Colorblind (The Soul Light Chronicles)

by Aaron Slade

  “I don’t think so,” Evee said. “If Casper had an ability like yours he might have turned out to be a jerk… like you.”

  My bottom jaw dropped as if gravity had an extra pull on it. Randy had never been humiliated like this at school. He looked flustered as if he didn’t have a clue how to respond. He gave a curt laugh.

  “I think Casper is sweet and a gentleman.” Her voice was fierce, but not loud; none of her confidence faltered. “And just for your information, Casper is incredibly interesting.”

  This girl was definitely my personal hero.

  Randy’s words failed him. He stormed off back to his friends on the other side of the classroom. He murmured under his breath to himself as he walked away. Evee had a look of smug satisfaction that I found astoundingly irresistible.

  “Thanks,” I said. The shock of seeing Randy bested still lingered on my face.

  “Thank you for all your help this morning.”

  When class ended, the two of us walked side by side to the cafeteria. In the lunch room, all eyes were on Evee, and because I was with her, me too. The school seemed to be calmer today. The usual circus of clowns causing chaos was absent. Everyone busied themselves trying to observe Evee and me in the back of the lunch line. One kid even climbed up a wall to get a peek at Evee.

  “Is that music?” Evee asked.

  I listened to the band warming up through the back wall.

  “The band practices during second lunch,” I said. I pointed towards the entrance to the band room in the back of the cafeteria.

  She closed her eyes as she listened to the brassy sound. “I always wanted to be in band. There’s a shortage of instruments in San Diego, and only the really talented kids got to be in the ensemble.”

  As I listened to Evee, Allen Young tried to get in front of us so that he could see Evee better. He snarled at me when our eyes met. I waited for him to somehow harm me telekinetically, but he didn’t bother. Allen positioned himself on his toes, struggling to find Evee’s face, but looked forward when Evee turned his direction. I wasn’t the only one who found her eyes alluring.

  Adam appeared next to me in the lunch line, and started talking before I even knew he was there. “So have you heard about this new girl in school?” He scanned the cafeteria, unaware of Evee standing next to me.

  I winked at Evee. “Yeah I’ve heard of her.”

  “I hear she’s smoking!” Adam said. “Have you seen her? What did your dad tell you about her?” He stuck his neck out like a giraffe attempting to see over people’s heads.

  “Do you want to meet her?” I asked.

  Adam tensed up. He turned slowly toward me. He spotted Evee first. “You’re Evelyn?” Adam was surprised, but not embarrassed.

  “Call me Evee,” she said, extending her hand. I was reminded of how she introduced herself to my father. She wasn’t shy in the slightest. Adam shook her hand and welcomed her to Fallon.

  Adam looked from me to Evee several times, as if trying to guess our connection. When Evee wasn’t looking, Adam did his best to get information from me, but there was no easy way for me to answer without Evee noticing. I told him LATER as best I could with my eyes.

  The three of us grabbed our lunch trays. Adam teleported to our usual table, while Evee and I walked. Sara and Seth were already sitting at the table, their food half-eaten.

  “Hey guys,” I said, gesturing to Evee, “this is Evee and she’s going to sit with us today. And maybe tomorrow…” I looked at her for conformation as she nodded her head.

  “I think if I have it my way, I’ll be sitting with you guys for a while.”

  Evee sat next to Sara, and they acted as if they’d already met, but I couldn’t be sure.

  “So where are you from?” Seth asked Evee.

  “San Diego.”

  “Why did you come here?”

  Evee spent the next few minutes getting to know Seth and Sara. Seth wanted to know all the details of San Diego, especially the ocean and the beaches. None of us had ever been to a beach. We’d only seen pictures in books. Even though Adam could teleport us anywhere, we never left the Nevada Territory. Adam didn’t say much or ask questions. He seemed content observing Evee and me interact. He shot me an all-knowing glance a few times with a smug grin.

  “So what’s your extra-human trait?” Seth asked. He pulled himself higher on the table to listen to Evee’s answer.

  Evee looked at me as if she didn’t want to answer. It hadn’t occurred to me to ask this question all morning. Evee and I had been content with not talking about extra-human traits.

  “Guess,” Evee said playfully.

  The table was taken aback by her response. I enjoyed how she made a game of it. Her games were cute.

  “You can see the future?” Adam guessed. He seemed certain.

  “Nope,” Evee said, “but sometimes I wish that I could.”

  Seth guessed that she was a speedster and Sara guessed that she could read minds. Evee rejected both answers. She rejected all of the usual extra-human traits until we couldn’t think of any more.

  “Hypnotic beauty?” I guessed. Our eyes locked in a long gaze.

  “Hardly,” she said.

  “I thought it was an intelligent guess,” I said.

  “Surely, based on your personality type, you would be some type of mind-reader,” Sara said. Evee shook her head. Sara racked her brain hard, knocking on her forehead like it might loosen the answer from her overcrowded mind.

  “I’ve got it,” Seth snapped. Everyone waited on the edge of their chairs in silence for his answer. “She can fly.”

  The table burst into laughter, and Sara gave Seth her famous, condescending be logical look, looking over her glasses. Adam rolled his eyes, disappointed that Seth wasn’t more serious. Everyone knew flying was impossible.

  “I wish,” Evee said. “My dad said that there’s no record of anyone ever having an ability that allowed them to fly.” She explained that her dad was an expert on abilities.

  Each person continued to guess and no one could get it right. Sara enjoyed the challenge of trying to guess. Evee eventually confessed that she wasn’t interested in telling people just yet.

  “Why not?” Adam asked.

  “I want people to get to know me first. And like me for my personality. Not because of what I can do.”

  “Are you a gem?” Seth asked.

  “A what?” Evee questioned. The skin on her nose crinkled in her confusion.

  “A gem,” he said again. “It’s a slang word for a person with an incredibly rare ability.”

  “I’ve never heard the word before,” Evee said. “In San Diego they call people like that treasures– it’s funny how similar the words are.” She realized she didn’t answer the question. “But– umm– I guess I am kind of a gem.”

  Her answer increased everyone’s curiosity, but the bell rang before she could be bombarded with any more questions. Adam disappeared as the ringing stopped, leaving his lunch for me to throw away.

  “That must be a handy ability,” Evee said.

  “You’d be surprised how often he’s late,” I informed her.

  The rest of the people slowly made their way out of the cafeteria. Seth and Sara put up their lunch trays. Evee and I sat at the table and continued to talk.

  “So where do you go from here?” I asked.

  “I have free periods in study hall the rest of the day,” she said.

  “I do too!” Sara announced. “We should sit together.”

  “I would love that,” Evee responded.

  I regretted that I worked in the library in the afternoon. Seniors usually had plenty of free periods to give them time to apply and study to go to a university. I’d rather be in study hall with Evee than in the library.

  Sara studied Evee and me for a few seconds. “How about I just meet you in study hall?” Sara suggested. “Come on, Seth.” She forced Seth to move forward, pushing him to move his small legs quicker. She was deliberately giving E
vee and me a chance to be alone– something I would thank her for later.

  For the first time all day I couldn’t think of what to say. I was alone with Evee in the empty cafeteria, but no words came to mind. I thought of the day I had spent with her and how perfect it had been. “Thanks for today.”

  “Are you referring to Randy?” she asked.

  “No, just the day in general,” I specified. “I’ve never had this much fun at school.”

  The light around Evee changed abruptly. It wasn’t natural, but she paid no attention to it. A faint blue hue– the same color as her eyes– radiated all around her. The glow surrounded her as if there was a light inside of her shining through into the air. It had to be her extra-human trait. Her eyes stayed focused on me, but the dazzling light pulled me out of her gaze.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  I found her eyes again. “Things are fine.” I looked back at the aura of light around her. “Things are incredible!”

  “You’re sweet,” she said. She smiled and scooted her chair closer to mine, but something jerked me away from her.

  I became aware of something pulling at my shoulder. The moment was ruined when my left shirtsleeve ripped off. A telekinetic energy tore the fabric from the rest of my shirt, exposing the brand on my shoulder.

  Evee gasped, and the phenomenal light disappeared.

  We turned around abruptly, seeing Randy and his friends snickering. Allen Young focused on the sleeve and pulled it across the cafeteria into his hands. He held it above his head like a trophy and laughed even more fiercely. “FREAK,” the group yelled. They disappeared around the corner, laughing at their triumph. Their victory party echoed down the hall and faded eventually to silence.

  When they were gone, I turned back to Evee and instinctively covered the brand with my hand. I jerked up from my seat, tempted to run away.

  “Wait,” Evee demanded. “It’s fine… it doesn’t bother me– really.” She pulled my chair closer to her, wanting me to sit down. “Don’t leave.”

  I had to convince myself not to run. Not because I was embarrassed, but because of how vulnerable I felt. I’d always kept the mark hidden, and now that it was exposed, I felt nervous. A panic attack increased my breathing and pulse. I tried to relax. There was no use in pretending it hadn’t bothered me. Evee could see the hurt on my face.

  “What jerks!” she said. She eyed my hand covering up the mark on my arm. Her hand moved slowly towards mine. As she moved closer the glow around her body returned. The light seemed to have a calming effect on me, but I could have just imagined it.

  She gently tried to pry my hand away from the brand.

  “Don’t…” I jerked.

  Her hands didn’t recoil. “It’s okay.” She held my hand and slowly removed it from my shoulder. “An eight…” Sadness weighed down her eyes.

  The flesh of the brand raised higher than the rest of my skin. The different color and texture made it stand out. The cafeteria lights made the skin appear glossy and gross.

  “Did it hurt?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “I don’t remember. I repressed it. Or something.”

  “Couldn’t you just use some regeneration cream to remove it?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “The doctors made it heal this way. Regeneration cream doesn’t do anything to an area of skin that’s already healed.”

  “Why do you cover it up?” she asked. Her eyes turned away from the scar and found my gaze, waiting on an answer.

  “It just… draws attention.”

  She gave me an understanding look. “Do you hate being human?” She had to know the question was sensitive, but she persisted anyway.

  Not even my parents had asked me this, but I had asked myself several times. “There are days where I’m able to convince myself that things are fine– great, even. But then there are days that are… harder.” I smiled to convince her that it wasn’t all bad. “So my honest answer is– sometimes.”

  “You’re different, Casper,” she said. “Not inferior.” She slowly eased her hands towards the brand on my shoulder. She was going to touch it. I felt a huge rush of blood to my head when her fingers made contact. It was like electricity running through my body.

  She looked at me with an odd look. It was the first time I had seen her face without a smile. “Do people pick on you a lot?”

  “Just Randy really,” I answered. “Most people are just rude.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. She seemed genuinely sad for me. For the first time, I didn’t mind that someone felt sorry for me.

  “Don’t be. One day, I’ll prove to them I’m not what they think I am.”

  She smiled. “Can I tell you a secret?”

  When the cyan nebula appeared around her again, I wondered if she was going to explain her ability to me. I was very interested in knowing what the light was exactly.

  “I’m glad I came to Fallon,” Evee said. “I thought my life was over when I found out I was moving here. But now, I think… it’s just beginning.”

  DINNER

  Evee:

  I chewed on my pencil’s eraser and fidgeted with Shannon’s jammed locket as I pretended to read in the library. I preferred the library to study hall for several reasons. My eyes wandered over to where Casper sat behind the front desk, reading a book. It looked like he was actually reading, but every few minutes I wanted to think he looked over at me just for a split second.

  Thanks to Casper, surviving my first few weeks of public school was easier than I’d anticipated. Never in my life had I wished to spend all my time in school. Dad dropped me off in the morning and picked me up in the afternoon the second the final bell rang. It wasn’t just Casper that I enjoyed spending time with: Sara, Seth, and Adam were all quickly becoming the best friends I’d ever had, especially Sara.

  She listened to me talk about Casper for hours on end. I realized that I was Sara’s only girl friend, which became obvious when she started asking me for fashion advice. Sara also helped me pick out some shirts with the sun hoods. Wearing one made me feel like I belonged in Fallon.

  I started spending my afternoons in the library to spend more time with him, but he still acted nervous around me. A part of me had hoped that he and I would be closer by now. Was it my job to make the future happen, or would it happen by itself?

  “Can I ask you a question?” Sara asked. Her books lay scattered in front of her at the study table. She usually didn’t talk in the library because she considered it a silent place.

  “Sure,” I whispered.

  “Why are we in the library right now?”

  I looked over at Casper behind his work desk. “I get more work done in here than I do in study hall,” I lied.

  Sara arched an eyebrow. “Or is it because of Casper?”

  I closed the book in front of me, shrugging a little. “That might be part of the reason.”

  “You could go talk to him,” she suggested.

  “I’m running out of things to talk about,” I confessed. “I’d hoped by now he would ask me out. We talk all morning in our classes about school and homework. I figure if I can get him away from school, the conversation will be better.”

  “He’s not going to ask you out,” Sara said bluntly.

  Her comment stunned me. Did she know something I didn’t? Had Casper said something to her about me?

  “Casper’s always been shy,” Sara said. “Plus, he’s never been in the position of having a girl who’s more than just… a friend in his life.” She put down her pen. “Casper has never asked a girl out. You have to remember he’s had a rough social life.”

  “If he doesn’t ask me out soon, then I’ll just ask him out,” I confessed.

  “What’s the rush?” Sara asked.

  Even though Sara was my only real girl friend, I hadn’t told her about the seer’s prediction. Shannon warned me to tell as few people as possible. I couldn’t tell Sara I was going to die. It wasn’t something I liked to think
about. If I kept my mind focused on Casper, it kept the uncertainty of my death out of my mind.

  “There’s no rush,” I answered. “But I’ve been here for almost two weeks, and the only place I’ve been able to see him is at school.”

  Sara shrugged as if she saw my point.

  “We obviously like each other,” I said. “He has no reason to be shy.”

  “Well,” Sara said, “if you’re not asking him out, doesn’t that mean that you’re being shy too?” Her glasses slid down her nose as she tilted her head down, giving me what Casper and Adam called the be logical look.

  I had no response. I smiled back at her and picked up my books. “I’ll talk to you later.” I walked away from the study table to Casper’s work desk.

  He looked up from his book and noticed me approaching. A nervous expression exploded across his face for a brief moment before he focused back on his book, pretending to read. He kept his gaze on the book until I was right in front of him.

  “Can I help you?” he asked.

  I leaned over on the desk. “You’re really stupid,” I said, teasing him.

  His eyes widened with shock. “Ex– excuse me?”

  “You’re really stupid,” I repeated.

  “Ummmmm?” He was speechless.

  “Ummmmm,” I imitated him, but with a joking smile. “I’ve been coming to this library every day for over a week in hopes that you might ask me to do something. Having classes together is great, but I have more… social things in mind.”

  There was a weird combination of horror and excitement on his face. “Like what?”

  “Well I know you like movies. I like movies too.” This still didn’t earn me an invite. My words paralyzed Casper, freezing him up like a slow-loading computer still processing my words. “This is the part where you ask me to watch a movie with you.” I was being as nice as I could for a girl with an expiration date.

  He snapped out of the confusion, and showed me the smile that made my knees weak. “First of all,” he started, “I’m not very good at this sort of thing. Now that you’ve forced me to gather my courage, allow me to ask you out properly. How about dinner?”