Ice and Air (The Four Elements: Book 1)

Chapter Six: Meeting Brandon

We all got up from my bed and went downstairs to talk to my mom. There, we found her sitting on the couch reading a novel from her bookcase. For the first time in forever, I felt that we were really doing something besides school work, club activities, and sports.

"Mom!" I call out to her while she is in the living room.

"Kayla, what do you need?" she asks, looking up from her novel.

"Did you already know that I had a brother?" I questioned.

My mom looks at me, shocked.

"Wait... how did you figure it out?!" she stuttered her words as she tried to keep her composure.

"Coach Clark told me that there was someone who studied at my school six years ago and unleashed powers over air during a soccer game," I replied.

"Um... I don't recall that type of situation, you're probably dreaming," she stated, averting her eyes away from me.

Gosh, I'm pretty sure she is lying right now. I need the truth! If you don't give it to me, I'm going to go out of control here... I thought.

"I'm not dreaming!" I yelled out.

"I'm serious, nothing like this has ever happened in the history of the universe!" she yelled back in defense.

"Oh, here we go," I heard Carter mutter to Elias with humor.

Okay... time to be sarcastic. "Spill the beans mom, I particularly know everything now, especially about my powers and Brandon."

"How much do you know?" She questioned.

I groaned. "I'll tell you what happened at school today."

And so I did. I told her about the dodgeball game during P.E. and the fact that I froze a leak coming from the changing room. I also told her about the phoenix who appeared in front of me while I was in the bathroom fixing myself up for the night. I even mentioned the fact that Carter and Elias both have powers.

My mom took a deep breath and paused. Then she starts to speak. "It is time you know the truth, Kayla. All of you, follow me."

Got her, yet I wonder what is probably coming next... I thought.

Elias, Carter, and I followed mom to a place in the house that I never saw before. She placed some kind of charm on the wall and a door materialized in front of us.

"That's very cool," Carter said, taking in the details of this door. Where would this door lead to? I thought.

"Thank you, and you don't have to call me 'mom' or 'Mrs. Williams' anymore. All of you can call me Sandra." she said

"Why?" I asked.

"Besides friends addressing each other by their first names, children in the parallel universe the phoenix had told you about, they are taught to address their parents by their given name. The guardians believed that everyone respects each other that way," she explained. "Anyways, this leads to the portals. Not only I can access the parallel universe from here but also I can track where Brandon is, so I can go to him when I need to," she adds.

"Erm... isn't that 'stalking'?" Elias asked

"Every parent has this ability to watch their children, like you Kayla, through portals, to make sure they don't do anything crazy," she replied.

"That's a first," I commented. Well still, that's stalking. "So, are we going straight to Brandon now?"

"Yes, we are. Just let me notify him we're coming," she said before she stared straight at the portal.

"Brandon, I'm going to you now ok?" she muttered before turning to us. "He gave the nod, he's at his dorm. Now let's cross the portal."

She went in first, and I followed. Carter and Elias jumped in after me. I looked around my surroundings. I felt like I was floating through space, inside a colorful tunnel. I also see my mom—Sandra—floating in front of me. After a few moments of floating in space, I saw a blinding light in front of me. I think we're here. I thought. I closed my eyes as soon as the light hit me.

* * *

The portal pushed me into another room. I think this is Brandon's dorm... I thought. Before I had the chance to glance around, I fell face-­first on the carpeted floor of the dorm. I also felt Carter and Elias fall on top of me.

"Guys, get off me!" I shouted.

"Sorry Kayla," Carter said.

"I didn't know we were going to be here already," Elias said then groaned.

Erm, this is way too awkward...

Unable to carry their weight any longer than a few seconds, I screamed impatiently, enough to attempt to wake up the whole building.

"STOP DILLY­DALLYING AND JUST GET OFF ME!!!"

They were both surprised by my abrupt change of volume and rolled off. I finally stood up and looked around. The room seemed kind of bigger and fancier than a normal dorm. Is this a prefect's room? I thought. I also saw a person who had the same looks as me. He had dirty blonde hair that was closed­cut, hazel eyes like mine, and he's as tall as Carter. I took a close look at him. Did he really inherit those features? I wondered in my mind.

"That was a pretty surprising first impression..." he said, staring at us.

"I know what you mean. I think it was their first time going places using a portal." Sandra explained.

"Sorry about that..." I said. "Did I wake anyone in the building?"

"Lucky that you didn't since I had the sound barrier up. If I didn't, you've probably also woken up the teachers too and they could have searched the room, looking for someone who can't keep their mouth shut," he replied, with a serious expression written all over his face. Then it returned to his enthusiastic expression. "My name is Brandon Williams. Are you Kayla by any chance?"

"Yeah. No offense but, I didn't even know you existed until now." I said.

"I knew you would say that." he said, with a smile.

"Why do you think I will?" I asked, curious.

Sandra—still not used to calling her that—chimed in the conversation. "I'll show you." Then, she summoned an orb and images starts to form in it. I take a closer look.

* * *

Movie Poster by: TorissaNikole