"Skills are something we earn
Every day
We grow in secret."
-E. E. B
EMA's pov
I woke up with Yuko still clinging to me. Connor wasn't in his room but I could hear shower in his bathroom so I guess he went to take a shower.
I didn't have time to process my realization yesterday. I was in love with Connor. Just thinking about it made me want to burry myself under blankets and disappear. But I couldn't do that. I needed to control my feelings for a bit and talk to someone about all of this. Somehow Zack seemed to be the perfect person. He just seemed as someone who is trustworthy. I think that's why Connor trust him more than anyone.
I heard bathroom door open and Connor stepped out only in his shorts. Now this was my first time seeing him shirtless and I didn't know what to do with myself except pretend to sleep. He didn't have any formed muscles or rock-hard abs, but I still found him absolutely attractive. Maybe I have a thing for boys that look like boiled spaghetti. I sure did have a thing for Connor.
"Boiled spaghetti? Really?" I heard Connor say. Jesus Christ does he have to hear so much! "I mean, yes, I don't really lift weight or something, but spaghetti?"
"A very pretty spaghetti.", I said trying to save myself.
He climbed back on his bed and pecked my lips quickly before shaking Yuko.
"Stop clinging to my girl dude! Come on!" Connor said and I tried to softly move Yuko's arms around me. "I got you painkillers and some water."
That finally woke Yuko up and it was obvious he had massive headache. Then I felt smoothing sensation in my head. Every muscle inside me relaxed and so did Connor's. I noticed because he was still on top of me from shaking Yuko and now he just fell on me. His hands gave out. He quickly started to apologize but I laughed too much to care. It was probably Malia trying to help everyone who was hungover. My hands found his as I helped him get back up. It was hard because now Yuko started laughing too and we were all just rolling with laughter.
"We have plans for today guys. Come to dining room.", Astra said through link. Seriously does he leave something unplanned?
He did leave something unplanned. The fact that botanic garden didn't work this week because of renovations. After coming to dining room, Astra suggested we all go to botanic garden. So we get dressed and went. I took a quick shower too because I stank of alcohol from yesterday.
And now we just stood in front of big gates that lead into botanic garden. Actually all that stopped us was one lock that held gates closeted.
So we stared at it like group of idiots that we were. Malia joined us too today so all seven of us just stood there.
"We could break it?" Fran suggested.
"Are you an idiot? We could get caught for that!" Yuko said. "Instead you take care of cameras with your little thunder power and I'll deal with the lock. Ema cover me please."
I did as he asked and made every person around us see us just like we're normally standing and slowly leaving. In the mean-time Yuko kneeled in front of a lock a took one hairpin out of his hair. I didn't even notice he had one in his hair.
"I got kidnapped once or twice as kid so I learned how to use this bad-boys.", he explained while moving hairpin inside lock. As he did that, Fran made a little lightning in her arm and shot it at camera positioned to look at entrance. Then we head one quiet click noise and lock fell to the floor. I couldn't not clap at his skill. "From now on I want everyone to have at least one hairpin with themselves. I can teach you how to use them once.", Yuko promised as we walked into garden.
I know that Astra sticks to Zack a lot, but today he didn't move one bit from him. He was constantly clinging onto Zack's hand and didn't speak as much. Actually he barely said few words today.
"Astra are you okay?" I asked him as we walked through garden.
"His powers are connected to sea directly so we have to visit it at least one in month. Which is soon.", Connor told us. "Right now he is at his limit so I'll take him on some beach later today."
"Sounds like a mermaid.", I commented and saw Connor smile a bit.
"Actually, mermaids could exist. At least something similar to them. Astra sensed someone's presence in sea few times already. They go closer and closer to him when he goes swimming. We never tested to see what are they really, but that's on our bucket list."
Now that sounded abnormal. Okay Greek gods exist, people who have powers exist and Jesus could be similar to us now, but mermaids? Really? And the weirdest thing was that I wanted to see them. How tall are they and do they have bog tails as pictures on internet show? What do they eat and how do they communicate? I had thousands of questions, but I knew it was not my time to ask them yet.
Yuko was in love with botanic garden. He walked around touching every flower. Even those that looked dangerous. Malia seemed to enjoy garden too. She was reading every nametag and description of flowers. Fran followed behind her and listened as Malia explained every flower to her. They were just so cute.
"- and this one is originally from Africa. Also, he is great for curing cold with a lot of vitamins inside. We should try to find seeds for them and put them in garden at home.", Malia ranted out.
Then one idea popped in my mind. How didn't we think of this before.
"Yuko you know abilities of flowers that you touch, right?"
"Yes darling, why?"
"Could we make medicine out of them? I mean people don't know how useful some flowers are and you do. Maybe we could cure some conditions that don't have cure yet!"
"But-"
"We could save many people with that. And we didn't even found most of them yet. Can you imagine what are they capable of?"
"Ema please.", Yuko stopped me. "We can't do that."
"Why not?" I asked as all hope left me.
"We can't let people know about us. And anyway, what did they do to deserve out help? If one of us gets sick, I'll gladly help. But not…them.", Yuko said like he was disgusted with other people.
"Yuko's right.", Astra whispered. He seemed too tired to even talk.
Nobody spoke anything after that but atmosphere wasn't cheerful anymore. Air felt heavy. How could he say something like that? Yes, there were some bad people, but there was plenty of good people too. People that deserved to be healthy all their life. And we could do it in shadows so nobody knows it was us.
"Don't think too hard about it princess.", Connor whispered to me and took my hand in his. Suddenly all heavy air was gone and I felt more free than before. I wonder when will I have to talk to Zack about my feelings for Connor…
As we walked, we came across one big tree in the center of garden. It was just huge and it looked like it would fit perfectly in Astra's home. Everything there was huge anyway. We decided to sir underneath it. Zack sat down first and Astra just flopped down. It took Zack less than a second to put his hands in Astra's long hair and play with it.
"I'm going to meditate a bit.", Malia said as she sat down. "I'll join you. Meditating in such beautiful garden will made it glow even more.", Yuko added as he sat next to Malia. Fran mimicked them, but it was clear that she couldn't sit calm for long. Instead she started to play a game where she tries to made Malia stop meditating by poking her cheek or biting her arm softly. It easily made Malia giggle ever so often so she just gave up of meditating for now and focused on getting Fran back for disturbing her. Yuko was deep in meditation.
I sat down in front of Connor and put my head in his lap. He gently caressed my hair and I started to relax even more. Then he got bolder and kissed my forehead.
I really love him so much. But can I tell him that? I was afraid that he will think that I'm rushing too much. And I don't want to hurt him…
"Zack?" I said through link to him.
"Hm?"
"I have a little problem.", I said and he looked at me. "I am pretty sure I'm in love with Connor, but it's too soon to tell him that or even to feel it."
"He is your boyfriend. Talk to him about it. Connor is a smart boy, he will understand."
"He is not my boyfriend yet…"
"Connor, you and Ema are dating, right?" Zack asked out loud and I wanted to burry myself. Connor stopped his hand from moving in my hair and looked at Zack confused.
"She is my soulmate. And I will marry her one day, have little versions of her running around home and die next to her. She is not just a girlfriend, she is my life. Just like Astra is not just your fiancé. But yeah, you can say we are dating."
I couldn't take this. So he is thinking about future a lot too? I mean it was obvious I couldn't stop thinking about it, but him too?
"And I love her."
I stopped breathing. What? Did I just hear what he was thinking? Did I hear it right? But isn't it too early?
"I think we are never too early to find our soulmates. Just like Astra and Zack. They found each other when they were kids. And the rest of us found our soulmates now. But love is love. And love is real.", Malia commented after probably hearing my thoughts. I felt braver because of that.
And she was right. Soulmates are for forever.
I may have my doubts, but I really have no reason to doubt. Prometheus set us up together. We just fit perfectly.
"Like a key and a lock.", I said at the same time as Connor.
And this time I wasn't shy because he heard my thoughts. I was glad he did. That just confirms our connection and our feelings.
"I am so glad I'm single and have no problems like that.", Yuko commented out loud, not moving a muscle from his meditating position. Then he opened his eyes and looked at us. "But I love all of you. Well except Fran. I love her a little less."
"Fucking brat.", Fran commented but laughed.
I wasn't used to Astra being quiet, but even though he didn't say anything, we could all see love in his eyes towards us.
And this felt like one big family. Seven of us.
Like those families you hear about in stories. Where mom and dad are in love, kids get along and support each other, there is no judgement. Just love.
And I had that now. Maybe not in sense of having parents and siblings, but having real-
"Hey you there!" we heard someone say, walking towards us. "How did you get here?!"
Man in police suit marched towards big tree and we all got up, snapping out of our thoughts.
"Run!" Fran said as she took Malia's hand and started to run towards gates. I got up and saw Zack pick Astra up princess style and start to run towards Fran. I took Connor's hand and hid behind the tree as Yuko started to run too.
We have superpowers, yet look at us. Running like fools. This reminded me of first time I saw Connor and he almost got robbed. I seriously started to run towards man that took his wallet and it took me good minute to remember my superpowers.
I created hallucination to policeman to see nobody around tree and whole garden empty. Connor noticed and have me thumbs up.
We quietly walked towards shadow of tree and Connor transported us to gates where everyone already waited for us.
"Did we forget about superpowers?" Fran asked everyone, dumbfounded.
"Yup, we so did.", Yuko said and locked gates again. Fran turned cameras again and laughed.
"Still, this was awesome.", she commented as we took each-others hand and disappeared from city.
It's time to go home.