by Arthurs, Nia
My human body was making its feelings known. My heart thundered in my ears and drowned out all other sounds.
Desire collided with logic. I set my hands underneath my thighs to keep my fingers from moving. Whatever happened in the next few seconds, my abilities could not be revealed.
25 seconds…
She was looking at my lips so I looked at hers.
Big mistake!
Warning bells stormed to life in my head… and everywhere else. Because I was an alien in a human body.
Because there were so many reasons why I shouldn’t.
Because Tess’s lips were divine.
Because logic trumped desire in every case, but this one.
30 seconds…
I kissed her.
I was unprepared for the strength of my reaction. Her lips were soft like rose petals against my mouth.
I didn’t know what to do, having only seen this done in movies. Our lips were awkwardly pressed together and nerves nearly drew me back.
In the blink of an eye, my human side shoved all clear thoughts from my head and took over.
I closed my eyes and kissed Tess as if I’d done it a thousand times.
White noise filled the room. My eyes popped open and I moaned. Sometime during our embrace, my hands had come free.
Energy shot out of my fingers and rattled every appliance, flipped every light switch, crackled through every electric line.
I tried to pull back, but the power surge shut Tess’s house down. She opened her eyes and glanced around with a confused expression.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and stood. Through the chaos surrounding me, I heard Jones’s warning, clear as day.
Flee.
I finally understood what it meant. I wanted to throw my arms around the woman on the sofa and kiss her again and again.
But I couldn’t.
While Tess fiddled with her phone, I took Jones’s advice. I had to get out of here. I closed my eyes and focused on making the jump.
Lately, my teleportation attempts deposited me in random places, but I didn’t care. Anywhere would be acceptable at this point.
Three seconds later, I opened my eyes. I was no longer in Tess’s living room. I stumbled over a brown coffee table with psychology text books scattered on the surface.
I recognized the furnishings. This was Jones’s place.
“Don’t come any closer or I’m calling the cops!” Jones’s frantic voice yelled.
The man darted out of his bedroom with a bat and a terrified expression.
“River?” he groaned when he spotted me.
Almost immediately, the window panes in his house rattled. Jones ducked and covered his face with his hands.
“Stop it!”
“I can’t!” I looked down at my fingers, felt the strength of my abilities return like a flood. “Jones, I can’t!”
The man screamed as glass panes shattered. I sped to where he cowered on his knees and dragged him a safe distance away.
As suddenly as the tremors had begun, it stopped. The moonlight reflected in the broken shards on the living room floor.
Jones’s hand trembled as he adjusted his glasses.
I held a hand to my head. “I’m sorry. I’ll pay for that.”
Jones stood shakily. “I thought you said your speed and telekinesis was basically gone?”
“It was,” I looked at my hands.
“You might want to revisit that thought.”
“It doesn’t make any sense. My abilities haven’t been that intense since I first landed here. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“I think, maybe, touching Tess strengthens my abilities.”
“What?”
I winced. “Something happened tonight.”
“Oh no. Don’t tell me you two––”
“We kissed.”
“Aw, River! Come on! Did my little mojo talk mean nothing to you?”
“It wasn’t planned. Things kind of happened. I got excited and … her power went out.”
“You took out the woman’s electricity?”
“That’s what I said, wasn’t it?”
Jones held his head. “Ow, you’re giving me a migraine.”
“I’ll bring you a pill.” I travelled to the kitchen and quickly returned with a glass of water and a pain reliever.
“Thanks,” Jones said. “River, we need to talk about this. I seriously believe you should move now. If this girl sees what you can do…”
Jones was right in front of me but suddenly, his image grew hazy and his voice grew faint as if he were speaking from miles away.
I wavered on my feet. My vision blurred. My limbs felt like limp noodles and I staggered backward.
“River?” Jones cried.
Something was wrong, but I was powerless to fight the wave of dizziness and nausea.
“River!”
Jones’s worried plea was the last thing I heard before I toppled into a world of never-ending darkness.
Chapter 24
The next morning, I woke up with a start. Sunlight filtered through large windows. Birds twittered outside.
Where was I?
I shot up and glanced around, recognizing the layout of my bedroom. How had I gotten here?
Last night’s events rushed through my mind like a movie. My brows creased in confusion. The last thing I remembered was Jones’s glass panes exploding.
The glass shards had scattered all over his floor and sofas. I winced, hoping my old friend hadn’t been hurt in the spray.
Someone knocked on my bedroom door, disrupting my thoughts. Jones strolled inside. His dark brown skin held a few extra wrinkles today but he looked fine.
“It’s good to see you, man. I thought you’d croaked,” he said as he drew near.
“What happened?”
“You flat out fainted. Scared the life out of me.”
“I don’t faint.”
“You did last night.”
I tilted my head, straining to recall the details.
“You don’t remember?” Jones set a glass of water on the dresser.
“I remember shattering your glass windows,” I said. “But nothing else.”
Jones harrumphed. “I guess you don’t recall saying you’d pay for the damages?”
Jones knew I would take care of his windows. I didn’t dignify his comment with a response. Instead, I asked the question burdening my mind.
“What happened?”
“You kissed Tess.”
Oh, I remembered that. With startling clarity.
“After the windows broke, Jones.”
“You pulled me out of the way so I wouldn’t get hurt.”
I had? Why didn’t I remember doing that?
“And…?”
“Then you just conked out. Fell straight back on your head in the middle of the floor.”
“My abilities were at their peak, why did I––”
“River!” Tess pounded on my front door. “River?”
I glanced down at my watch and groaned. Today was the Family Fun Day. How would I face Tess after the kiss?
Stupid! I shouldn’t have kissed her.
“Dude,” Jones whispered. “You need to send her away. You barely survived being around her yesterday.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I threw the blanket covering my feet to the side. “You can’t believe that Tess is linked to anything that happened.”
“You said your abilities strengthened when you touched her. They went on the fritz when you kissed her. Don’t you think it’s possible your sudden weakness is because of her too?”
“River!” Tess knocked on the door in her usual fashion.
“What do you suggest? I made a promise. I have to see it through.”
“Tell her to go away. Give her an excuse. I don’t care.”
I shook my head and stood. Dizziness pulled me down again. Jones rushed to my side.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.
I just need to catch my breath.”
Jones brushed my hair back and placed his hand on my forehead.
“You have a lingering fever. Maybe you should just rest. She won’t stand there all day will she?”
“You don’t know, Tess,” I mumbled.
“River!”
“Geez, you picked a winner,” Jones said.
I shot him a dark look. He shrugged.
I got up––much slower this time. Jones was clearly uncomfortable but helped me to my feet so the nausea didn’t overwhelm me.
“I’ll help you,” he grudgingly offered. “But you get her out of here. You need to rest.”
“Alright.”
Jones walked me to the door and I opened it a bit.
“What?” I said.
Jones sent me a thumbs-up.
Tess spun around. Her eyes widened when she heard my abrupt tone. My heart squeezed at her expression.
I don’t want to hurt you.
“Want to ride with me to the Fun Day?”
“No.”
Yes.
She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. I wavered. Tess was hurt and it was my fault. I never wanted to be the one who hurt her.
I leaned closer and opened my mouth to apologize when Jones slammed the door shut. I glared at him.
“Why’d you do that?” I whispered.
“It was for your own good!”
The man should be grateful we’d spent most of his lifetime as friends. It was the only thing keeping my fists at my sides.
“Come on,” Jones helped me down the hallway. “You need to rest.”
As we strode toward my bedroom, I heard Tess muttering outside.
“You think you’re so big and bad? The kiss was disgusting. I wish I hadn’t touched you.”
The passion in her voice nearly convinced me that it was so. The rushing of her heart spoke the truth.
Tess was angry, not disgusted.
I wanted to run back to her and assure her that what had transpired last night had changed me. Meant the world to me.
With Jones firm grip on my arm, however, I held still.
“Thanks for your help, Jones.”
“Don’t get all sappy on me now, man.”
“I’m not. I really appreciate this.”
“Mm-hm.”
I settled into the bed and closed my eyes. Jones squeezed my shoulder and walked out of the room. After a few moments, I heard the front door opening and closing.
His car engine rumbled through the morning air. He’d bought it. I was home-free.
Without a second to spare, I hopped out of the bed and teleported to Saint Mary’s.
I arrived just as Tess parked her car on the grassy lot. She climbed out, but stopped short when she saw me.
I saw her eye searching for my mode of transportation and spoke carelessly to distract her.
“How long will this thing take?”
The look of annoyance that I was becoming very familiar with crossed her face. Tess tapped her tennis shoes against the green lawn.
“I don’t know. Just make an appearance and then you can leave whenever you want,” she snapped.
I watched her stalk away as new life set fire to my veins. Did Tess really amplify my abilities? Was the surge of power responsible for my sickness last night connected to her?
The more I thought of it, the more credibility it leant. The first time the “surge” occurred was the day Dani and Tess visited my house.
Tess was about to fall and I caught her before she got hurt. The moment our hands collided, my abilities kicked in though they’d been inactive for nearly three days.
It still didn’t make any sense. I hadn’t felt any weakness or dizziness after holding her. Yet my intuition screamed that Jones’s theories could not be discounted.
I shook my head and focused on the present. This was a prime opportunity to spend more time with Tess Hardey. Why waste it?
I caught up to her and followed closely on her heels as we trotted toward a large grey tent. Strangers mingled and laughed together, shaded from the hot Belizean sun.
“Hi, everybody!” Tess waved to her friends.
They answered back with hearty exclamations. Immediately, a group of female teachers crowded around her. I smiled at Tess’s popularity.
Principal Ramsey stepped down from a wooden podium and walked toward us. Her smile was wide and warm.
“How are you today, Tess?” she said.
“I’m fine, thank you. I’m looking forward to…”
“Mm-hm, that’s great.” Principal Ramsey turned to me. “I’m glad to see you here, River.”
I frowned at her rudeness. Did Principal Ramsey always treat her teachers that way? No wonder Tess had resorted to elaborate schemes to keep her job.
“I’m glad to support Tess.” I held the principal’s eye so she knew exactly who I was talking to. “She was really excited to participate today.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes. Mrs. Ramsey ducked her head and chuckled sheepishly.
I spun away from her and took three giant steps forward until I stood in front of Tess, who had scurried away after Principal Ramsey’s offensive behavior.
I held Tess’s arm and kept her in place. She had done nothing wrong. I wouldn’t let her run away. In fact, this crowd needed to know who they were dealing with.
“She has quite a mouth on her, so I hope none of you get on her bad side in any of these games.”
“Hilarious!” Principal Ramsey clapped her hands and cackled.
The other teachers laughed along, though their eyes drifted from me to the Principal in confusion.
Tess wiggled out of my hold and stared at me as if I had grown two heads. I shrugged.
A strange expression crossed her face. She kept her gaze away from mine and addressed the principal.
“Do you mind if I talk to my boyfriend for a moment?”
“Of course!”
Tess dragged me away and did not let go until we were a healthy distance from the tent.
This was the second time she’d taken the lead like that. I found that I quite enjoyed it.
“What?” I asked as we came to a stop.
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re going to cause trouble in my principal’s marriage if you don’t stop.”
“Stop?”
Once again, there was no logical connection to her thoughts. How exactly was I putting the principal’s marriage in jeopardy?
“Yes,” Tess pointed at me, “stop that.”
“I’ll need some more information, Tess.”
“You know… stop the whole hot, mysterious guy act. It’s distracting people from the games.”
“The games haven’t even started,” I pointed out and then I smiled as I realized what she’d admitted. “You think I’m attractive?”
“What?” Tess sputtered. “I never said that.”
“You just did. You said-”
“I know what I said,” she snapped. “You really should be more humble. A conceited man isn’t very appealing.”
“I’m not the one who called me…”
“Yes, yes. Whatever. Just tone it down a bit.”
I agreed though I wasn’t trying to tone anything ‘up’ in the first place.
Tess spotted her parents walking through the gate and ran forward to greet them. I stayed behind with a sappy grin on my face.
Tess Hardey found me attractive.
Her unintentional revelation excited me. Trying to figure that woman out was like running a hamster wheel. It was exhausting.
But the rat race ended here. Because Tess admitted that, at least on some level, she too was moved by me.
Yes!
Tess and I strolled over to the elderly couple dressed in tank tops and shorts. They waved enthusiastically.
“Hey, River!” Mr. Hardey shook my hand.
I never understood the human need to connect through the clasping of hands, but now I feared it.
; Mr. Hardey’s grip could turn someone unconscious. The man read my expression and clasped me around the shoulders. He knew exactly what I was avoiding.
“It’s good to see you again, sir.” I said as Mr. Hardey steered me toward the tent.
“You too, River. You should come by for dinner next week, you hear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Alright, everyone!” Mrs. Ramsey stepped onto the wooden pulpit at the front of the lawn and yelled into a mike.
Tess and her mom met us and as a group we strolled closer to the stage. The sound of excitement echoed in the pounding of nearly thirty hearts.
I smiled. Humans. Who could understand them?
As the principal gave the opening announcements, I noticed Tess stiffen beside me. Her pulse skyrocketed.
Concerned, I glanced down and found her staring across the way. I followed the direction of her gaze and spotted a dark, short haired woman.
With her back to us, the woman purposely hugged herself and moved her hands up and down in a rather untoward display.
The girl turned around and grinned at Tess. I recognized her face. Riley? Why was she acting that way?
Unless…
I grinned. Had Tess told her friend about our kiss? Curious to know what she’d said, I moved to ask her.
Before I could go through with it, Principal Ramsey addressed us. Tess and I were roped into participating in a race.
I shrugged my consent and waited impatiently for everyone’s attention to move elsewhere so I could think in peace.
Tess found me attractive and she was moved enough by the kiss to tell her best friend. I was not the only one battling feelings. The discovery felt like a victory.
Chapter 25
The announcements continued, but I could not wipe the smile from my face. Every hardship I had faced, every moment of pain or discouragement, every longing to return home, it all seemed worth it now that I had met Tess Hardey.
Whether or not she loved me in the way that I loved her, simply experiencing these sensations and living in this moment was a gift.
“What’s so funny?” Tess nudged me.
“Nothing.”
“What?” she insisted.
I decided to answer her. I knew Tess Hardey. When she wanted something, there wasn’t much that could stand in the way.
“You told Riley.”
“Told Riley what?” she said. Realization dawned. “No, I didn’t tell Riley.”