I feel awful. Tumblr and Twitter are stabbing me repeatedly. Nonetheless, I have updated Insight, Roses and Blood AND this in the same week. GIVE ME MY FAHKING MEDAL. (Jk)

The shortness of this chapter is homework's fault. And my birthday's fault. (February 27th, madafakas), but my family was forced to celebrate it today, for scheduling reasons. And it's been forever since I've last updated, so this is like MY birthday present to YOU guys. Makes no sense? Well, that's swell.

Ally POV

"Again," Austin told me, not impressed by my lack of skill.

We were standing in my backyard after school, planning to see if I could try to get more than just smoke to rise from my fingers. Neither of us were expecting anything big, like when the lighter caught fire to me.. but it was more of a tutoring session. I love it when I can relate something to educational studies.

I inhaled calmly, my eyes closed. Austin stood behind me, palm poised over my shoulder. I felt his hot breath on my neck, because my hair was still put up. Ignoring the heat of his breath, I stood straight, feeling the autumn breeze bustle around me from the outdoors.

"This time, try to let my heat collide with yours," Austin instructed. I nodded, feeling my hair bounce.

"If it doesn't work, go back to self manipulation. Let yourself get angry. Even over something stupid or what happened a long time ago." he explained, hand still readied above my shoulder.

"Got it," I muttered. Taking in another breath, I awaited for the slightly chilling shock of his hand. Although he was using as much heat as he could muster, it wasn't warm like what I felt from the lighter's use.

Unexpectedly, he clamped his hand down on my shoulder. Feeling the almost icy touch, I followed his previous instructions from minutes before, reaching my right arm back and placing my hand over his. Trying to distract myself from the surge of energy that ran up my arm from his contact with my hand, I tried to merge my warmth with his. We stood there for a few moments of silence.

"Nothing." he told me gruffly. I bit my lip from his tone of voice. "Go with the anger."

I nodded, slightly disappointed when I had to lower my hand back down to my side. I thought of things that maybe angered me. Besides the heat surges that made me go off my rocker, I never truly got angry. At anything.

Instead of anger, I went for sadness.

Austin POV

The heat merge didn't work. Well, shit. "Nothing," I told her, feeling her soft hand in mine. "Go with the anger." Her ponytail bobbing as she nodded, she slowly dropped her palm to her side. Mentally burning myself for wanting her to hold my hand again, I awaited for her to try something else.

Silently, she raised her head up a bit. Probably trying to find something that angered her. Immediately, I stepped back a foot. Her fists clenched, I heard her take a deep breath.

For a second time that day, smoke rose from her fingertips, making thin, gray clouds spiral around her. No flames, just smoke.

She released shaky breaths, like she was struggling. My eyebrows furrowing, I figured she was in pain. "Stop, stop, let it go!" I demanded, worry rising in my throat. Ally collapsed onto the ground before me; onto her knees, forcing air into her lungs.

My mouth slightly agape, I took one step forward. She gasped in her breaths, sounding like she was sobbing. I remained alert, making sure if she was just caught off guard or really hurt.

Without my assistance, she got to her feet. Standing like a warrior in a field, she stepped upwards 3 feet and turned to face me. Hands shaking, I saw a small, bright orange dot forming in the center of her palm..

I took a few steps back, not sure of what she was doing. Her eyes full of sharpness and brightness, she rose her hand up for me to see. Surely enough, a small ember had lit onto her palm.

Astonished, I stepped up to her, taking her wrist lightly and bringing it up closer. Focusing on her face, I noticed she was smiling. It warmed my heart enough to raise a corner of my mouth. A shadow of relief cast over me.

"What about the heat merge?" she asked me. I blinked a numerous amount of times. Maybe so. "Here," I let her hand go, but she still had it raised to her chest level. Raising my hand up to hers, I let myself flare up to have a small orb light my palm.

We responded to one another like a mirror, holding up our flaming hands together, our palms flattened. She followed my hand movements, slowly pushing our inner flames closer together.

We were forming a fire ball.

Dundiggitydorks. Okay, this chapter was horribly short. My dearest apologies for that. I really wanted to update it for you guys, and this is all I gave you. Sorreh. 8c

Credits:

[1]: I DO NOT OWN AUSTIN AN ALLY!

[2]: The "Again," line is from Twilight, kinda/sorta. You know, in Eclipse, during the training sequence? Ya, that.

Hugs and Auslly;

Valerie x