Mark stared at me, the color faded from his face.

“Iris, how did you do that?” His voice shook, laced with hesitation. I wasn’t sure he even wanted to know, but his gears were turning and he wouldn’t be able to leave without an answer.

I rubbed my palms on my jeans that were wet from the rain, the rain that fell from the center of my ceiling. Staring down, I focused on the turned over candle, the scorched curtain, and the burnt carpet. Breathing, slowly, I told myself it was the right choice. I had no other option, and still, it felt like a failure.

Mark thinking I was a freak was better than him being dead, but neither was ideal. What if he told someone? What if he hated me?

Slowly, I lifted my gaze and found his frightened stare. My stomach turned at my foolishness.

“I…”, I had to take in another breath, to steady myself. I’d never told anyone this before and I wasn’t sure how to say the words. “I can,” my hands flew up and the rain stopped, “manipulate the weather.”

He said nothing. It wasn’t the lack of surprise that stunned me, it was the lack of everything. Mark looked frozen, dripping, trying to process. His eyes darted up the perfectly dry ceiling, confirming it hadn’t been a sporadic leak or a hole.

Naturally, I began to ramble, “I don’t know how…or why I can do this. No one knows and I’ve been trying to figure this out on my own. And I didn’t mean to show you but the fire,” I pointed down as if he’s forgotten, “and the door and…”

I stopped, each. Breath loud and labored. I waited.

Mark backed up and leant against my bedroom door, his head cradled in his hands as he bent over.

When he stood up again, he seemed almost relieved. I kept my distance, I didn’t want to threaten him.

Slowly, he asked. “What else can you do?”

“You’re not scared?”

“Oh, I’m terrified, but I’m also a scientist and this is extraordinary.” He smileed, slightly.

I walked towards him, propelled by desperation. “Mark, you can’t tell anyone. Especially not your friends in the lab. No one can find out.”

His smile didn’t fade. “Iris, I swear I won’t.” He closed the distance between us. “I’m a nerd. I grew up reading comic books and running lab experiments in my bedroom. This is…insane but also really cool.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and stared into me. “Let me help you. We can figure this out together.”

“Figure what out?” I asked, unsure where he was going with this. I didn’t want to be his lab experiment. I wasn’t sure I wanted him involved in this at all.

“How you have this ability. Why you have it, if there is a why. I know you. You want answers. Let me help find them.”

His words didn’t comfort me, but I supposed that wasn’t his job. Not in this moment. Logically, he’d be useful in this. I had to trust that, or admit that I royally fucked up.

“Okay.” I whispered, barley able to breath.