I was so astonished. There was no holding back my exclamation. Metal manipulation. That was amazing. I’d seen what she’d done to the men’s guns earlier, and it gave me a new sense of awe for this woman. Not only was she beautiful, but she was a badass.
“I used to think the power was pointless. What use did I have for manipulating metal? But when I started to learn about metal, it all just clicked for me. I focus on using my powers for good, heading the robotics department.” She was looking down at the snowflake, and it began floating in her palm, just like the real snowflake I’d floated in mine yesterday.
“It’s a badass power that’s for sure.”
Her head came back up and she looked at me with that almost smile on her lips.
“What about you? Do you like having power over water?”
Her question was completely innocent, but I was taken back to the moment of being stabbed and dying.
I was willing to open up to this girl, but the weight of what was happening settled in my gut. I’d given myself over to the Hero Society to help like I’d done before, for a few bites of information about her. I’d accepted my power, but now I would be using it—just like the last time I stayed and fought. And died. Sweat broke out on my head, and I reached up to run my fingers through my hair nervously.
“It’s pretty sweet. Sorry about being abrupt, but I gotta go. I’m glad you’re okay, and I would like to see you again.” I had already written my name and number down on a piece of paper Pops had brought me.
Gwendolyn’s cheeks flushed, and she stood.
“Sounds good. It was nice meeting you.”
I prayed my little random weirdness didn’t freak her out, but I had to go and sort my head out.
“It was amazing meeting you. Here’s my number. Hit me up anytime.” I smiled and walked closer to hand her the paper. She took it quickly and stood there looking like she was unsure of what she wanted to do or say.
Taking a chance, I decided I had to do something to make sure she knew I was into her. So, I leaned in for a hug, during which she stood still as a statue in my arms.
Shit.
“I’m sorry. I—” I felt like an idiot, taking a step back out of her personal space. I just needed to leave, but she cut me off.
“It’s not you. Sorry. I just…Hell. I just don’t do well with people and stuff. I wasn’t expecting a hug and froze; I’m not used to being touched, and normally I don’t like it. But you smell good, and are really sweet, and look like you play beach volleyball, and I’d like to try again.”
I didn’t get another word in before she was awkwardly trying to hug me. I’ll be damned if I didn’t wrap my arms back around her and smell her sweet scent of geraniums. My mom used to have a big batch of them in her garden every spring. Gwendolyn reminded me of home. The warmth, the feelings of being around people who care about you.
She pulled back, and I was forced to let her go.
“Okay then. I’ll see you some other time.” She did what she wanted, and now I was logically supposed to leave like I said I would.
I wanted to touch her more, feel her under my fingers, and surround myself in her floral scent.
But that would most likely freak her out.
“See you soon.” I made myself utter the words and left.
Chapter Nine
Gwendolyn
“You hugged him?” Lynn, my former guidance counselor who was sitting in my apartment, drinking tea, looked shocked after I just told her about my interaction with Arthur.
I nodded.
Lynn hadn’t changed much in the last few years. She was a little leaner now than before, and her hair was shorter, with some gray strands popping out of her pulled-back hairstyle, but otherwise was the same compassionate woman who had been there for me on my darkest day and ever since.
We met once a week to have tea and talk. Mostly she wanted to hear about how I was doing, and I tried to ask her questions, too. She knew I wasn’t that great at small talk, but I usually took thirty minutes before she came over to think of questions to ask her. She was helping me be the best Aspie I could be, and help me work with my powers, not against them.
She’d stayed to help kids at the high school who were coming into their powers, but it became too much for her to handle on her own. Rose, an empath from the Hero Society who majored in psychology, was now working with her, helping kids make it through what’s happening to them and figure out their place. It was nice knowing immediately that I wasn’t alone.
“That must have been hard for you. I’m very proud that you took that first step toward physical interaction with him.” She smiled and gave me a sweet look.
Part of me felt like I’d gotten a gold star, which made me feel good about myself.
“He was really nice and different. I’ve never noticed other men like I noticed him.” It was a thought that kept rolling through my head after he left. What was so special about him? I’d been around what most people would call attractive men, and I never even cared.
“You haven’t mentioned a man before in our time together like this. You seem...” She was thinking of a word she wanted to use. It was something she did often. Like a human thesaurus, always trying to use different words instead of simple ones repetitively.
“Flustered.”
Flustered was a wise choice. I felt off my game, but in a good way, I think.
“I can see that. I feel change.” Deep inside myself, there was a little nagging thought that change was coming for me. Change tended to freak me out; I was a creature of habit. These thoughts made me feel slightly scared of what would come, but a teeny part of me was curious about what could happen.
“You’ve been doing the same things for years: working, coming home, working at home, going for a run, and somewhere in that schedule you eat and sleep. Change is good. Especially if it gets you to open up more.” Hopeful. That was the look she had on her face every time she saw me.
“Maybe.” I shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about change and how boring my life is now that I heard her say it that way.
“I’ve been thinking about maybe going to the hero headquarters and taking some fighting lessons.” My fingers found the screw in my pocket, and I started to change the metal, feeling its cool surface beneath my touch. Fidgeting was helpful for me—it kept my brain focused while I talked about things that we hard.
“I think that is a very logical decision, especially with you joining their society. I heard about the bridge incident. You really saved some lives that day.”
I wanted to wrap my sweater over my head to hide from the embarrassment. I know I helped people, but I was still an awkward fool and snuck away to my Prius like an idiot. Hopefully having the magnetic motorcycle will help next time.
“You’ve really made some new leaps since I saw you last week. I think you are doing really well for yourself. Makes Mama Lynn proud.”
She sipped her tea, and I looked over to where Cora was chasing a robotic mouse I made for her. Compliments were not easily taken by me, but I still appreciated it.
“How’s having a team member been working out for you?” I decided to use question five off of my list now, so I didn’t run our conversation into the ground, leaving us in silence. That was the worst for me.