Empathy

Epilogue

I sat down at my lunch table, feeling the stares of my peers burned directly into my skin. But I didn't care. After all, who would believe them?

The night of Katie's party, someone took a video of me exploding in a fit of rage. But the police took that video as some kind of special effects project that was very well done, but not at all believable.

Mickey was still in the Psych Ward, getting him the help he desperately needed. When the full situation got to Nonno and Nonni, they both came to see him weekly. Mom eventually caved, only seeing him for a few minutes every other week. When she finally realized how bad Uncle Mickey was, she started to see him in a different light.

Gemma and I eventually told our mom what we could do. It took some getting used to, but she was happy for us to open up to her. Oddly enough, she always suspected there was something going on, but could never put her finger on it. Mom didn't really like that Gemma and I could understand exactly at what she was feeling, but we made it work by telling her what we could read.

Nonni told me more on our history and genetics. She explained to me that once you accept what you can do, the easier the emotions you feel from others gets. The more you can focus on exactly what you want to feel from others. Honestly, it was the best trick ever. The best knowledge ever.

Aiden found out what I was when he was in the hospital. He didn't take it as badly as I thought he would. He actually acted like a little kid, thinking that I had superpowers. I guess my abilities were kind of like superpowers. My Empathy and him knowing about it improved our relationship, as he was my anchor. He kept me sane even when the rest of the world didn't at times.

Even though it's been two months since that night, everyone still looked at me like I was a freak. But that didn't matter because I had the people I loved around me.

"Hey, hon," Luna said, joining me at the lunch table. "I love what you did with your hair."

I reached up to my hair. It was now barely touching my shoulders and curled to near perfection due to Gemma helping me out with the curling iron. I gave her a small, lopsided smile. "Thanks," I told her.

"What made you decide to get it cut?" she asked as Peri and Gemma sat down on the other side of me, their hands intertwined.

I shrugged. "I just felt like a change was in order."

"Well, I think my girlfriend looks even more beautiful than ever," Aiden said, ducking down to kiss the top of my head before he wrapped his arms around me.

Luna groaned. "You guys are so gross." She looked at Peri and Gemma, who were both smiling lovingly at each other. "You guys, too." The four of us laughed at Luna and her mock disgust.

"Hey, Marvel, don't look now, but Katie is glaring literal daggers at you," Peri said. I turned behind me to see Katie and her friends practically killing with their glares and hatred.

I shrugged, not even bothered by their emotions. "Oh well, that's their problem, not mine."

"You're taking this remarkably well," Gemma said, her eyes meeting mine, knowing full well what my classmates were feeling.

I smiled. "That's because I can control how it affects me now," I responded. She returned the smile before returning to her lunch.

I clutched Dad's ring in my hand. Through the ring, I felt a wave of love come from it and into me. I smiled when I realized that Dad knew that I finally accepted myself and others.

I looked around my table, seeing Peri and Gemma talk about their dresses for prom, Luna and Aiden laughing at what Aiden had said and Luna snorting unattractively, but still somehow cute. They were my everything, my anchors. They made me accept myself when I couldn't.

I was an Empath. I could understand other people's emotions better than my own. And I liked it.

Because this is me, this is who I am.

And I like who I am.