Private Finished Fool Me Once

"Um," Jae turned to find his dorm room door closed, and James blocking the way. Suddenly, Jae had the feeling of a fish caught in a fisherman's net. The teen's first instinct was to deny, and pretend as though he had no idea what James was talking about. James, however, didn't let things go. Jae was well and truly caught.

Jae shuffled in place, studied a stain on his carpet, and came to terms with the fact that they were going to talk about this. Jae made to start several times, unsure where to start. Finally, he settled on being blunt. "My aunt hit me and I was removed from her home and moved to the dorms." He said it, but it didn't feel good. Even now, thinking of his aunt brought up emotions Jae has yet to shift through or even understand.

"It's. . . been a lot to deal with." He added quietly.

"James, no." Jae was startled to hear those words come from James. He wrung his hands, "Don't be sorry!" Jae blurted, wracked with guilt. "I was trying to learn to control water, and I would have figured it out eventually. So, so don't blame yourself. I-" He almost said he was to blame, but that wasn't true either. He couldn't say this was his fault after struggling to admit it wasn't. "My aunt over reacted when I tried to show off. I think she thought I was trying to use my, ah, siren song."

Jae fell back onto his bed, and ran his hands down his face. He was tired from his swim, and now felt exhausted. "I. . . I was really excited to show her.." He stared at the ceiling for a moment, feeling for the right words. "She disowned me. When I went to get my things. After calling me ungrateful." Jae muttered that last part. "The whole situation was. . . messy."

Messed up. It was messed up. Aunt Taliah didn't even want him to leave her care, not because she cared, because it was easier to keep an eye on him. His aunt saw only his powers, and the trouble they could cause. Still, and still after all that and all he's come to realize, he couldn't bring himself to hate her.

"James?" Jae said, the anger in his friend's tone put him on edge. "It will be. I'm not living with her anymore. Please, you don't have to be angry on my behalf." Jae couldn't find it within himself to be mad at her. He shifted to the edge of his bed, "I'll be fine." Then added with a small smile, "I have good friends to help me out."

Jae nodded, "I. . . I'll keep that in mind." He offered James a small, hesitant smile. He didn't want to worry James again. "I'll let you know if anything else comes up." Not that Jae expected anything else to come from this. Aunt Taliah made it clear that she wanted nothing more to do with him, and the colony would likely welcome the opportunity to ignore him for good. Either way, his family and species were going to avoid him.

"Um, want to stay and, uh, hang out?" Jae glanced around his mostly empty room and tried not to wince. He. . . didn't have a lot in entertainment. "Or. . . we could go get buritos?" He offered instead. "This one place is advertising one that they call 'insanely spicy'." Then they could talk about normal, everyday things and forget all the drama for the time being.