rogue ⇒ l.h

[5]

[5]

it was always books that made me feel that perhaps i am not alone in this lonely world.

my favorite genre is fiction. it might seem childish and young but fiction was another world for me.

fiction opened my imagination, took it, and turned reality upside down. it drew beautiful things in my mind, and painted beautiful words on an empty canvas. it expanded my horizon, made me think things that were out of this world, made me lose myself in somewhere else that wasn't earth. it made my troubles and pain vanish, it transported me into another dimension, filled with adventure and fun and places where everything was well and good and perfect. it made me escape the horrible, harsh, realities of life.

that's why you can always find me in the library. everywhere i go, i bring a book with me. i take this few chances in life to escape reality, to mould it into something better, happier and free.

and what's why i can never be truly happy. because my life isn't the way i want it to be. i can't even be comfortable in my own skin for obvious reasons. i don't even have a single kin. not with all my pain and sorrow and hardship, not solitary, a shadow without its shape. i did not sign up for this, i did not sign up for this kind of life.

but you can't choose your life. you can't choose what happened in the past, or what happened to others. you can only choose what happens to yourself from then onwards, and choose the path you make for yourself. and once you do that, there is no going back. not for me, not for you, not for any of us.

---

i knew not of where we were going. i knew not of what i was doing. all i knew i was that i was following a guy who was cursed. an outcast. a reject. like me.

it almost seemed unreal at first. i never knew anyone like me. inside, i was elated that i had finally found someone who shared the same life, same fate as me. we were freaks of the society.

i never asked him anything as he dragged me along the streets. i felt that strange feeling asking me to trust him and i did. because he was like me. i wasn't alone at last.

after what seemed like forever, he pulled me into a tiny apartment and said " i live here, you'll be safe here."

i nodded at him and gave his apartment a once-over. it was clean, white and neat. there was hardly any furniture, only a small couch and a television and a kitchen and a bedroom. it was obviously much smaller than me and raven's shared apartment but it was good enough.

"do you want tea? or coffee?" he asked, shrugging off his leather jacket and hanging it.

i watched him, mystified by his every move. "coffee is fine." i said softly. "okay," he said.

when he came back with two cups of coffee, i sipped mine carefully. we were both sat on the couch opposite each other. i decided to start the conversation first.

"you have powers. like mine. did you have them when you were born?" I asked.

he nodded slowly,"yes. i can create ice and control it. you can..."

"take away someone's memories and identity or kill them just by one touch." i said, "i've never met someone like me. i can't believe it, i mean—i mean this is great. i'm not alone after all."

he allowed a small smile on his face,"me too, anna." but it was too late before he realized his mistake.

i blanched,"you know my name. i knew it. you're the one who saved me. from the fire two years ago in my house. my parents — t-they died there."

he didn't say anything. he continued to stare at me in an expression that i didn't know.
"you were also the one who robbed that girl a week ago. i caught you. and just now, it was you who i was dancing with."

his blue eyes were blank but i could still get lost in them. "why? why do i keep meeting you? were you following me?"

he opened his mouth to speak,"i didn't mean to. when i saw rescued you from the fire i knew you were special," he continued, "i forgot about you after so long and then you caught me robbing that day and i knew it wasn't a coincidence that i met you twice. so i tracked you down and followed you to the party. and i managed to rescue you once again, this time from gangsters."

he smiled at me, a kind smile. i was suddenly very shy. "um, what's your name? i would... like to get to know you better." i said.

"i'm luke hemmings. eighteen and single without a job." he flashed his perfectly white teeth cheekily and held out a hand.

"i'm anna marie, eighteen and cursed. not that you don't already know that of course." i grinned.

"by the way, thank you luke," i said softly," for saving me."