Us Mutants Prefer the Term "Special"

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"You look really pretty, Aspen," I heard a voice say as I was in the master bathroom, two hours later, putting on my hoop earrings because Zaine insisted as he got ready in Warren's room. I looked over my shoulder and saw Jane standing in the doorway between the bathroom and bedroom.

"Thanks," I smiled and then positioned my long, curled hair. "Wanna help me zip up my dress?"

"Yeah, sure," she said. I stripped off my day clothes and stepped in the short, gold, shimmery dress that she zipped up the back. I smiled to her in gratitude and something seemed false in her returning grin.

"What's wrong?"

"I just don't understand you and Zaine," she said. Oh. I shrugged. "You two act like best friends and then strangers and then an old, married couple and then enemies and then—"

"Welcome to the advantages and disadvantages to a relationship," I laughed. "No one understands them but the two people in it."

"Was it...easy for you to like Zaine or any other guy in your life?" she asked and then I clued in that she was hinting at something.

"What's this about?" I asked her, even though I knew she would soon ask about her crush on both Isaac and Wib. It was obvious to everyone, but the real struggle, I think, was the fact that she tried to overanalyze anything, right down to emotions.

"I mean this whole relationship thing doesn't make sense," she said. "Andres has been with loads of girls at the Academy and then got together with Skye here, when she's the opposite of normal girls he'd go out with; Warren and Cariba want to act like a couple, but deny it; it was completely natural with Chance and Sumer; and you already know about you and Zaine."

She was being impatient with her own love life.

"Love happens at different times with different people," I advised, even though no one said anything about love and she would be the first to explain that not every relationship had love or specific kinds of love and yada, yada, but she didn't.

"So...a player and a popular girl...water and fire...a time traveler and a psychic...and an impenetrable man and girl who can't get hurt," she labeled. Hmm. Strange how things work out. "So where does a know-it-all girl fit in?"

I placed my hands on her shoulders.

"Wherever she wants to," I told her and then waited a second before dropping my hands. And I knew by her sigh, this was the one area that not even Miss Smarty pants could master. "Come on."

I entered the hall at the same time as Cariba exited Warren's with Sumer. She left a little curl on the ends of her hair and wore a short, purple sun dress with a white, beaded necklace. She rolled her eyes at having to dress up, but I knew she wanted to go, or else she wouldn't be going. We descended from the stairs, me laughing at her comments about the troubles of going on a date, and then once we hit the step in view of the living room, Warren stood up, seeing us before Zaine. Zaine's lips slightly parted when his eyes fell on me and I was feeling my heart raise in my chest more than ever, even though all he was wearing was some nice jeans, a black shirt, and a leather jacket that he's always had.

"Ready to go?" Warren asked, approaching Cariba.

"Let's get this over with," she sighed, walking towards the door, but Warren reached for the outside of her waist and whispered in her ear.

"Don't act like you don't want this," he said and I knew well enough that Cariba rolled her eyes before lightly pushing Warren away from her in a playful manner.

"You look gorgeous," Zaine greeted, now standing and grabbing my hand to reach over and kiss my cheek. I smiled and we walked towards the door, only to see Cheshire crossing his arms in front of the door and Wib pulling at Zaine. Damn, they double teamed us. Wib stood, glaring right across at Zaine (since they were the same height) with a recognizable look. And as Cheshire pulled me outside to talk, I heard Zaine start to say: "I know, I know. If I break her heart, you break my eardrums."