“So, what time did you want to go out?” They set a time and Lucas hung up the phone.
He passed his dad’s office and stopped when he saw the dead plant. Shit, his mom was going to kill him. The only thing he had to do was water three plants. Well, except for the one that he could magically revive. Why was it only the violet and not the others? Maybe he could do that with all of them, then he really wouldn’t be a failure at the watering thing.
He walked into the room and stood for a second. He thought about the plant when it had been alive, expecting something to happen, but nothing did. In his mind, the thing came back to life, the leaves grew green and full, hanging over the pot the way it had looked before his parents had left.
He balled up his fists and tried again. Still nothing came. He sighed in frustration, blowing air out through his nose. He turned as the ball of light left him, along with the exhale.
The light zinged, almost hitting him but he ducked at the last minute. The light finally found the plant. The leaves turned green instantly. Lucas hesitated before running his finger down the pretty foliage.
His heart beat a wild rhythm, and at the same time he was so tired he could barely stand. Lucas turned, going to his room even as his eyelids slid shut. He fell onto the bed face down.
****
“… sleep when you’re dead. Come on, Lucas. Get your lazy ass out of bed.” Lucas groaned and rolled away from Shawn’s touch. Shawn wasn’t having any of that though, and the shaking of Lucas’ shoulder started again. “You sleep harder than anybody I know.”
“Not usually. Something weird happened,” Lucas said before he could check himself.
“What?” Shawn’s hand left his shoulder and Lucas rolled over to face him, opening his eyes as he did.
He noted the time and realized only a few minutes had passed. Thank god for the fifteen-minute power nap, because he felt better already.
“Nothing. Just felt sick.” No way would he open up about the plants.
“Still getting the headaches?” Shawn eyed him knowingly.
“Yeah.”
Shawn averted his gaze to the nightstand. “You’re still coming out with me, right?”
“Yeah.” Lucas sat up.
Something was off with Shawn. Guilt oozed from his pores but that wasn’t the only thing. He wasn’t dressed to impress the way he normally would be. Lucas had known Shawn since their junior year of college, and in all that time Shawn had always dressed like a slut whenever they went out. It was his thing, so for him not to was strange. Also, Shawn had circles under his brown eyes as if he suffered from some ailment.
The flu, maybe?
Reading auras had always been something Lucas could do, even as a kid. It had taken him a long time to figure out his ability. A library trip in middle school and many books had enlightened and clued him in to the fact that he wasn’t alone in his aura-reading abilities.
Shawn had a gray color around him. Sickness. On the outside of that was a pale purple. Fear.
Hm.
Lucas climbed out of bed. “I don’t think either of us should go. We both look like run-over-shit.” He started out of the room.
“No!” Shawn shouted and grabbed his arm. The hysteria surprised Lucas and seemed out of place, given it was a trip to the club for dancing and not life and death. Then Shawn’s expression softened, and he smiled. “I’m fine. You’re fine. Let’s just go and have a good time. I really need this.”
Nausea clawed up his esophagus the second Shawn’s hand closed around his arm.
He must have made a face because Shawn let him go, holding up his hand as if in surrender
“I need to shower first.”
Lucas thought about it as he walked to the bathroom and the entire time he showered. The oddness of the day clung to the recesses of his mind, refusing to let go.
When he was finished, he wrapped a towel around his waist and headed back into his room. Shawn sat in the center of Lucas’ bed with his legs crossed and his phone in his hand, probably playing a game.
Lucas turned his back on Shawn and opened his closet door.
“Hey, you should play something for me.” Shawn pointed to Lucas’ guitar.
