Moonfire

by M. Rae Gogetap

  I sat straight. Was Fia…? I finally met here eyes, and she rolled her own.

  Ok. Sarcasm.

  “Oh, just thinking about stuff. I’m feeling pretty tired. I might call Gabe and reschedule tonight.”

  Fia walked to the stainless steel fridge and grabbed two cans.

  “I already called Kale. We’re going.” She handed me a cold can of a fruit punch flavored energy drink. “Come on, Nebraska, it’ll perk you up. Time to tour the only fun part of this mountain town.”

  I took a big gulp of the syrupy sweet drink.

  “So you and Kale, how did you two meet? Doesn’t he live on the reservation?”

  “We met on campus last year. Criminal Justice major. Some days he works back home as a cop. But he stays here in Flag on his days off,” she said, perching on the sofa. She flipped on MTV and turned to me.

  “Honestly, we’re kind of casual. He’s a little too sober for me. You two should hang out. Y’all would get along pretty well.”

  “Um, I guess I’ll take that as a compliment. But I’m not interested in dating casually.” Especially your current boyfriend.

  Was she serious?

  A little inkling of her thoughts would help me gauge her motivation, but the subtle waves felt like nothing but indifference.

  I couldn’t get a good read on Fia. Even with my empath antenna pointed directly to her, Fia projected a subdued aura. Some people’s emotions were more dampened than others. Like personalities, different energy strokes for different folks.

  “You’re loss. Casual is the only way for me. All right, time to get ready. See you out here in 30.” Standing up, she threw me the remote and walked to her room.

  I relaxed back into the overstuffed turquoise leather sofa and stared at the entertainment center made of the same cherry wood and granite in the kitchen.

  Fia confused the hell out of me. She appeared to be from money. Like upper crust of society style. She didn’t need a roommate to help out with the bills. Why’d she advertise for a roommate?

  For company? She was a little rough around the edges, snotty on the surface. Maybe she learned to guard herself out of necessity. I understood secrets. I’d give her a chance to open up a little more.

  Opening the door to my room, I noticed all the trophies were gone. Looked like casual boyfriend number one, aka Frank, had done her bidding and cleared out the room. Without the dozens of trophies and racks full of clothes, the room appeared a lot more spacious.

  Half an hour later, I walked into the living room in a beige embroidered tee and skinny denim capris. I sent a quick text to Gabe to tell him Fia and I would drive together, and we were meeting Kale at Leroux Bar and Grill.

  “Oh thank the stars your wearing heels. Otherwise, we couldn’t be roommates,” Fia said, taking in my outfit. She wore a light blue cotton tank, gray capris, and white ballet flats.

  “Why’s that?”

  “Your clothes are borderline hipster. Luckily the shoes fix it. I do have standards.”

  “Ok.” I took a deep breath and placed my cellphone in my purse. “Oh, thanks for having Frank clear out your stuff today. But I feel like I imposed on your trophy collection. You really should display them somewhere around here.”

  Fia shrugged. “It’s nothing I want to remind myself of everyday, anyway.” Her accent intensified.

  “You’ve won a lot awards. Must have been intense, right?”

  Fia gave an eye roll. “It’s over now. Not having to work so hard has it’s perks.”

  She didn’t elaborate, so I didn’t press the issue further. I followed in her floral and vanilla scented wake, down four flights of stairs to the parking garage of the apartment building.

  Not surprisingly, Fia drove a luxury car. A luxury electric car. A spitfire red coupe that matched her personality.

  Inside, the black leather seats were roped with red accents, and the new car smell of fresh leather and plastic filled the interior. As we drove, the speedometer glowed red, making me feel like we drove to a glamorous party instead of a mountain town bar. Like Fia, the car didn’t quite fit in with this town.

  Fia asked me when I’d get my own car. After explaining a bit about the security bubble Meredith kept me in, I changed the subject.

  “So what brought your family to Flagstaff?”

  “We always stayed out here in the summers. Daddy’s built places all around the country,” Fia said. “How I got talked into going to school here, don’t ask me.”

  Her eyes narrowed and she gunned the Tesla out into traffic. She cranked the stereo and heavy bass beats reverberated through the car.

  I didn’t pry.

  Less than ten minutes later we pulled into a small lot across the street from Leroux Bar, which sat in an old converted brick building that had housed a warehouse at one time. Exposed bricks with bright green wooden trim around the windows and doorway. Neighboring storefronts advertised organic soaps and rare books.

  The tallest of the surrounding buildings stood no higher than three stories. Piney air filled my nose, with a bit of cherry. Purple heliotropes sat bunched in pots made from old barrels.

  The bright green doors stood open, taking advantage of the fresh air and mild evening. We walked in, doubling the amount of patrons at the bar. A wooden counter spanned the back of the room, with several booths and wooden tables filling the interior. An older man sat on a barstool in the rear. He wore a plaid shirt and vest, despite the perfect weather. Dirty work boots and a worn red baseball cap on his head added to the redneck effect. He appeared to be watching a baseball game on the flatscreen located at the corner of the bar. Country tunes crooned softly from the sound system.

  “Damn. I mean I know it’s summer, but where is everyone?” Fia said. She walked directly to the other patron of the bar, a tall, copper skinned man who stood from his seat in the booth.

  “Hey,” Fia said, giving the man a peck on the cheek. She turned to me and smiled.

  Kale was taller than I, by a few inches. Straight black hair hung braided away from his angular face, hanging to his lower back. Dark brown eyes bored into mine. He wore boot cut jeans and worn cowboy boots. A short sleeved red t-shirt brought out the cherry tones of his brown skin.

  After a few seconds, I closed my mouth, embarrassed for gaping like a starstruck pre-teen meeting the latest Disney pop star. I managed a smile.

  “Kaletaqa Naha, happy to meet you. Everyone calls me Kale.” He stuck out his hand with an impatient frown. Every female within a three-hundred-foot radius probably drooled when they saw him.

  Ka-lay. Even his name sounded exotic.

  “Chelsea Shephard, great to meet you.” My hand reached out, although for one instant I almost leaned my body against him for a hug.

  Air sizzled between our skin just before contact, then WHAM. Sparks rushed through my nervous system, from spine to head and toes. I swear I smelled burnt hair.

  Thankfully only our hands touched, because if we had full body contact, I might have been more fried than the Bride of Frankenstein.

  “Let’s drink some ‘welcome to Flag’ tequila shots,” Fia said, yanking me away from Kale, dragging me to the bar. She muttered ouch and dropped my hand.

  “Dang, ever heard of dryer sheets? You shocked the crap out of me. Anyway, he’s hot, right?” She waved at the bartender.

  What. In. The. World. Did Kale feel that electricity? I reined in my wild energy wisps, wrapping them tight around me. Why did I lose control like that?

  I bit my lip.

  A woman bounced towards us and leaned across the bar to hug Fia. Her boisterous personality didn’t match her biker-chic fitted black Harley tank top and tattooed arms. Her left upper arm flashed ink with a life-like dove clutching a fang baring snake.

  “Good to see you’re back, girl! I thought you were heading to Tennessee after the summer. What’s the deal, hot stuff there couldn’t live without you?” Without waiting for an answer she turned to me and winked. “I’m Rosie, by the way.”
/>   “Chelsea,” I said, smiling at her outward perkiness and her cheerful aura.

  “Kale could care less if I stayed. But he fills in nicely for a distraction.” Fia winked at Rosie.

  “You are so bad, girl!” Rosie shook her head. “Chelsea, it’s completely dead around here until nine or so. Then it’s mostly rednecks and retirees until the university starts back up in August. Not much for man candy this time of year. You’re single right?”

  I nodded. “Is it that obvious?”

  Rosie slapped my hand. “Nah, you just look like a smart girl is all. Right now all we got is Stan. And he’s about as sour as a pickled lemon right now.” She gestured with her head towards the mountain man at the other end of the bar.

  We chatted a bit more before giving her our order. Fia and I returned to the booth and sat opposite of Kale. Rosie brought out four tequila shots and two beers, dividing them between Fia and me. She set water with lemon in front of Kale.

  “So, what brings you to Flagstaff, Chelsea?” Kale asked, still frowning. I felt like a pinned butterfly under his disapproving gaze. Irritable energy filled the air. Closing my eyes, I turned down the empath antenna.

  “Come on, Kale. Let’s drink a bit before we get nosey,” Fia said. She motioned for me to raise a shot with her. “To Chelsea and super cool roommates.”

  We threw back the shots. My lips puckered as I chewed the lime, taming the singing tequila.

  Wow. Exactly why I didn’t drink.

  I turned to Kale, taking a sip of citrusy beer. “I went to college part-time for the last few years. A flier at school caught my eye, advertising the public health nursing internship. Flagstaff looked beautiful, so here I am,” I said.

  “Hmm,” Kale said, stirring his water with his straw. I eyed Fia, who shrugged and nudged the other tequila shot closer to me.

  My phone chirped.

  “Gabe can’t make it out tonight.” I bit my lip. Guess Gabe couldn’t be my buffer for Kale and Fia. “His car has a flat.”

  “Who is Gabe?” Kale asked me.

  “A smarty pants guy in our internship program,” Fia said. “Oh well, let’s do it.” She ordered, and raised the shot glass.

  “To cheap rent and new friends,” I said. We shot the rest of the tequila.

  A whiff of whiskey and cigarettes hit me before I heard him. “Hey ladies, I think friend here needsa drink,” mountain man Stan said, walking like a sailor who hadn’t seen land in a decade. He smacked Kale on the arm with a disjointed laugh.

  “No, thank you,” Kale muttered.

  “Stan, you know Kale doesn’t drink alcohol,” Fia said in her syrupy sweet southern accent.

  Stan’s bushy eyebrows furrowed and he scowled. “What, do you think you’re better than me, son, ‘cause you don’t drink?” he asked, slamming a fist on the back of Kale’s seat.

  The angry vibrations emanating from Stan, and now Kale and Fia, caused me to enter end-the-drama-mode. I broke my rule of not manipulating energies around friends.

  Later, I would realize my interference that night had the exact opposite effect. Indifference may have been the better choice.

  Focusing, I visualized calming energies swirling together into a bright ball, then pushed the buzzing ball out through the sensitive spot between my eyes towards the unsuspecting Stan. With the new moon, I had power PMS. But I knew how to compensate. The extra energy required took it’s toll on my body, mainly via massive headaches. But sometimes I couldn’t help myself.

  Stan staggered back to bar stool and slumped into the seat, his head slamming onto the bar.

  Oops, overcompensated. I forgot alcohol could make people more susceptible to the aura interventions.

  “Stan is a regular, and the token drunk,” Fia said, shaking her head. “Usually he can hold his alcohol. Anyway, I’m going out for a smoke, be right back.”

  I rubbed my temples, discouraging the ensuing headache.

  Kale cleared his throat. We chatted awkwardly. “So… it’s pretty warm here, is the weather similar on the reservation?” I asked.

  “The wind can knock you off your feet some days, especially up on the mesas. But it’s warmer out there on the Colorado plateau than here in the mountains.”

  My phone chirped again. Kale’s did as well.

  “Ok… I guess Fia isn’t feeling well.” I sipped my drink, watching Kale check his phone.

  “Unbelievable.” Kale shook his head.

  “Oh, crap! She’s my ride!” I closed my eyes. She set us up. Fia’s single-mindedness reminded me of a runner who did steroids. She only cared about the finish line, and how to reach it as fast as possible. She wanted Kale and me alone. Did she not know how to end a relationship? I rubbed my temples again with a groan.

  Kale’s mouth was set in a thin line. “I can give you a ride home,” he said, standing. “We should go.”

  “Oh, ok,” I said, with a forced smile. “Thank you, I’m sorry about this.”

  “Why are you apologizing? Fia is up to something, as usual. I don’t know why I bother.”

  I followed Kale to his car. He drove an older Honda Civic. The dark blue paint faded in spots from years of sun wear, but it looked drivable.

  “I don’t understand her. She can be so sweet one minute, and then thoughtless the next. She knows my niece was killed by a drunk driver; now she’s driving home after drinking? I should call the Flag cops on her,” Kale said.

  I gulped and waited to see what Kale would do. But instead of pulling out his cell phone, he started the car. He maneuvered out of the parallel parking spot and drove slow through the traffic and pedestrians that had accumulated downtown. Kale’s sweet scent of sage and earth filled the air.

  “We’re not far to our apartment, I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

  “Please. I’m sure that’s what many people who drink and drive say right before they kill someone.”

  I could feel Kale’s energy become angry as it rippled outwards from his body. The migraine from mountain man Stan incident pulsed at my temples, but I didn’t want Kale to be so upset. I tentatively placed my palm on his arm.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he said, pulling his arm from my hand. From the glare he shot me, my interference wasn’t welcomed.

  He noticed.

  “Oh, no. I wasn’t trying to-ah…I- I’m sorry.”

  He noticed?

  “Are you using reverse psychology on me? Creative.” Condescension dripped from his raised eyebrows to his incredulous eyes.

  Although I couldn’t tell if we were talking about Fia trying to push us together, or the possibility that Kale sensed my empath antenna. So I played dumb.

  I forced a laugh. “Seriously, I am not- well, you’re a great guy, as far as I can tell from the five minutes I’ve known you. But I’m not-“

  “I can spot your kind from a mile away,” Kale said, stopping at a traffic light. The head lamp of a passing train shined a path as it barreled its way on tracks. Too bad I couldn’t hop on that train and escape this awkwardness.

  “What kind of spell are you using on me?”

  The statement punched me in the stomach. So Kale didn’t think I was hitting on him.

  Oh this was worse. My toes curled. Could I admit my secret to Kale? Dan was the only other person who’d ever called me out. Could I trust Kale?

  “Uh, funny.” I fake laughed again. “No spell casting here.” Just a little calming persuasion.

  I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. I didn’t know Kale, and I didn’t want to engage in this discussion. Time to revamp the misconception. “Listen, I’m sorry if Fia gave you the wrong impression-“

  “Fia? She’s doesn’t know anything. How did you find out I-“

  “No, I’m completely serious, I want to focus on school and I don’t have time for-“

  “What is with this act you’re putting on? I can tell you’ve got magic, and your acting won’t win you any Oscar, Chelsea.”

  Oh for the love. He thought I
was using my power to seduce him?

  “Excuse me? You’re good looking, but you think I need-“

  Kale slammed on the breaks suddenly. We arrived at the apartment. He turned to me with a smirk.

  “Great, neither of us are interested. Do me a favor. Keep your distance.”

  My tongue has never been as quick as my feet. Words never flowed smoothly for me, and witty retorts tended to pop into my mind later than their relevancy.

  “Maybe everyone falls all over you here in Flagstaff, Kale. But trust me, if I were interested, I wouldn’t need to try that hard.” With that declaration, I would have slammed the passenger door. “Thanks for the ride.”

  But I didn’t stand up for myself.

  “Kale, I’m sorry, but this is a misunderstanding. I’m not interested, but thank you for the ride.” I shut the car door like my arms were jello, weak and trembling.

  His reaction upset me, but why? Why should I care what Kale thought of me? If he suspected my ability? Did he have the same ability, and if so why did that anger him?

  Nothing but crickets sounded as I got out of the car and made my way to the apartment entrance. I refused to turn around as I heard him drive away.

  Chapter Seven

  Hello, Goodbye

  TAKING DEEP BREATHS of the woodsy evening air, I stalked towards the building. How desperate did Kale think I was? And did he have an empath antenna, too?

  A sudden gust of wind blew me into the door as I swiped the key fab. I looked at the sky and saw fluffy clouds and bright stars. No sign of an impending storm. The conifers surrounding Woodsclub stood like British soldiers, stiff and unmoving.

  Inside the apartment, Fia’s bedroom door was shut. No chance in talking to her tonight. How does a person delicately say please don’t try to pimp me out to your boyfriend?

  I set my purse on the bedside nightstand and prepared for bed. After my shower, I leaned against a stack of pillows, eyes blurring at glossy pages of a fitness magazine. What the heck was with Kale and the freaky connection I felt with him? Kale… the way he looked at me like I was not good enough for him… like he scorned my ability. Like I was some freak.