The Stone

Chapter Eight

“I’m pregnant!” Celeste cried flopping onto the stool and laying her head on the kitchen counter. Asher, who was in the middle of eating cereal (Choco Chomps), looked over at her in alarm. He swallowed, then asked, “Who’s the father?”
    “I don’t know!” She exclaimed looking over at him. “Was it...Was it consensual?” Asher asked, putting his hand on Celeste’s back. “What? No, I’m still a virgin.” Celeste said suddenly, sitting up. “Then...What makes you think you’re pregnant?” Asher questioned. “I missed my period.” She answered. “Oh, h-how late are you?” Asher asked. “Three months Ash! I’m pregnant!” Celeste said again leaning back into her chair and sighing dramatically. “Okay first, you’re a virgin. Virgin’s cannot get pregnant. Secondly...I-I dunno, but I’ll set up a doctor’s appointment...Mmmkay?” Celeste nodded before getting up and making her own bowl of cereal.
    After breakfast, Celeste reminded Asher that she would be out, and then went to take a shower. She put on a pair of blue patched jeans, a basil green sweater that had cutouts in the shoulder and black leather boots. She combed her hair so that half of it were pressed down, and pinned it down with a black sparkly bow. Then she grabbed a mini book bag and put her phone, keys, earbuds, a led pencil, and a notebook in it. Celeste did a final check in the mirror before closing her eyes, thinking of Ben, then saying “down.”
    Celeste had expected to appear in Ben’s room, scaring him as a way to leap into her story about last night. Instead, she appeared in front of the steps to Ben’s house. Ben, who was sitting on a white wicker chair and looking on his phone, hadn’t noticed. Celeste rolled her eyes before going up the steps and standing over Ben, looking over his shoulder. “Boo.” She said. Ben didn’t jump, he just turned his head to face Celeste, who realized how close she actually was and backed up.
    “Why’re you out here?” She asked, sitting in the other chair. “Rebecca and Alice are fighting about rooms...You changed your hair back.” Ben said looking up and smiling. “Yeah...Why are they arguing about rooms?” Celeste asked. “Because mom and dad said that since Bethany has her own apartment now, one of them can move into her room. Well, Rebecca decided to start moving her things into Beth’s room because she assumed that she’d be the one to move in. But I guess Alice didn’t think that. So they started yelling at each other like the banshees they are.” Ben answered. “Mom just made Rebecca take her stuff outta Beth’s room cause her stuff’s not out of it yet.” Bella added climbing onto the porch. Through the window.
    Bella looked like Ben in every way. They both had lean figures (although, Bella was slightly more built since she usually participated in sports), round faces, button noses, and big, blue eyes. The only slight difference is the fact that Bella’s blonde hair reached her shoulders while Bens only went to his ears. “Bet she was mad.” Laughed Ben. “Oh yeah, and even more mad cause Alice decided to sit in the hall, blocking Rebecca’s way;” Bella laughed and slapped her thigh. “Rebecca fell and all her clothes fell on the floor and down the steps!” She started laughing so hard it was difficult to understand her. “S-s-she was s-s-o p-pissed! Oh my lord! Ha Ha...But then it started to get physical so I jetted.” She finished calmly. Bella smacked her lips before lazily looking over to Celeste and jumping. “Oh hey Cel how’s life?”
    “Compared to yours, pretty lame.” Celeste answered, smiling. “Yeah right! You’re a super-special now, there’s nothing boring about that.” Ben said. “Speaking of being a special, we need to talk...” Celeste said, making her eyes wide. “O-oh, okay, hey Bells, how’s the stress level in there?” Ben asked because Bella was crawling back in the window. “Um...well dad’s yelling at the both of them for making a racket so...it’s calming...”Bella called back. “Let’s go.” Ben said pointing towards the door with his head before getting up.
    “Made it before you!” Bella shouted as soon as they walked in the door. She laughed manically before running up the stairs two at a time. Probably rushing to go eavesdrop. Ben and Celeste exchanged looks before making their way downstairs. “So what’s up?” He asked falling into his swivel chair.
    “Well, I can teleport.” Celeste said slowly. “I tried to show you earlier but, you were too busy texting Samantha.”
    “I wasn’t texting Samantha.” Ben said. “Goggling at her nudes, whatever, that’s not the main part of my story.” Celeste said with an eye roll from Ben. Then she sat on Ben’s bed and told him of last night’s events. Ben wasn’t bothered at the fact that Celeste hadn’t told him about her teleportation earlier, he just listened to her talk and nodded at certain parts. “And Asher doesn’t think I am, but, I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant.” Celeste ended.
    “C’mere.” Ben said, he had his legs crossed but uncrossed them. Celeste got up and walked over to him. When she did, Ben put his hand on her stomach and pushed. “You’re not pregnant.” He said letting go. “If you were, then your stomach would’ve been harder than it is, and you would’ve been showing by now.” Celeste looked down and rubbed her stomach. “But, like...my period.” Celeste said, looking up at Ben. Maybe it was the fact that he had six sisters, or maybe that he was there when Celeste had accidently bleed through her pants when she first got it, but Celeste found it easy and not that uncomfortable talking about things like periods with Ben. “Maybe you stopped getting it cause you’re stressed, or maybe you have a hormonal imbalance...” Ben said as he sucked on his bottom lip.
    “Maybe, the stone’s preventing it from happening.” Ben said pointing at the WillowStone in Celeste’s hand. “...Maybe...” Celeste agreed nodding. At that moment, the door to Ben’s room opened and Samantha’s head appeared with a big smile; that faltered when she saw Celeste standing in from of Ben holding her stomach. “Hey! Your mom let me in.” She said coming the rest of the way down the stairs. “Hey babe...” Ben said. Samantha smiled as she made her way over to Ben, sitting on his lap and giving him a big, tongue filled kiss, making Celeste feel uncomfortable.
    “Well! Try not to swallow each other!” She said very loudly. Ben and Samantha pulled away and Ben gave her the middle finger. “That’s not my job.” Celeste retorted, putting her hands on her hips and shaking from side to side. Samantha gave Celeste a coy smile and laid her head on Ben’s shoulder. “Hey Crest, long time no speak.” She said. “Hey, my name’s still Celeste...” Celeste said, and was glad to hear Ben whisper in Samantha’s ear; “Please stop saying her name wrong.” However, he had said it so low; Celeste shouldn’t have been able to hear him. Maybe super hearing was another power she had obtained.
    “Right, sorry. It’s glad to see you! Especially after that day, I couldn’t see for like, two days. But, I’m sure you had suffered more since you were out for like, two weeks. Ben was so worried. You should’ve seen him...But, you know, no hard feelings.” Samantha said finishing with a smile and flipping her hair. Celeste wasn’t sure if the “no hard feelings” were for her temporary blindness or for Bens worrying, but either way, Celeste smiled.
    “Anyway, what should I do about N?” Celeste asked Ben, tilting her head and widening her eyes. Ben sucked on his bottom lip for a moment (with Samantha watching aptly) before saying; “Just talk to him...Or do what you normally do; ignore him until he says something to you first.”
    “I’ll probably do the second.” Celeste said nodding. “Also, you should head to the Special Services Building sometime...” Ben added. He patted Samantha’s thigh, signaling for her to get up. Then he stood up and began digging through his drawers for a new shirt. “For why?” Celeste asked turning and following him. Samantha pursed her lips and crossed her arms. “You do know the law don’t you? All teleporters have to be registered in their country, if you get caught teleporting without a permit, I think you get fined or something.” Ben answered, changing out of his green tee shirt and putting on a darker green long sleeve shirt that had a stack of books on it with the quote “knowledge is power”
    “That shirt shows your dorkiness.” Celeste said. Ben sucked his teeth before pushing Celeste. “Babe, you ready?” He asked. Samantha nodded before giving off a fake smile. Ben turned to grab his keys and wallet and Samantha gave Celeste a dirty look. Celeste cleared her throat and headed for the door.
    “Celeste!” Said Ben’s mom, Mrs. Link, scaring Celeste because she was standing right in front of Ben’s bedroom door. She quickly pulled Celeste into a tight hug. “Oh my lord! I’ve been so worried about you! I visited you in the hospital but then I had to go to Perennius for fashion month! Not to mention I’ve been so busy at the office that I always came home after you’ve left. Oh, let me get a good look at you.”Mrs. Link said quickly before cupping Celeste’s face and examining her closely.
    Mrs. Link had thin, shoulder length brown hair, and blue eyes. She looked young for her age and treated Celeste like her seventh daughter. She owned a popular fashion label and sometimes Celeste would throw ideas at her. When Celeste was eight, Mrs. Link used to let her be in the kid fashion shows; and pay her well for it too. “Still beautiful.” Mrs. Link sighed with a loving smile.
    “Mom.”  Ben wined as he and Samantha walked up the stairs. Celeste moved out of their way as Mrs. Link waved her hand. “Hush child...Samantha, how very well to see you again.” Mrs. Link said, standing up straight and becoming very business-like. Ben turned scarlet and Celeste forced herself not to laugh. “And where are you three headed off to?”
    “A children’s hospital, for an interview, then we’re gonna head into Towne Central and hang out.” Ben answered. “Well, have fun. Celeste, why don’t you come back and stay for dinner?” Mrs. Link asked turning and beaming at Celeste. It was very hard to say no to Mrs. Link, and Mr. Link was an excellent cook (he did own a five start restaurant) so, Celeste just could not decline.
    The trio managed to escape from Mrs. Link’s grasp and were on the way down the highway to Quinteria’s Children’s Hospital. Samantha had practically ran to the passenger’s seat when they had reached Ben’s car. Which was unnecessary since Celeste was going to sit in the back anyways. Celeste rolled the window down and breathed in the air of the highway, it stunk of exhaust. She took the bow out of her hair and put her stonehand on the gelled down part. “Restore.” She whispered. When she lifted up her hand, her hair sprang up. Then Celeste focused on summoning a green and black striped headband, and then she placed it on her head. She looked out the window, then at Ben, who was holding Samantha’s hand, she smiled and looked down at her own hand.
    She traced the outline of the stone. Round and round and round. Her blood vessels in her hand had connected themselves to the stone. It grossed Celeste out and made her feel like she had a large blood blister on her hand. Big, cloudy, and shiny. She summoned black, fingerless, leather gloves and put them on.
    When they arrived at the hospital, Ben parked and the trio got out. Samantha wrapped an arm around Ben’s and rested her head on his shoulder. Celeste stood on the other side of him and checked her phone for any text messages from Asher. Instead, what she got was a notification from Socialform reminding her that Asher’s birthday was coming up the following week. “Oh shit.” Celeste gasped. “What’s wrong?” Ben asked. “Asher’s birthday is this Thursday.” Celeste said. “It’s almost May already?” Ben said. Celeste couldn’t say anything back because at that moment they walked up to the front desk.
    “Hi, welcome to Quinteria’s Children’s Hospital, are you visiting or do you have an appointment?” Asked the woman at the front desk. She was a happy looking faerie, with light pink skin, pointed ears, round violet eyes, and hot pink hair propped up in a bun atop her head. “Um yeah, I- We have an interview with uh, Lason?” Ben asked. The woman smiled and typed something on her laptop. “Benjamin Link, Celeste Archard, and Samantha Mitchell?” She asked. Ben nodded and the faerie typed some more words before a miniature printer on her desk spat out labels; each with their names on it. “Here ya go, just stick them on the front of your shirts and I’ll let him know you’re hear. You may wait in the waiting room until then.” They each bowed before leaving.
    “This is totally gonna rip the glitter off.” Samantha grumbled, for she was wearing a black sparkly shirt that had a smiley emoji on the front. Celeste was too busy taking her headband out and trying to figure out what to do with her hair. “Hey, you look great.” A random old woman told her, squeezing Celeste’s thigh reassuringly. Celeste smiled weakly. “Thanks.” She said. The old woman looked as if she was going to say something else, but at the moment, the front desk faerie appeared and beckoned them.
    She led them down a hallway and showed them into an empty room that had white tiled floors, white walls, a steel table, and four metal chairs. “Would any of you like something to drink?” She asked. “Hot coco please?” Celeste asked and Ben second, the faerie nodded before walking out. Celeste sat down first and Ben sat next to her, leaving Samantha to the chair across from him. She sat down and stared sulkily at Celeste, who took no notice. For some unknown reason, she couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something were to happen; something, not good.
    “Hi! I’m Larson! You must the interviewers.” Said a male, he looked young to be a nurse, and rather attractive, Celeste thought. He had short, auburn hair, tanned, freckled skin, bright and happy turquoise eyes and front teeth that looked a little too large. He walked over to the table and hugged Celeste and Samantha, he seemed like he was about to hug Ben as well, but Ben stuck out his hand. “Pleased to meet you.” Ben said, sounding as formal as his mom had. They all sat down and Celeste took out her notebook and pencil, writing ‘Healer’ at the top of the first page. 
    “Well, what did you wanna know?” Lason asked, clapping his hands together and smiling broadly. “How old are you?” Samantha asked before Celeste even had a chance to think of her question. Lason laughed, Celeste thought it sounded a bit awkward as he said “20.” Samantha smiled but tried to hide it, Celeste gave Ben a side-glance, but he looked like he was either unbothered by the subtle flirting, or maybe he just didn’t notice.
    “Okay, the actual question is, when did you discover that you were a-a healer?” Celeste asked, Samantha shot her a frown. “Well, I could actually self-heal since I was a babe, but, no one really noticed until I was like... five, I think, yeah, I fell off a tree and my leg was all, jetted out in an irregular angle, not to mention the immense pain. My family rushed me to the hospital, of course, but when we got there, I was all healed!” Larson said, Celeste nodded. “Wow, um...What...What made you want to be a nurse?” Celeste asked next. Larson looked up and rubbed his chin, which had some stubble, as he thought about it.
    “My uncle. When I was uh, ten. Yeah, he took me to the park and when we were on our way home, he tripped, and fell into some glass on the street. Cut his hand clean open and he’s a hemophiliac, which means that his blood doesn’t clot...And he was just bleeding and yelling ‘Lars! Lars! Heal me! You have to heal me!’ But I wouldn’t. I was too scared, honestly, I didn’t want to kiss my uncle...He ended up passing out from the blood loss, almost dying. All because I was immature. And ever since then...I decided to change my ways so to speak.”
    “Wait, what do you mean, ‘you didn’t want to kiss your uncle?’” Celeste asked after a moment. The faerie from the front desk returned with Ben and Celeste’s hot coco and a coffee for Lason before he continued. “Well, the way healers can well, heal, is through our bodily fluids. Like blood, urine, and saliva. Since a healers saliva is cleaner than their blood or urine, that’s what commonly used. So, let’s say, you cut yourself just now, all id have to do is basically, suck the cut away... I know, I know, it sounds gross.” Lason said laughing when he saw Celeste’s and Bens disgusted faces. “Yeah, it does.” Celeste agreed falling into laughter as well. Then she wrote down “Saliva helps heals others.” Next to a bullet point.
    “So, is there any other way that you can heal others?” Ben asked. “Uh, not really, although, healers are able to make their S.O’s feel better, healthier, even live longer.” Lason said. “How?” Samantha asked as Celeste wrote, “Can make significate others feel healthy and live longer.”
    “Well, generally, when you’re in a relationship, you kiss your S.O, and since a healer’s main source of healing is in the saliva, you’re essentially making their immune system stronger with each kiss...and what-not.” Lason, Celeste fought back a snort because she could guess what the “what-not” could be. Lason looked at Celeste and smiled. “Are there any other benefits to being a healer, besides, never getting sick?” Celeste asked. “Oh plenty, people over at the blood bank really love having healers blood, you get paid a lump sum of cash whenever a sick patient needs a blood transfusion, since healers blood is universal.” Larson said and Celeste copied it down. Then she began wondering is her blood would be the same as a healers blood, since she wasn’t exactly born a healer.
    “One more question, do healers live forever?” Celeste asked. “No.” Lason said with a small laugh, making Celeste feel foolish. “Nah, that’s just a myth. We die of old age. When the heart decides to give out, but since we self-heal and don’t really get sick then we do typically live longer than most creatures.” Celeste nodded.  
    They finished the interview, stood up Celeste and Samantha received another hug, and Ben and handshake before leaving and heading back outside. “Now to Special Services.” Ben declared as he bucked up his seatbelt and starting his car. “Special Services? I thought we were going shopping.” Samantha asked. “Yeah well, that’s what I told my mom, we have to go to the Special Services building for Cel so she can get her teleportation permit so I won’t have to bail her out of jail.” Ben explained. “You’ll probably have to bail me out for something else.” Celeste added and Ben agreed.
    It had been excruciatingly boring and long trying to get a teleportation permit from the Special Services building. They sent the trio all around the building before giving Celeste a test to do on an anticheating tablet, which took an hour and a half. Luckily, for Celeste, most of the questions were based around common sense and she got a passing grade, then she had to pay 425 dollars for the permit papers and an extra 75 dollars for the I.D. Ben had almost paid the whole five dollars when they both remembered that Celeste could summon her own cash. Then she had to fill out a bunch of documents, which contained her information that would go on her I.D, the a few more saying that she understood the rules. Ben had made her skim them instead of just signing, then he warned the worker that his sister was lawyer. Which wasn’t true since Bethany hadn’t graduated college yet. Finally, Celeste got to stand in front of the camera and put on her best smile.
    She had decided to change her hair back to how it was that morning and was glad with how her I.D turned out. She took a picture of it and sent it to Ash, who probably wouldn’t see it until later that night or during break at his job. Overall, Celeste was grateful that Ben decided that they should go into Towne Central and brows some shops.
    I could buy Asher a ring! I saw this cute golden one...but Asher is allergic to gold so never mind.” Celeste said as they passed a jewelry shop. They had been walking for half an hour and all they bought were ice creams, Ben’s treat. “Let’s just look in it just in case you found something he liked.” Samantha suggested, thinking Asher was Celeste’s boyfriends. Celeste shrugged before walking into the shop.
    The instant they walked in, Celeste let out an auditable gasp before practically running over to a small table. “Look at how cute this necklace is!” She exclaimed picking up a necklace that had a head of a cartoon unicorn attached to a silver chain. The unicorn was white with a rainbow main and a big brown eye. Celeste let out a gasp when she saw it was only seventeen dollars. She dug in her bag and let out a long sigh when she realized that she left her wallet at home. She didn’t feel like summoning more money, she felt tired.
    “Just summon it here.” Ben said from beside her, Samantha was over at a counter looking at rings, Ben had offered to buy her one. “Can I do that?” Celeste questioned more to herself than to Ben. Then she whispered wallet and her red wallet with a black skull on it. Celeste let out a gasp before checking the inside; she let out an even bigger gasp when she saw that the 400 dollars were still in there. “So, if I can make things appear into my palm that means that they disappear from where they were before...” Celeste said to herself. Ben raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, and you can make the things you summon disappear.”
    Celeste’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. “For real?” She whispered. “Yes! I sent you link to the website where I got the information from...Didn’t you read it?” Ben asked. “To be honest, I never open the links you send me.” Celeste admitted and Ben rolled his eyes. “Anyway, how do I make it disappear?” Celeste asked. Ben just shrugged. “I dunno, I think you just use a word like disappear or something similar.”
    Celeste thought for a minute before whispering, “Evaporate.” The wallet hovered for a minute before pixelating into dust from the bottom and disappearing completely. It took Celeste a moment to realize because it happened quickly. “Holy heaven!” Celeste exclaimed before whispering wallet again. And, once again, the wallet appeared. “Evaporate...wallet...evaporate...wallet...evaporate...wallet...evap-“
    “Please stop.” Ben said. Celeste smiled sheepishly before picking up the unicorn necklace and walking off to another part of the shop. Ben watched her walk off and smiled, shaking his head. “Benny! C’mere! I found a cute ring!” Samantha called. Ben turned and went to see what Samantha had picked out.
    Celeste found a charm bracelet that had a rainbow, a rose gold colored heart, a boy, a smiley face and a diamond charm on it. “Asher’s gonna love it.” She said happily to the clerk as she handed him a twenty-dollar bill. Samantha was smiling from ear to ear as she held out her hand and admired the way the sunlight hit the jewels on her ring. “I love you baby.” She said before kissing Ben. Celeste looked away and saw the same old woman from the children’s hospital standing across the street. Staring at her.
    Go. Run.
    Celeste shook her head and turned towards where Ben and Samantha were. “Hey, let’s head over to the clothes shop. I have a pair of shoes I want to buy.” Celeste said with a smile. “You alright?” Ben asked. “Yeah, I just want new shoes.” Celeste lied, her stonehand was throbbing and she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something bad were to happen. She looked back; the old woman was still standing there.