Colorless

Chapter 10

True Sight. Soon I will be out of this shit arrangement and with the one person I can spend my life with. I'll be home, with Ryan and my mom. Izzy. I just want all of this to be over with. How much longer do I have to do this? How much more of myself do I have to give?

I look over to the clock on the night stand. 3:17 am. I haven't been able to sleep for some time now. I haven't really spoken to Elijah in two weeks. All we do is research, looking for answers that seem impossible to find. The last real conversation we had flashes through my mind.

"I just don't care about you."

I don't care about him either. I shut my eyes and try to think of anything else, but tears rise. I feel one drop on my arm and that's when I break. I'm eighteen. I shouldn't have to shoulder this responsibility. I can't do this. I jump out of bed and throw on some shorts.

As I make my way through the house and into the kitchen, my tears stop. I go to grab a glass for some water, but then I hear his voice again.

"I just don't care about you."

Anger boils inside me, and before I know it, I throw the glass. It shatters against the wall. I grab another glass and throw it. The sound it makes as it breaks fill my ears and tears come to my eyes again. I hate him. I hate everything about this situation. I just want to go home. I grab another glass, lift it above my head, but just as I go to throw it a familiar glove wraps around my wrist.

"Tyler-" his mouth so close to my ear and I can feel the heat of his body.

"Let go of me!" I scream. I try to shake him off, but by now I should know there is no use. "Let go of me Elijah."

"Tyler please." He says quietly.

"I can't stand it here. I can't stand being all alone here," I turn to face him, "I can't stand you."

"I didn't pick you for this Tyler. You were chosen. You are the only descendant. It is your responsibility to do all you can." He is angry now.

"I don't want it!" He releases my wrist and I take a step back. "I don't want any of it."

"That isn't up to you." He throws his hands in the air.

"I tried you know?" I say setting the glass on the countertop. "I tried to tell myself that I'm not the screw-up I've always been. I've tried to convince myself that I could be the person everyone could count on Elijah, but I can't. I can't handle this. I can't go through with the trials. I'm not strong enough. I'm not good enough." My legs get shaky, and I can't bring myself to look at him.

"None of that matters now." I can hear him take a step towards me, so I step back. "Tyler, all that matters is that you are here now. Don't let all that has happened be in vain. We have sacrificed so much to find you. You need to do this." I look up at him and his hands rest on the counter.

"There's no way you can wait until after I have a kid in order to complete these trails?" I say with a half smile.

"No," Elijah says with a slight laugh, "no we can't." He takes a step towards me and this time I don't back up. He takes my hand into his, the coolness of the glove sending a chill down my spine. He lifts up my hand and forms a fist. "Stand up straight," he says easily. I do as I'm told, and then he comes around me, drawing my fist back then sending it forward. "This is how you throw a punch Mittens." I laugh a little and he lets go.

"Teach me," I say.

"Teach you?" I turn to him and a smile has spread across his face.

"Yeah. You aren't always going to be around and these trails seem like something I should be ready for. I want to learn how to fight, so teach me." He shakes his head, but I can tell that he is caving. "I need to be able to defend myself. I need to learn something in order to help. I can't keep standing around and making a fool out of myself. Elijah," I say as I walk towards him. "Teach me."

"It's not going to be fun. And it most certainly is going to hurt." He says. I shrug and smile.

"I'll take my chances. So, when do we start?" He smiles wider and walks up to me. At this point, we have taken subtle steps towards each other so now we are about face to face. It almost has me thinking if his lips are as soft as they look. But then he opens his mouth.

"As soon as you clean this mess up. I'm not your maid as well as your babysitter." Then he walks past me. I release my breath and turn to find that he is already gone.

I hate him.