When Water Burns

by Lani Wendt Young

  “Hey! Where are you doing? You can’t leave me here like this.”

  I reversed, the wheels spinning gravel angrily. “Yes, I can. Watch me.”

  He shouted, “But I’m butt naked. And I can’t flame on without you.”

  I paused the Jeep, “Exactly. You can’t do this without me. You should have thought of that before you put me in a chokehold.”

  “How am I supposed to get home like this?”

  I smiled. Sweetly. “Start walking. The closest houses are five miles that way. Maybe you could hitchhike. Try flaunting the Magic Abs.”

  And with that final suggestion, I drove off. Before I gave in to my original inclination to drown him in a volcano.

  I berated myself the entire bumpy drive back to town. Stupid, stupid Leila. I had been too quick to trust Keahi. His motives for wanting fire control were questionable. The lengths he was willing to go to for fire power were dangerous. How dumb was I to trust a boy who said “hate is a legitimate reason for living … hate is how I survive.” It bothered me that he couldn’t flame without me. Did that mean we were linked in some inextricable way? Was that a fanua afi thing? Or just a Keahi and Leila thing? I didn’t like the sound of that. I needed to talk to someone about this. And there were only three people who fit. One of them was on a break from me. The other was his grandmother, who hated me. Which left only one other person I could talk to about fire and volcanoes.

  Jason.

  The sun had well and truly set as I drove up the rugged road to Fagali’i village, swerving to avoid potholes and people who didn’t know that roads were for cars. The chitter of flying foxes feasting in papaya trees filled the night as I pulled up to the house where Jason had once carried out his molten heat tests on me. It seemed a very long time ago now, almost like a different lifetime. My heart sank a little to see Lesina’s pert little blue two-door Getz car parked beside Jason’s red truck. I had hoped to catch him alone, but I had driven all this way so I may as well follow through.

  Lesina opened the door at my knock. A smile. “Hey, Leila. This is a surprise.”

  “Can I talk to Jason please? It’s kind of important.”

  “Of course.” She welcomed me in, calling out, “Jason!”

  He walked from the kitchen with a plate full of pizza. His face lit up when he saw me, “Hey, stranger. You’re just in time for dinner. Wanna join us?” He pulled me close for a quick hug.

  “Thanks Jason. Sorry to bust in on you two like this, I probably should have called first.”

  “Nah, don’t be silly. I haven’t seen you in ages. I’ve wanted us all to get together but work has been crazy. Lesina tells me she’s spending heaps of time over at your place with you and Simone though.” He looped an arm over Lesina’s shoulder and gave her that consuming, brilliant smile. “I’m glad. I hoped you two would be friends.”

  “We got over our shaky start, didn’t we Leila?” she grinned at me.

  “Your girlfriend won me over with her chocolate pie. And because of her, Simone is not going to fail accounting. Lesina is a very good teacher.” It pained me to admit it, but it was true. “And Simone is exploiting her sewing skills as well.”

  “Aha, that’s right. I heard about this amazing fashion show. And Simone’s collection that’s inspired by telesā mythology.” Jason gave me a look loaded with meaning. “Did you have anything to do with it?”

  I was quick to deny it. “No. Definitely not. That was all Simone’s idea.”

  Lesina added, “But she’s going to be one of the models with me though, aren’t you Leila?”

  Jason whooped with laughter,which I did not appreciate. “You? Model?”

  “Yes, and what’s so funny about that?” I demanded.

  Lesina leapt to my defense. “Don’t be rude, Jason. Leila’s going to be an amazing model.”

  He shook his head at both of us then said generously, “I’m sure she will. I look forward to seeing both of you supermodels in action.” Then he killed it by adding, “Just don’t let Leila wear high heels, that’s all. She’ll be a menace to everyone within a five mile radius.”

  I remembered that night by Aggie Grey’s pool and had to laugh. Lesina was mystified so I hurried the conversation along to the real reason why I was there.

  “Jason, is there a chance I could talk to you about something work related? Umm, privately? You know that special project you were helping me with last year?” I stared at him meaningfully and finally, he got the hint.

  Awareness dawned. He stood. “Of course. Why don’t we go for a walk outside? Lesina, do you mind if I have a quick chat with Leila?”

  Her face was open and friendly. “No. You two go ahead. I’ll wait here.”

  I followed Jason outdoors to the back yard where a panoramic night sky greeted us. Bold, brilliant, and beautiful. The inevitable hum of mosquitoes accompanied us as we strolled away from the house. Jason looked worried. Tense. “What is it Leila? Has something happened with your powers? When you were back in the US, you said it had been reined well in under control, you weren’t having any trouble. Is something wrong now?”

  I rushed to allay his concern. “No, there’s nothing wrong with me. Since I’ve been back, I haven’t had any trouble with controlling the fire. Okay, that’s not exactly true. I have had a couple of unexplained flare ups but only with one particular person and only because there’s something weird about him. So it’s, technically, not me having a problem, it’s this other person. Only it’s affecting me and my powers so I guess it is my problem as well. But he has a problem too. And together the problem is worse, I mean it’s better but worse as well and …”

  He listened to me babble for a minute before raising his hand, “Stop. Just stop. I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Simple sentences. What in heck is going on?”

  I took a deep breath. “I’ve met another person like me. But he’s a boy and he’s unstable and dangerous. We’re connected somehow and I don’t like it and I don’t know what to do …” And then it all came out. I told him everything about Keahi, starting from the regatta and up until that afternoon. “I don’t want to be linked to this boy. Why am I triggering the reaction in him though? Why do you suppose he can’t flame on his own?”

  Jason looked pensive. “I’m not sure. But I don’t think you should worry that you’re his trigger. He flamed out of control when he was a child and that had nothing to do with you. Clearly, he’s got the same mutated gene that you do so there must be some other reason his power hasn’t manifested on its own since then.”

  Two of Jason’s words sidetracked me. “Excuse me? Are you calling me bad words? I’ve got mutated genes as in I’m a mutant freak?”

  “No, you idiot. You’ve got mutated genes as in you’re a step above the rest of us in the human race. It’s not an insult, it’s a compliment. Quit being your reactionary self and listen.” He grinned to sweeten the delivery of the reprimand. “Remember those blood samples I took from you last year? My geneticist friend got back to me with the results. You’re not quite human. But we already knew that, right? Telesā are a genetic aberration and my friend is very interested in meeting you. But don’t worry, I didn’t tell him anything about you. You’re not going to get kidnapped by some X-Files mutant investigation team.”

  I was still not happy about being classed as a mutant. “Telesā are not genetic aberrations. We’re guardians, chosen by our Mother Earth and gifted with her power. It’s a spiritual elemental thing. Not a genetic thing.”

  He held up his hands in mock defense. “Whatever you say. I’m a scientist who’s only interested in cold, hard fact. Us rational types don’t get into matters of the elemental spirit world.” He grimaced, making a ‘woo hooo spooky’ sound. “We’ll agree to disagree. Back to the issue of this boy, Keahi. I’m wondering if maybe, his inability to flame is linked to the trauma of his initial fire experience?”

  “Like maybe he blew it all out of his system when he was a kid and so he melted down like a nuclear react
or and he’s all flamed out forever?” I liked that idea. It meant Keahi wouldn’t ever be a threat. Just a sparkly nuisance that I needed to keep at a distance.

  But Jason crushed my excitement. “No. Like the horror of that first experience was so awful that his subconscious hasn’t allowed him to flame. If his mother and his sister died in that fire he caused, then he’s probably carrying around a lot of guilt, which might be causing him to repress his – gift – as you call it.”

  “So why would being with me make his fire possible?”

  Jason hazarded a guess. “Because you annoy the heck out of him?”

  “Be serious.”

  “I thought I was,” he teased.

  Eyes narrowed, I resorted to threats. “You know I can burn all that sun silk blonde hair off your head, don’t you?”

  Laughter. “Fine. Look, this boy’s issue sounds more like an emotional one than a scientific one. I’m not a therapist so I’m making wild assumptions here. Maybe his subconscious feels safe with you. Maybe his mutant Gift thing recognizes yours and so they want to talk to each other. I don’t know.” He gave me a sideways glance. “Maybe Keahi just thinks you’re hot and he wants to set the night on fire with you.”

  “And those would be your purely scientific hypotheses?” I demanded, with my hands on my hips.

  “Yes, they would.” He quit teasing me. “Look, if he makes you feel uncomfortable, then stay away from him. And be careful. If he tries anything violent on you again, then I say flame the hell out of him. What does Daniel think about this?”

  “He doesn’t know anything about Keahi being a fire telesā.”

  Now Jason looked angry. “Why not? Leila, a boyfriend needs to know this kind of stuff. Why haven’t you told him?”

  “Because we’re on a break.” I rushed to deflect his questions. “Because it’s complicated, that’s why. His ego is having trouble coping with a girlfriend who can generate volcanoes. And because I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Jason knew me well enough not to push it. “Fine. I’m just going to say one more thing about Daniel. It takes a special kind of man to love a mutant genetic aberration – or a fire goddess – with all her strength, power, and beauty, knowing that you’re never going to be her equal. Daniel’s that guy. Don’t mess it up by shutting him out. Because you’re not only a fire goddess Leila, you’re a person who needs to love and be loved, just like the rest of us.” He backed away with his hands up in surrender. “And that’s it. That’s my lame attempt to be a relationship guru.”

  “That’s it?”

  He paused as if weighing up something heavy. Difficult. “No. There’s one more thing. Something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about for a while, only we haven’t ever been alone until now.” He threw a cautious look back at the house. “Last year when I was sick, I meant what I said to you at the hospital. You’re very important to me, Leila and I don’t want you thinking that I go around telling girls I love them for no reason. Yes, I was heavily drugged and having a near-death experience – but I meant what I said. Even when they airlifted me back to the States, that whole time I was in hospital, I kept thinking about you and planning how I would come back to Samoa as soon as they let me out.”

  Here, now, was the conversation I had been dreading for months. I didn’t want to hear this. I wanted to combust and evaporate into a puff of smoke, anything except have this conversation. I tried to interrupt but he wouldn’t let me. “No, hear me out. I was in love with you and plotting a million ways to make you fall in love with me too. And then you started messaging me about Daniel. And I realized that you were trying to tell me that your heart was already taken.” A wry grin that tore me up on the inside.

  “It broke me. I loved you, and it broke me, Leila.” A simple statement of fact without recrimination or bitterness. “But I didn’t give up. I took the American Samoa assignment because I knew it would bring me back here. Maybe I was still hoping for something. And then I met Lesina and it was like she took all the broken pieces of me and joined them back together. I wasn’t looking for it, I didn’t expect it – but love found me. Lesina found me, and she makes me crazy happy.”

  There was that look again. That lost and drowning in love look. It reminded me of someone, only I couldn’t put my finger on it. Seeing it on Jason made me uncomfortable. I wondered, did Daniel and I look at each other that way?

  He continued, ‘I’ll always love you though, as a friend, and I hope I can be that for you. The big brother you never had, maybe? Which is why I’m glad you came to me for help tonight.”

  Shame and hurt twisted inside me. Jason had always been honest with me. Generous with his friendship, quick to trust and accept. He deserved so much more than I had given him. “I’m sorry Jason. About hurting you and about a lot of other things.” It was my turn for confessions. Haltingly at first, I told him the truth about what had happened to him and it was a relief to finally have the full story out in the open. I cried. “Can you forgive me?”

  He pulled me into his arms, enfolded me in a familiar embrace that always reminded me of gold-dusted sunshine, moonlit surfing lessons and late-night calculus lessons. “Forgive you for what? Having a vengeful, cruel, and power-hungry mother? You didn’t hurt me. You saved me. We don’t get to choose our parents. But we do get to decide what we will do with the examples they gave us.” He carefully wiped away my tears and kissed my forehead. “You’re not your mother. Or her sisters. Don’t let their choices define you.”

  We walked back to the house and I stayed for pizza dinner with him and Lesina before driving home with a smile on my face and some measure of peace in my soul. Feeling like I could handle the Keahi situation. Feeling more hopeful about me and Daniel. It takes a special kind of guy to love a fire goddess … Daniel’s that guy. Don’t mess it up by shutting him out. Jason was right. I looked back over the past month and knew I had made some mistakes. The question now was, how was I going to fix them? How was I going to convince Daniel that what we needed was not a break – what we needed was each other.

  I was having a wonderful dream. Me and Daniel were at our Secret Place. Our mountain pool – location unknown. We were alone. (Of course.) And he was saying all the things I wanted to hear.

  I’ve missed you, Leila. I never want to be apart from you again. I don’t want a break. I don’t want a Kit Kat. I want you.

  And then he was kissing me. And it was perfection. And I knew he wouldn’t say no to me this time. (Yay for dreams!) But then a voice called. Daniel. Leila.

  Daniel stopped doing delicious things to me and we both looked around. Who was daring to interrupt my dream? Maleko was standing there on the other side of the pool. He looked super happy, like he was bursting with some super news. Daniel, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You’ve got to come with me, quickly. The coach for the NZ All Blacks just called. You’ve been selected for the team! You’re going to be an All Black, can you believe it?

  Yes, yes that’s wonderful news. Can you go away now so we can get on with this delightful dream? But Daniel didn’t look like he wanted to keep kissing me. He pushed me off his lap and jumped to his feet, leaving me in a forgotten heap. Excitement. Yes! My dream has come true. I’m going to play for the best rugby team in the world. Goodbye Leila. I must go. It was nice knowing you.

  He didn’t even look back at me as he waded across the pool and did the whole ‘high-five, we’re so bad and cool, slapping hands and doing the secret rugby brother’s handshake’ with Maleko … The two of them set off through the tall grass, leaving me with snatches of their conversation. This is it uce. Fame. Fortune. Girls. A Nike commercial. Sonny Bill Williams, step aside.

  For a moment I was rigid with shock. Then I scrambled to my feet and yelled after them. Wait up! You can’t leave me here. You can’t go be an All Black. You said you loved me. You said your life was incomplete without me. You said I was your love bomb!

  Nobody came back. Nobody answered. I was standing all alone, beside a chil
led mountain pool in a green blanket of white ginger flowers. I was going to cry now. What a complete let-down this dream was turning out to be. And then someone spoke from behind me. Leila. It scared the heck out of me. I leapt to the side with a scream.

  It was Keahi. Wearing a pair of muay thai boxing shorts. He was smiling. Here you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you, my love.

  Huh?

  What are you doing here all alone? Why are you sad?

  Oh no. It was the nice, kind Keahi. His voice was tender and sweet and I tried not to sniff as I wiped away a runaway tear. I’m not here alone. I’m with Daniel. He gave me the raised eyebrow thing. We both looked around and confirmed that no, Daniel was nowhere to be seen. Which made more runaway tears escape. He was here. But he had to leave suddenly because he got called to be an AllBlack. And now he’s gone after fame, fortune, and girls. He’s going to be the next Sonny Bill Williams.

  And the whole situation was just so desperately sad that I caved. Burst into tears. And it seemed to be the right thing for Keahi to take me in his arms. Hold me against him. Hug me. He ran his hands lightly down my hair and kissed my forehead. It’ll be alright. Don’t cry. I’m here. He took my face in his hands and raised it to his so he could look into my eyes. He was never the one for you. He never truly loved you. How could he? He is vasa loloa and you’re fanua afi. Like me. We’re supposed to be together forever. You are fire and wonder, passion and mystery. Better than koko Samoa chocolate cake with whipped cream. Now that I’ve found you, I’ll never leave you. Not even to join the All Blacks.

  It was very comforting to be held by Keahi. And what girl doesn’t like to hear that she’s wonderful, passionate, and mysterious? And more desirable than the All Blacks? I wasn’t sure if I believed the bit about being better than chocolate cake and whipped cream, but hey, I wasn’t about to argue. Not right now. Not when Keahi was looking at me so intensely with those charcoal ember eyes. I felt myself start to get mad. At Daniel. He was supposed to be here with me right now, dammit. And instead he was off, chasing fame and fortune. (And girls.) Why couldn’t he see what Keahi was seeing? I leaned into this enigmatic boy with a little sigh. Keahi’s grip around me tightened. The tattoos on his neck and shoulders began to glow. My malu simmered red in response. Things were getting hot around here.