DEVIATE X / / AN UNORDINARY FANFICTION

XXVI. (Part II)

The warmth of the sun is unusual.

I hold my hand out to it, letting the spotty shadows rest on the surface of my skin. The soft rays filter through the thickness of the green leaves and rest comfortably in the palm of my hand. In a sense, the light feels more welcoming than usual as I look up from my book to study the scene lain out before me.

The playground is pretty, splashed in vivid colors that draws me in. I've always wanted to go there, to scramble around the obstacles littered all over the turf floor, to swing as high to my heart's content. I've always wanted to slide down the slide with a friend and play tag until I could run no more, until I become tired with exhaustion and thirst.

I close my book and stare at it longingly, watching my classmates mill about the structure, with their squeals and screams filling the air. My legs feel numb as I stand up, my back a bit sore from the solidity of the tree trunk I was resting against.

I've never played at my school's playground before. I wonder, is it as fun as it looks? Can the swings really take me to the sky, as Mom told me?

Without thinking, I take a step forward, keeping my eyes trained on the playground. Up close, my classmates are much taller than me, much more flushed in the skin. Their smiles and laughs are much livelier than mine. If I play with them, can I be just as radiant as them as well?

As I approach the playground, my classmates' eyes become trained on me. Their movements stop as they stare at my figure, the silence drowning out the laughter that filled the playground a moment ago. I clutch my book nervously against my chest before opening my mouth to speak.

"Um...um....I want to play with you guys. Do you mind if I-"

I take an unthinking step forward, startling the nearest pair of students near me. They jolt back in fear as the children on the playground scramble off the structure.

"Let's just go," Someone whispers in fear. "If we don't go, she'll beat us up."

"W-wait!" I say desperately. "N-no, I want to-"

"Yeah, I heard she's a high-tier! Even if we all tried to fight her, she'd just beat us all up!"

The congregation of students back away slowly as I approach them. The fear and apprehension is evident in their eyes as they continue to back away from me, until they are at the edge of the playground.

"It's okay, let her have the playground. If we tell her no, we might anger her and turn her into a monster."

Before I could protest, my classmates cautiously walk off the playground, leaving me to a desolate structure. A heavy yet painful weight settles at the base of my chest as I stare down at the floor with shame.

Do they really think I'm a monster? Every time I try talking to them, they cower at my presence. They call me a monster behind my back. They say it because they truly think I'm a monster.

I clench my fists in anger as the hot tears run down my face in frustration. My eyes glow a vivid red as labored breaths escape my mouth, my hands pulsating in a vivid crimson.

I hate my power. I hate being unable to make friends because they fear me. I hate being alone.

Why can't I just be normal?