Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

“I must say you’re healing very well.”

“Yeah, I’ve always been that way,” Gwen said casually as the nurse fussed over her hand.

Zach watched silently from the doorway.

“How did this happen anyway?” the nurse asked.

“I wasn’t paying attention in the kitchen,” Gwen replied without hesitation.

“Oh dear,” the nurse sighed. “What about these scratches?”

She hesitated slightly before answering, “Just an accident on the soccer field.”

Zach snorted, but the nurse didn’t take notice.

“In any case this should hold until you get home.” she said as she finished wrapping Gwen’s hand.

“Thanks a lot,” Gwen said hopping off the exam table.

“Not at all,” the nurse said as she washed her hands. “Just be more careful in the future.”

“Of course.” Gwen said, then Zach and she left the room.

“Why didn’t you tell her the truth?” Zach asked once they were out of earshot.

“What good would it do me to tell people?” Gwen replied simply heading toward the changing rooms.

“Hmm, I suppose I see your point,” he said stopping in front of the door marked ‘Boys’. “Look, I want to keep talking can you wait for me, we could take a walk.”

“Sure,” Gwen said merrily. “I’m not due at work for a while so I’d love to walk with you.”

“Great.”

Gwen smiled enchantingly and disappeared into the girls’ locker room. Zach sighed and ducked into the boys. He showered as quickly as possible, not wanting to keep her waiting, then got dressed. Zach grabbed his backpack and threw it over his shoulder before leaving the room. She was already in the hall, standing patiently against the opposite wall with her eyes closed. They opened as soon as she heard the door squeak.

“All set?” she asked pleasantly.

Zach was surprised, Gwen looked clean and fresh even though she couldn’t have showered with a hand wrapped in bandages, however they looked the same as they did a few minutes earlier.

“Yeah,” he said.

The two walked through the empty halls side by side.

“Do you need to stop by your locker?” Zach asked realizing she had no bags or books with her.

“No,” Gwen replied. “I have a free period before gym so that’s when I do my homework. Very helpful for a life like mine.”

“I’ll bet.”

They left through the front doors and moved toward the gates when Zach noticed someone was missing.

“Kate isn’t here,” he said looking around.

“She volunteer’s once a week so she gets a ride,” Gwen explained.

“Huh, I didn’t think of her as the volunteering type,” he said as they left the school grounds.

“Well, it depends on the cause,” she said. “Katie’s a sweetheart actually, she’s just a bit protective when it comes to me.”

“You don’t say,” Zach chuckled.

“We’ve been friends since we were kids and she’s stuck by me more than anyone over the years,” she said calmly.

“I didn’t mean anything by that,” he said worried he might have offended her.

“It’s okay,” Gwen said patiently. “I’m just giving you the details. You wanted to talk so you could learn more about me, right?”

“Yeah,” he replied simply.

“To be honest, it’s not your questions she worries about, it’s what you plan to do with the answers,” she said softly.

“I’m not sure I understand,” he said.

Gwen took a calming breath before answering, “Everyone in school is aware of your family, she’s worried that you will tell them about me and I’ll admit, on a very deep level, so am I.”

“You’re afraid of police officers?” he asked.

“Not exactly,” Gwen replied shamefaced. “I’m afraid of what they or anybody would do if I became public knowledge.”

“Ah,” Zach breathed. “Now I get it, it’s easier for you to work this way.”

Gwen’s nervous expression softened.

“I have to say I’ve been doing this a long time, but you’re the first outsider to show any concern for my injuries.”

They were now several blocks from school, in a cosy little neighbourhood full of brick houses. Properties bordered by picket fences and lush gardens framed with decorative bricks, bursting with blooming flowers, it was straight out of a picture book.

“Since you mentioned it,” Zach said lightly. “Why is your hand in such good shape?”

“I told you I’m a fast healer,” Gwen answered.

“Fast, more like supersonic,” Zach laughed. “I saw your hand that night, there’s no way someone could recover this much in such a short period of time.”

Gwen giggled.

“Being a Hex does have its advantages,” she said.

“What?” Zach exclaimed. “You’re a healer, too?”

“Oh, God no,” Gwen replied. “You saw me fight, my abilities are all light based so think of me as a photosensitive battery like on a calculator. I absorb and store energy from light which I can use in two ways, either as power when I attack or to strengthen my body when I’m injured.”

She held up her bandaged hand adding a visual aid to her account.

“Handy,” Zach said, but regretted it immediately.

To his immense relief Gwen laughed at his horrible pun. He didn’t usually act like such an a*s, she obviously wasn’t just another girl to him. It wasn’t merely that she had helped him, gratitude didn’t feel like this, it had to be more.

“You seem troubled,” said Gwen stirring him from his contemplation. “Is anything bothering you?”

“I . . . er . . . no,” he said lamely. “I was just wondering about something.”

“What is it?” she asked curiously.

Uh . . . great he was bluffing now what, he couldn’t tell her the truth he’d scare her off. Think, think, think, think, think. Ah!

“Just about what happened in the cafeteria with Kelli,” Zach said. “You never really explained how you could tell she was angry.”

“Oh, okay,” Gwen said airily. “Have you ever heard of an aura?”

“Um . . . yeah it’s the energy field given off by a life,” he replied.

“Right,” she chirped impressed. “Hexes have a kind of sixth sense that ties into an existing one allowing us to identify a person’s aura.”

“That’s incredible,” said Zach making her smile even larger.

“I’ve only heard of it affecting two senses,” she continued. “The majority of Hexes have the ability in their eyes, they can actually see the aura of other Hexes. I’m not sure what it looks like, but I’ve been told different people view them in different ways.”

“Sounds complicated,” he mused. “Wait a minute, Kelli isn’t a Hex is she?”

“No,” Gwen laughed. “Which brings us to the second, rarer version that effects smell. I’m lucky enough to be in that small percentile I can smell everyone’s unique aura not just Hexes. Nobody knows why the two are so different, I guess it’s one of the mysteries of the Hexes.”

“So everyone has their own scent? Are they everyday smells or something all together different?” he asked inquisitively.

“Believe it or not, they’re completely ordinary scents,” she replied. “Kelli for instance smells like those cinnamon heart candies.”

“Ugh, I hate those,” said Zach.

“Me, too,” she agreed. “Anyway, aura’s mirror people’s emotions, the more they feel the stronger they smell. It can be appalling at times, I used to know a guy who smelt like charcoal.”

“I bet he was a joy to be around,” he said sarcastically.

“In more ways than one,” she said in an undertone causing Zach to look at her curiously.

“So that’s how I could tell she was upset,” she added clearly.

Zach wondered what she meant, but if she didn’t want to talk about it he wasn’t going to press the matter. Whatever their relationship would become, for now it was too new for an intrusion.

“Is it weird that I want to know my smell?” he asked instead.

They had wandered away from the suburban area into a quiet park. Dozens of trees shaded them from the afternoon sun, their footsteps echoed off the cobblestone walkway, and southbound winds rustled the leaves.

“No, it’s not weird,” she assured him. “Yours’ is mint . . . but not like mint gum . . . closer to fresh mint leaves.”

Zach glanced at her, she was blushing, her face only a few shades lighter than her hair. His heart pounded in his throat, definitely not just gratitude at work here and it seemed she felt the same.

“Zach,” she said seriously. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Sure,” he said shocked that he managed to talk.

“I want you to take this weekend to think about what you’re doing,” she said slowly.

“What?”

“Zach I really don’t think you understand what you’d be getting into by being with me,” she replied. “Kelli and Brent were just the tip of the iceberg. You have no idea what the looks and the rumours are like. Do you even realize what you’ve done for me already? Sitting with me instead of your friends, defending me during gym.”

“Aren’t you happy I did those things?” Zach asked quietly.

“Yes, of course I am,” she said gently.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“There is no way to live a normal life when you’re around me,” Gwen replied sadly. “Just ask Katie, she hasn’t always had that attitude towards other people. Zach, honestly I’d love to just let things happen, but I couldn’t live with myself if I did. My world is dangerous so I need you to be sure while you still have a chance to walk away.”

“I. . .”

Her normally bright eyes were marked with unhappiness, this wasn’t a joke if he wanted to get closer to her he would have to do as she asked.

“All right if it’ll make you feel better,” he said smiling at her. “Though I’m not sure how much good it’ll do.”

Gwen’s troubled eyes cleared and she grinned showing off her pearly white teeth. She walked up and gave him a big hug.

“Thank you,” she said. “This means so much.”

He couldn’t hug her back fearing he might be unable to control himself. Much to his relief a sudden set of beeps caused Gwen to release him and look at her watch.

“Whoa, geez.”

God she was polite, Zach hadn’t heard anyone use the word geez in years.

“I’ve got to get to work,” she said taking a few steps back and readjusting her watch.

She started to walk away, then turned toward him.

“Zach thank you for understanding, I’ll see you later.”

With a bright and breezy smile Gwen left the shade of the trees and disappeared into the sunlight.

Reviews

[Lost in Wonderland]

Hmmm Intriguing (if thats how you spell it)

[NinjaPi]

Those two are a cute pair. only one thing. You dont need to say specifically that he can see the relationship forming. we cann all see it.

[Kanattas Atir Enomo]

great great job. i love the budding friendship and the concern they have for each other.