Bluejays

Attempt

Vera and Phoenix had been talking for a few months, and she decided to ask him a question.

"Would you like to come to my house?" she asked. "It's alright if you don't, but we'd be alone and could do whatever we wanted."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" he asked.

"You could show me your hands," she said. He laughed.

"Sorry, but I don't do that," he said.

"Why are you so determined?" Vera demanded. "What do you have to hide?"

Phoenix glanced around as they stepped outside, then lowered his voice to an urgent whisper. "Something you don't want to see," he said. "Believe me, you don't want to see my hands."

"I'm never going to stop trying," Vera informed him. Phoenix groaned.

"I have a secret," he whispered. "I'm going to consider whether or not I'll ever be able to tell you. I might not. If I will, I'll probably have to wait to trust you enough. Okay?"

"Okay," she said, proud of herself. "I'll wait."

"Thank you," Phoenix said. "Now, this is where we part ways. Goodbye."

"Bye," Vera said.

_

At home, Phoenix went into his room and contacted Asher.

Hey, he said.

Hi, Phoenix, Asher said. How are you?

I'm good, Phoenix told him. How about you?

I'm great, Asher responded. Now, what do you need?

Well, Phoenix said. There's someone I've been talking to at school, and she wants to see my hands. I think she's pretty trustworthy. Can I tell her, even just eventually? Or do I have to be quiet?

He sensed Asher's amusement. She has to be scared, he said. But you can tell her.

I have to frighten her to make sure she doesn't say anything? Phoenix asked.

Yes, you do, Asher told him. Ensure that she's too scared to tell anyone, and you can tell her about it.

Okay, Phoenix said. I'll do that.

_

A month later, Phoenix told Vera that he was comfortable telling her. He said he didn't want to go to her house, and they went to a big, empty field instead. Phoenix smiled as they went into the field, and the two stood in the very center.

"Take off your gloves," Vera demanded.

"Be patient," Phoenix said, taking off his gloves. Vera looked at his hands, then tried to grab one. Phoenix jerked away from her. "No touching, not until you understand what could happen," he said.

Vera frowned. "What could happen?" she repeated. "What could happen? I think it's relatively harmless."

Phoenix held up one hand, and pointed one finger at an area of ground. Then, without a word, he sent electricity from his hand directly to that area of ground. Vera screamed.

Phoenix looked at her. "Please don't touch my hands," he said.

"Wasn't planning on it," Vera said, her voice at least an octave higher than normal. Phoenix smirked.

"You wanna see something else?" he asked.

"Sure," Vera replied. Phoenix looked at their backpacks, which they had taken off a few feet away. He concentrated on her purse, and it lifted slowly into the air. Vera gasped. Phoenix made the bag come over to them, and settle over her shoulders. She touched the strap, and stared at Phoenix. "That's incredible."

"I know," Phoenix said. "Now, please don't tell anyone about this."

"I won't," Vera promised. She hesitated, then said, "Can I please touch your hands?"

Phoenix nodded, holding them out. She reached out, and looked surprised. "They're hot," she said.

"I just shot pure energy, the air directly around which was hotter than the sun's surface, out of them," Phoenix told her. "I'm surprised you aren't in pain right now."

Vera laughed. "Okay, well, you're right about that," she said. "Okay. Well, thanks." She pulled her hand away from him, and he lowered his.

"So," Vera said, smiling at him. "I didn't actually expect to have any successful attempts at trying to find out your secret."

"Well, you did," Phoenix said. "And it's good for you. Now, do you wanna see more of what I can do?"

"Yes, please," Vera said eagerly.

***

This was a bit shorter than some other chapters, so I'm sorry about that.