Gifted Connections 1

“You know,” I stated, “she is sitting right here. She should be included in the conversation about her and she doesn’t appreciate when people are knocking down doors every time she has a private moment. It’s embarrassing enough for her that she is supposed to be…connected with six different guys and eventually may form intimate relationships with them!” I stood up embarrassed, furious, and scared.

I stormed out of the room. I couldn’t handle the one gift I had, now I might have to deal with two more.

“Blake!” Noah came after me, calling my name. “We didn’t mean to exclude you from the conversation, we didn’t do it intentionally. We’re just as afraid as you are.”

I whirled on him. “Go fly a kite, Noah,” I said through clenched teeth. “Aren’t you late for your date with Stacey? I’m sure she’s going to be ticked off at you once more because I intruded into your private time!”

I stomped up to my room to change my underwear. I stomped back down to the music room after changing and didn’t even bother warming up as I went straight to playing Modest Mussorgsky’s, “Night on the Bald Mountain.” It was angry, it was upset, and it was like a storm raging across the sea. Huge waves threatening to sink a ship. I felt like that ship being tossed around by the waves and the storm.

Drake came into the room timidly as I was finishing the peace. “Ummm, Blake, can you come with me?”

“No,” I said with shortness. “I need to practice. My audition is tomorrow and I need to make sure my piece is perfect.”

“I think it’s important that you follow me,” he said insistently.

Reluctantly, I stood up and followed him. He led me to the backyard where I was filled with confusion.

Noah was flying a kite, he looked like he had been crying. A pink Hello Kitty kite was soaring in the air, pink and white ribbons trailing behind it.

Will stood with his hand raised towards the kite, he gave me a stern look that I was confused about. Jaxson, Jemmy, a

nd Troy were laughing as Jaxson recorded Noah with his phone.

“What’s going on?” I asked, confused.

Drake looked at me. “We were wondering the same thing. You left pretty angrily earlier and next thing you know Noah’s tearing through the garage looking for a kite.”

“I forgot I even had it,” Jemmy giggled.

“He was getting upset when the kite wouldn’t fly, there’s no wind,” Drake further elaborated.

“We had to get Dad,” Jax said between his laughter.

“Did you tell him to fly a kite?” Will asked gently.

“I-” I started, but my eyes widened when I remembered. I was angry at him and I had told him to go fly a kite. It was just a term, I didn’t mean to make him take it literally.

I ran over to him and embraced him. “Oh, Noah, I’m so sorry. You don’t have to fly a kite. I was just scared, and I lashed out at you. You can stop,” I told him. He didn’t. I put all my feelings in the next words, “Please, Noah, you can stop!”

Noah suddenly deflated.

“I’m sorry,” I hugged his waist. “I’m so, so sorry. I had no right to lash out at you angrily because I was scared and frustrated.”

Noah pulled me in close. “It’s okay, dear. I understand and it’s not fair for me to want a relationship with you while keeping Stacey around for….” He blushed as he looked around. “Convenience.”

Jemmy, Jax, and Troy started laughing.

I turned and blushed at Will. “So, it looks like I owe you some more money. I kind of picked up pyrokinesis and scorched your dryer.”

“How-” he held his hand up to me. “Never mind, I don’t need to know. So now you have the gift of compelling people, pyrokinesis, and you’re a partial empath.” He blew out a deep breath. “How were you able to reign in the gift today?”

“Troy talked me through it like Jace talked me through it yesterday,” I explained to him.

“Troy,” Will said. “When you talked her through your gift, is that how you control it?”

He nodded, understanding lighting in his eyes. “Yes, it’s exactly how I extinguish a flare-up. Not everyone controls their gifts the same, but it seems like you,” he looked over at me, so I knew he had taken my earlier words to heart, “can control our gifts the way we control them.”

“Shall we go inside and see if we can work on it? Blake, you’re going to be starting a new school tomorrow. Your emotions will be a rollercoaster. Maybe we should begin working on them today,” Will suggested.