Page 13 of Twisted Heathens
“Science?”
“Nope.”
“Err, English?”
No immediate response. He’s got her attention now.
“It’s a popular choice,” Kade adds.
Leave her alone already. I can practically feel her nervous energy from here. It’s thick, like that awful cough syrup you were given as a kid. Other people’s anxiety is a real issue for me. I’ve got enough of my own to manage.
“I don’t know. How many times do I have to say it? Just back off.”
Her voice is high and defensive, and it pushes me over the edge. I lower my head to the table, fighting back the rush of sensations. She’s a ball of anger and hatred, it’s making me sick to my stomach. Too many feelings, too many tastes. All I want is to be left alone. I can’t deal with this.
Kade gently rubs my back, offering comfort. He’s the only one that helps calm me. Cool and composed, like a soothing balm on burned skin. My favourite kind of person. The other two are more difficult to be around, especially when Phoenix has a manic episode. Brooklyn’s an unstable element in this recipe for disaster. It’s unhinging me already.
“It’s okay, bud. We’ll drop it now. Just breathe,” Kade encourages.
“Is he okay?” Brooklyn asks.
“It’s kind of hard to explain. Eli?”
I bob my head, issuing my consent. Once she knows, it’ll be easier. She’ll run in fear and that’ll be it. I can slink back into the background where I belong, and quietly watch her just like before. She’ll never even know.
“Eli has a rare condition. It’s called Lexical-Gustatory Synaesthesia,” Kade begins. “Essentially, it means that he can… taste emotions. Particularly strong ones. They create sensations in him that he can’t control. It’s overwhelming and frightening. We try not to disagree or argue around him for this reason.”
Cue the disgust and judgement.
“I see.”
Something touches my hood, then my hand. It’s her fingers, brushing tentatively. I raise my head, daring to sneak a glance. She isn’t frowning or laughing, there’s no cruel taunt or joke. This is something else. Cool and refreshing, like a glass of iced water on a hot day.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
She’s apologising? Is that… a smile?
“Having a quirky brain isn’t always a bad thing, Eli.”
With that she looks away, picking up her apple to bite into. The others are staring too, shocked by her reaction. No one treats me like that outside of the group. I’m a freak to them all, the butt of many jokes. But she’s just rolling with it regardless.
Licking my lips, I force the exotic taste of surprise from my mouth. Preparing. Gathering strength. Mustering courage. Come on, Eli. Fucking get it out already, the girl’s waiting. But no words come, just like usual. They’re lodged in my throat, refusing to surface as fear wraps around my vocal chords. Instead I manage a tiny smile, hoping to convey my gratitude.
On her lips, she wears a matching smile that takes my breath away. She’s beautiful when she’s like that. Goddammit, I need to see that smile again. It tastes fucking good. Rare happiness. Like freshly cut grass or a recent rainfall.
We lapse into silence. Just the crunching of her eating the apple, and the other two having some kind of wordless conversation with glances and looks.
A heckling voice interrupts. “Yo, Nix. You really sucked last night, man.”
Phoenix pouts. “Fuck off, Rio. You play dirty, it’s not fair.”
The overbearing dickhead and his trio of assholes circle the table. I look away, they’re far too boisterous for me to deal with. Rio runs shit around here among the patients, so he’s often trying to screw with me. I can see Brooklyn watching, and I tense knowing that she can see through me even better now. It’s uncomfortable as hell.
“Who’s this? Been a while since we’ve had some new pussy in this place,” Rio jeers, scooting up close to her.
My blood boils just seeing her shiver, the awful taste of smoke back in my mouth as I swallow ashes. Leave her alone, asshole. If only I could scream it in his face or actually do something. Instead I’m sitting here like a scared kid, unable to mount any defence on her behalf.
“Hey there, hotness. Name’s Rio. Room 37, if you’re interested.”