You Call This a Gift?
Chapter 22: Jonah

I leaned in to kiss Anna. I realize now how stupid that was. When I leaned in to kiss her, I felt the eyes of everyone at the table staring at us and got nervous, so I told her there was sauce on her face. She looked embarrassed and it hurt to see her that way. She should never be embarrassed. She is beautiful; even if her entire face was covered in sauce, her beauty would still overpower it.

I watched as she left the dining hall sadder than when she came in. It verified to me how stupid I was to attempt that; clearly, she didn’t like it. I heard Lorraine talking about some boy named Davis that Anna apparently has a crush on and it made my whole body ache. I was falling for a girl who had already fallen for someone else. All I cared about anymore was her. Seeing her smile, hearing her laugh. Seeing her was the best part of my day…every day. Well, I would just have to get over it, move on, and forget.

I walked outside to meet my guardian Michael. He was a broad set tall dude.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked.

I nodded my head and followed him through the woods to practice my power. I didn’t need any practice. I had perfected it before I came here. I found my power somewhat annoying and didn’t want anyone to know what it was. I didn’t want them to only like me because of my power. I wanted them to like me for me.

When we finished “practicing,” he left and I moved to sit on a rock near the lake. I watched as two geese swam across the lake. They looked so peaceful and graceful. I wished I could just jump in and float away on the water with them. The sun was sending sparkles all along the water and the waves were slow and small breaking against the dirt.

I ran through the woods as fast as I could trying to get back to camp to meet my friends so we could go play some video games. Call of Duty WW11, to be exact. I heard my name called out and slowed to a stop almost tripping over a tree root. I glanced over and saw her. Anna lying on the grass, her elbows propping her up, head tilted back slightly, hair dangling behind making a small pile on the grass. The sun danced along her like it was her own personal spotlight singling her out from the lesser attractions around. I looked around to see if her guardian had left quickly realizing she was all alone. I sat down near her and focused on how beautiful she looked in this setting.