Marked by Time (The Mark Series Book 1)

by Victoria Basnuevo

  “Yes.”

  “Fine. Can you please get up now?” The child-like face returned with a little whine I could probably only have handled from Daris. If anyone from school begged for me for anything, I may just slap them; but Daris wasn’t from my school.

  “Only if you get me a brownie from the kitchen.”

  He looked as though he was seriously contemplating the pros and cons of dragging me across the floor or getting me a brownie.

  A hand appeared in my line of vision and Daris hauled me up from the floor with fluid ease. Before I could choke on a ‘Thank you,’ however, he plopped himself on the couch across from me and started eating the pieces of chocolate goodness he got from the fridge.

  “You may want to get one before I eat them all.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “There are only two left. Do you really believe that?” He picked one up and sinfully started eating it and it vanished in seconds. He grabbed the last one and waved it in front of me taunting “One last brownie” in a singsong voice. Daris dramatized the entire thing by ever so slowly moving the dessert closer to his mouth until I swiped the brownie from his hand.

  “The last brownie is mine!!” I stuck my tongue out at Daris in triumph.

  He looked at me fondly and I blushed, nibbling on the treat to avoid saying something stupid until my cheeks cooled down.

  “That was incredible.” The awe was clear in his tone.

  “What was?”

  “You. Just now. You were so close to falling asleep two minutes ago on the other side of the room, and yet you still managed to conjure.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Blossom, I wasn’t joking when I told you that you are a Luxator, apparently one with a lot of potential, too. I’m one and I can teach you.” He was so eager, so excited. I wanted to believe him, and the evidence seemed real enough. I sighed. He smiled. “Is that a yes?”

  “Prove it,” I dared.

  He shot me a lopsided smile. It was like he knew I already believed everything he was telling me and that I was just stalling. Nevertheless, he shifted his attention to a small potted plant in the corner of the room. “Watch the plant.”

  I did, keeping him in my line of sight. He touched a leaf and the plant began to grow, sprouting the small pink flowers I hadn’t seen for months. I was left open-mouthed in shock.

  “Now, will you let me train you?”

  I tried to answer, but I just kept opening and closing my mouth, trying to say something to convey my shock, but all that came out was air and sputtering.

  “Blossom.”

  “W-what?”

  “Will you let me train you? He said it slowly as if he were talking to a toddler instead of a girl in high school, and I had to take a deep breath before I was able to form some sort of response.

  “I don’t know any other Luxators, so you might as well.”

  Daris flashed me his confident half-smile. While he was celebrating, I was touching the plant, trying to figure out what he did to make it flower or to the feel the energy he claimed I had. I felt nothing, only heard Daris’s elation when he responded.

  “Deal, but until then, you need to keep your emotions under control.”

  “I go to high school with obnoxious bitches who rope me into their limited world of appearances. If I can refrain from exploding, I think I can control my emotions.”

  “I’m serious, Blossom. The feelings hidden from the world will become known unless you can learn to avoid, ignore, or hide them. Look what happened when you saw your room. You went from zero to sixty very quickly and that will be your downfall.” With that, Daris got up and went to the door. “See you later, Blossom.”

  I thought of everything he told me in his stories, everything he could teach me. After having so much time to actually get to know him, I trusted him so easily, so willingly, and I was eager for us to start training, but he was gone before I could say “yes”.

  “When did he get so serious?” I muttered to myself, not that he could have heard me. When he left, he took the mess with him; everything that had been out of place was right where it had been before. The thought of someone going through my belongings, obviously looking for something, still unsettled me. Part of me hoped they found what they were looking for because it would mean they wouldn’t come back; but I also hoped they didn’t find it, that their messy search ended in vain. The only sign that Daris had been in my home was the empty tray of brownies, but that meant what he said was true and that my life just got more interesting.

  Two weeks until my birthday, and two weeks since Daris dropped that bombshell on me. I hadn’t seen him since. I settled into a more cautious version of my routine, walking or running home without my music and staying there to wait for Mom. So far, without a trainer, I’ve managed to lock my emotions in a small box in the back of my head and hope it doesn’t break. However, the lock has shattered a few times and right now was no exception because I was close to snapping once again.

  Camille and Melanie had been constantly following me with pens and paper because they made it their life goal to make sure the party I didn’t even want was epic. They kept asking me about the theme and my favorite things when they claimed to be my friends. At this pace, they weren’t going to survive the rest of senior year; and February just started. I reluctantly tuned back into the conversation when Camille started poking my side repeatedly.

  “As I was saying, Sky, since your birthday is Valentine’s Day weekend, we were thinking that that should be the theme of your party. We can have pink, red, and white balloons and pink tablecloths, and all the food can be themed.” You already told me that, moron.

  “And I saw this super cute short dress you could wear that would look absolutely perfect with your dark blonde hair.” Melanie chimed. Kill me.

  “And the cake could be red velvet with white cream cheese frosting.”

  That was where I drew the line.

  “Girls, I understand that you want to plan this party, but I don’t want one. I just want to spend my birthday in peace. I don’t want colorful balloons or overthought food. I don’t want a dress that will make me look like cotton candy. I don’t want red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.” My voice sounded monotone. It lacked the emotion it used to have, but withholding emotions to prevent a natural disaster was what I had to do.

  “But-”

  “No!” My leash on my control snapped and it ran away. “I don’t want a party! I don’t want colorful decorations! I don’t want a pink dress! I don’t want red velvet cake!” The floor was shaking ever so slightly and I felt a slight heat beginning to form in my clenched palms. The bits of power coursing through me needed to be redirected.

  “But Sky—”

  “I said no!”

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, repeating the exercises Daris had taught me to run through after I lost control the first time. My mind became empty and the air effortlessly flowed in and out of my body. Sure enough, I felt the subtle shaking cease and the heat vanish. When I opened my eyes, I was greeted with everyone staring at me in fear and shock. The two girls were a bit terrified from my outburst and they had good reason to be. I had never completely lost my temper before. I just wanted to hide.

  “Sorry, guys. I’ve just had a rough couple of days and I took it out on you.” That wasn’t a complete lie. They were the reason I had had a hellacious week; they just finally heard what was on my mind for the 100th time. Hopefully, it got through to their heads.

  Their peppy, obnoxious personalities came rushing back and I was bombarded with excuses and ‘It’s Okays’. Bleh.

  “Why don’t we continue this party planning later?” Camille suggested. My mood instantly lifted and I took off, yelling a hurried goodbye behind me. Daris hadn’t shown up for the past two weeks, and I was hopeful that, maybe, he would show up today. He stopped meeting me for our runs and didn’t come get me from school anymore. I waited on the roof a few nights ago but fell asleep without seein
g him. The fact that I was wrapped in a blanket when I woke up in my bed the next morning made me hopeful he was still around. I even went to his apartment, but no one answered when I knocked. No one had seen him since we agreed he would be training me.

  The apartment building soon came into view and I was slightly disappointed to not see anyone sitting outside my apartment. I slowed down as my hope faded and climbed the steps without a skip in my step. He wasn’t even waiting for me after school like he used to. Could I have said something wrong?

  As soon as I entered the dimly lit apartment, I went through my routine slower than usual. I crawled into the shower and the hot water revitalized me. I felt my energy returning tenfold. When I got out of the bathroom, hair sticking my shirt to my skin, Daris was sitting on my bed. I won’t lie; I almost screamed.

  Almost.

  Instead, I cleared my throat and crossed my arms.

  He looked like he did last time. Same blue eyes, same light blonde hair. It was torture. He looked up at me and smiled. I think my heart stopped beating in that one moment. My breath caught in my throat and I felt the heat in my cheeks intensify.

  “Hey.”

  I put on my angriest face.

  “What’d I do?”

  “‘Hey’? I’ve barely seen you in the past week and all you tell me is hey?”

  “I thought you needed plenty of time to fully consider what you would be getting yourself into after you accepted my offer. I wanted to give you your space to think about backing out.”

  “We went over this already. You’re the only other Luxator I know. Unless you know of someone else in the area?” I arched my eyebrow, silently challenging him.

  At his silence, I continued “No? Then there’s no one else. As far as I know, you’re probably the only one who can deal with me, anyway.”

  He smirked. “Probably.”

  “Although, I would have liked it if you had taught me something other than deep breathing.”

  “It’s something you obviously still need to work on if the school was shaking this afternoon.”

  My mouth gaped open and I looked like a fish out of water. “How did you-?”

  “I may have been dropping by the school every now and then to see if you had killed anyone yet. I was a bit disappointed when I saw that the two who follow you were still fine.”

  “I seriously hope you’re joking because if you aren’t, you’re a hypocrite.”

  “Just because I told you that you needed to control your emotions doesn’t mean you have to restrain them.”

  “They’re my friends.”

  “Really? Is that how friendship works now? Wannabes following the one person who probably hates them more than anyone else? Blossom, a blind man could see you’re tense when you’re around them. The deaf could hear the strain in your voice every time you raise it a few octaves. Why do you hang out with them?”

  I rolled my eyes when he smiled. “Stop with the sarcasm. You know I try to get away from them. It’s easier said than done; they somehow seem to always find me.”

  “And then the battle to maintain your sanity begins?”

  I shrugged. “Pretty much. Considering I haven’t exploded yet, I think I’m doing a decent job.” Something sparked in his eyes and I grew cautious. Daris’s mischievous side liked to come out when he knew something I didn’t; and while his smirk grew and his eyes became a lighter shade of blue, I was still wary of what twist he would throw my way.

  “Tell me how your self-training method has been going for the last couple of weeks. It has certainly been interesting to watch during school.”

  “I haven’t exactly been able to do much since I was lacking a trainer, but my life has been as controlled and emotionless as ever. How often have you been watching me?” I was starting to believe he only saw me lash out today. If that was the case, I was in the clear.

  “Not much. I usually only check in about once a day if I can find you.”

  “I come home every day after school.” I pointed out. “You could’ve just asked me then.”

  He smirked, mischief flashing in his eyes. “But then I wouldn’t be able to watch the fine moments of the beaker exploding in chemistry class because the flame got too hot.” I winced. “Or the boys’ bathroom suddenly flooding after some guy hit on you.”

  “For the record, Travis needed to cool his ego down.”

  “Or Camille’s shoes getting stuck in the mud.”

  I smiled. “I’m actually proud of that one.”

  “My personal favorite was today’s, though. Seeing the looks on their faces was definitely worth it.” Great. So, every time he did manage to find me was just in time to watch me mess up.

  “It’s either that or when your Math teacher’s marker flew out of her hand and across the room.”

  “Honestly, I didn’t think that last one would work.”

  “You tried to do that?” he shouted, blue eyes shocked.

  “I thought it,” I mumbled, his stare making me feel small like he was trying to analyze everything that happened while he was gone. “So, I may have lost control for a bit.” At his sigh, I hurriedly added, “It’s not like I know what I’m doing.”

  “You sent a marker flying with a thought,” he deadpanned.

  “I didn’t think it would actually fly out of her hand!” I defended, worried he would get mad at me. “I’m trying my best!”

  “Well, it’s not enough if you managed to shake the entire science building this afternoon.”

  I froze. I was in the part of the school sectioned off for the languages when I lost my temper at the girls.

  “Now what?” he asked, sounding tired.

  “I wasn’t in the science building when I lost control.”

  “What?”

  “I had just gotten out of Spanish class.”

  “You managed to shake the entire school?” His tone softened and was lined with amusement. I nodded ever so slightly, but Daris still managed to notice. He just laughed, a deep laugh that bounced off the walls of my apartment and lit up the room. I was expecting to be scolded for not being able to control myself. I was expecting a long speech about how desperately I needed to begin my training. I was not expecting for the man before me to burst into laughter because I was able to shake the ground beneath my high school.

  “Why is that so funny?”

  “It’s not funny so much as amazing that you have had access to your powers for all of two weeks and yet you managed to cause an earthquake around your school. Do you have any idea how large your school is? It took me hours to find you the first time and I still get lost after two weeks.”

  I smiled. “So, you’re not upset I almost leveled my school to the ground and could have burned Camille and Melanie as well as potentially hurt a few others?”

  “Charring the two of them wouldn’t have been so bad, math isn’t for everyone, and I have no problem with the flooding of the bathroom. That’s just funny.”

  I stifled giggles.

  “Getting rid of the girls definitely would have made life easier, that’s for sure. Travis, though, he takes persistent to a whole different level.” I started for the kitchen, but Daris blocked my way. “Can I go into the kitchen?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why?” I got on my toes and looked over his shoulder. Before he moved, I noticed the mess and the simmering pot. I inhaled deeply and just noticed the familiar smell of tomato sauce. “Trying your hand at the culinary arts?”

  “I thought it was only fair since you cooked last time.”

  “Is that why you’ve been absent? Learning how to cook so I don’t die when I eat your food?”

  “The only thing killing you will be the deliciousness that is my cooking.”

  “Can I hold you to that?”

  “No, because I am the only one who has tasted this.”

  “Not very confident, are we?”

  Daris moved to the kitchen and got back to work. “Blossom, I have a feeling you’ll be the toughest cr
itic I will ever meet.”

  “Then you’ll just have to give me nothing to critique.”

  “I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  “Such as?”

  He leaned down and whispered, his breath tickling my neck. “There are more ways than I can count to dust your cheeks, Blossom.”

  The pink returned and I wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and hide while Daris just laughed. He chose the worse times to be suave and charming.

  “Whatever,” I muttered. “Did you come over just to cook dinner, or are we going running like we always do?”

  “Unfortunately, running is out of the question for a bit. Now that your birthday is getting closer, your powers are just going to be getting stronger and more unpredictable. It’s best that you take it easy.”

  I pouted. “Can’t you just train me? Or at least answer my questions?”

  “Ask away.” He started plating and it smelled great.

  “When can we start my training, and can I help with anything?”

  “Why do I have a feeling my answer can make this situation go from bad to worse faster than a racecar can go from zero to sixty?” He handed me a couple of glasses and some silverware and shooed me out of the kitchen.

  “Because starting my training was your idea,” I called back.

  “Hey! Most of my ideas are relatively successful.”

  “Like your cooking?”

  “My cooking is edible.”

  “There’s a difference between edible and delicious.”

  “Then prepare to eat your words.” Daris put a bowl of pasta before me and I had to admit the smell was undeniably divine, not that I would give him the pleasure of knowing that. I took a bite and I had to keep from groaning in contentment. I nearly melted in my seat. It was as good as my own. I hoped he never took up baking because then he’d be better at everything.

  “Good?” he asked, hopeful

  I shrugged and kept eating, trying to look as neutral as possible and probably failing since he was trying not to laugh.

  “Whatever, Blossom.”

  We finished our meal in relative silence until my mom came home. Unlike me, when she tasted Daris’s food, she showered him with praise, making his expression smugger each time he looked at me. I just rolled my eyes and bumped him when he passed. He flashed me a smile before chasing me around the apartment. My mom just watched us with amusement, sending me a knowing glance when Daris caught me around the waist. I was too happy to bother caring.