Revision 1.0 - 19 January, 2018

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Chapter 2

I watched as she slammed the door to our future together shut in agony. Was she really rejecting me? I knew I had fucked everything up but I didn't know just how badly until now. She didn't want me. Well, actually, she didn't understand it, that much was clear. How doesn't she understand? Anger bubbles up inside of me. Did her parents not tell her what she was? Were her parents hiding from the Net? It'd make sense since Mom couldn't find them on it; Sky obviously had no clue what she was, her parents had not told her anything about the Savant life or even how to control her gifts. What if her gifts were as powerful as Yves'? A power like that and having no clue on how to control it would be dangerous. To herself and to everyone around her, just hearing about the stories of Yves as a toddler told me that.

I had to find out how much she knew of the Savant life, even if she didn't want me she was my soulfinder I would do anything to protect her. I scanned the area of her house with determination, looking for a way to get Sky's attention when all of a sudden a light flicked on in the front bedroom next to an apple tree. Was that Sky's bedroom? It must be.

I glanced at the branches of the trees. They looked pretty sturdy. I could make it up there without making a fool of myself, I walked towards the tree and started to scale it without difficulty until I was outside of her window.

I really hoped it was Sky's bedroom and not her parents, I don't think I could make it back from having her Dad open their curtains to find their daughter's soulfinder sat in their apple tree.

I contemplate how to get Sky's attention when suddenly, the curtain draws back to reveal a scared Sky gripping onto the edge of the fabric.

"Sheesh!" She puts her hand on her chest before throwing up the window. "What are you doing there? Get down, go away!"

I wasn't expecting her to be happy to see me but still, her rejection still hurt. I got ready to jump through her window.

"Invite me in." I internally cringed as soon as I said that line. What was I doing?

"Stop—get down!" she hissed, looking down at the ground then back at me. Does she- does she care?

I wonder if I should get Simon. The sliver of hope I just had disappeared.

"No, don't get your dad. I need to talk to you."

Sky flapped her arms at me. "Go away! I don't want you here."

I sighed, giving up on the idea of forcing my way into the house and just made myself comfortable on the branch. "I know." Why didn't I see it before? It's clear to me now that she doesn't know what a soulfinder is. Maybe there's hope for us yet. "Sky, why don't you know you're a savant?"

"I can't answer that when I don't understand the question." I watch her contemplate on shutting the window, I will her not to.

"You heard me speaking to you—in your head. You didn't just follow my hint, you heard words." I had to get her to understand, even if it was just the basics. Even that was a start.

Sky's eyes widen in confusion. "I…I…"

You answered me. I spoke gently into her mind. "All savants can do it."

I went too far, I saw that as soon as I saw her shut down, shaking her head in denial.

"I'm not hearing anything." She lied. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

I sigh again. "I can see that and I have to know why." Obviously, her parents never used their gifts around her or only one of her parents is a Savant and was hiding it from the family? I'd have to see how much Sky knows until I went and asked Dad what he thinks.

"I'm sure that's very fascinating but it's late and I want to sleep. So…um…goodnight, Zed. Let's talk about this some other time." Like never.

I frown at the thought that leaked into my head; she's not even going to listen to what I have to say? I fold my arms. "You won't even give me a hearing?"

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm your soulfinder."

She pointed at me and glared. "Stop that, I don't understand you." She lowered her hand. "You're nothing to me. You're rude, cold and you don't even like me and have taken every opportunity to criticize me."

Her words cut me like a knife, I try to remind myself that she's angry and deep down I know she doesn't mean what she's saying but the words circle around in my head, tainting my thoughts. You're nothing to me…

"So, that's what you think of me?" I asked dejectedly, bracing myself for the reply.

She nodded. "Maybe this is, I dunno, your latest plot to humiliate me in some way—pretending you like me."

I laugh brokenly. "You really don't like me, do you? Great, my soulfinder doesn't understand the first thing about me."

"What's there to understand? Jerks are pretty easy to read."

I start towards the window again I had to get her to stop trying to block every attempt I make in trying to explain to her the situation.

She takes a step back suddenly scared. "Get out of my tree." She says shakily pointing to her gate.

I take a moment to look at her before I do what she says, there's no point in scaring her any more than I already have, that isn't going to get her to accept me. "OK," I say softly, "but this isn't over, Sky. We've got to talk."

"Get out."

"I'm going." I take one more look at her before dropping out of her tree. I wait until she's locked the window before I stalk off, angry with myself for how that turned out.

When I had got home I found the lights off meaning everyone had gone to bed. Happy with this, I quietly made my way into the house unaware of my brother sat on the staircase until the lights switched on, alerting me that I wasn't alone in the hallway.

"And just where have you been, young man?" Xav said imitating our mother's stern voice perfectly, if I wasn't so annoyed with myself I would have probably cracked a smile.

"Not in the mood, Xav." I grind out walking past the staircase to the kitchen, hoping Xav got the message and went back upstairs.

"Hey, don't walk away from me. I want a word with you!" he replied, following me into the kitchen.

"Here, have two bro: Piss off."

"Nice. What's crumpled your corn?"

"Nothing, Xav. Just go to bed." I sigh, sitting down in one of the chairs and putting my face in my hands, I've made such a mess of things.

Xav sits down in the seat next to me and places a hand on my shoulder. "You can tell me you know? I won't judge you…at least not openly." I crack a smile from underneath my hands. "What's got you down?"

I might as well tell him, couldn't hurt my chances with her anymore. I'll keep the soulfinder part to myself though, better safe than sorry. "There's this girl-"

Xav chokes on his laughter. "I'm sorry, what?"

"What happened to the no judging?" I muttered.

"I said I wouldn't judge—and I'm not—teasing, however, is another thing entirely." He ruffles my hair with his hand, which I slap away impatiently. "So are you going to tell me what's up with this girl?"

"Are you going to tease me?"

"Probably."

"Then no." I grinned.

"Oh come on! Fine, I'll try not tease you. Happy? Now tell me."

"I like her—a lot—and she hates me." It sounded petty to even myself. "I've really made a mess of things. She refers to me as 'Wolfman' in her thoughts."

"You should know right now how hard it is not to tease you."

"Great, you're really helpful." I mutter sarcastically.

"Well, it's quite simple isn't it?" Xav said happily, "Show her you're not the Wolfman she's thought you out to be."

"You think I haven't tried that? She won't have it. Thinks I'm only doing it to humiliate her in front of everyone." I cringed as I remembered that piece of information.

"Sheesh, Zed. What did you do to the girl?"

"Nearly drowned her due to a late premonition during activities day."

"Ouch. Kinda hard to come back from."

"Thanks, that's very touching to know."

"Hey, I said its kinda hard to come back from, not impossible. There's a simple solution to all of this."

"I'm all ears."

"Start fresh with her." He said with a shrug.

"You say that like it's so easy."

"It is easy."

Out of options, I guess this couldn't hurt, maybe she'd even like it. "Do you think it'll work?"

"Yeah, I think it could."

"Thanks, man, I'll give it a go. Wouldn't hurt to try."

"Awesome. Now I'm going to go to bed before all the teasing comments I've held in burst out of me. G'night."

"Night."

With a new plan on how to win over my soulfinder in my mind, I let a happy smile slip onto my face before going to bed myself.

A/N: Thank you for reading!