The Magic Within You - NaNoWriMo 2018

~2~

**This is another chapter copy-and-pasted from NaNoWriMo YWP. There are about 10 more pre-written chapters.**

    Angie's hair bounced freely on her shoulders as she walked down the sidewalk. The pin she had received in the mail shone proudly on her green jacket. She wondered what it looked like to normal people - or if they could see it at all. She continued to wonder what the pin meant, and if it would have a use. She didn't notice the stranger walking past her on the sidewalk until their shoulders collided and books went flying.

     "Oh!" Angie exclaimed with an apologetic chuckle. "Clumsy me. I'm so sorry," she said, ducking down to retrieve a book that was now laying open on the sidewalk. At the same time, a hand reached for the exact same book.

     "No worries," the man was saying. His voice seemed to have an underlying melody - well, more so than most people. "I'm the one that should watch where I'm g-"

     When their eyes met, he froze. Angie couldn't tell what his facial expression meant as his gaze flickered to her pin and then back to her eyes. Confusion? Wonder?

     The young man had the most curiously vibrant purple eyes, with a streak of the exact same color in his otherwise raven-black hair. Thick-rimmed glasses framed his eyes.

      There was a painfully awkward silence. The stranger seemed to be examining Angie's eyes as if there were more to see than two blue orbs.

"Um..." Angie hummed after a while, getting uncomfortable.

     "Come with me," the stranger finally said, quickly rushing forward and hooking his arm through Angie's as he did so.

     "W-where are we going?" Angie asked with her normal upbeat curiosity, turning around so she could face forward as they walked.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" he asked.

"One of...who?"

     The man sighed as if he didn't have time for Angie's innocent cluelessness. "You see colors, right?" he asked. "More than other people? And sounds come with them? You see music? You taste words?"

"I- y- Well, I mean-"

"Ugh, I don't have time for your stammering," he scoffed. "Do you or don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Ever since I got into a car crash. The doctors said it was just synesthesia, but-"

"Synesthesia," he said as if mocking the doctors. "Unbelievable. Ignorant Others."

"Sorry, who?"

     He stopped, and Angie almost knocked into him as he turned around to stand in front of her. His strong hands took her shoulders, and when he bent down to meet her eyes it was noticeable just how much taller he was.

"You're an Artist," he said. "I knew it. I could see it in your eyes."

"I- who- what? Of course, I'm an artist, anyone can be if they want to," she said.

     He shook his head and, without wasting time, resumed walking. "You don't understand. We're Artists. The people who claim to be Artists in your world are just Others with big dreams." From the way he said the word Others, you'd think he was tasting the most disgusting food in the universe.

"...Others?"

"You really don't know anything, do you?" he looked at her.

"Is that like...muggles and wizards from Harry Potter?" Angie asked, trying her best to understand.

"Who?"

"Never mind."