Chapter 5 -- Healing

Sometimes he treated me different and yet he mostly treated me like I was the only girl for him... As much as I did miss Lucas, Austin lived up to what Lucas was. Most of time, I thought about Lucas. “Don't rely on him…” Crimson's words forced me to believe every time I had thought about him. "Regal!" I heard a voice shout, it was obviously Nate. "Regal, Austin is looking everywhere for you!" He added that if I don't call him now, he'd kill Nate. I tried to calm him down as I dialed Austin's number. "Why'd you want me to call?" I said somewhat annoyed. "Lucas is back.” He replied softly. I hung up the phone and then ran back. Hard to believe, I was at the park.
Lucas is back. What do I say to him about Austin? Before I hung up the phone, Austin added that he was at my house. Great… home, he place where I didn’t want to talk with Lucas. As I neared my house, I heard Lucas murmuring, “Regal. His back was turned away from me. “How’d you know it was me?” I asked. “I felt the wind blow with your every step…” Lucas replied unwillingly glum. I’d totally forgotten about my powers these last three months… “Austin and I are…” I stopped. “You’re dating. I know you’re acting like it...” Lucas sighed. He started murmuring, “Why?”
Lucas confused me. “Lucas, are you okay?” I asked with my hand on his shoulder. Lucas shrugged it off. As he shrugged my hand off, I noticed he bent down his head and cried for less than a minute… Then, Lucas shot himself straight into the air and crashed back down onto the ground. “Regal……” Something prevented Lucas to saying something and then, “Crap! How do I say this?” He paused and took a deep breath and said, “Regal, look at me…” As Lucas said those words, he turned around his face to mine and took off his hat.
“Black… hair?” I breathed. “Yeah, I don’t look ‘Lucas’ enough for you. My heart is not being taken care of…” Lucas answered while he tried to reveal his emerald eyes behind the darkness, “I’m sorry I left, it’s just that…” I stopped him from talking and shook my head, “I know the reason and Nate told me. I also know why I changed but not why… you changed.”
Suddenly, I watched as Lucas sat down on the grass with his face already buried in his hands. “Are you crying again?” I asked as I sat myself next to him. “What’s it to you?” Lucas answered under all the tears. “What’s wrong?” I said with my hand on my shoulder, awaiting his answer… “Everything’s wrong!” Lucas screamed, “Nothing is right anymore!” “Lucas, calm down. Why is everything wrong?” I asked with a voice not as steady as usual.
“I feel like I’m not…” Lucas got cut off by Austin’s sudden appearance. “I’m not worth anything!” He screamed as he blasted off into the sky. “What’s his problem?” Austin asked. “AUSTIN!” I screamed.
…

Ding, dong! Ding, dong! “I’m glad you invited me over, Regal,” Lucas said, “Did you want to talk to me?” He asked. I nodded. “I’m going to break up with Austin.” I murmured. “Don’t push me into that, Regal. I might get…” I stopped him. “The only one will get hurt is Austin…” I said before I giggled. Thanks, Lucas might have thought.
The day after I broke up with Austin, Nate called and didn’t sound so pleasant, “Regal! Come down to the park right now! Something’s happening!” I ran to the park to see what was up… Lucas was there and Austin was about to leave. Austin didn’t look like I was there and he left. “Nate, what happened here?” I questioned as I looked at the messed-up park. “Austin said, ‘Look how many times you hurt her! Now you have the nerve to come back? Stay away from Regal!’ Then, Lucas went insane.” Nate answered with a worried look in his eyes. We both looked at the broken expression on Lucas’ face. Nate and I were worried about him.
Lucas glanced at me and then he dug his face into his hands. I felt Lucas was trembling. I sat near Lucas and sighed, “Lucas…” Lucas didn’t answer; all he did was take a deep breath and hugged me. “Regal…” He breathed and let go of me.
“My behavior is off…” I heard him mutter under his breath. I guessed that already, I thought of saying. “I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now…” Nate sighed. “You will imagine it someday… I feel it might happen.” Lucas answered while he let his head fall into his hands. I felt his trembling as he reached out for my hand and gently held it. “Oh no!” Nate whispered. “What’s wrong?” Lucas and I asked with both our faces bewildered. Nate started to hyperventilate as I carried myself to Nate’s stance. “There’s a possibility that I am attaining a new power or someone was feeding me the future…” He murmured under his breath.
“It’s going to be okay, Nate…” Lucas calmed Nate down with his free hand with the other hand still on mine. We were all actually sitting down at this point… Lucas abruptly let go of my hand and dropped his head into both hands. After a while, Lucas and Nate walked me home and said we’d come back tomorrow and catch up more.
…

We exchanged hellos and then I heard Lucas and Nate growl as 3 figures appeared. I recognized the figure in front was Austin and the two in the back were to people unknown to me but at the same time familiar.
“Chancler…” Nate growled. “How’s life, Nate?” Chancler chuckled under his breath. They neared us and I caught a better view of the girl and Chancler. He had sand-colored hair and the girl had almond brown hair. The way Austin looked at her and she looked at him, Austin felt something more for her than me.
“We can stand here all day, Austin, and not get anything resolved or you can apologize and I can introduce myself.” The girl suggested. Austin rolled his eyes and said, “I’m sorry for everything. A guy’s mind isn’t always set on one thing…” His head was hanging in whatever his definition of shame was. “I’m Aries…” Aries said as she looked into everyone’s eyes and mine for the longest time.
“You brought Aries here, why?” Nate asked. “I wanted you to meet her. If there’s awkwardness, just tell me.” Austin answered. I saw Aries whisper something to Austin and he nodded, “Guys, why don’t we talk a bit, it should be a reunion for all of us.” All the guys even Lucas tagged along but Lucas looked at me over his shoulder, worried.
“So, Regal… That’s not your real hair, right?” Aries asked tilting her head in wonder. “You have powers?” I asked. “I’m able to turn lies into truth.” Aries replied, “Isn’t it a mouthful?” I nodded. “The guys know already. Is that really your color of hair?” She added. “No.” I said self-consciously while touching it. “I knew it. Do you mind?” Aries questioned as she gestured to my hair. “Sure.” I replied confused. She touched my hair and in an instant, my hair was back to its original dark brown and my eyes were hazel again. Aries winked at my expression.
The guys came back in a triangle with Lucas in front. When he saw me, Lucas stopped the other 3 and glared at Aries. “Oops…” She muttered. “Aries!” Chancler hissed. Aries stuck out her tongue. “Aries can’t help it if it’s not true…” Austin pondered. “I know that but what about Lucas?” Chancler replied eyeing Lucas. “Let’s see what the outcome is…” Austin answered in a regretful tone.
Nate rolled his eyes. Suddenly, Lucas dropped to the ground. The drop vibrated the ground. “Aries, shut up!” Lucas snarled covering his ears with his trembling hands. “Listen for one more time?” Aries suggested. “Only one!” Lucas whispered as he squeezed his eyes shut. Aries nodded and muttered words no one could understand. The volume of her voice was so low but Lucas could hear it from far away.
“I’m done.” Aries whispered in a comforting way. Lucas sighed and reclined back to lie on the grass. “Chancler, how do you know Lucas, Nate and Austin?” I wondered. “Actually, Regal, Lucas is one of my cousins and I met Nate and Austin through him. When we were 7, I met Austin who was with Lucas at our parents’ reunion and Nate came late…” Chancler chuckled at the thought. Nate covered his ears tight and I laughed along with Chancler.
Still petrified, Aries murmured again and Lucas replied. “What do you want me to do?!” Aries whispered. “Please.” Lucas whispered.