Elements: The Powers Within (Book 5)

Ava yawns as she wakes up, rubbing her eyes sleepily as she yanks her blanket from the floor. Ava looks at the ground then back to her blanket.

Wait, what? Ava quickly jolts her head towards the ground again to see a very familiar looking teenager sleeping on the air mattress.

"Did I have a sleepover without even realizing it...?" Ava questions as she gets out of bed. Urana wakes up too, her eyes bloodshot as she looks up at Ava.

Ava gives Urana a hug in excitement, completely wanting to cheer her friend up and too excited to contain herself.

"When did you come over?" Ava asks, releasing Urana from the hug.

"Late," Urana answers, going back to sleep and pulling the covers over her head. Ava tilts her head in confusion as she scratches her head.

"Is everything okay?" Ava questions, hoping everything would be alright and she was just reading to much into this.

Urana clenches the blanket in her hand tighter, her body shaking as she tries to hold back her tears again.

Urana feels a hand rest on her shoulder.

"Whatever happened...I'm sorry Urana...if there's anything I can do to help, lemme know" Ava says softly before she gets up to go to the bathroom.

Urana stays there for a few moments, waiting. She pushes her tears back, feeling herself go numb.

I have no right to complain. Everyone has it worse than I do. Suck it up, Urana pushes the covers off of herself before folding them up. She sets it at the edge of the mattress and runs her fingers over her cheeks.

There're bandages on the small cuts that were on her cheeks. Ava's mom must've put them on when I was sleeping...

Ava knocks on the door and Urana looks up. "You can come in," Urana says and Ava opens the door.

"The bathroom's free for now," Ava announces before sitting in front of her. "What happened?"

Urana hesitates. She had to tell everyone that her adoptive parents know about her magic.

"My parents found out..." Urana hides her face. Knowing that if she sees Ava's eyes she might just end up crying again. "About my magic...I thought someone was following me so I used my magic and yeah...they kicked me out. Don't worry, they won't tell anyone because they want to be considered 'normal.'"

Urana feels Ava wrap her arms around her to bring her into a hug. Urana's body shakes as she begs every fiber in her body to not cry.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about you," Ava says in a gentle voice.

"Why...?" Urana asks, her voice breaking like that before someone cries. "Why are you worried about me...? I failed at the one job I had..! I'm useless! I couldn't keep one thing secret...I'm a horrible person...!"

"Hey," Ava holds her tighter. "You are NOT useless! They just can't see how amazing you are! You're an amazing person too!"

"B-b-b-But wh-what am I going to do...?" Urana breaks down, wetting Ava's shoulder with tears. "I'm not strong enough to be without them...I want my parents Ava!"

Urana doesn't speak again but cries onto Ava's shoulder. Ava stays there, holding her and reassuring her that everything would be okay.

--

Brenton jolts awake. He pats his cheek and feels them wet with tears. Instantly, he reaches for his phone and dials Urana's number.

The number isn't working.

Brenton runs out of his room, slipping on whatever shoes were out then running out his house.

He feels someone following him and turns around to see Owen standing right behind him.

"What are you doing?" Brenton questions. "You should be sleeping."

"So should you," Owen narrows his eyes. "Why did you just run out the house?"

Brenton figures Owen would understand. Besides, he didn't want to waste time with saying lies.

"I could feel Urana's emotions...it's bad. Like I don't even know how to describe it," Brenton worries as he starts to walk again. "Did you just follow me out?"

"No...I," Owen pauses, hesitating to tell him. "I felt something. It's weird but I felt pain...in my heart. Not heartburn, just felt myself going from emotions to only logic if that makes any sense."

"Did you feel Urana's emotions?" Brenton questions, stopping for a moment. "Because...that's what I felt..."

"No way, I'm not her twin," Owen shakes his head. "Maybe it was just a dream but if you feel it then something must've happened to Urana. The rest of us can only kinda feel it."

"Yeah," Brenton pushes that problem aside and starts to run again. The both of them break into a run.

They spot Urana knocking on Ava's door. The door opens and Urana steps in before either of them could approach her.

"Something definitely happened..." Brenton's voice trails off as they stand and watch the lights turn on in the house.

"But what...?" Owen feels himself wanting to run inside that house and ask Urana if she's okay.

"She has Ava...whatever happened, at least she has someone with her," Brenton runs a hand through his hair, feeling his worry increase. He could feel a need for a hug. "Whoever hurt her is gonna go through hell and never come out."

"You said it bro," Owen nods, his face showing that he wants to see Urana. Brenton notices and puts his hand on Owen's shoulder.

"I can't tell what's going on, but I think she's being comforted right now," Brenton places his other hand on his heart. "But all emotions are becoming numb...whatever happened...she's shutting down I think."

"I want to be there for her..." Owen blurts out. Maybe it's just because it's the early morning.

"Me too, but we can't just go into Ava's house like that," Brenton sighs. "Besides, she has Ava. I bet she's a better person for the job than we are if I'm being honest."

"Yeah...you're right," Owen admits. "Like you said, being caring isn't exactly what I do..."

"I know you're caring. Don't think you aren't Owen," Brenton smiles softly at him and Owen is grateful that someone thought that. "Let's go back home...when they come over, we can be there for Urana. She doesn't need everyone crowding her right now."