The fire inside

Chapter 22

I felt my stomach churn and I had to force back the urge to throw up. "Why?" I asked in a whisper.

"Because he really got too you yesterday," she said, sympathetically.

"I'd rather not talk about him ever again."

"Did you at least talk to Trent about him?" She put her hand on my shoulder.

"Talk to me about who?" Trent asked walking out of the bathroom in a clean pair of jeans and still no shirt. I blushed a little trying to hide it from my mom.

"Tommy," she said effectively making my blush disappear.

I watched as every muscle in Trent's torso tightened and he nodded. He walked over to me and wrapped his arm around me protectively. "If he ever goes near Ellie again, he will have to answer to me," he said through gritted teeth.

My mom smiled and said "Good. He doesn't need to be anywhere near Ellie."

"I agree," Trent said giving me a light squeeze.

"So do I," I chimed in.

"Now that we all agree," My mom said, chipper now. "Lets get some breakfast."

"Sounds awesome," I said, really hungry. "But I need to get dressed."

"Okay," My mom and Trent said.

"We will be down stairs," Trent said, kissing the top of my head.

I smiled and said "Okay, I'll be right down."

They left and I went to the bathroom and got dressed and brushed my hair and teeth. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and smiled at my reflection. I noticed a difference in my eyes. I took a closer look and I saw that there was a tiny orange ring around my pupils. I shrugged thinking that maybe it had always been there and I just didn't notice it before.

But I would have, I thought to myself. My eyes have always looked just like my mothers and grandmothers. Why have they changed now?

I made a mental note to ask them about it, then I went down stairs. Before I stepped off the last step I was engulfed in a very tight and welcomed hug.

"What took you so long?" my mother asked. "Your food is getting cold."

I looked at her confused. "How long was I up there?"

"Almost a half an hour." She looked at me skeptically. "Are you okay?"

"I noticed something weird while I was up there," I said, still confused. "I must have lost track of time."

"What was it dear?" my grandmother chimed in.

"My eyes."

Trent laughed and said "Ellie, your eyes have always been weird. It's part of what makes you so different, yet so you."

"But they are different," I argued. "And I don't mean from everyone else's. I mean even for me."

Trent tilted my chin and looked into my eyes, making me blush a little. "They are different," he almost whispered. Then looking at my mother, "There are orange rings around her pupils."

My mother and grandmother both came over to me and looked at my eyes. My mother looked confused but my grandmother looked emotionless which was weird. She always has a reaction to things, especially new things.

"That is weird," My grandmother said. "I've never seen anything like it before."

"What could it mean?" my mother asked.

"I'm not sure," My grandmother replied. "But we should keep an eye on her. Just in case. But for now let's let her eat." She smiled at me and walked back toward the stove.