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Admittedly, I would like to know what she writes to her mother, even if it's none of my business.

So I quickly push that thought aside and focus on her.

Every single day she becomes more beautiful, and it's only a matter of time before she says yes to one of those idiots who regularly ask her out on a date.

I don't want to destroy our friendship, because if I lose Alice, I lose everything. A friend, someone I can open up to, the last warmth in my life.

She has spotted me, smiles... comes toward me... I'll write more about her another time.

What Did You Really See

The Newton Brothers

Wednesday, September 17, 1997

Entry 8

“Concentrate,” she demanded in that cool tone she was known for.

I did my best, staring at the water in the stone basin.

It didn’t freeze.

“Concentrate, Alaister!” she snapped impatiently, and I felt panic rising inside me. Panic that I wouldn't be able to do it, that I would be her only disappointment, over and over again.

But then the water froze, and her eyes widened.

“Yes...” she exclaimed in disbelief and came closer to the basin, running her long fingers over the ice, amazed as if it were a miracle. It was a miracle.

I had concentrated, and it had worked. Without any side effects.

She smiled at me, and warm pride filled my chest.

“Melt it.”

“What?”

Confused, I looked at her, and the pleasant feeling vanished.

“You should melt it,” she said impatiently, pointing to the ice.

“I just froze it for the first time... I…” I began, but she interrupted me sharply.

“We don't have time to dwell on such trifles.”

Despair rose within me.

How was I ever supposed to satisfy her? I was still just a weak Quatura. A disappointment. Far too far from any possible control.

“I don't even have a control stone, and yet it worked. Can't I...” I tried, but her gaze killed my last words.

With a growing tightness in my chest and a hungry coldness in my fingertips, I positioned myself in front of the basin and placed my hand on the ice. My thoughts wandered, and I tried to remember how I had frozen it. Maybe I could think of fire, of something warm.

An image of Alice flashed through my mind, and I felt water on my fingertips, but it wasn't enough, because Mother didn't even notice, just turned around, cursing.

“Why am I still hoping that it will do anything?”

I let go of the ice and looked at my blue fingertips.