by Alana Siegel
Luca’s friendly gesture served as a cue that the others could relax. The tension simmered down and the buzz of Gifts in the room calmed. I looked around at the other Gifted kids. It felt like we had stepped into the live version of Never Land, with Gifted kids instead of the Lost Boys, and Luca as their Peter Pan. Most of them looked relieved the fight was over and happy to follow Luca’s lead.
Not all the other Gifted kids were willing to overlook our grand entrance, however, and Carly reminded me of an overprotective Tinkerbell. The only difference was that she had lightning bolts instead of fairy dust. She stood a foot behind Luca with her arms crossed over her chest. The smell of grass sauntered over to my nostrils. Her Gift was still heightened by anger.
“Welcome to the Gifted Retreat. We would invite you to play Danger Dash, but it looks like we are out of time. Why don’t you join us for lunch,” Luca announced. His palms opened upward to invite us over. He made his way to the tables, and everyone followed.
“Are you in charge of everyone?” Jaime questioned Luca, keeping pace with his long strides.
“Yes, I am,” he informed her.
“I’m not trying to be insulting, but aren’t you are the same age as us?” Jaime added.
“I turn seventeen this summer. Your point?” Luca said, trying to figure out her line of questions.
“It’s just that Danger Dash, isn’t that a little unsafe?” Jaime asked.
“Nah, Carly is an expert. Her sparklers barely zap you,” Luca responded, brushing off her concern. Jaime accepted that response for now. Carly’s forehead smoothed as she tagged along behind them. Luca didn’t even realize how the compliment brightened her mood.
Arriving at a table in the corner, I found myself nudged between Luca and Max. Carly sat down exactly opposite and went right back to fuming with jealousy. I quickly averted my attention. Most of the kids at the surrounding tables were younger, and their chatter and excitement for lunch filled the room. I listened intently and realized that Gifted kids talk about the same gossip that the kids in Pandora discuss.
It felt like a high school cafeteria, and I had a sudden rush of homesickness. I missed feeling Justin’s ethereal eyes glance in my direction as he passed me in the hall or the outline of his broad shoulders when he was sitting in my class. Without our relationship, my life in Pandora would never be the same. I felt the cloud hovering over my head, threatening to crash down. I closed my eyes tightly, wishing away the painful memories. I took a deep breath, waited for the pain in my chest to subside, and then opened my eyes.
I hadn’t realized Luca was studying me. “Why are you sad?” Luca asked me. His outright question took me by surprise. Everyone had been walking on eggshells around me and letting me mourn the end of my relationship. With one inquiry, Luca had thrust my sadness into the spotlight. Jaime looked worried I might breakdown again.
“Painful break up,” I managed to say, without looking at Luca.
Before Luca could push me off the cliff of loneliness, Jaime asked, “How do you know my Great-Aunt Ev?”
I peeked through my eye lashes and saw Luca smile at me before turning his attention to Jaime. “Ev was the founder of this community center and initiated the retreat for Gifted youths,” Luca stated as a matter of fact. We stared at him with confused looks on our faces.
“Don’t look so surprised. She wanted to build a place for Gifted children to learn about their history and culture. Of course, the Meta would never approve, but as Ev always says, ‘what they don't know, won't hurt them,’” Luca explained with a laugh, like he just let us in on an inside joke. None of us laughed. I guessed Aunt Ev didn't have a lot of time to tell us this. Was there anything she couldn’t do?
Slices of pizza were passed out, and our little group ate in thoughtful silence. I couldn’t believe there was an entire community center for the Gifted. There was so much I didn't know. When you lived your whole life in a small town like Pandora, it was hard to imagine that it wasn’t the center of the universe.
Despite Jaime’s efforts to convince me we needed to learn more about the Gifted, I hadn’t realized there were Gifted people all over the world. Jaime had searched for a way to reach them, and now we were sitting a community center that was founded by her very own great-aunt.
The knots in my stomach began to tighten. I wasn't sure I wanted to know those facts. I thought back to the night after the pep rally when Justin described the story behind each constellation. Justin knew more about the Gifted world than we did, and all he ever wanted was an escape route. Plus, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my receipt of a Gift was a mistake.
“What's the plan for the rest of the day?” Chelsea asked, breaking through my thoughts.
“We will split into the different Gifted families and practice the three Cs,” Carly said.
“What are you practicing for?” Jaime asked.
Carly's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “Nothing, it's just for fun,” she said, like she could never imagine the existence of dark and evil people on the planet. Jaime nodded, but we were all thinking about Prometheus.
“And the three Cs are?” Chelsea asked forcefully. I could hear the frustration in her voice. She was a believer in honesty, and in her eyes, evading the truth was lying. Aunt Ev failed to tell us these details. We were all feeling out of the loop.
“Concept, concentration, and control,” Carly answered like it was obvious. “Come on, Luca. Let’s go!” She looked anxious to escape our table and get back to a level playing field.
“Luca is the only Elste so he usually joins another family,” Carly explained. I knew which family she wanted him to join. We were stealing all his attention, and she was having a hard time hiding her feelings.
With a silky smile aimed right at me, Luca said, “Today I won't be the only Elste.” Max was on his feet before Luca even finished his sentence. The fight was back in his eyes as he glared at Luca.
I locked my fingers with Max's and pulled him back to the bench. Luca looked at our intertwined hands and the smile disappeared from his face. I sighed because I didn’t have the energy to tell him that Max was only a friend and nothing more. I wasn’t ready to admit that my ability to love had died back in Pandora.
* * * *
Chapter Fifteen: Comfort
When everyone broke into families to practice the three Cs, Chelsea, Jaime, Max, and I stood back and watched. We had never seen so many Gifted using their Gifts at the same time. It was incredible. Although we were reluctant to separate, the excitement, colors, smells, and buzz in the air was infectious.
In one corner, groups of Ikos were competing with each other. I could tell they were Ikos because they were contending to see who could touch the ceiling. The young boy named Nicky from the Danger Dash game was a part of this group. We watched him jump in a green blur and latch on to one of the rafters. After a few swings, he launched himself into the air, completed a back flip and landed with both feet on the ground. Jaime high-fived him and then proceeded to attempt the stunt herself.
Next to the Ikos, rows of Hadean girls took turns disappearing and sneaking up on each other. Chelsea tapped one of them on the shoulder and introduced herself. As she did, parts of her body disappeared, beginning with her feet and continuing up her body until only her head was visible. The jaws of all the Hadean girls dropped. The unbelievable trick was new to them, and a few were already trying to emulate her.
Carly gave me an evil glare and then stalked off with a younger Kynikos girl. She made no attempt to invite Max. Luckily, there was another group of Kynikos standing in the center of the room. Their auras were a mash up of dark colors that lingered around them as they wrote messages in the air with their sparklers. Max introduced himself to the group by writing words of profanity that were brighter and stronger than any of the others. He instantly won their respect.
There were even a few quiet Horus boys who huddled by themselves in the back corner of the room, being secretive about their mischief. I didn’t
look in their direction for too long. I didn’t want to be reminded of Justin.
Luca took me outside, and I let the cold fresh air brush against my skin. It was liberating. Sitting on the front steps to the building, I stretched my legs out in front of me, crossing my ankles. My hands were completely still and folded in my lap. I stared down at them, trying to make my body go numb.
There was no need to go outside to practice our Gift. The only thing an Elste needed was another person, and there were two of us. Not that I cared to practice. I was worn out from fighting the bad memories and the hovering dark cloud. I assumed he just wanted to break away from my loyal guard.
Luca broke the silence. “So let's start over. My name is Luca Hale, and I'm not nearly as creepy as your ex-boyfriend thinks I am,” he said.
I looked over at him and giggled. Laughing was such a foreign and happy sensation that I stopped abruptly and looked down at my hands again.
He didn’t continue speaking, and I wondered why he stopped. I peeked out of the corner of my eye. He was staring at my face, and he was no longer smiling. His dark eyes were wide and awed.
“What?” I asked.
“You are absolutely stunning when you smile. When you laugh, I feel your Gift. That one spark was so full of effervescence and energy,” he explained. He meant it as a compliment, but his scrutiny was intense.
I put out my hand, hoping his eyes would look at something other than my face. “Nice to meet you, Luca Hale. My name is Olivia Hart,” I informed him, going along with the mock introduction. Both of his hands cupped my own and held it. I realized he might never let go.
“You know that just because we are both Elstes, we aren't really related, right?” He asked, and the brilliant smile appeared on his lips again. “Ok, maybe you are my one billionth cousin, but the connection goes back thousands of years,” he added.
I thought about his dark skin and dark eyes. No, we definitely didn't look related. I smiled and nodded to show that I understood.
“Family is an interesting thing. I barely knew any of my biological family. I came to the United States when I was really young,” he said and paused to catch my eye. He attempted to put me at ease and distract me from my sadness. I focused on him to show that I was paying attention. Besides, I had never met another Elste before, and I truly was interested.
“My grandfather was a wealthy shipbuilder in Angola. When war broke out, he sent my father to Portugal. It was there that he met my mother, and they started a life together.” Luca paused to smile at me.
“That sounds sweet,” I commented. Luca nodded his head and bit his lower lip.
“It was sweet. We lived as a happy family… until I was nine. One morning I woke up, and they were gone,” he explained, sadness reflecting in his eyes.
“Gone?” I asked, thinking I hadn’t heard him correctly.
“Yup, gone. Everything in the house was exactly the same, but they were gone. I spent the day waiting for them to come back, and the night crying, hidden in a linen closet, clutching my Dad’s old T-shirts.
“The following day a package arrived from my grandfather. Inside was my Gifted necklace, a one-way plane ticket to Salt Lake City, and Ev’s phone number. A note within the box said, ‘do not bring anything else with you.’”
He took a deep breath and continued, “Ev has been my family ever since. She didn’t know who my grandfather was, and she didn’t know I was coming, but she took me under her wing and treated me like a son,” Luca said.
It was his turn to analyze his shoes as he told me these personal details about his life, but before he turned, I caught a glimpse of his face. I saw the pride of a lost boy who had to pick up the pieces of his life, and I saw the love and respect he felt for a woman who stepped in as a guardian.
Again, I realized this was a detail that Aunt Ev failed to mention. I didn’t want to ask any questions for fear it would sound like prying. He was opening up to prove he was genuine and sincere. It was more than I could have asked for.
Seeing that I understood, he said, “I bet Aunt Ev made her famous pancakes this morning. She's trying to win you over with food.” Luca laughed in fond admiration of Aunt Ev.
“Oh! You live in her house. Where were you this morning?” I asked. I had been such a mess when we came in from the airport. I couldn't remember if I had seen him. Then again, it was really late, and he might have been sleeping.
Luca looked content that he got me to talk. “I got up early this morning to set up for the retreat. My room is the one next to Max’s, but I am seriously considering asking Ev if she can move him far away from me,” he said. It made me happy to know he would be in close proximity during our stay in Salt Lake City.
“So is Chelsea okay with the fact that Max is still in love with you?” Luca asked, returning to the uncomfortable part of our conversation. I rolled my eyes and gave him a crooked smile.
“He's overly protective,” I said defensively.
“Ahh, yes, but you didn't deny that he was still in love with you,” Luca said, smugly folding his arms around his knees. “Then again, everyone is in love with you. You are an Elste,” he added, and I almost snorted.
“That’s doubtful,” I responded and copied his pose by bringing my knees up to my chest.
“I'm guessing Max isn’t the one who broke your heart,” he whispered, trying not to upset me. I shook my head once and then buried it in my arms.
“That guy is an idiot,” Luca whispered fiercely.
Maybe Luca was right. What type of person would leave me in all this pain without an explanation?
* * * *
Chapter Sixteen: Mighty Meta Strength
I sat in the passenger seat of Luca’s red Jeep Cherokee on the way home from the retreat. Although the vehicle was over ten years old, you could see the pride in his eyes when he pointed it out in the parking lot. He informed us that he paid for the car with the money he saved while working last summer.
I found that being near Luca was comforting. Perhaps it was the way his Gift dulled the pain, but also there was nothing about him that reminded me of my life with Justin. In fact, being around him made me feel lighter and happier.
Arriving at the house, we were greeted by the delicious smells of Aunt Ev’s cooking. Luca was right. She was trying to win us over through our stomachs. Dropping our coats into the closet in the front hallway, we all went straight to the kitchen.
“Hello my children, how was your first day at the retreat?” Aunt Ev asked eagerly as we took our spots on the stools around the island. Luca went directly to Aunt Ev, grabbed her face in his hands, and kissed both of her cheeks. She giggled and shooed him away, returning to her pot on the stove.
“Where’s Helen?” I asked Aunt Ev. I wanted to make sure she wasn’t still mad at me.
“She went out for a bit, but she will be back soon,” Aunt Ev replied, and then moving on to the topic she was really looking forward to hearing about. Was Helen roaming Salt Lake City by herself?
“Well?” Aunt Ev pressed expectantly, pausing to look at each of us. We were exhausted from meeting new people and practicing our Gifts.
“It was great,” Jaime offered. Aunt Ev looked disappointed in the lack of detail.
Jaime sent Aunt Ev a smile and tried again. “I can’t wait to call Emma tonight and tell her that our Great Aunt Evelyn is gifted,” she added, anticipating that Aunt Ev would be appreciative of the compliment.
“What?!” Chelsea shouted. She threw her hands in the air. “Your sister knows about the Gifted? That’s totally unfair!” Her hands slapped down on her legs in frustration.
The room was silent and still. No one wanted to be in Chelsea’s line of fire. Jaime leaned against the kitchen counter and asked calmly, “What’s unfair?”
Chelsea marched closer to Jaime. “That you get to make the rules up as we go along. Why is Emma allowed to hear about the Gifted, but my innocent baby sister, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, has to sit home and wonder what secrets I’m keepi
ng from her?” Chelsea violently gestured with her hands to prove her point.
If I wasn’t drowning in my own sadness the past day, I might have noticed how uncharacteristically quiet Chelsea had been. The pent-up frustration was finally reaching its breaking point.
“Chelsea, I meant that I was planning to tell Emma that Aunt Ev is talented. It was an honest mistake that I used the word gifted,” Jaime tried to explain, but Chelsea was already worked up.
“Who am I kidding? We are all keeping secrets, right? One day a long-lost relative passes on their jewelry and, ‘Surprise! You have a special Gift, but I’m sorry, I can’t tell you how it works. I can’t even tell you who sent it,’” Chelsea ranted. She turned on Aunt Ev. “You can’t even tell us that you started a Gifted community center, or let us know that there is an Elste living with you!” Chelsea crossed her arms over her chest and stood defiantly in the corner. She let out everything that was bottling up inside her.
“There, there, my dear. It is a lot to take in. Some things are better learned over time. Do you feel better now?” Aunt Ev asked to show the therapeutic explosion was appropriate. “Let's discuss it over dinner. A good meal always comforts me, and I made black bean and spinach lasagna.”
Luca moved from the counter and handed us each a plate of food. Chelsea reluctantly sat down at the table. We all relaxed and inhaled the scent of Aunt Ev’s cooking. The smell of the delicious homemade meal made my stomach growled. I covered it with my arms as I waited impatiently for everyone to get a serving.
Food was the best way to break the ice. Chelsea’s rant ended, but the questions were still lingering. Jaime’s eyebrows were pulled together in deep thought, deciding the best way to approach the topic.
She took one bite of lasagna and let out an “Mmhhh,” of satisfaction. Then, she smiled and asked, “Aunt Ev, why didn’t you ever get married? My mom told me that you had a slew of admirers.” The question seemed to surprise everyone. Aunt Ev blushed and her lips tilted upward, but she didn’t look away.
