Can I Trust You?

*Author's Note: This is a collab/roleplay that I did with Abigail Cross, and amazing friend, fellow Christian, and extremely talented author. This is Part 1 (yep, it's a series!) and Abbie will be submitting Part 2 (when we write it) with her stories. Enjoy!

Abigail Cross: https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/edbcba/

Alya Ross: I ran through the forest, thin branches whipping my face. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I remembered the horrid nights I spent crying myself to sleep in the musty basement I once lived. They almost found me, they came so close, but I couldn't go back. I couldn't keep my secret hidden forever, I couldn't withstand the pain of rejection and neglect any longer. I slowed down, my legs aching, sweat dripping down my forehead.

******

Charlie Dean: I run my fingers through the soft, dew-covered grass, wondering what today will bring. I'll probably take a swim in the pond. It's so crystal clear, you can see right to the bottom. I've spent many a day floating on my back in that pond. I could probably name every fish and frog in there by name. I make my decision, nod my head, and set off to the pond.

I'm a little more than halfway there, when suddenly I hear something crashing through the forest. "Must be a bear," I think with a chuckle, remembering how one bear was being chased by a hive of angry bees. Then the crashing stops just short of the line of evergreens. I can strain my ears, trying to catch any slight noise. I can just barely make out heavy breathing, but it sounds... human. I cautiously walk toward the noise, creeping silently. I pull back a curtain of ivy, and then I'm face to face with a girl with a dirty, tear streaked face.

******

Alya: I hear a rustle in the bushes, and instantly raise my hands, a mass of water from a nearby stream floating in the air. I aim it at the sound, thinking it to be a wild animal, when I come face to face with a tall boy with chocolate brown eyes and honey gold hair. My blood runs cold, realizing that he saw me control the water. I wipe the tears from my face and lower my head, hoping he wasn't someone sent by the town to find me.

******

Charlie: Water hits me in the face, and I stumble back. I regain my balance, and look at her, a little shocked. She has powers too. She looks at me, looking scared. Her long brown hair is tangled and dirty and I can just barely see her blonde highlights. Her icy blue eyes are red and puffy, like she's been crying for a long time. I walk closer, and she shrinks away. I can see scratches criss-crossing her face, and her clothes are torn. I reach out my hand.

"Hey. It's okay, I won't hurt you. I'm Charlie, Charlie Dean."

******

Alya: "G-get away from me!" I shout, hitting him with water again. I blush in embarrassment at my unsightly appearance, but that's the least of my problems right now. The birthmark on my wrist glows a slight blue, and I turn it away from him, although it was no use now. I'm sure to be killed for revealing my powers. His neat honey-gold hair drapes over his eyes, staring intensely at me. He must be at least 6 feet tall, towering over my 5'5 figure. I start to tremble, afraid of the future that lies ahead of me. I raise the water again, prepared to strike. "Get away!"

******

Charlie: "Hey, hey. Cool it on the water. You're gonna drain the stream." I talk to her reassuringly. She stands in front of me, trembling, water at the ready. I hold up my hands, showing her I mean no harm. How do I get her to trust me? I look around for an idea, and spot a dead flower. I lean down, making sure she is watching me. I gently touch the wilted flower, the heart-shaped birthmark on my wrist glowing a slight gold, and the flower slowly changes- color seeps into it, the petals becoming a soft pink, the stem and leaves becoming a vibrant green. Her eyes widen, and she whispers to me, her voice barely audible. "You have powers too," she says, relief slowly filling her face.

******

Alya: I slowly lower my hands, returning the water to the stream. I take a small bit and put it in one of my knapsacks in the case of an emergency. "Sorry," I mumble. I thought you were one of the town people coming to look for me. I finger my birthmark, the blue glow fading, lowering my head in shame. "Why are you here?"

******

Charlie: I sigh in relief as she returns the water to the stream. "I live here. Have been since I was twelve. The better question is, 'Why are you here?' "

******

Alya: I blush, enchanted by his soothing voice, but instantly shut the thoughts form my mind. I can't trust anyone. "I ran away. I was adopted by cruel and abusive people, and I just couldn't do it anymore. My chances in the forest are better than my chances there." I kick at a stray pebble, my matted hair draping down my face. I use my fingers to untangle the knots, using drips of water to make it easier. "I'm Alya, by the way. Alya Ross." I use the drops of water to wash my face, hoping Charlie won't notice the scratches and scars.

******

Charlie: My heart twists, and rage bubbles in my chest. How could anyone abuse her? "You're safe here. Only those with powers or permission can enter this forest. And I'll make sure no one hurts you again." My eyes sweep over her body, taking in every scratch and scar. My heart twists again. "Here, give me your arm." I hold out my hand.

******

Alya: I hold my arm close to me, wondering why he is asking me for it. His brows are furrowed, as if in sudden anger. He said he'll make sure no one hurts me again... does he mean to take me away? I hesitate, not knowing his intentions. I slowly reach out my hand, the other positioned above my knapsack in the case I have to defend myself. "Don't try anything," I warn him.

******

Charlie: I take her arm gently, and my birthmark begins to glow again. "Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna heal these scratches and scars." As I talk, I keep an eye on her arm. The scratches are almost gone, and the scars are fading. Soon, they're gone. "Now the other arm," I say, giving her a smile.

******

Alya: I gaze in wonder at my arm, the scratches that developed over the years gone in an instant. I give him the other one enthusiastically, and watch as he does the same thing, my heart fluttering with excitement. "Can you do my face!" I exclaim, brushing back my hair, then stop. I let my hair fall again, covering the distinct scar on my neck I hid for so long. "Nevermind..." I mumble.

******

Charlie: I catch a glimpse of a distinct scar on her neck before she lets her hair cover it again. "How'd you get that?" I ask her, looking at her questioningly.

******

Alya: "It's nothing," I mumble, rubbing the spot on my neck. "Just another scar from my caretakers." My eyes blur with tears, and I quickly blink them away, pushing away the horrid memory. He really seems to care about me, but I've been lied to before. "I need more water to wash myself. Is there another stream or something nearby?"

******

Charlie: Her eyes brim with tears, but she blinks them away. She seems cautious. "Hey, it's okay. You don't need to tell me, but I can heal it for you, if you'd like."

******

Alya: I gazed at him, tears threatening to resurface. "It's fine," I whisper, fingering the scar. It held so many bad memories, but it also held some good ones. "What about you? What's your story?"

******

Charlie: I gaze at her, wondering what was so important about it that she'd want to keep it. I shake the thought off. "I grew up in a pretty well-off family. My parents were amazing, but they died when I was twelve. I ran away to avoid being taken to an orphanage or foster home. I ended up here, and I've called this forest my home for five years." My eyes begin to burn, tears threatening to spill over the brim of my eyes. I blink rapidly. Boys don't cry in front of girls, I think, mentally scolding myself. I catch her eye, and a blush slowly creeps up my neck. "Anyway, do you want to go see the pond? I was just heading there before I, erm, found you," I say, hoping she didn't notice the tears.

******

Alya: "Trust me, being an orphan is no fun. You made the right choice." I notice the tears in his eyes, my heart breaking at the sight of it. I reach out my hand towards his face, then yank my hand back, surprised at my sudden care for him. "Sorry, let's just... go to the pond." I turn away, hiding the furious blush creeping up my neck.

******

Charlie: She begins to reach her hand toward me, then yanks it away quickly, almost as if she's scared. She turns away, but I can see the blush creeping up her neck. "Right. The pond. Let's go." She sets off, brushing past me. "Er, the pond's that way," I say, pointing in the opposite direction of where she was going. She blushes even more, then nods her head. She sets off in the direction I was pointing, and I set off after her.

******

Alya: We walk for a while, the chirping birds filling the silence. We approach the pond, and I gasp at its beauty. I approach the crystal clear water and splashed the water on my face, feeling instantly refreshed. Charlie dived into the water, then resurfaced, shaking his head and sending little droplets my way. I laugh and raise my hands, stopping the droplets in midair and letting them sink into the pond. He splashes me, soaking my brown hair and torn clothes. "Oh, you asked for it!" I exclaimed, bringing a large bubble of water above me, my birthmark glowing. I bring the water down on him, the pond rippling at the disturbance. He comes up laughing, his golden hair glistening in the evening sun.

******

Charlie: We reach the pond, and I take off my jacket and drape it over a nearby bush. Then I dive into the water. I resurface, shaking my head. Alya stops the droplets that flew from my hair in midair, and lets them back into the water. I splash her, soaking her clothes and hair. She raises a huge sphere of water and throws it at me. The water pushes me under the pond's surface. I am momentarily surrounded by tranquility, and then I resurface. Laughter fills the air, both mine and hers. They seem to intertwine in the quiet air. I swim over to the edge of the pond, and then climb out next to her. I wring my clothes out, shaking little droplets her way now and then. I pull on my jacket, still laughing. Something falls out of my pocket. Alya tenses, and fear starts to creep into her face. She begins to slowly back away, tears springing to her eyes. I look down, and see a knife.