15. Hangouts and Exposure

Athan

After I had dropped Ailthia at school, I had contacted Richard, Peter and some of my other friends for the lite homecoming party we'd planned. I had just gotten from Tjays to grab some beer and snacks,and we were laughing heartingly and catching up on old times.

"You know Athan, when you left it wasn't the same... everyone just got busy and we didn't meet together much anymore.

"Awww... Richard missed me"

He frowned slightly and wanted to punch me in the face, I avoided the hit and passed him a beer.

"But in a serious note man, after everything that happened we were supposed to stick together as friends and work things out"....

Austin was speaking now, and he was right..right from being a kid I always ran from my problems, running was so much easier than facing them, so whenever I had an issue whether big or small - I didn't rely on others nor face conseqnces, I just ran- it was seemed easier, only that I didn't think how much it affected those around me.

"Hey Richard, knights mom still around right?"

"She left"

What....

"What do you mean she left?"

"Look man, I don't know much but she's been having some issues with Nicholas and am guessing it was too much for her to take on... so she left"

"So, how'd they been coping?"

I am trying my best to stay calm right now, whereas the only thing I want to do is go find knight and bring him back here -, speaking of that .. speaking of that, I hope Ailthia didn't recognize the photographs all over the house.

I need to take them down but I just can't bring myself to do it - I can't let go of these memories yet, no matter how haunting they are...I just can't.

"Knight still goes to school and he's been taking care of Caleb all by himself- he's such a responsible kid, but I fear his abilities are getting out of control- he's probably gone haywire once or twice"

Shit..he's systems malfunctioning

"He's system's malfunctioning...Gosh this is all my fault, I should've never left him with Nicholas"

Richard grabbed my arm...in an attempt to comfort me

"Hey, you wouldn't have known what they were going to do, you should probably go see him"

I scoffed...of course I should go see him, he'll probably be so happy to see the one man he looked up that abandoned him for more than 15 years, Richard I can't wait to see how happy he is.

"I know Richard, but I'm...

"You're scared"

It wasn't a question, it was a direct statement, of all my friends richard low key know me too well, he was the only one I told I was leaving cali, Peter and Austin heard from him.

"I am Richard...i'm freaking scared..who am I kidding?, Knight hates me".

"He doesn't...he's hurt..

" You know I saw him two days ago"

"You did?"

"Yeah"

They all looked anxious, like I had some juicy story I was supposed to tell them..

"And...???"

"He didn't recognize me man"

At first I was glad knight didn't recognize me, but after some time it hurt to know that he'd forgotten 'bout me and all the memories we shared together

"You've got to reach out to him man"

I will..when the time is right, whenever that may be

~~~~~~~~

Ailthia

Athan had picked me up from school early, we didn't talk much in the car 'cos he looked like he had something on his mind and I had a rough day after my incident with Tyler he hadn't approached me anymore - wish I was thankful for, only that I could swear knight had been watching me a day..he just kind of seemed everywhere I was, no matter how far i'd think I've gotten from him- i could still feel his domineering presence following me like a shadow..its kinda creepy tho, and honestly it's not helping that he is super hot, like i hate boys normally considering what all the males in my life have put me through, but knight..is dangerously beautiful and I really need to stop thinking about him.

I feel empty and lost since I've not used my abilities in a while, I am holding back the electricity lurking around me from snapping.

In diacom, I didn't stay a day without experimenting or using my powers, it was the only fun part...going out in the rain and just electrifying everything around me, "using the death to the touch", at a time I thought I could be a superhero in a movie the type that saves the world and all those other yada-yada, but now I realize that superheroes don't destroy things that they touch, they can't bring back someone's worst memories to torture them and they certainly don't turn into blankless and emotionless beings when angry-so yeah, I think I could do well as a supervillain- the type that wins though.

I have to wait till Athan's gone to bed before using my powers. I don't know what I would do if Athan founds out who I am...or rather what I am.

••••••••••••••

The casserole we had for dinner tasted bald, Athan had cooked which is surprising because Athan's a good cook and he's food is always 100℅ legit, somethings disturb him but I'm not going to poke my nose in his business, so we ate dinner in silence, the only sound in the dining room was the sound of Athan's fake tapping the wooden table.

"Ailthia I'm retiring for bed, if you still want some more casserole there's more in the kitchen, if you're tired just leave the dishes in the sink"

He literally never calls me by name...that's a first, what happened to princess?

•••••••••

I double-checked to make sure Athan was sleeping and he was, I went through the front door closing the four quietly behind me.

It's a good thing that the compound was spacious and it was about to rain-just perfect.

As I got outside to the lawn, the rain had already started to pour heavily...I closed my eyes and felt the tremors run through my back. I flashed my eyes open as it turned as white as snow and the electricity coursed through my veins, it felt electrifyingly wonderful...

It's been almost 20 minutes now with me standing under the rain being refueled like a blazing electrode and a sensible part in my head the part not completely lost to power told me I had to stop. or I would burn the grasses and possibly our new house, but that part of me was only a faint whisper...until I heard a familiar voice.

"Ailthia...."

Who calls me by such an ordinary name? I am Diablos, the indestructible weapon of mass destruction, death in real life...an electricity groove....who dares??

"Ailthia...

" Wait!... Athan?"

I slowly came down from my high, as I realized I had been shouting for more than 10 secs.

I turned to see Athan standing on the wooden pavement across the lawn, he looked like he would pass out any second from now...

I forced my eyes to return to it's normal color and the electricity buzzing at my fingertips to retract as I walked over to meet him.

Shit!.