by Alana Siegel
“Why didn’t you call me a few weeks ago and invite me out here?” Jaime asked, breaking the silence.
Aunt Ev smiled at Jaime like she had just figured out the solution to a difficult riddle. She walked towards the sink and held both of Jaime’s hands in her own. “The Meta doesn’t allow Crescents to contact the family member they pass their Gifted jewelry to. Technically, you shouldn’t know who I am, but you are one smart cookie!” She wrapped her arm around Jaime and turned back to the rest of us. “And I was never one to follow rules all that closely, especially rules I don’t agree with.”
“You are my Crescent,” Jaime said, thinking over the term. “Why do they call it that?” They walked over to the island, and Jaime popped a raspberry from the bowl of fresh fruit into her mouth.
“Ah, right. There are so many Gifted terms you do not know. The process of receiving a Gift used to be more of a celebration, like any coming-of-age party. You can think of it like a Sweet Sixteen, a Bar Mitzvah, or a Quinceañera,” Aunt Ev explained as she wiped down the kitchen counter tops. I tried to picture having a party to celebrate a Gift.
“It sounds extravagant, but as I’m sure you all can vouch, learning a new Gift is anything but graceful and easy. It’s more like going through the process of puberty in front of a whole community,” she elaborated. Just thinking of it was unbearable. Chelsea scrunched her nose.
“The night of the ceremony, the person who is passing on the jewelry crowns the newly Gifted child. The crown is Crescent shaped,” she said and drew a crescent shape in the air. “We no longer have a ceremony or a crown, but the name stuck!” Aunt Ev concluded the lesson.
She ushered us upstairs to prepare for the day. Jaime might be curious to learn more about her Crescent and the ancient traditions, but I wasn’t. Being the center of attention at a community celebration would only have made it more obvious that I wasn’t meant to be an Elste.
* * * *
Chapter Thirteen: Sparks Fly
I walked down Aunt Ev's long, stone driveway and stopped short in front of a vehicle of epic proportions. “Aunt Ev drives a ten-person van?” I asked incredulously. I could sense Helen's frustration as she rolled her eyes. Her eyebrows sat questioningly high on her forehead. Aunt Ev must have picked us up in the same van last night, and in my zombie state, I hadn’t noticed.
“Aunt Ev, why do you own such a large van? Did you rent it for the week to drive us around?” Jaime asked. Helen, Max, Chelsea, and I piled into the back of the massive vehicle. Jaime hopped into the front passenger seat next to Aunt Ev.
“This old thing, I've had it for years,” she responded flippantly. Jaime stared at her in disbelief.
Aunt Ev smiled and said, “Come on, despite my age, I am quite the social butterfly!”
I believed she was active, but was she a good driver? The van was huge, and Aunt Ev was tiny. I craned my neck to check if she could even see over the steering wheel, and then I buckled my seat belt and grasped the arm rest. We moved away from the house slowly. I held my breath as we backed out of the driveway. Aunt Ev maintained a decent speed and a safe distance from the other cars on the road. I started to relax.
After a few blocks I realized Aunt Ev was an expert driver. I shouldn’t have been surprised since she appeared to be good at everything. At breakfast, Helen had complimented Aunt Ev’s terrific health and asked her if she could run a marathon tomorrow. Aunt Ev took the opportunity to list her aching joints and continuous hip pains, but we heard her sprint up the stairs a minute later.
I twisted Justin’s ring around my finger as we passed through the city. The gem was now a turquoise color, a slight change from the violet it was radiating the past day.
The buildings in the City of Salt Lake were clean and new. The houses seemed inviting and the businesses welcoming. It was smaller and had a more relaxed pace than cities I had visited on the east coast, and the scenery kept my mind off Justin.
I was mesmerized as we left the center of town, and the beautiful mountains that guarded the city came into full view. Spots of green popped through the vast white layers.
I didn't peel my eyes off the picture-perfect landscape until we arrived at a modern building with the Roman numerals XXXVI branded across the front door. It was the only sign on the building, except a little plaque that said, “In loving memory of James.”
Aunt Ev dropped us off and gave us instructions to head towards the main meeting room. Chelsea, Max, Jaime, and I hopped out of the van without asking any questions. I glanced at Helen, hoping she wasn’t still mad at me, but she stared out the side window without making eye contact with any of us. The brisk wind nipped at our faces, and we were left with no choice but to go inside.
The entrance looked like any other community center. There was a bulletin board with hanging papers describing upcoming activities, missing puppies, and odd jobs. The navy blue carpet looked worn, but recently vacuumed, and a grey sign on the wall listed directions to the facilities in the building.
There was an arrow pointing to the right with the words “Main Meeting Hall,” next to it. I trailed behind Jaime, Max and Chelsea as we moved towards our destination. With our eyes wide, we peeked into every open door. We passed a basketball court with a game in progress, a nursery center with a cheerful hum, formal dinner rooms that were empty, and a health center with a few people working out. Nothing looked unusual or out of place. Everyone smiled politely and didn't seem alarmed.
We paused outside the door labeled “Main Meeting Room,” and listened to the sound of voices coming from inside. My stomach tightened when I couldn’t decipher laughter from painful shouts of agony.
Max was impatient and anxious. He pushed open the door and marched inside. The main meeting room was a large banquet hall with high ceilings and big round tables. It wasn’t the size that surprised me. It was the hum of Gifted power that tunneled towards us.
There was a group of kids who had pushed aside the tables and gathered in a huddle. A massive cloud of Gifted auras hovered protectively around them. The quick flashes of color were disconcerting, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was more than just a cloud. All types of exotic scents filled the air. Diverse flowers, cooking aromas, and sweet perfumes mixed together. I quickly counted about forty kids and hoped we weren’t enemies.
Max stepped forward, squeezed his way between two younger girls and beckoned for us to come closer. I let Chelsea and Jaime stand in front of me while I peeked over their shoulders.
On one side of the circle was a girl standing with her palms open. The light reflected off the Gifted band she wore around her ring finger. With a wicked smile on her lips and dark devious grey eyes, she was staring down her opponent. As she slowly made her way around the circle, I realized she smelled liked freshly cut grass.
On the other side of the circle was a young boy who didn’t look a day older than twelve. In jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, he stood in ready position with his hands and knees slightly bent. Around his wrist was a shiny Gifted bracelet. Although I had a sinking feeling that the girl could do more damage, the boy also wore a wily smile on his face.
The crowd was chanting and egging them on. The buzz of Gifts was so thick that you could slice it with a knife. Even from the outer rim of the circle, my anxiety was brimming.
I kept my eyes on the girl. After a few fake advances, a spark left her hand and jumped through the air. The deadly bolt moved fast, traveling the distance between the two opponents quickly. I gasped, realizing she had aimed a lightning bolt directly at the boy’s heart. Adrenaline rushed through me as I remembered my standoff with Max in gym class last fall. Was this a death wish, or was this their idea of fun?
One second the boy was standing exactly where the bolt was headed, and the next, he was three feet away. He was so fast that I didn’t see him move. The squeaky sound of his sneakers was the only thing I heard, and as he passed by where we stood, the puff of bright green air he left in his wake was the only thing I saw.
The crowd parted to the let the lightning bolt pass. They chanted, “Nicky…Nicky…Nicky,” and he threw his hands over his head triumphantly to please them.
The girl looked angry, and she readied herself for another round. This time she didn’t give Nicky as much time to prepare. She quickly shot another bolt at him. Nicky bent his knees and jumped as high as he could, which was at least ten feet. The bolt missed him by a long shot. This created a frenzy in the crowd, and they chanted his name louder.
The girl was furious now. She shot a few weak sparklers at the ceiling. They died out before falling back down, but I covered my head to be safe.
Then, she shot another bolt of lightning at Nicky, and this time, he cockily attempted a cartwheel out of the way. He was fast, but not fast enough. The bolt hit his leg and sent him flying backwards. The crowd went wild chanting, “Carly…Carly…Carly.”
My heart dropped into my stomach as I watched anxiously to see if Nicky was hurt, but the kids around the circle didn’t seem as concerned. They picked Nicky up and helped him to a nearby chair. I pushed through a few people to get a better view of Nicky and was relieved to see the mark on his leg was dark red, but not life threatening.
“Who’s next?” Carly asked, reveling in her success. Everyone gathered in a circle again. Although the blood was pumping through my veins, I joined them. I twisted the end of my jacket.
“See if you can catch me!” The voice of a girl shouted from somewhere in the circle. Everyone cheered. My eyebrows pinched together as I looked around for the source of the voice. Carly was sniffing the air and preparing her hands for fire. I took in a breath, too, and smelled peppermint. Then it became clear, the girl was using her Gift of invisibility.
Carly released her lightning bolts even faster than before since it was hard to guess the girl’s whereabouts. Every few tries, we would hear the girl giggle. It drove Carly mad. Soon her release was so frantic and random that the whole crowd began dispersing just to avoid being hit.
“All right, all right. Let’s give Carly a real target.” A silky smooth male voice came from the crowd. I followed the sound, hoping he wasn’t invisible as well.
Over six feet tall, a guy strutted into the center of the circle. He was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Without saying another word, he had everyone’s interest. His tight shirt showed off his muscular arms and broad shoulders. His skin was smooth and perfect, but what appealed to me the most was his dazzling white smile. It was brilliant, and everyone else’s paled in comparison. He flaunted it as he soaked up the attention.
Carly groaned, stamped her foot, and complained, “Luca! Playing against you isn’t fair!”
“Oh come on, one round,” he said, pursing his lips and pretending to send her a kiss. She stamped her foot once more, but I could see the hint of a smile. She raised her palms to ready position. Luca struck a pose like a dancer preparing for the music to start. The crowd giggled.
Before she started shooting off sparklers, the smell of fresh grass intensified, and the air surrounding Luca changed to a deep, dark purple. He grabbed the charm on his Gifted necklace and kissed it once.
He playfully tapped his foot and wiggled his hips, and the crowd erupted in cheers. He glided across the floor with his perfect smile. All eyes were on him, but he had his sights set on Carly.
She hadn’t shot a single bolt as he wooed the group. Her expressions switched between pain and pleasure. There was something odd about her frantic movements, like she was having a hard time focusing and Luca was causing it. Was it possible that Luca’s gift was to charm? Did that mean he was an Elste?
As he entertained the crowd, it became clear he was effortlessly charming Carly. One minute her angry looks shot daggers at Luca and the next minute her mouth went slack, and her eyes turned unfocused. She was fighting a losing battle against him. I inched in closer to the group to get a better look and watched in awe.
Luca completed a spin and moon-walked to Carly. He put one hand on her hip and spun her with the other. He was an excellent partner and led her in circles around the floor. She gave up all efforts to block out his Gift and began to laugh. Her hair spun out behind her. With her features softened, I thought she looked pretty.
The kids clapped along to their dancing and the mood was contagious. For the first time, I felt like I fit in with my peers. In this environment, Gifts were not a secret. Everyone was relaxed instead of guarded.
Luca and Carly completed another lap around the circle, and then something caught Luca’s attention. Instead of focusing on Carly, his eyes scanned the crowd. What was he looking for?
He swung Carly one more time, and his eyes landed on me. That was when I smelled the roses. I had lost control of my own Gift, and Luca had caught on to my scent.
I tried to hide behind Max, but within seconds Luca was by my side with his hand extended. His smile never faltered, and it blinded me as I tried to figure out what to do. The purple hue that surrounded him left my insides tingling and my mind feeling fuzzy. I stared at the shiny, diamond shaped charm that dangled from his braided, silver chain. It was exactly like my own, but it looked masculine against his muscular chest.
I stared into his beautiful, dark eyes, but I didn’t take his hand. He grabbed mine anyway and brought me to the center of the circle. His hand wrapped around my waist as he spun me in circles. I could feel his Gift mesh with mine, but it didn’t control me. I simply went along with his dancing because I was stunned. I wasn’t used to the attention. There were too many eyes focused only on me.
Luca paused from dancing to dip me. The smile disappeared, and he was suddenly very serious. While I lay in his arms, his body pressed against mine, he said, “Hello, Beautiful. I’ll go ninety percent of the way, if you go the other ten,” and he leaned in to kiss me.
* * * *
Chapter Fourteen: Leader of the Pack
“Let go of her!” Max growled from the other side of the room. Luca kept his arms wrapped around me. He stared at me intensely with his beautiful dark eyes like my arrival was the greatest gift he had ever received. The promising look on his face was so powerful that it made me believe that I brought him hope, or an end to all wars, or a solution for world hunger.
With his purple haze battling the edges of my conscious, I was probably imagining all of it. Still, he stared at me like he knew me, and willed me to know him, too. I was certain that I had never met him before, but his insistence made me curious.
The sound of the other kids grunting as Max pushed them out of the way and hustled towards us broke through our trance. Max’s aura was deep crimson, and it pulsed with intensity. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me out of Luca’s grasp.
Luca stood up straight so they were standing eye to eye. In stark contrast to Max’s death glare, the smile had returned to Luca’s face, but this time it was fierce like a hyena, toying with its prey. With a fake politeness he asked, “Oh, excuse me for being so direct without proper introductions. You must be her brother.” The crowd of onlookers shifted behind Luca. Forty sets of eyes reminded me that we were outnumbered.
Without letting go of my waist, Max glanced away uncomfortably and then answered, “No.” Luca’s smile widened like he was enjoying the exchange and Max’s obvious discomfort. He asked sarcastically, “Not her brother, huh? Let me see. Are you her boyfriend?”
Again, Max only answered, “No.” Luca’s Gift was still buzzing and his gang of loyal followers began increasing their power as they readied themselves for a fight. I was beginning to sweat, and Aunt Ev’s pancakes were threatening to come back up.
Luca focused on me, squinting his eyes as if he could decipher our relationship by analyzing my face. His close scrutiny caused the butterflies to tingle in my stomach. Just when I thought my knees would buckle, he stepped back to analyze Max. I could feel the pent-up nerves roil through Max’s body, but there were too many Gifted lined up against us.
Luca nodded like he had made a final decision about ou
r relationship. With a hint of arrogance, he crossed his arms over his chest and announced to Max, “I got it now. You are the ex-boyfriend.”
The silence that followed was painful. I realized a moment too late that I should have said something to redirect Luca’s line of questioning. Max had jumped in to protect me, and I let him stand there exposed as this stranger judged him. The problem was that neither of them minded being the center of attention, and both of them made me nervous. Although Luca was jovial, quick, and calculated, Max was fiercely high strung and impulsive. It wasn’t a mix I wanted to get in the middle of.
Max ran towards Luca, grabbing his shirt in his fist, and baring his teeth. Chelsea rushed over and put her hands on Max’s chest to pry them apart. “Calm down, Max. You are embarrassing us,” Chelsea said, without covering up her anger. Max looked into Chelsea’s eyes and his expression softened. Luca picked up on the interaction and raised his eyebrows like he figured out another piece to the puzzle.
Calmer, Max turned his focus back to Luca. “My relationship is none of your business,” he commented between clenched teeth. “Keep your claws off of her. She’s been through a lot.” Luca’s smile never left his face, and his hands never rose from his sides. Slowly, Max released him.
Breaking the tension, Jaime cleared her throat and said, “Luca, it’s so nice to meet you. We apologize for intruding. My name is Jaime Forte, and these are my friends, Max Smarr, Chelsea Steinem, and Olivia Hart.” Jaime motioned to each of us as she made the introductions. Always the peacemaker, she purposely stepped in Luca’s line of vision and pasted a friendly smile on her face.
“Ahh, yes, the great-niece of Evelyn Forte,” Luca said. He took her outstretched hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed it. He laid on the charm clearly to make Max look ridiculous.