Page 88 of Firestorm
My breathing came in heavy pants, my eyes squeezing shut while my brain battled itself.
I hadn’t had a panic attack since…well, since the first time Wyatt rejected me.
Why did horrible things keep happening to me? Wyatt’s life had been hard, sure, but so had mine. Why did he get to choose how our relationship went? After all he’d been through, wouldn’t hewanta family?
I certainly did. Really, really badly.
It’s why I didn’t want Zephyr going out and hooking up.
If Zephyr found a wife, or his Chain…I’d be alone. Truly, utterly, alone. I could never make him choose between a Chain or his complicated, problem-riddled sister.
“Skye!” I heard someone calling my name, but I only squeezed my head harder between my knees.
I could do nothing to stop this. I had no control. It was my nightmare all over again. My affinity buzzed along the muscles in my hands, itching to get out and remove the unknown threat. I tightly squeezed my palms into fists, fighting for control. I couldn’t risk the other two lives in this room with me. I wouldn’t allow them to be taken from me, too.
Suddenly, a blindingly cold bucket of water splashed over my head.
I shriek-gasped as my memories flickered and disappeared as if I’d blown them out like a candle.
I panted, now on my hands and knees on the carpet.
“Fuck,” I croaked.
Silence greeted me.
I slowly lifted my head, and then froze.
Mia and Willow were holding each other, wearing matching expressions of horror. My vision sharpened behind them. I closed my eyes slowly, then hung my head in defeat.
The lamp was floating.
Our bookbags.
The contents of our desks.
Even Mia’s houseplants that she kept in the window.
And my hair…
‘Don’t go astronomical on me’, the memory of my brother’s teasing voice rang through my mind. Sometimes when I lost control, my hair would float into the air as if super-charged from static. Things around me would float, too, like I’d turned off gravity.
I let out a shaky breath, then lowered everything back to its place. My hair dropped onto my shoulders, and I rolled my neck anxiously.
“S-skye,” Willow’s shaky voice was one step away from a sob. “Have you always, uh…”
“You don’t look shocked to have just done that.” Mia observed.
“I’m not,” I rasped. I swallowed and grimaced at how sore my throat was. It felt like I’d been screaming.
“Skye,” Willow breathed. “Is that…was that what I’m afraid it was?”
I licked my dry lips, looking back and forth between my two friends, making a split-second decision.
I could trust them. I knew it, deep down to my bones.
I nodded.
Mia breathed out slowly while Willow began to cry.
