Once in the car, she stays mute. She's thankful that the radio is on the news station. Her granny is unaware of her silence. Gloria drives the city streets, listening to the news. "Five beach goers were killed last night in what is assumed to be a cougar attack. Although they rarely populate cites and are mostly drawn to rural areas." Her gran tugs her mouth downward. "Have you seen any other sightings of that vampire?"  

"No..." Kayla mumbles.

Gloria peeks at her. "Is something the matter?"

"I don't want to talk about it..." Kay mopes.

"Mums the word." She looks behind before changing lanes. "I'll call the Ahoka's to see if they've found him."

Kayla doesn't even want to hear any updates. She's colored blue. For the remainder of the ride, she at the glass towers to take her mind away. Her sour mood has her wishing she'd never been friendly. Kota made me forget I had a boyfriend. How is that possible? For the first time...Darius didn't exist.

At home, she goes straight to her room. Her parents aren't in yet, which she appreciates. Good...no one else will ask me what my deal is. Kay buries her face in her pillow. She screams out frustration into the cushion. Kayla eats little at dinner, which is warmed up leftovers. Homemade pizza. Her parents are working late.

Gloria studies her granddaughter. "It can't be that bad."

"It is..."

"Let it out...keeping it bottled up only makes it worse."

Kay spears her veggies with a fork. "I was dumb today."

"How?"

"I can't like them both...it's wrong."

"No...what's wrong is thinking you have to choose right away. Affections are complicated..."

"It feels like I have no time."

"Don't worry...put your attention on practice until you can decide." Kayla sadly eats the greens. Is she right? Will distracting myself help? But how does ignoring a problem fix it? I don't know...She stops pondering because it's causing a headache. After dinner, they go to the balcony. Gloria doesn't participate. "Try it by yourself. Channel your attention to the night's wind."

Kayla closes her eyes to listen. The rippling wind tear through leaves. She visualizes the flow, picturing the air as clear...it's a mist. A grainy texture frame the vapor. The wind particles bustle. Channel my attention...to the wind....be the wind. In and out for 20 seconds. Her chest fill with the traveling wind...which swells from the sky...to pump through her. This aids her. Kayla completes the task of shadow breathing. "I did it!"

"You're getting better...keep going."

Kayla waits for the next gush. Her airways don't fill...her lungs are flat...until the next rush. She's patient enough to get lost in her mind. Who was the first Spell Bender? How did they know we were connected to the elements? Is the first one still alive? I have to ask Gran. I would love to meet my ancestor. The next gush is long. It lasts for 30 seconds this time. Kayla doesn't struggle...the element breathes for her. The cold force explores her airways, thrusting. The air god works within her...flooding her vessels with an enchanted surge. 

KOTA

FLASHBACK

I didn't know Kayla had a boyfriend....I assumed she was single. But a girl like her is bound to be taken. She's too magnetic. I should've known better. I can't say it doesn't hurt. I'm connected to her...even more than I thought. I still don't understand what went on with my hand. I'll ask my mom for answers. He closes his locker and swing his bookbag around his shoulder. The girl that called him strange, blocks his path before he can walk. "Your name is Kota, right?"

"Yes." Oh no....my influence is present...just like back home. I wonder if I'm really a Casanova now. Before that was an over exaggeration...now...I don't think so. My attraction is on steroids now that I'm a vampire.

"Do you have a date to the dance?"

"I won't be going." He admits. Why would I go if I can't have Kayla at my side?

"Oh...bummer...well, let me know if you change your mind."

"Sure." Kota agrees to be polite. Outside, the curbs are full of yellow buses. He doesn't know which one to take home. I should go back in and ask for a route map...but I'll probably be bomb rushed by another girl. Even now, he's being sized up as eye candy by girls. A few almost break their necks to get a longer look at him.

 Their feisty eyes reveal lust. Per usual, the guys throw nasty looks his way. Yeah...my school life is definably on repeat. He stands by the bus stop, debating what to do. I could go back in...but the staff will eye me the same way. As if I'm a relic. I'm bizarre...my skin, my eyes. If only I could hide them.

Kota leans against the bus stop sign, which garners even more attention from the girls. They assume he's a loner...too cool to ride the bus. The simple lean is romanticized. The chicks drool over his mysteriousness. When the yellow buses are gone, Kota checks to see if anyone is around, inspecting the doors and windows of the school. The area is vacant. 

I'll just run home...I would've got on the bus with Kayla...but I don't think she takes it. His feet traces the ground as slick as rain, Kota booms through 23 blocks in a span of one minute. The gushing pressure on his flesh chills due to the autumn season. Kota slows down when he's closer to home. None of the humans pick up on his speediness. He flows between space and time, coming to a stop once on the porch.

"Why would it be here?" Odina's pondering voice linger from behind the door.

"I'm not sure...last we checked; it was gone from the surface." Matto says.

"Could it be living underground?"

"That's possible."

"We'll need another meeting to work this out."

Kota doesn't move a muscle...he's stiff as a mannequin. My foe is here....in the city?? Since when? Kayla must have had another vision?? I have to get answers from her. I'm certain he was at the beach...surveying me. My instincts weren't wrong. This could be it. I could finally have him!

The front door pushes inward. "Kota!" Odina holds her chest. "You can't keep scaring me like this!"

Dyani is behind her, the two are in jackets ready to leave. "He can't help being a creep."

"Don't call your brother that!" She scolds her daughter. "You look flushed, is something bothering you?" Her maternal care peek out.

"Yeah, how was school? Did you see Kayla?" Dyani pries.

"I'm fine. It's just the weather...I ran home." He fibs. "School was fun, we had lunch together."

"Aww, that's perfect! I'm glad you had a great day."

"Me too." He steps to the side to let them pass. "I have to talk to you about something later...when you're back."

"Sure, we won't be gone long." She kisses her son's cheek.

"Later, kiddo."

"You're a kiddo, too." He smirks.

"Whatever..." Dy sticks out her tongue.

Kota sticks his out too. He shuts the door and goes to the living room. Matto is in an armchair with a newspaper. "What do you have to talk to your mom about?" Can I tell him about the ordeal with Kayla? I don't know if I could talk about girls with dad. It might be awkward. Matto lowers the newspaper. "It must be about Kayla?" He notes his son's uncomfortableness, Kota scratches the back of his head as a nervous tick. "You can talk to me about girls. I was your age before."

That's true...he was my age once. I think I can chat with him. "Something happened..."

"I'm pretty sure it did."

Oh, great...he's assuming something else. "No...not that...she has a boyfriend."

"The good ones always do."

"I know..."

"That doesn't mean you give up." Matto gestures to the sofa.

Kota sits. "But she's taken...wouldn't that be rude?"

"Your mother wasn't single when I met her."

"Really??"

"Yeah...." Matto folds the black and white paper, laying it on his lap. "I waited... became her friend first. Once her boyfriend did the wrong thing. My time arrived. We've been together ever since." He grins, fondly thinking back to the past. "Girls appreciate a patient guy. That's all it takes."

"I never thought of it that way. Kind of like the slow turtle wins the race?"

"Exactly....it's considered romantic when us guys do that. Nice guys win the race."

Hmm...can I win? Kayla is so involved with him. I can't label him a bad guy because he's with her. "What if her boyfriend is a nice too?"

"Only time will tell." Kota frowns. "If you're meant to be, then it will happen."

She marked my hand with light? Does that symbolize that we're meant to be? It has to. "Something happened when she touched me."

"Ahh...the first touch....the tingling goosebumps." His dad reminisces.

"No...it wasn't that." He stresses, hoping he won't sound manic for saying the next part. "My skin changed...."

"What do you mean?" Matto leans forward.

Kota tries explaining the impossible, raking his mind for the right words "When she touched me...my skin ripped."

"I don't understand." His dad furrow his brows.

"Ummm...I don't know how else to say it. My skin ripped open." Matto stares ahead, lost. If dad doesn't have an answer, why would mom?