Flames

Flames - Part 3

I am awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the door. At first, I can't decide whether or not I'm dreaming, but as the hushed knocking persists, I realize that I am in fact very much awake. I flip on the light next to the bed, and climb out, the wooden floor cold against my feet. I nearly trip over the rug in the middle of the room, but finally I reach the doorknob, twisting it open.

When I see Ben standing there, I yet again have to give myself a reality-check.

"Let me in, hurry." He says, glancing around the hall for prying eyes.

I stare at him, still not wholly awake.

"Come on, we need to talk!"

I step out of his way, letting him inside my room. I figure what's the worst that could happen? He hurries inside and closes the door quietly behind him. He makes his way over to my bed and helps himself to a seat upon it.

"Why are you in my room?" I mumble, still standing by the door.

He pats the bed next to him, offering me a seat. "Because we have important matters to discuss."

I sit down next to him, still wide-eyed and confused, but curious as to what these "important matters" are. "What do we need to talk about?" I look at the clock in the corner of the room. "It's almost one in the morning, what's so important it couldn't wait?."

"I know what time it is." He says, rolling his eyes. "I stayed up all night waiting for everyone to be asleep. But regardless, I want to know your ability. What is it?"

Now I'm very confused. "My what?"

He sighs as if disappointed in me. "Your ability. The reason you're at Mayfield."

Still clueless, I shake my head. "I'm at Mayfield because my family died in a fire and I'm the only one left." I bite back a sob. "What do you mean my ability?"

"You really don't know what I'm talking about?"

I look at his messy brown hair and bite my lip. "No, I'm completely lost."

An irritated expression crosses his face. He takes my hand and looks my arm up and down, as if inspecting it. "Were you in the fire?"

"Yes."

He does the same thing to my face, slightly pinching my cheeks. "Did you get out before things got bad?"

I really don't want to have this conversation, but I can tell there's no getting out of it, so I sigh. "No I was trapped in my bedroom and I passed out from the smoke. What does this have to do-"

Ben cuts me off. "Where are your burns?"

"I don't know." I shrug, a little annoyed. I was already asked that question eighty times at the hospital, and I didn't want to hear it again.

His gray eyes light up, and a smirk runs across his face. "That's it!" He says in an excited whisper. "Your ability probably has something to do with fire."

"What do you mean by ability?" I have to refrain from yelling.

"I mean," Ben clenches his fists and closes his eyes. "this."

Before I can reply, the dresser drawers simultaneously fly open, making me jump and almost falling out. I sit there, gaping in awe as he shuts each one of them individually with a small, unconscious twitch of his finger. I am nearly frozen in disbelief, still uncertain of whether or not what I just witnessed was real.

His eyes open, and the excited look on his face has been replaced by a calm, relaxed expression, as if he'd just woken up from a deep sleep. His voice is soft. "That's what I mean by ability."