Elemental

Chapter Six

We drove to a part of town that I rarely ever went to, it was full of bars, and posh restaurants and little french themed boutique where everything was over priced multilplied by a thousand to the power of infinity. The pavement was made from a type of concrete that looked as if it was made from glitter. It was sparkling in the street lamps illuminating the walkway. Ash parked the car in a nearby car park, and we walked along the path until we reached a small Italian restaurant 'La Bella Luna'. It was a small place, with very few customers, the walls were a soft, warm orange, with small twinkly lights connected to it. The chairs were dainty with ornate carvings and the floor was a soft sandy yellow wood. It was as if we'd stepped through the door into a scene from a romantic movie. The Maitre'd showed us our table, and we took our seats, he placed the menus in front of us and started listing through the specials. Salmon, pasta with tomatoes and basil. I scanned through my menu, everything was so expensive. 

"Ash, do you want to split the bill fifty-fifty?" I asked, worried that I would be short of money.

"Nope, my treat."

"It's all so expensive though..."

"I'm just treating you, you deserve it."

"Are you sure?" 

"Why else would I take you here?"

"Well, do you want to like, share a pizza?" Trying to get him to cut the price of the bill down.

"Sure, any preferences?"

"Pepperoni." I said without hesitation. He called the waitor over and ordered us two cokes, and a pizza I didn't understand the name of. "Why such a swanky restaurant?"

"It's my favourite. The food here is exquisite!" He smiled at me. My phone buzzed, and I went to check it, before I realised my whereabouts. So i put it back in my bag. "You can check your phone you know. I'm not gonna shout at you or anything."

"I'll just check it, okay? No replying or anything!"

It was a text from Scarlett;

Mum just got more popular through school, and seemed pretty happy, so I guess we can just rule her out now? I'm gonna move on to pictures of Dad, not that there's many since he left!

Thanks for all your help,

love you x x x

 I put my phone back in my bag, "Important?" He asked.

"Not right now, no." The waitor gave us our food, and we started lightly chatting about aimless things. We ate up, and I declined dessert. "You ready to go? 

"Yeah, sure." We paid and left the restaurant.

The drive home flew by, and before I knew it, we pulled up at my house. He got out and opened my door in a gentlemanly way, and I hopped out of the car. "Do you want to go for a walk?" I asked him.

"Yeah, sure, where to?"

"The woods over there?" I pointed towards the clearing a couple of houses away. He nodded and we started walking. "Thankyou for tonight Ash, I had a really nice time." I turned my head to face him and he smiled sweetly. 

"I always have a nice time with you, so the pleasure's all mine." As we walked, we entered a small area hidden amongst shrubs and bushes, inside were fallen trees speckled with green moss, flowers of pink, purple and white dressed the grass around it, I sat on one of the trees, and Ash sat next to me. It was dark other than the glimmer of the full moon shining through the jade canopy above us. "Ella, do you realise how utterly beautiful you are?"

I dropped my gaze slightly, my cheeks flushed pink, "Compared to everyone else, I'm plain, and boring."

"You're perfect." He lifted my chin with his fingers, and looked straight into my eyes. "I really like you." Then he dropped his hand and, I just sat there, looking at him, unsure of everything.

"Ash, I don't know what to say." I looked down at my hands playing with my fingers.

"Don't say anything." He sighed. "I'm gonna go. See you Monday or something." He got up to his feet and walked quickly away. 

"Screwed that one up didn't you Ella. Why didn't you just tell him you feel the same?!" I said to myself. I felt an overwhelming pain in my chest, as if a piece of me broke away, I clenched my fists and there was a huge crack of thunder. "Great." I dropped my face into my hands, grief overtaking me, tears brewed in my eyes, and as one tear fell, raindrops started to patter down. With tear stained cheeks I ran back to my house and upstairs, I felt sick, winded, as if all the air had been taken out of me, I laid in bed writhing in agony, and before I knew it, the world went black.

I woke up late Saturday afternoon, beads of sweat dripped down my face into my already matted hair. I dragged myself out of bed, steadying myself on my feet. What's happening to me? I sat over and looked in the mirror on my dressing table, my skin looked washed out, and my eyes had only a small hint of green, the rest was a golden hazel. I sat there in pure shock. Mouth wide open. What's wrong with my eyes? 

I grabbed my phone and dialled Scarlett's number, "Scarlett I need you to come round mine. Now."

"What's up?" concern filled her voice.

"I don't know, come now!" I felt tears brewing, was I going crazy? 

Scarlett was at mine in fifteen minutes, I opened the door before she even got out of her car. "Ella, what's happened?!" She shouted, worrying, shaking.

"I was with Ash, and then he said he liked me, and I didn't say anything, and then he left, and then my chest hurt, and then, and then," I shook uncontrollably, and scarlett threw her arms around me, "it was the worst pain I'd ever felt. Then I lost conciousness. Now look at me." Scarlett took in my eyes... 

"Ella, I don't know how to put this..."

"What Scar, what's wrong me with me?"

"I think... I think you might be Air."

"AIR?" Oh god no. No. No. No. "This cannot be happening." 

"El, from the research I've done, your symptoms fit the bill. Try something. You'll see..." She smiled soothingly, calming my nerves. "Think air, like wind." I thought about wind and tornadoes, and the house began to shake, I heard a picture fall to the ground and shatter, losing my concentration the room stilled. "At least I'm not the only one." I frowned. "Sorry! Too early for jokes."

"Scarlett. What do I do?" I felt tears again, and as they dropped down my face, the rain came down gently, as I sobbed softly. "I just want to be normal."

Scarlett wiped my tears, and said, "we'll get answers. I'll find my Dad, and we'll get answers." 

"What if we don't get answers? What if we'rejust lost?"

"Don't think like that, what we have is a gift, it makes us special." With that, she was gone.

I picked up my phone, no missed calls. I'd really cocked it up with Ash, and honestly, I think I really need him. I dialled his number.

ring ring ring

Voicemail.

"Ash, it's Ella, look, I'm really sorry about last night, I am. I really need to see you and talk to you. I just... I don't know... I need you so much right. So please, can you just meet me somewhere, or something? Sorry." I clicked off, and hoped, and wished and waited for a reply.

I'll meet you in the forest in 20 minutes x