The Marked

Chapter 4

"How far away is it?" Starr asked right after Sean cranked up the car.
"About twenty minutes. Why? I know you would love to spend an hour riding in the most uncomfortable car known to mankind, but that'll have to wait for another time," he replied. Starr shook her head and laughed. The car lurched to a stop at the sudden red light and as Starr was looking around she noticed someone. Xander. She hunkered down in her seat and pretended to be reading a local newspaper. "Um, see some people you don't want to be embarrassed by or..?" Sean looked confused. Crap. Sean didn't know who Xander was, or why she wouldn't want to be seen by him. She couldn't even tell Sean about her powers. "No, just trying to find a comfy position," Starr worriedly assured him.
"Okay..."
Starr was relieved he didn't question further, then realized: Of course he didn't. She has the power of persuasion, also. She still hated keeping secrets about it. She wanted so bad to have someone to share this with, who wasn't like her. Who didn't have powers.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Sean.
What was she thinking about? She looked up at the sky, and could really take in it's full beauty. It seemed as everything was enhanced, the moon brighter, the stars sparkled more. The sky wasn't black, it wasn't blue either. It was almost onyx. Glittering pictures were painted across the sky. More constellations than anyone, well anyone normal, could see. A sword. A tower with a million floors. A staircase that stretched for an infinity.
"The stars," she finally replied.
He then looked up at the sky along with her.
"They are beautiful, aren't they? Is that why your parents named you Starr?"
She shook her head gently. "I don't think so, but maybe. My name could have a lot more meaning than what meets the eye."

"Wow, nice place," Starr sarcastically muttered under her breath. The iron gate was rusted, the flowers surrounding it were wilted and dead. The apartment number barely hung on to the screen door, while numerous bricks were missing from the walls. Starr thought how she could really bring some life to the place. If only she could use her powers.

Sean repeatedly knocked on the door. "Are you sure we got the right apartment number?" Starr asked. Just then, hairy, half asleep, skinny, Josh came to the door to welcome us in.
"Starr! Sean! The lovely couple of downtown," he invited them in and they sat down on the ugly, dark green couch that probably came from a junkyard. Josh had always called Sean and Starr a couple. They never have been and probably never will be. It never bothered them though, that Josh called them that. If Josh is happy everybody is happy. "Hi," Starr greeted Gabe, Martha and Lillian.
"You seem happy," Lillian told Starr. She thought about it for a moment. Maybe she did seem happier than usual.
"Yeah, everything is going great. I haven't seen you in ages. How's your mom?" Lillian's mom was off and on. One minute she'd be telling Lillian how much she loved her, then the next she'd be begging to be bailed out of jail.
"In jail. I'm not bailing her out this time though. She stole a car," she said with the most expressionless look on her face.
"Wow. Was it an expensive car?" Starr asked, trying to make conversation.
"A mustang. She claims she thought it was her car. She also must not have realized until being in it for about two days, if she supposedly thought it was her car."

"How about we go to the bridge?" Gabe asked.
She wasn't sure she knew what he was talking about.
"There's a bridge about a half mile from here. It's over a river. Josh and I used to go there all the time," he explained.

"Sounds good," said Martha, who hadn't said a word the whole time.

"We're here," Josh exclaimed as he stepped onto the wooden, but sturdy, bridge.
"Hey Josh," said Gabe," remember when we jumped off this thing a couple of years ago?"

"Yeah, man. That was awesome. The water was so cold, though. But it was still one of the best memories I own in my head. And, trust me. There's a lot."

Starr felt the breeze blowing her hair around her face. She heightened the winds power with her hands as she swayed them around her sides.
"How about we jump off now?" she asked. She got a few mixed looks, but she could almost already feel the cool water engulfing her skin.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Sean.
"Oh, I'm very sure," and with that she took off in a sprint and leaped of the edge. She screamed with joy and excitement as her arms filled with goosebumps from the cold wind that surrounded her. The waters, rough a minute ago, with her power she calmed them. When she hit the water she felt her adrenaline pulse up into her throat. She plunged deep into the water then pushed herself up with her arms. Her head popped out and she held up a reassuring thumbs up as Sean, flailed his arms around as he fell down into the water.

"See, that was fun wasn't it?" asked Starr, who was sitting on the edge of the river along with everyone else.
"I've never done anything like that before. I felt, I don't know, free," replied Lillian.
Sean nodded and let out a long, breath.
Yawning, Starr asked," What time is it?"
Lillian looked at her watch.
"5:00. Oh, crap. I have to be somewhere.." She hurriedly got up and started back towards the house. Starr thought about it. Training was at 7:00. About 15 minutes back to the Josh's house. 20 minutes back to her house. And 40 minutes for her to get ready, and it takes about 30 minutes to get to the training facility.
She quickly grabbed Sean by the arm. "We have to go too.See you guys later!" she said while quickly walking back to Josh's house.
"Woah, where do you have to be?" he asked.
Well, the answer was partially true.
"Home."

"Finally," she breathed out and opened the car door.
Sean cranked up the car and sent a roar of life to the engine.
They didn't have time for 5 red lights on the way home. Starr saw the light about to turn red and quickly, with the move of her hand, changed it to green. She did this about 3 times before Sean said something.

"Wow. No red lights. I could get used to this."
Starr gave a slight nod before she heard a strange click from the car.
"Sean, what's that?" she asked
He looked to see how much gas we had.
"I think we're out of gas," he said. "Well, I guess we have to get out and push."

"Ugh, I don't have time for pushing," she was really getting annoyed by the car. She decided she had no choice.
She took off in a normal sprint, at first, but then her speed heightened and within 2 minutes she was home. She lifted up the door mat and felt for the key. She clumsily clicked it into the lock and opened the door.
The clock read 6:00.
"Gotta go," she whispered to herself. She quickly exchanged her wet clothes for fresh, dry ones.
Her hair had already dried so she pulled it up into a ponytail to pull it out of her face.
She grabbed a sticky note and placed it on the counter.
Gone to training. See you later.
-Starr

"I'm here!" She shouted as she stepped into the training facility which had a speacial entrance only Marked could pass through.
Wren made his way to Starr.
"I see you like to take your time, love. Your 10 minutes late. Like to tell me where you have been?" he said.
"Home. I've been home, and I just woke up late."
She smiled trying to make herself believable.

"Starr, you don't need to be around a lot of, "other" people. You could accidentally slip up, and use your powers. And Xander could persuade any of your little friends to do his bidding. You never know. So you have to be careful," he said to her, causing her to feel like a child.

"You're not my father and they are my friends.
Am I just supposed to ignore them? And don't treat me like a child," she said.

"All I'm trying to do is look out for you. But I guess you are too stubborn to see that."

"I'm not stubborn I just-" but she was interrupted by the door opening behind her.
She turned around and was surprised at who she saw. It was Lillian.

"Oh my gosh, Lillian. You're- You," she said, but words escaped her.

"Wow, yeah. I didn't know you were one of the Marked, Starr," she said and embraced Starr in a hug.

"Am I missing something?" Wren asked.

"Oh, Wren. I guess I should explain. Starr and I have been friends for a while. We don't talk much, but we like to keep in touch. So we know each other and now we learned we're both Marked," Lillian told Wren.

"So how do you two know each other?" Starr asked them.

"Lillian is my sister," Wren said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! Please vote, comment, and share your thoughts or any ideas that you have!! Thanks, and hope you've liked the story so far!!! :)