25
Julia
After almost twelve hours of lovemaking and shooting lights like a seventies disco with only a few snoozing breaks in between, I’d have thought Nathaniel and I would be spent. But no. We both vibrate with energy. We are charged with it.
“Want to go for a hike?” I ask after a slippery round in the shower.
“That sounds good. Lord knows if we get back in that bed, I’m just going to want to go again and I think there has to be a point where our bodies will start to protest.”
“Where’s Lincoln?” I ask.
“I texted him yesterday during a break.” He flushes and it’s so cute I fight to not kiss him. “I asked him to give us some alone time.”
“I’m sure that went well.”
“He responded with a green puke face.”
I borrow some shorts—that are almost pants on me—and a shirt and we head out to the trail not far from his house. Another perk of mountain town living.
The fresh air and the sun feel good. I feel amazing.
We bound up the trail, talking nonstop and I realize the two of us could probably source a nuclear reactor with our energy. Would it be like this forever for us? Weekends in bed and hiking. We were going to need to add another hobby to the mix if that’s the case. Something like sprint running or kickboxing. Can I really let myself have these dreams?
“When did you first know about your powers?” he asks a few minutes in.
I think about it. “Somewhere around thirteen?”
“Did something trigger them? Or did they appear one day, like acne?” he asks.
I don’t always think about that time in my life. It was hard for me. When I hesitate he adds, “You don’t have to share if you aren’t comfortable.”
“No. It’s not that. It’s all sort of a blur. My grandparents took me in when I was really little. My parents died in a car accident.”
His eyebrows furrow in concern. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. It’s weird, but I don’t feel like I ever knew them. I was like, four when my grandparents adopted me. I don’t remember anything before that. They were good people. I was very close to them.”
My throat tightens so I focus on walking for a little bit. All is silent except our breaths and the crunching earth.
I clear my throat. “I don’t remember the first time exactly. Looking back, there were probably little signs, like the shocks and whatnot, that I dismissed. But then there was a bad incident.”
He grabs my hand and squeezes as I continue. “I was always a little different. Nerdy. Being raised by people an entire generation older than other kids’ parents will do that. I liked to watchMurder, She Wroteand knit. One day, these mean girls were picking on me before a dance recital. And I snapped. Normally, I turned the other cheek per Grandma Sue’s advice. But that day, I just couldn’t take it.”
“What happened?”
“I started a fire. Backstage. They said I did it on purpose but I could tell they were scared of me. I almost got in real trouble but a custodian was nearby and said that it was an electrical fire. Technically that was true.”
“That’s rough.” His face is mournful with sympathy when I glance over.
“Yeah. That was the first time we moved. And then every year or so after that.”
“That had to be so hard on you. I’ve lived here most my life except for college, but even then I came back home often to check on Lincoln.”
“I just wanted to fit in so bad. To be normal, you know?”
He looks at me sadly. “I completely understand.”
“When I was seventeen, I met a guy. I really liked him. Things were moving fast with him. For me, at least. I wanted to stay where we were in Austin. I asked my grandparents—begged them—but they wouldn’t relent.”
