1 The 'Ability'

When I lose myself, I look for you.

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My mind and I, are never at peace. A group of chaos constantly abides at the corner of my head as I deliberately have to ignore it so that I can concentrate on my activities. Even though I cover my ears with my hands, the voices remain there and torture me.

Since the day I was born, I have never enjoyed my life like any normal kid in this world.

I am special, more like an abnormal human.

I remember— I used to complain to my mother that I tend to hear sounds even when my surroundings are silent, but she never believed me.

I mean yeah, who would?

Being a kid back then was the sole reason. She probably would have thought that it was a child imagination.

That time I was small, so I hated it but now when I am 17, it is not much of a bother anymore.

Now, it's like a part of me and my life that I can't live without, no matter how much I hate it.

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I am sitting at the far end corner of the room— right next to the window. Wind flows in the room and crashes directly on my face, the sensation feels pleasant. My clothes are different from the other kids— completely black as the kids give me a side-eye.

I don't care now.

I have been sitting on the desk that I am not assigned to, and when no one complained, I just made it my own assigned seat for the whole year.

Sadly or not, I have no friends and by no friends, I mean it.

No one knows about my strange ability, so it is not them ignoring or scared of me. But whenever they try to have a friendly talk, I always hear their thoughts unintentionally before they can even open their mouth. Their thoughts of betraying me and bullying me after befriending me, and whatnot. So I completely ignore them— their evil ideas makes my soul shiver.

And right now, I don't care about what is going on in the class— my eyes are fixed on the scenery through the opened window. The outside world or basically the forest is ethereally beautiful.

But the worse thing is that we are not allowed to go there.

That part of our town is dangerous, that's what everyone says but I know it's all rumours. That side is way more beautiful than the area we live in. For once, just for once I want to go in there and roam around freely— not caring about the cruel side of the world I am forced to live in.

The light is falling gracefully on the green and bushy trees— some of them shake like someone is walking or playing around them. The chirping sounds of birds enters my ear from far inside the forest. I close my eyes and imagine myself roaming around and appreciating the beauty of nature.

"Pepper, are you dozing off in my class again?"

I am practically dragged out of my daydream, and when I get back to my senses, I softly swear under my breath. The teacher in return glares at me with her pointy specs sitting on her nose and her dress so tight that the buttons could break off any moment— it looks like she has directly landed in the school after shooting a naughty erotic video.

I shake my head to control the trail of my dirty thoughts for a person who is worshipped by everyone.

Tsk.

"Oh wow, you have got the guts to smile even when you are being scolded," She rolls her eyes again and shoots pointy glares at me. "Okay, so Ms Pepper Brave, be brave and answer my upcoming questions. If right then I will gladly accept you in my class but if wrong, I will kick you out. Understand?"

She shouts as I nod— what else can I even do?

While opening the textbook, I look at her while noticing the way she begins her search for the questions. My hands turn clammy— I rub them against the back of my uniform.

"Have you read the book 'The Notebook'?"

"Yes."

I answer almost immediately. But I guess it was a mistake.

"Interesting to know that you've read a book like that," She scans me from my head to the toe, I can already hear her thoughts screaming for a summary of the book, and in my words.

Talking about love and lust in front of the whole class is a little embarrassing.

"Are you going to say anything or not?" She slams the book on the table with force. I close my eyes to focus on her thoughts— about what exactly she wants to hear.

"The book plays on literary misconceptions about love and romance, it's still a heartwarming story though. It is a beautiful, moving story that engages young and old alike with its message about love, lifelong commitment."

I finally take a deep breath to prepare myself for the next part of my description as it is not at all a decent topic to talk about in front of the whole class. But if I won't say anything, the teacher's sharp gaze is definitely going to kill me.

"But the book also makes the mistake of confusing lust with love— this is a dangerous message. Romance touches our deepest longings for intimacy, connection and lasting love, but it is a worldly concept that urges us to follow our hearts, not our heads. True love is far more passionate, exciting and enduring than any 'eros' portrayed in romances. In the end, it may well have been Lon who was Allie's true love', but it is Noah whom Allie chooses and Noah she ultimately commits to. Despite their incredible differences, Allie and Noah choose to love one another for life."

I lowly huff because of the nervousness emitting from me.

"But at last I want to say that 'Love is exterminated all the time, it's turned over, it's discarded, it's thrown away. But I think there are still possibilities of love that endure not only through our time but beyond that. It's this enduring possibility, that goes for a long, long time, and has reverberations down through the generations. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.' "

All I meet is pin-drop silence in the class— everyone is attentively listening to my answer as the teacher's mouth is left agape. She probably is amazed by how I answered according to the point she wanted to hear. Though not everything I said is what she was thinking, I added my knowledge too.

She is kind of flushed over the fact that I simply uttered those kind-of sensual words. But for sure, without them, my answer would have been pretty lame.

"Sit down and concentrate."

Coughing a little, she waves her hand in the air as I take my seat the very second and again, my eyes stumble to outside— not giving a damn about the previous scene.

After a few minutes, the bell finally rings as the students run out of the class like prisoners escaping the prison. The teacher sighs and shakes her head at their actions.

For the first time, I do agree with her action.

"God bless you all," She wishes to particularly no one as her eyes quickly check up the empty classroom and of course, her eyes fall on my slouched figure. Rolling her eyes, she simply walks out of the classroom with her over-noisy heels.

Was she waiting for me to wish her back?

If she was then it's a waste.

God who?

I don't believe in him.

I leisurely grab my bag from the side and slam it in my locker. It is lunch break and I always wait for this time of the day because now, I can gladly take my lunch box and spend some quality time while watching the trees. Sitting leisurely in the list green school ground that is situated near the forest gives me solace. 

Life's good and pleasant whenever I go there.

I jog towards my typical spot and the best thing is that no one dares to visit that place. The kids know it well that I will bark at them if they even dare to.

Well, this level of terror is something that everyone should possess.

Shifting on the ground to find the perfect position, I sigh in ecstasy when the comfort seeps in me when the glass blades tickle my bare skin.

My eyes fall on the trees— my stare fixates on the bare pathway which leads to the jungle. Again, I can't help but wonder if someone lives in there.

Animals, birds and all sort of flora and fauna is obvious but what about humans?

Even if it's possible then how can they live between those animals that can tear every single bit of their limbs and let them rot somewhere in a dump?

Ah, but all I can do is think about it. I am not a person who is permitted to go inside or an animal who lives inside.

Imaginary sceneries are the only source of satisfaction that I can enjoy in my free time— so that I can feel at home.

But I get startled when a very little and strange movement inside the forest catches my attention. My hand stops midway that is grasping my half-eaten sandwich as I narrow my eyes to focus on a particular point.

Is this how an adrenaline rush feels like?

I know I am safe. No one can jump through the fences that are specially sprawled around the school— only for our safety. I just want to know the source of the movement— it repeats.

Now my insides are burning in intense curiosity. I want to know the source— if an animal then I don't care but what if...?

My question is answered by the sudden emergence of a boyish figure, who makes his way outside the bushes that are obstructing his way. His calm eyes fall directly on my figure as he stares back with the same gaze of seriousness as mine.

'Can you hear me?'

The violent thought enters my mind as I think, but then I shake my head in denial.

But soon the sudden reply freezes me between my actions.

'Yeah, I can hear you.'

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A/N - Some important points you guys need to know.

• The female protagonist can hear everyone's thoughts as well as hear whatever is being whispered or happening from quite a distance.

• The Thoughts will be in '...' and the Words heard by her will be in *...*

Thanks, and enjoy!💫