Reeves took a moment longer but still nodded. “Even if something did happen, I would never regret living this way.” Reeves looked at her seriously. “I know this was not easy to deal with but being unable to express physical energy is not a life either. Believe it or not, once you feel the excitement-"
“Do you really think so?” Seraphina looked back into the kitchen. “Do you have any idea what it's like to tell your friends your sister died because she ate birthday cake? Do you know how many laughed at first, or thought it was a joke?” She glanced back at him. “Seriously, do you really think you even stand a chance?” She stepped closer to Reeves. “You need to think carefully about your own future and choices.”
“You’re actually quitting? You’re leaving Hidden Secret for good?” Reeves didn’t know what to say. After all that time and effort on both their parts, she was ready to give up? “This is a sensitive day full of awful memories, you need to relax first. You shouldn’t decide to quit on a whim, this isn’t you.”
“What do you mean? You don’t know me, no one knows me. You don't even know why I'm here,” Seraphina walked away. “You never knew I was a coward who let her twin sister die because I didn’t want to eat my own birthday cake. You have no idea about any of my motives.”
Reeves stood up and grabbed her by the shoulder gently. “It doesn't matter, you're here. That had been two pieces of cake, but even her own would have been enough.”
“How do you know for sure?” Seraphina asked. “Are you a doctor? What if it hadn’t been as concentrated and she fell ill? She could have gone to the hospital and maybe they could have saved her. Two pieces pushed her over, it was my stupid pre-teen anger fault. I killed Medina, and I gave her a painful death.”
Giving residents a band-aid when they got hurt, Reeves knew how to do that. Helping the kids with projects, Reeves could do that. Helping tempies learn how to survive for themselves, he could that easy. As he looked at the bitter pain and self-blame pinned on Seraphina Medina’s face, he knew no mere words of encouragement from a Champion Paladin could help. Saying he was sorry would be no good, and he couldn’t say he knew how she felt. Anything at all that came to mind he knew gave no comfort.
She had not expected any form of help, it was clear. In a way, it seemed as if she was trying to help him understand his own choice better. For the first time, Reeves felt helpless as he watched Seraphina Medina put her own right hand over her eyes.
“Don’t say anything, I know the drill. I’ll leave Hidden Secret tonight,” Seraphina said. “Bye.”
“Wait.”
“I was never found guilty,” Seraphina said quickly.
“You were found guilty,” Reeves disagreed, "only by yourself, no court system. You're not responsible for your sister.”
“I’m not making anything up,” Seraphina crossed her arms. “I was a minor, so I wasn’t charged. It’s not because I wasn’t- “
“Oh, my goodness, it’s Seraphina Medina!”
“Guilty.” Seraphina noticed an old friend across the street. Their face was full of fear as they scuttled off in a hurry. “I better get going.”
“What’s your favorite color?” A policeman of Cambria started to come over to them. “Red or Blue? Only the blue girl left.” The policeman bopped his club up and down on his hands. “Seraphina Medina Johnson, after all these years. What are you doing here in Cambria?”
The man had no bright smile or any cheeriness in his address to her. Johnson? Her middle name had been Medina?
“Officer Rickles,” Seraphina bent her head politely. “I was leaving.”
“You’d better. I’m watching you.” The policeman pointed his club at Seraphina. “You come near any kind of battery acid and I’ll haul you down to the local jail. You must be crazy; I can’t believe you’d even show up in this sector again. They should have thrown you in an institution, not let you get off scot-free.”
“That isn’t nice,” Reeves spoke up. "What gives you the right to talk to someone in such a mean way?”
“Don’t you know?” Officer Rickles pointed at Seraphina with his club again. “She killed her sister by pouring battery acid down her throat. Poor Medina. Now get out of sector! Your presence is frightening everyone.”
Reeves watched as Seraphina Medina quickly ran away. “Stop,” Reeves touched the officer’s arm. “You don’t understand, Seraphina is not to blame, it’s a condition and- “
“Don’t give me that science fiction condition that doesn't even have a name. Yeah, right.” Officer Rickles frowned. “Really, killed by birthday cake? Now let go and follow your pal back to wherever you belong.” Reeves gave him one of the meanest glares he'd ever given anyone but knew he wouldn’t change his mind. He had to catch up to Seraphina quick, for another talk. This time, he knew what to say.
Seraphina ran for a mile straight before she stopped.
“It was not your fault!”
Seraphina looked behind her and watched Reeves catch up. He stopped beside her.
“You were not responsible; it was not your fault, no matter what that sector thinks.” Reeves tried to reach her. “You both had JNSQ, it could have been you on a different day or in a different way. You can’t blame yourself.” He put his hand on her shoulder, but her eyes would not reach his. “Many people don’t understand, they see the surface, what happened to her. I know it was not battery acid, even the courts could not charge for that without medical evidence to the contrary. Don’t you see?”
“It was my fault,” Seraphina wouldn’t hear otherwise. “Even my own mother said if I had eaten my share, she wouldn’t have died.”
“If your mother had not baked a cake, she would be alive. If your mom had taken you two to the doctor, she would be alive. If Tracy had not gotten into an argument, maybe Medina would not have eaten two of them, and maybe you could have died with her,” Reeves flipped it on her. “Don’t you see? Everyone was looking for a scapegoat. You did not kill your sister.”
“No, everyone- “
Reeves grabbed her hand gently. “You are not responsible for that.”
“I should have- “
“You are not responsible.”
“But even my mom- “
“You are not responsible, Seraphina Medina Johnson.”
Seraphina stopped talking. Reeves refused to let her talk and even found out her real last name. A name she hadn’t used in so many years, due to it relating back to her mother. To her family. To her sector. “Now you sound like Tracy. For some reason, she’s the only one who never blamed me.”
“Sisters know sisters,” Reeves smiled. “I saw the way Tracy was with you in Hidden Secret. She cares deeply for you and you should listen to her, not everyone else.”
“Watch what you say. You don't know Tracy. Besides, Tracy has been trying to convince my mother for years to see me again,” Seraphina said. “After what happened, my mother was dragged down to the local jail. Her attorney got her off when he proved that I was the one at fault. I had the condition; I should have known to stop her.”
“Attorneys are tricky, and rumors have power,” Reeves replied. “They have convinced your entire sector that you are guilty, but you're not. It was an accident. Medina was your twin. Do you think she would have wanted you blaming yourself like this? If the shoe had been on the other foot, could you have forgiven her?” Reeves asked. “It was an accident and it doesn’t make you a murderer. You loved your sister, and that’s all you need to remember.”
Surprising. Reeves handled small emergencies, small problems, small everything with ease and proficiency. Seraphina Medina stared at him. She figured he would run away, the problem being too large for someone like him to even want to touch. There he was though trying to convince her in any way possible that she wasn’t responsible for her sister’s death. “You believe in the impossible.” Seraphina headed out toward the field. She had stopped a mile outside of sector for a reason. “She couldn’t even be buried in the sector because everyone was afraid I w
ould want to visit.”
Seraphina moved another ten feet and bent down, plucking some tall, dry grass out of the way. “Medina Seraphina Johnson.” Seraphina moved the rest of the grass out of the way and read the rest of her headstone. “Killed by cake, or so they claim. We will not forget.” She sighed. “Happy Birthday to us.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what you think, Hidden Secret is ready to run me out. The looks and the whispers. You’ve heard the way they talk; they know. People in Cambria always asked my favorite color, so they knew whether I was Seraphina or Medina without trying to be offensive. Now suddenly everyone’s asking on the streets of Hidden Secret.” She bent her head further down. “And the cake, the old-fashioned white cake . . .”
She was surprised as she felt something cold next to her arm. She looked down and saw Reeves’ medallion lying on her arm before she felt him hug her from behind. She was aware of how athletic he undoubtedly was as she felt him against her on her back. She felt his right hand find hers and his left wrapped around her left side. His grip was gentle but strong.
"I'm sorry you thought people knew in Hidden Secret. I should have started with the facts. You see, no one knows about your past, they thought you were getting married.”
Seraphina lifted her head up and looked at Reeves. “What?”
“They thought Timothy was proposing to you,” Reeves said. “No one knows anything. You can stay in Hidden Secret.”
“What?” Seraphina stood up. “Why would they think that?”
“They heard about your ring.” Reeves gestured to her red ring. “I understand that it was a birthday gift, but Timmers would not give it to you on your birthday. I see why.”
“I can stay?” Seraphina finally cracked a real smile.
“Absolutely. I declare you as a permie resident of Hidden Secret.” Reeves crossed his arms around her, glad to see her smiling, and that tears were subsiding. “So, what do you say now? Continue training?”
Seraphina looked at him with a serious expression. “Tracy is the only person who knows besides Timothy. She’s my sister and she doesn’t want me to take chances. Even if I wanted to choose no medication, I would lose her and her support. You don’t get it. I can't choose losing my medication. You had no chance of winning.”
“No problem, Seraphina, your sister will take some convincing, but if she honestly loves you, she'll understand. As for finances, I can help you in a pinch. Once you find your balance, you won't need to exercise half as much.”
Seraphina seemed unconvinced. “How could you help me ‘in a pinch’?”
“I make plenty being a Champion, I can take care of that for you.” That didn’t set well with her. “What?”
“No. Timothy said the exact same thing before I left for two months,” she said to Reeves. “I’m not switching from my sister to anyone else’s support. You don’t want to change, and I don’t want to change. We’re at a draw, Reeves.”
So close, she would be so close. “I’m not trying to push,” Reeves said. “I know you have personal reasons, but if you give me a chance, I can show you a better way."
“I don’t want to die and go out that same way. Why don’t you understand that?” Seraphina spread her arms out. “This deal is over, no one wins. I’m sorry, I know you wanted me to make it. I know you wanted a relationship with someone more like you. It’s a fantasy.”
It wasn’t about that anymore. Medication or not, he already loved Seraphina. He wanted what was best for her. “When Timothy almost killed you by giving you a headache pill, you shrugged it off.” Reeves began his pushing again. “When you saved Simps, and almost died, you still didn’t seem to be affected. Even when you almost died from exhaustion, you didn't dawdle all day on that.” He looked at her with interest. “You're only scared of dying by sweets.”
“You honestly don’t think Medina Seraphina’s death is my fault?” Seraphina asked softly. “Are you sure no one knew in Hidden Secret?”
“No, it was an accident, and nobody except Timothy and I know anything. You see how fast rumors and truth get mixed up,” Reeves reminded her. “I see clearly, and I’m sure one day others will too. Are you ready to go back to Hidden Secret?”
Seraphina sighed. “I don't know. I can't believe I ran fifty miles."
"I know the theories about JNSQ, confirmed that I know that we were both affected at almost the same age,” he revealed. “I bet? By the time you're done with your training." Reeves patted her on the back with pride. "You'll be able to run 500 miles."
Chapter 16
“It’s perfect. It is perfect,” Timothy congratulated himself as he finished sealing an envelope. Yes, he had lost his beauty rest last night, but it would be well worth it for what he had come up with. Reeves would never wear down Seraphina to his side, and he would lose. In fact, he couldn’t wait. Seraphina was the only person in Hidden Secret in years to become a friend. Who visited him, who knew him, but she was more than that. She was the first who cared about him as more than a friend too. She was a future.
Sure, he was retrained, and he could leave Hidden Secret. Reeves could do the same thing. The outside world though, they stuck out like sore thumbs. People could always tell right away they didn’t belong elsewhere. Their only chance was Seraphina. Someone coming to stay there themselves.
Such a treasure he never thought he'd discover. As much as he wanted Hidden Secret to be renewed into its original form, he didn't want to lose Seraphina in the process, and he was close. Seraphina wasn't only training, she was glowing. Happier than he'd ever seen her.
That was dangerous. He knew Reeves wanted someone, just like him! He’d caught Seraphina and Reeves doing a funny relationship look at each other too, and he wasn’t having it. No matter what, he had to keep Seraphina on medication or forget trying to get another kiss or date. She would be sharing her bed with Reeves soon. “In three to four days, Reeves will no longer even be a threat.”
“Actually, it’s about ten or twelve days, depending on how far he wants to go.”
Timothy gasped and turned around. She was already up? He was going to get up to mail off his letter.
“Morning, Timothy.” Seraphina grabbed his arm and looked at his watch. “Oh wow, it’s early, huh?” She stretched her arms over her head.
“The lights to the colony aren’t even on yet,” Timothy said, “go back to sleep.” He hid the envelope quickly.
“I can’t,” Seraphina got down and started doing push-ups.
“Stop that,” Timothy complained. “Seraphina, go back to bed. No lights, means bedtime.”
“Doesn’t matter, it’s never pitch black. There’s always lights out there,” she said.
Hm? “How would you know about those?” The only lights on at night would be the adult playground. Did Reeves take her to the playground? Gah, of course he probably did. “Just go back to sleep,” he said in irritation at the thought of it.
“Can’t, I’m awake.” Seraphina stood up and started doing jumping jacks. “Oh boy, am I awake.”
Seraphina proceeded to do half-turn flips, stretched out her legs and walked on her hands outside. Timothy watched with an expression of disappointment, intrigue, surprise, and distaste. “Seraphina, stop. You need rest.”
“It’s temporary,” Seraphina said as she stopped walking on her hands and flipped in a half turn over to Timothy. “It’s natural, and you’ll have to deal with it.” Her breathing was fast, and her voice sounded softer, as if she had run a marathon. “It’ll go away soon. It always goes away.” She started stretching from side to side. “What are you doing up?” She stopped to look at his watch again. “Three in the morning, really?”
“My own business.” Timothy pulled his arm away from her. Okay, this was not his Seraphina. She couldn’t stand still for even a few seconds. He groaned as she did cartwheels and then full back flips up and down the block. Reeves was already transforming her. “Seraphina, stop this.”
“Usually I can, by now. It only lasts a few minu
tes in the morning.” Seraphina breathed, her voice was even more raspy. “I-I-I’ll slow down. I will, I must take some deeper breaths. Somehow. Soon.” Oh no, no she had to kick this need before Reeves retrieved her. The more he knew he had been winning, the harder it would be for him when he eventually lost. “This isn’t fading.” She felt her heart and could swear it was ready to jump out. The adrenaline had run too high, and she knew that, like it or not, she had hit the rush. The calling.
The part Reeves had longed for. Had her life been different, she would have flipped all the way to Reeves to tell him that he had won.
“Seraphina, quit it!” Timothy demanded.
“Can’t this morning, can’t,” Seraphina said as she got down on the ground and did sit-ups. Her whole body was begging to move. Like a dangerous drug, the more she gave in, the more her body would want it. There was no stopping anymore, she could feel the vibrant sensations flowing through her veins. She had brief moments where she fought it off for the last six mornings, but there was no fighting it anymore. “Sorry, Timothy. I. Can’t. Stop. Anymore!”
Timothy glanced up, down, left, farther left, up, right, farther right, down, up, left. He closed his eyes not being able to keep up with Seraphina’s movements anymore. “Quit it!"
“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t help it,” Seraphina yelled. She bolted out of the neighborhood so fast Timothy had barely seen her.
“Easy,” Rebecca shouted at Seraphina.
“That’s not a good place for you,” Marcus agreed.
Seraphina looked down at Rebecca still feeling the need to move. Since three O’ clock she went for a run. She ran about 100 miles in a circle. By the time she returned, that energy should have been gone. It wasn’t, and somehow, she had ended up on the top of Rebecca’s house. “I-I-I gotta keep moving.” She looked around desperately for the edge and somehow without thinking found her way back down and was off running again.
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