Chapter 15 #3
Our moms were sisters, looked very similar despite having different fathers themselves, and were once incredibly close. Both were Central Bonds and found their Bonded while in college, which is where the first fractures in my family began.
My mom’s Bond Group was more conventional and highly celebrated, not just by their parents but by the Gifted community, thanks to all three Gifted being from Top Tier families.
An elemental Central being Bonded to two Healers, both men who work tirelessly to serve the community. On paper, it was a fairytale romance.
Aunt Lacey was Bonded to Robert, a Neuro from a Lower Tier family whose greatest strength was being able to gauge dispositions, and to an Empath named Abigail, another Lower Tier Gifted who is prone to bursting into tears the moment she walks into a cafe because, chances are, there’s someone in the building having a crisis she can’t block out.
I grew up hearing whispers and snide comments from the more traditional Top Tier Gifted families about them, and it only got worse after Daniel and Jessica were born—Aunt Abbie’s children.
Even after Aunt Lacey had Toby, there were rumors about her Bonded preferring each other over her and other complaints about defying tradition, but it never made any sense to me.
Uncle Rob and Aunt Abbie both look at Aunt Lacey like she’s the center of their world, like their happiness can only exist with her, and though I’m not stupid enough to not know where the hell babies come from, I’m also smart enough not to snoop after what happens in any Bonded Group’s bedroom.
All I know for sure is no matter the opinions of others, their household has always been a happy one.
Mine wasn’t so lucky.
That's not to say that I had a bad childhood, not at all. I was very lucky to grow up with everything I could've ever asked for; two parents who loved me from Top Tier families, generational wealth that meant I never wanted for anything, and the support of my entire community.
It was small things that others wouldn’t notice so easily but became more obvious as I grew up.
My mom was never quick to smile. She was filled with anxieties about the smallest things, hovered over me constantly and would fuss for days if I got hurt or sick.
She also hated loud noises, badly enough that I did my best not to make them around her.
My dad went above and beyond to make up for it, but I could see the difference between my aunt’s family and mine.
Losing her other Bonded before I was born broke something in my mom, and my dad dying finished it off.
So why is Toby coming to me?
The doors burst open and the locker room quickly begins to fill with my teammates as the clock runs down toward game time.
It's obvious how badly I needed the breather when they all shoot me careful looks as they head to their own lockers to finish getting ready for the game.
Thankfully, it no longer has me writhing in frustration and shame.
Instead, I'm able to shoot a wry smirk at Felix when he raises his eyebrows at me in question, shrugging it off as though it’s all nothing.
I feel a little guilty knowing he wouldn't be so friendly if he knew how much I was cursing Sage out in my head each day, but it's impossible not to drown in my jealousy.
Watching her interact with my Bond so easily is torture, especially when Oli has made it clear that she would rather peel her own skin off layer by layer than speak to me with even a fraction of that same warmth.
Shit.
I’m about to lose my head over her all over again.
Martinez and Luke both jump a mile as I stand abruptly from where they’re digging into their own lockers, terrified I’ll Shift and murder them both where they stand.
Smirking until I’m sure the points of my very human teeth will peek out, I stalk out into the hallway to find Toby and figure out what the hell is going on with him.
He’s already out there waiting.
His clear desperation is freaking me out, so unlike the casual kid I grew up with. We've seen each other a handful of times in the last two years, almost all of them at football games where we were playing against each other, and he only ever greeted me with an easy grin and calm demeanor.
Standing there in his uniform, helmet in hand, Toby is sweating and shaking. He looks like a mess, like he’s coming down from something, but when he glances at one of the coaching staff and smiles at them, they let him go easily. Maybe I’m the only one who can see it.
“Tobes, what’s going on?”
His nickname slips out easily, as though we spent last weekend together throwing the ball around and two years hadn’t passed since then.
His head jerks up at the sound of my voice, and he is all but tripping over his feet to stalk over to me. “Gabe! Shit, man, I thought I’d missed you! How’ve you been?”
Weird. My eyebrows twitch downward, but when his eyes widen a fraction, I play along. “Sorry, man, I was just getting my head in the game. Are you here to try to get in my head, because you should know by now that I’m not that easy.”
He huffs out a laugh, glancing around us both at the other Gifted in the hallway
“Nah, I just wanted to come say hi. It’s been a while, I’ve been busy on the sites.”
That has my eyebrows raising. “You’re working? I thought you weren’t going to until after college.”
He shrugs. “My dad’s been helping your uncle a lot lately, things have been harder since your dad—shit, anyway, I’ve been going with him for some extra cash.”
He ducks his head, clearly knowing he’s fucked up, but then he’s back to his story like nothing happened. “A lot of new crews are out that way, thanks to the kidnappings. It’s been a big help—and fun learning from new people. Gifted want to stick closer to our own, if you get my meaning.”
I don’t, not even a little bit, but I nod along like this isn’t the strangest fucking thing. He gives me a curt nod back like we’ve come to an agreement, absolutely insane considering how lost I am, but then he claps me on the shoulder.
“Good to see you, Gabe.”
Then he stretches out his hand like it’s the most natural thing, like this isn’t the first time we’ve ever shaken hands, but I take it without so much as an eyebrow twitch.
He hands me a slip of paper.
My bond tugs in my chest.
At first I think it’s in warning or frustration at whatever the hell is going on here, but when I glance up, I find my Bond standing across the hallway staring at Toby. Then our gazes collide and my heart stops dead in my chest.
Her hair is purple.
The color isn’t, like, neon or anything, more a light tint like old ladies get, but instead of looking stupid or childish, my Bond is radiant.
It makes her eyes practically glow, the blue fire in them has me absolutely enraptured from across the hall.
My heart finally remembers it’s purpose and begins to thump wildly in my chest. She’s gorgeous, fucking stunning, and unquestionably perfect for me. Mine.
Caught off guard by her appearance, the startled fear that suddenly fills her eyes has my bond responding with seething fury in an instant, too fast for me to do a thing to stop it. It spirals so quickly that it takes me a minute to get under control.
By the time I’m level again, Oli is gone.