lantern in the Blizzard

Chapter Six

A/N I'll try better not to leave you with too many cliffhangers, but trust me if you're an author its soooooo much fun .
Enjoy
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I pause dramatically, "Instead of the fire extinguishing, it expanded out of control, growing and consuming the entire classroom. My classmates fled in in fear, all except one, my older brother, Riker. He was the one who helped me develop my powers and knew exactly what it looked like when I lost control, he began assisting me as much as possible, but when he thought I had it controlled and turned his back to the flames, they extinguished themselves by exploding outwards with a force so powerful it knock him right into a two week coma. He recovered fine, but I still swore never to try and impress people with my powers. Soon after that Northwood's school of the gifted changed drastically, we each had to choose at least two academics to study and we were no longer aloud to use our powers anywhere other than the elementals room. Protocol wasn't the only thing to change though, all non elemental students started to fear us, especially the ones like me with strands of fire woven through our DNA. Very few of them talked to us, an even fewer would make eye contact. The administration saw this unfit and created another rule that made it so that no student could share or ask about another students powers. They only include that select students have powers in our handbooks and the normal ones just say that we take special courses only acceptable by a special exam. Anything else you want to know, Mr. Blue?"

"I..I...I can't believe they changed the entirety of the school over one petty mishap, and you too. You changed your entire life when you didn't need to. All you did was accidentally let the fire out of control once, right? And how many times did you do that trick?" 

"Umm probably everyday for two or three months."

"Okay, so that's like 1 out of every 90. What are the odds of that happening again? Plus, you have more experience now. Come over to my house this weekend and we can practice together, If things go out of control i can put out the fire and you can melt the ice. How could things possibly go wrong?"

"I almost killed my brother. Asher, don't you understand that? I don't want to do the same thing to you. I would never be able to live with myself. Ju--

"I'm not making you do this, but I would love it if you did. Please, it'll be just me and you, we can even make a safe zone and some signals. Just let me know in the morning. Its my stop."

Again I faded into a slumber, the soft, slow rhythm of the bus soothing the days trouble away, but then my mother showed up in my dreams again. She can do that though, 'cause she's a dreamscape and pops in whenever she wants, while i'm asleep of course.

"Good afternoon honey," mom said, "how was your day? Actually don't answer that. I can tell you're upset. Why?"

"Can't it wait til I'm home?"

"No it cant. Im going to be home late again."

"But but you promised that you would be home tonight."

"I'm really sorry, sweetie, but they need me tonight. They're screening the newborns tonight. Now tell me what needs to be fixed and ill do my best."

Of course I spilled. I told her everything from this morning all the way to when he got off the bus.

"I just can't believe he cut me off like that. The nerve of that boy to ask me to come over to his house, break my oath, and potentially hurt him. Then all he has to say to it is that we could make a safe zone and hand signals, like that would fix any of it."

"you're right he shouldn't have cut you off, but if he didn't you wouldn't agree to go over to his house and I know you want to and I also know that he cares about you. What's his name? I might know him."

"Asher. Asher blue."

"Oh i definitely know Asher, he was one of the best newborns that i had to test and one of the first. He was an adorable little guy. When we first started screening him, thought he was just a normal kid, then we tested him for ice and water, he almost sent the office into an ice age. Of course the mother didn't know he was being tested for these things, after we filled out the paperwork, me and the other doctors-"

"Misuse of literature."

"As i was saying, the other doctors and i walked in to congratulate the mother and she was gone. No one could find her anywhere in the hospital and the father had left for the military, so we did what we had to do.....put him up for adoption."

"his mom just left. Asher, does he know?"

"He might, but I wouldn't ask he could be really sensitive about it, or not know at all. Now wake up you're almost home."

"How do you kn-"

I woke up before I could even complete the end of my question or begin any of my others. I am just as blind now as i was before. As I rush my way down my painfully long driveway, i nearly slip on a lone patch of ice hardly beginning to melt, i start to think of Asher, and discover that he truly loves everything about me and that I am an oblivious fool for not realizing that. Now i have to come to a conclusion about whether or not i am going to risk harming someone for love or risk love for the chance that something could go wrong. When i Arrive at my house I see my mom's cadillac lined up with the other cars in the driveway. She must have passed the bus on her way home from the office. Even though my mom is home i carefully make my way up the rail-less stairway in the back of the house leading to Riker and I's floor of the house, open the door, and wait. Riker usually meets me at the door, but he wasn't there.

"Mom," I shouted, " where's Riker at? I thought you said you would be home late."

I throw my belongings into my room and launch myself down past four stairs to reach the landing, then continue down the rest of the stairs quietly to cease myself from aggravating my mother. Sadly me bursting into the living room like a psychologically challenged genetic crossbreed between a human and an arachnid diminished the fact that I some what came down the stairs normally.

"Your brother is out touring some college out in Brookston. I told you he would be here yesterday. I know how he likes to meet you at the door. And yes I was supposed to come home late, but I talked to my boss and got Natasha to cover for me, so that you and me- I mean I could have dinner together and please Andi don't walk on the carpet with your shoes on. I just vacuumed."

"My apologies Mom, I should've been more responsible and taken my shoes off before coming in here like a psychopath." I let out a small chuckle,"Sorry I yelled when I came in. I had forgotten that Riker was touring Brookston Advanced University today."

"No, sweetie, it's okay. You've had a long day. Want me to order Chinese. It is your favorite?"

"Thank you. That would be great, Mom. I thought that Dad didn't like Chinese food though. We should order something for him too."

"Katherine Andreas Grey, forgive for telling you this, but your father will not be coming home tonight...or any other night for that matter. He and I are getting a divorce. I'm really sorry."

"A divorce?" I started sobbing, "Why? No. You can't be serious. This isn't happening. I..I"  

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CLIFFHANGERRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!