Chapter 18
“Here, have some water.” Samson held out a glass.
Esmie crouched with her hands on her knees, panting.
Samson not only had her honing her newfound powers, but he also made her exercise with him.
Exercise wasn’t a foreign concept to Esmie, but kickboxing was.
Samson first taught her boxing, then kicking moves to protect herself.
While she was awkward, he flowed with the movements as if it came natural to him.
She may have had him demonstrate for her a few times more than she needed, just to watch his body flex and move.
The yearning to touch him clouding her focus a few times.
“Why do I need to learn how to kickbox again?” Esmie chugged the water.
“Your brother and I agreed the last couple of days have warranted you learning how to defend yourself with more than just using your powers.”
“You really think things will deteriorate more than this?” Esmie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, catching her breath.
“Yes. We both do.” Samson crossed his large arms over his chest. She forced her gaze to his face and not on his bulging, beautiful pecs. “Now, move the furniture back to its original position before your brother comes home and loses his mind.”
“Can’t I take a longer break?” Esmie whined.
Samson shook his head. When they started, Samson showed Esmie how to use her powers to move the furniture against the wall by the bedroom so they could work out in the open space.
It was amazing how much he knew about powers and how to control them for someone who didn’t have any.
She wondered how he was able to study them if people didn’t keep them long but before she could ask, his pointed stare enforced she needed to finish their lesson.
Esmie sighed then stretched her hand toward the furniture, the wall of glass at her back.
At Samson’s suggestion, she focused on the heavier pieces first so when she tired, it would be easier to move the lighter pieces.
Concentrating, Esmie focused first the couch.
She pictured in her mind that it was like a toy in her dollhouse, imagining picking it up with her hand and moving it to where she wanted it to go.
That was how Samson taught her. The couch wiggled then lifted into the air, moving at a slow pace while Esmie maneuvered it back in front of the tv.
She did the same with the love seat, then the table last. As the table lifted higher into the air it wobbled with one of its legs hitting the back of the love seat.
“Don’t lose your concentration,” Samson scolded.
“I’m not doing it on purpose. I’m tired.”
“Dig deeper. The more you push yourself past your limit of exhaustion, the more you will train your body toward endurance. It’s the same for both exercise and using your powers.”
The table tilted in the air. Esmie ground her teeth, concentrating on righting it back up and bringing it higher in the air to easily clear the love seat. When the table settled in front of the couch, Esmie blew out the breath she held from the exertion. Samson clapped his hands.
“I think I need another shower after all of this,” Esmie complained.
“You can shower up. That’s enough for today. I’ll heat up lunch.”
“I’m capable of cooking too, you know.” Esmie wiped the sweat from her brow, as Samson removed the nodes from her head, shoulders and forearms. Esmie forced herself not to shiver at his touch.
She didn’t want the nodes on, but Samson stated Leo had insisted they take readings so he could analyze them later.
“Didn’t say you couldn’t, but you’ve been working harder than I have so you earned a break.
Plus, I don’t mind and I know how to take care of myself.
” Samson moved into the kitchen, pulling out containers from the fridge.
“If it makes you feel better, I’m only heating up leftovers from last night.
You can also take down our makeshift curtains and put them away. ”
“My mother would flip if she knew you were constantly cooking for me,” Esmie stated, but went to the windows to take down the blankets and towels they haphazardly hung up using an old wire Samson found in Leo’s toolbox.
It wouldn’t matter to her mother if he was only heating up leftovers.
In her eyes, it was still cooking. A woman’s job.
Samson paused to stare at her, seeing if she was serious.
He shook his head, returning back to his task.
“Where I come from, men and women don’t follow the same societal norms you all have here.
Both learn how to cook, clean, and contribute.
You shouldn’t feel obligated to cook for me because I’m a man.
When I need you to cook, I’m sure you’ll do the same for me as I do for you.
Relationships are about giving, not just taking. ”
“So, we’re in a relationship now?” The words blurted out of Esmie’s mouth before she could stop them. Her face paled at the slip. Samson smirked and then had the nerve to wink at her.
“I wouldn’t know because I’ve never been in one before.”
Esmie’s mouth dropped open. “You don’t have a girlfriend?” She really needed to learn how to stop putting her foot in her mouth. Or keep herself from asking personal questions.
“Never had a chance to, with the life I’ve had, but it isn’t to say I wouldn’t mind.
Having a girlfriend who is pretty, can cook when I don’t, is extremely intelligent, and has powers?
I think I would be a lucky guy.” Samson chuckled at Esmie’s face that must be bright red from the heat she felt creep up her neck and into her cheeks.
“I-I’m going to go shower now.” Esmie practically sprinted from the room, snagging her suitcase and entering the shower, without even opening it to pull her toiletries out. She pushed her back against the door and hugged herself.
What in Elohim was she thinking? A relationship with Samson?
She could hardly keep her life together now, let alone balance a relationship on top of everything else.
Yet, the idea wove its way into her heart, planting itself inside.
Sure, she had liked guys in school before.
Innocent crushes with promises of more but nothing ever came of them.
Samson would be her first, and the thought didn’t bother her one bit.
In fact, it nestled against her chest, leaving her feeling warm and happy all over.
Now Esmie felt silly, rushing away from Samson’s compliments without even a thank you.
She ran a hand down her face. Why couldn’t she get it together with this guy?
Even in high school, she acted nonchalant and with ease around every guy, even the ones she had a crush on.
It was probably because Mindy would never let her live it down, if Esmie ever let on who her crush was or if she acted anything other than unfazed around guys.
Mindy was the definition of cool, calm, and collected around men.
If she saw how Esmie was reacting in front of Samson, Mindy would absolutely cringe. Esmie had to fix this.
Jumping in the shower, Esmie quickly freshened up, replacing her yoga pants and t-shirt with loose jeans and a fitted nice top, refreshing her makeup as well.
Esmie stepped out to find Samson on the couch, a tablet in his lap, and a sandwich in his hand.
Without looking up he pointed toward the kitchen.
“Yours is in there. Make sure to drink another glass of water.” Samson bit on the sandwich, his eyes flickering across the screen.
Esmie didn’t move, unsure how to bring up the past conversation again.
The moment didn’t feel right anymore, and saying “Hey, about what you said earlier, thanks, I think you’re handsome too and would love for us to have our first relationship together,” sounded cringe even to her ears.
When Samson continued to ignore her, Esmie huffed and entered the kitchen to eat the leftovers he set aside for her.
“What are you working on?” Esmie asked when she couldn’t take the silence anymore.
“I’m just uploading your results on my personal tablet to share with Leo later. Then I need to get some work done.”
“Is there anything standing out with the results?”
“Just that your body is responding well to the radiation sickness medication we gave you. Purple glass is tamping down, and it doesn’t appear to be spreading beyond the impact point.
I’ve been checking your vitals. You’re healthy and accepting purple glass so far. Why?” Samson paused to glance at her.
“Nothing. Only curious.”
“Are you hoping for a cure?”
“I’m not sure.” Esmie chewed her lip. “On one hand, it’s crazy having powers. I can do things I never imagined were possible. On the other hand, it’s scary to know I have this drug inside me with little to no research on what it could do to me.”
“Having powers is a pretty sweet deal. But I understand your concern for your health.”
“I think that is the one thing keeping me somewhat sane. Having powers. Then I think, what would I do with them anyway? Lifting furniture isn’t what I think people with powers would do.”
“Help people. It seems right up your alley.”
“Maybe. But if it means I have to have this purple slash on my face for the rest of my life, I don’t know if I could do it. The tradeoff wouldn’t be worth it.” Esmie touched the area where the purple invaded her face.
“It wouldn’t?” Samson stopped eating his sandwich to stare at her.
“No. I could never go back to a normal life again. I would be the odd person out. Everyone would stare at me, talk about me. My life would never be the same. Who would want to be with someone who has a face like this?” She pointed at her face for emphasis, willing herself not to become emotional.
“Personally, I think living a normal life is overrated.” Samson finished his sandwich, powered down the tablet, then walked down the hallway toward the bathroom.
Great, now she upset him for whatever reason.
Esmie turned back to her lunch, finishing it off, then washed her dish in the sink so Samson wouldn’t have to.
This hot and cold dance with him was throwing her off.
It was what bothered her about him, and she wasn’t sure which one she preferred.
To fight to stop herself from reacting to his hot or be glad for his cold shoulder so she could move on with her life without thinking about him.
Esmie dried her hands. Despite herself, she checked her reflection in her handheld mirror from her suitcase, adjusting her lip gloss and hair.
A few moments later Samson appeared out of the bathroom in a button-down shirt and black slacks.
She swallowed against the burn in her chest. Oh, to have the courage to walk up to him and wrap her arms around his firm body and smell him. As if reading her thoughts he smiled.
“You look nice. Going somewhere?” she threw out to help calm her racing heart.
“I was about to say the same about you and yes. I need to go to a meeting a couple blocks away. Would you care to join me? We would need to keep it a secret from Leo.” Samson winked then held out a pair of dark sunglasses and a baseball cap. Esmie swore she would melt right through the floor.