internal thoughts
Telepathic conversation
Enjoy.
The Leftovers
Becka Munroe sat on the edge of the bank, staring into the calm waters of the lake.
She sniffed the air to make sure she was alone.
Good. She could be emotional without harming a bunch of people.
How could she just lose it in a bar? She was going to kill those guys!
'And you seem to be losing it everywhere else.' Becka sighed. Yep, Rico for sure did not like her beyond friend and teammate.
And Oliver...
Distant lighting cracked in the sky somewhere. Oliver for sure loved Megan, the prettier, smarter girl in class.
At least No-Name had Pavel. Everyone had someone to like them.
Except me.
Becka stared at the water. Maybe like a leaf, all this sad stuff would get carried away.
Oliver LeBeau flew to the lake to clear his head. He liked the crowd normally, but today was too much.
When he touched down, he picked up another presence. Eyes sharp, he moved closer to the lake in a sneaky manner.
Somebody was going down.
1...2..3
A force pitched him in the air and tossed him. Oliver scrambled to right himself, floating on his back before he hit the ground. He manged an awkward landing on his feet.
"Oliver?" A distinctive female voice shot through the air. Becka ran over to him, black locs flying in the wind. "You alright?"
He brushed faux dust from his shirt. "How come I didn't detect it was you?"
She looked down, playing with her hands. "Sorry, I have been working with Ms. Betsy."
He nodded. A powerful telepath like Ms. Besty could help him horne his skills better since Megan's parents were moving away, his reason for abandoing the crowd.
"Don't sweat it. I means you are protecting yourself well from a psych attack." He surveyed his surroundings. "Why are you out here alone?"
"Thinking," she shrugged and looked out at the lake.
He felt her mind slip and asked for permission to talk telepathically. We don't have to talk out loud if you don't want to.
Why do you want to talk to me?
Because you're cool.
Becka covered a part of her face. Blushes? "Thanks. I think."
What?" He shrugged. "I didn't see anyone disagreeing."
She dropped her stare. Rico seems to.
About what?
Me being cool. Me being anything.
Becka shook her head.
A chilly breeze shot shot through him, forcing him to hug himself. "Umm, is it cold or is that you?"
"Huh?"
"It's suppose to be 83 out." Oliver motioned to the sun beaming down on the mansion.
Realization colored her brown eyes. "Oh!"
The blast of artic air disappeared. Oliver thanked God. "I think you mayyybee need to work on the whole weather-emotion thing."
"I'm sorry, Oli."
"And stop being sorry." He laughed. "I know you're working on things." Oliver guided her back to the lake. "Why don't we sit then talk only if you want to."I'm
She gave him a small smile. "I would like that."
It felt like hours, but Becka knew time just stopped when Oliver was around.
People stopped for him. Villians, deities, girls...Maybe he was just born to be awesome. His parents were.
And then there was her.
She sighed. Her mom was a beautiful mutant treated like royalty and raised on a pedestal. How in the world was she so...plain?
What's up?
She startled briefly only to realize he was still sitting in the grass next to her. How could she forget he was here?
Her head raced for a thousand safe things to waste time talking about when he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I would ask a penny for your thoughts, but looks like it'll be a dollar."
"You're in my head. I don't have to tell you..."
"Actually, I stopped. I only do what you let me."
Oh great, Becka felt thunder cracking somewhere. Her mind wandered into a place she guessed if he ever reached, he'll surely be embarrassed.
He took one of her hands and rubbed the top of it with his thumb. "Seriously, what's up? Is it the Rico thing?"
Becka wanted to pull away, finding herself starting into his eyes, one caramel-colored brown and one pure white. Was he pulling her energy? Maybe he was since words spilled from her mouth. "I feel like the leftovers, Oli. Everyone comes and gets the good part of me then the part they don't want is still there, so eventually they'll throw it away."
He looked into the sky and blanched. Severe storm clouds had to be throwing the local weather reporter in a fit. Becka took a deep breath and waited. Mintues later, the storm had passed and the warm sunshine came back.
"I...should stop talking..."
He was calm as he watched her focus on a fish jumping in the lake. But her thoughts had his telpethaic probing scambling.
Try kissing her again. That seems to work.
Oliver had to shut that thought down. Fast.
His own head had gone rogue on him.
He could make a little suggestion...
You know better. Give her a choice.
Oliver frowned. No way was he going to manipulate the situation. Besides, he wanted to do the supportive friend thing so he needed to get his hormones in check.
Yeah. Just hormones.
Megan's departures left him with all kind of feels.
"I'm sorry-I mean, I apologize for dumping my negativity all over you."
Oliver came out his head and gave Becka his full attention. "Dump all you want." The thumb thing seemed to be working. "And leftovers? Seriously?"
"If I were some starry-eyed blonde waif, I wouldn't be sitting out here alone."
Oliver felt torn. While he witnessed up front how decent of a guy Rico could be with Becka, some starry-eyed blond waif did get his attention currently.
"I'm sure Brianna or Brittney is temporary-"
She held up her other hand. "I'm ok. We'll just be friends."
He didn't miss the edge to her words. Or the sudden disappointment of his own heart. Was he disappointed? Was she only gonna to be friends with him too?
Whoa, whoa, whoa! You and Megan broke up like a week ago and you already on the hunt?
He snapped his head into attention. "Sorry I don't have a magic word to say so you feel better."
"This makes me feel better." Becka assured him with a genuine smile. "Thank you."
He bit his lip and looked down. This was spiraling into something confusing. All he wanted to do was get away from the breakup crap and clear his mind when Becka managed to flood it without one use of her powers. Lips full and soft, cool hair, honest eyes...
"I'm glad." He scolded himself. The catch in his voice bothered him. The selfish need to touch her hand had made him weak somehow. Could he use his powers in reverse to drain himself?
He placed her hands back in her lap carefully, determined to be better than his dad's warnings. Don't be a dog in heat sniffing these females. Use those ears to listen to a femme first.
He stood to his feet, shoving his hands into his pockets. "And stop thinking your somebody's leftovers. You're the cool stuff they place on the top shelf. Don't believe otherwise."
Becka couldn't hold back her tinge of sadness. Why did he let her hands go? She got up. "I should let you get back."
"I wasn't going anywhere special. Had to clear my head too."
She opened her mouth then closed it. No, asking about Megan was not cool.
It's okay. You can ask me about her.
Becka blinked, realizing she had let Oli in her mind. Did she want to go?
Yeah. In a way. She's excited to see the world. But, not to leave her friends and me.
I mean, I know you two could stay in touch...
She saw his frown. She's already broken her bond with me way long before her parents announced the move to Europe.
I am so sorry.
"It was going to happen." He answered out loud. "All good things come to an end I guess." He gave her a smile that mirrored sunshine. "Guess we're both dealing with being the leftovers."
She remembered how wild gossip flew around their school. A group of girls cried tears of joy once Megan confirmed she was going to Europe because of her parents' missions.
"No one sees you as leftovers. You're the best." She hoped he didn't pick up on her savoring his best: tall, lean muscles, great hair.
"Thanks for the confidence booster. Besides, everything I need seems to be right here."
The strangest thrill hit her chest. She felt like floating away. "I hope I...it helped. Heartbreak sucks."
You can't control everything. It's cool. Just kick butt as an X-Man and we're good.
I think I can do that.
Don't waste your time crying about dudes either.
Every if he's your best friend?
Especially Rico or me.
She blinked. Why did he mention himself? I can't help but think about you. Becka's hand shot to cover her mouth. "I'm...that didn't come out the right way."
Oliver gently pulled her by the waist toward him, close enough to smell Cool Water and a tangle of emotions she couldn't pick up on. Why was her heart racing?
Why don't you think people will stay around? Why would we leave you?
Her chest felt heavy. Maybe a fear of him walking off popped up. "Everybody leaves me."
Your mom didn't have a choice. Oliver reached over and swept one of her locks behind her ear. We do.
A choice of what? Being happy? Controlling my emotions? Being good enough?
She flinched when she felt him brush a tear from her eye. I wish you saw what I saw.
You're already reading my mind. What's new? She hoped her joke would deflect him from all the inner tumoil she unwillingly made visible on the summer sky.
That one day you drink the Kool-Aid long enough to know people care about you.
The wind picked up around them. Why did she feel so out of control?
"Becka, I do care about you."
She pulled away from him, too shamed to look him in the eye. Might as well get the next heartbreak over with. "I know you kissed me outside of that bar to calm me down. Nothing else."
He tilted her face toward his and leaned down, whispering. "This isn't for nothing."
The next time Oliver opened his eyes, Becka was giving him the same wide-eyed shock she did after he had kissed her the first time. He knew the mysterious black tattoos appearing on her arms and orange irises meant she was spiralling.
Today, though, he didnt have a good enough excuse about 'helping her.' He wanted to kiss her.
Oliver felt like he had been thrown into the raging sea instead of watching wind stir up the lake when he kissed her a third time. She slipped her arms around his neck as he took his time to taste her lips.
He wasn't sure if they were canceling each other's powers out or intensifying them or what... What was growing were all the crazy emotions they both had. A glimspe into her head meant figuring out his best friend wasn't the only guy she had been pining for.
Oliver finally pulled back long enough to breathe. "Becka?"
Her eyes fluttered open. "Yeah?"
Oliver ran his thumb across her lips, "Don't hold back on the good part. I'm not."