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“I’m sure it was very pressing, or he wouldn’t have left this fast,” Tiber said.

There was a shuffling sound from under the table. Tiber’s brow crinkled, and he looked at Luisca. “What? I said him leaving was normal.”

“Itisnormal,” she said, focusing on me. “Tiber has an awkward delivery sometimes. He didn’t mean to make it sound like he’d only leave in an emergency situation. People don’t always hang around just staring at each other day after day like idiots.”

“You mean like I did?” Tiber asked her, laughing, thinking he’d made a funny joke.

There were some more shuffling noises from under the table, and poor Tiber was looking more confused. I could’ve enlightened him that he made it sound like Kaden had run like a bat out of hell to get away from me, in contrast to the two of them, who clearly loved each other. I was fairly certain Luisca would clear it up later, and he’d be in less trouble if I played stupid.

She reached across the table, laying her hand on mine. “Don’t feel awkward. There are a lot of things that you’re both juggling. Your situation is not the average situation.”

“She’s right. Don’t let anyone else make you feel uncomfortable,” Tiber said.

There were more shuffling noises.

“What did—”

“Please, just stop talking,” Luisca said.

So the whole place was going to be looking at me weird? Just what I needed to know. At least I’d be prepared for it, if nothing else.

“Can I help you with stuff around here today, since I don’t have much else to do?”

“Sure. That would be great!” Luisca said. “I was going to do some planting, if you want?” She lit up, as if my wanting to do anything today was a miracle.

“Well, I’ll see you in a few days,” Tiber said, getting up. He leaned over to give Luisca a kiss.

“You’re leaving too?”

“I’ve got some trades off-world I have to get done. I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

I could hear the splashing down by the lake. I’d known it was going to be a long shot to have the place to myself before nightfall. There were some beautiful things about small communities, but privacy was not one of them.

All day long, I’d gotten curious looks, and the only thing I craved was a few minutes alone to think—or not think. To be a blank slate. I’d submerge myself in the water and then fall asleep.

I’d already turned around when I heard the crying and some kids yelling. A lot of kids are little jerks. I should leave them be. Of course, I turned around and headed to the lake anyway.

“You’re a freak. We told you not to come here anymore. We don’t want your cooties contaminating the water,” I heard before I cleared the forest.

I walked out of the tree line, and the group fell silent, except for the soft whimpers from the same little girl that they’d taunted the other day.

Tears were streaming down her face, and her cheeks were fire-engine red. She couldn’t even bring her eyes upward, staring at the water instead.

There she was, alone and rejected. She had no one. It struck something so deep in me that inaction wasn’t a choice. A fury that was nearly uncontrollable filled me as I walked toward them. I barely stopped to kick off my shoes before I waded into the water up to my knees and stood beside her, squaring off with the other group of kids.

“She’s here becauseItold her to come. Now, if you don’t mind, we need this space, and we’d likeyouto leave,” I said.

It was that same boy leading the charge. He didn’t back off easily the other day, and I doubted he would this time.

He stepped forward. “My daddy says you ain’t shit. This is our place, and our lake. You’re just some worthless intruder who can’t do anything and needs to crash our home to hide. You’re trash, just like her.”

The little girl’s sniffling grew louder. I grabbed her hand, pulling her close to me as I took long, calming breaths, trying to get control of whatever was brewing within me. This was not the time to let whatever power was lurking in me loose. These were just kids. In spite of myself, the water around me began to ripple outward and then swell upward, as if a typhoon was forming.

“You need to go, now,” I said, my voice not sounding like my own. They probably thought I was trying to scare them. I was the one scared of what was about to explode out of me.

It might’ve been my words, the horror in my voice, or the water show that I was beginning to put on, but the kids began screaming, running out of the lake.