ELEMENTS: Acquiesce by Kathryn Andrews (snow like ashes series .TXT) 📕

The pair slowly dropped to the ground and lay on their fronts peering over the cliff edge. The sight was enough to make Cordelia giddy.

“It’s magnificent isn’t it?” said Breck, still holding Cordelia tight.

Cordelia nodded. “Do they have a name for it?”

“Chimney Bay. My parents told me they climbed to the bottom and carved their initials on a rock.”

“Really?!” exclaimed Cordelia. “Were your parents also crazy?”

Breck didn’t respond.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be daft. Only a madman would climb down there.”

“Or a mad woman,” replied Cordelia.

“I’ve no intention of climbing down there to check,” said Breck.

“Good,” said Cordelia, gazing into Breck’s brown eyes.

“Would you be worried if I did?”

Cordelia nodded, still looking into his eyes. She watched as his gaze moved towards her lips and he moved in closer. She felt his warm breath on her face and she watched him close his eyes as his lips met hers. As they embraced, a surge of blue electricity encased them but they were blissfully unaware.

Cordelia pulled away. “Was that you?”

“What do you mean, was that me?”

“Was that you I was kissing?”

“Um, yeah, who else would it be?”

“That was amazing.”

Breck grinned. “Says the girl who didn’t want to hold my hand.”

Cordelia shoved him gently and they lay on their backs watching the clouds race across the sky, listening to the waves crash against the cliff face below, their hands resting side by side on the grass.

“Tell me about you,” said Breck.

“I’m not sure where to start. Though I think Charlotte Bronte would do a good job of telling my life story,” said Cordelia.

“Charlotte Bronte?”

“The writer. She wrote a book about a character whose life isn’t dissimilar to mine, though I’m not sure how the story ends. I lost the book.”

“What was it called?”

“Jane Eyre.”

They lay silently, desperately wanting to hold each other but neither wanting to appear too keen. Their fingers edged closer together. Static passed back and forth between them.

“Do you feel that?” whispered Cordelia.

“Yes.”

Resting on their elbows, their fingertips almost touching, they heard the static again. Tiny blue waves of electricity gently flowed between them.

“Did you see that?!” asked Cordelia.

“I did.”

“What is it? Where’s it coming from?”

“It’s coming from me,” said Breck.

Cordelia moved her hand away and sat upright. “How can it be coming from you? It’s electricity isn’t it?”

“What d’you know about electricity?” asked Breck, pushing himself up and resting his forearms on his knees.

“I know it shouldn’t be coming from you. Has this happened before?”

Breck hesitated before responding. “A few times. You’re the first I’ve told.”

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It feels amazing,” replied Breck, gingerly.

“Can you control it?”

Breck shrugged. “Not really.” It just happens. More often since I met you.”

“Does your family know?”

Breck shook his head, “No, just you. They’re a fickle bunch. Pretend they care about you one day and the next they go out of their way to make you feel unwelcome.”

“Have you tried talking to them?”

“They wouldn’t understand. My aunt’s only interested in talking when she wants to know how much turf I’ve sold.”

“What about your uncle?”

“He’s a drunk.”

“Well I want to know everything.”

“Everything?”

“Everything. You said it’s happened more since you met me. Is that only when you’re with me or does it also happen when I’m not there?”

Breck gazed at Cordelia, stunned that someone was finally taking a genuine interest in him. He realised that since his family had died, this was the first time he’d found someone who cared.

“Breck?”

“Oh, sorry. Uh, it’s mostly when I’m with you.”

“You said it’s happened more since you met me, so when did it start?”

“Right after I lost them. I was grieving, I felt angry. I kept getting shocks off everything I touched, mostly metal I suppose.”

“And you get these feelings when you’re with me? Do I make you angry?”

“No! No, not at all,” replied Breck, reaching forward and putting his hands on the top of Cordelia’s arms. He looked into her sapphire eyes. “The opposite actually.”

“Well that’s a relief.”

Breck moved his hands along Cordelia’s arms until he reached her hands and there it was again; blue static between their fingertips, not enough to shock but enough to take their breath away.

Cordelia gasped. “So, d’you think it might be triggered by emotion?”

“I guess so.”

Cordelia bit her bottom lip gently and moved closer to Breck. She placed his arms on her waist and then reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and slowly pulling his head towards her with her hands. Breck could feel the surge of electricity flowing through his veins. They both kept their eyes open and as soon as their lips met, blue sparks wove around them like a cocoon. Cordelia’s eyes were as wide as saucers, watching the sparks dance around them as they kissed in the balmy breeze. Eventually she pulled away.

“I was enjoying that,” said Breck, smiling.

“So was I, but the point is, the sparks are more prominent when - when your emotions are more intense.”

“I see, so you’re just using me now for your experiments?”

“Not exactly. Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.”

“So now what, professor?”

“Now we teach you to channel your energy and use your power effectively.”

“Come again?”

“Your power, you want to put it to good use don’t you?”

“My power? What do you know about powers?”

“More than you think.”

“You’re not a witch are you?” teased Breck.

“I’ve never been so insulted in my life,” said Cordelia, folding her arms and looking out to sea. She pursed her lips together.

“Oh so serious,” said Breck, circling her.

Cordelia maintained her composure.

“Okay, okay, I believe you, you’re not a witch.”

“No, I most definitely am not. I’d like to know what you are though.”

“A man, at least I was the last time I checked.”

“You can joke all you like Mr, Mr…”

“Kelly.”

“The fact of the matter is, Mr Kelly, you have a rather unusual gift. Used correctly it could be really quite, wonderful. Right now you’re a loose cannon.”

“D’you not think you might be getting yourself worked up over nothing?”

“Nothing? You think electricity running through your veins is nothing? I