding in front of me. First, I bump hard on someone's back. I stumble back, my feet getting stuck on the cart that I was pulling behind me. I lose my balance and start falling back, but before my ass hits the ground, a strong hand catches mine, and a long arm wraps around my waist, holding me in place.

My eyes automatically close, waiting for the horrible vision to assault my brain. So I wait, and wait and wait....
But nothing happens. I don't see anyone dying. I frown in confusion and open my eyes. The man who saved me from a nasty fall has the bluest eyes I've ever seen. His curly blond hair looks like a crown on his head. The freckles on his silky  white skin make him look young and very attractive.
I can't stop my eyes from landing on his lips. He might be one of the best-looking men I have ever seen.

It takes me a moment to register what actually happened, but when I do, I quickly let go of his hand and steady myself. I should have had a vision as soon as i touched him, but I didn't. Could it be that I lost the ability to have my visions when I stopped touching people's hands? Am I no longer cursed? Should I be happy about this or not?

"Whatever you are wondering, the answer is no." The blond guy announces in a deep, confident voice bursting my bubble.
I look up at him and notice his perfect smile. We are standing a step away from each other, but I can clearly see all the shades of blue that his eyes hold.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused. He can't be aware of what I can see? That's impossible.

"When I touched your hand, your potentia should have worked. But it didn't, so now you are wondering what happened to you." He answers, his big eyes studying me.
"Potentia?" I ask, feeling lost.
"Your superpower." He answers as if to say duh. But I frown more, expecting an explanation. He can't be talking about my curse. That is no superpower, and besides, no one knows about it.
As he watches me intently waiting for my response, I open my mouth and then close it, trying to find words, but I fail.
"You must have a certain ability that is triggered by physical touch. Hands holding makes you do something that other people can't normally do. It's the same for me, I can read people's minds when I touch their hands, but for our kind, I can't. So that's how I knew you were like me because when I held your hand I couldn't read your mind and I believe it's the same for you. You probably couldn't get your potentia to work when we touched. Potentia is the word we use to call our superpower." The guy informs me, his voice serious and his eyes roaming my face.

"I am Nathan, by the way." The tall, handsome guy finally introduces himself, extending his hand for me to shake.
When he sees the dumbfounded look on my face, he smiles, flashing his white teeth.
"You can shake it. Whatever potentia you have won't be triggered."