Play Your Cards Right

Ch 11: The Incident

Eli's P.O.V.
The Library

"Danny?!" I cried out, a wave of fear and excitement jolting through me all together at once seeing his familiar smiling face. I froze in place not sure where to run, I was stuck behind the librarian counter and he was blocking the only way out.

"Eli!" He half laughed, half cried wrapping his arms around me tightly. I flinched backwards but either he didn't notice or didn't care because he was back to smiling up at me. "I've missed you so much."

"What are you doing here?" The question came rushing out. "You can't be here!"

"Why not?" He asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Because-"

"Jeeze Ellie, I haven't seen you in like a year and you already want me to leave." Danny grinned finally letting go of the hold he had on me only to step back and look me over. Neither of us had changed much, except maybe the way he styled his hair. His Bronwyn bangs came down and across his face covering his right eye. "Hey, look I'm almost as tall as you now." He joked.

"Danny, Danny you can't be here. You have to leave now." I said shutting my eyes and clenching my fists at my side. The familiar burning sensation was beginning at the back of my eyes and little bolts of electricity jumped along the inside of my skin.

"No. Eli, I can't." He said back, his voice sounding so confused and hurt. "I won't. Not until I know you are okay."

Why did he have to come here today? I wasn't ready for this. Wasn't prepared, yet. All of my emotions gave flooding through like a burst dam heading towards an electric plant. And my skin was burning in pain like this was the first time all over again. Why? Why was it always him that I couldn't co troll them around?

"Eli?" Remy asked, his voice sounding distorted like it was coming through water. I felt the air shift behind me full of static as he reached out for me only to pull back cursing in pain. "Calm down. It's alright, you're safe." My eyes were shut but I sensed the motion of him stepping in front of me, blocking the light from the windows from hitting me as he put himself between me and Danny. "Kid, I don't know who you are but you better get out of here."

"No, I need to talk to her." Danny said stubbornly. "You can"t just leave home and not have any contact with your family for a year without saying why. I need to know why."

I felt a pang of guilt well up in the pit of my stomach and it was enough for me to lose what little control I had. The bolt of electricity released upwards mixing with the electricity in the ceiling causing all of the lights in the room to instantly blow out in a shower of sparks. There were a few cries of shock and fear that rang out through the room.

"Shit." Remy hissed quickly walking away from me. The scent of burning paper filled my nose, some of the sparks must have caught books on fire. My eyes blinked open and I watched as he rushed across the room, pulling the fire extinguisher off of the wall tripping the fire alarm. I watched as a couple kids quickly filed out of the room biting my lip. My nails were digging so deep into my palms they were cutting my skin causing a rivlet of blood to trail down my fingers.

"Eli." Danny yelled over the sound of the blaring siren. I couldn't turn to him, if I saw him I was sure to loose it. All of it. The burning was back, faster than it had gone starting all over again.

"Danny, you need to get out of here before I hurt you." I hissed, leaving out the word again.

He came in to my field of view and felt the burning triple in intensity. "It's going to be okay." He promised wrapping his arms back around my waist resting his face against my chest.