Free Chameleon by Kenya Wright Page A

decoration in a shabby existence, a rainbow after the storm, something else to look at when the person couldn’t look in the mirror at themselves.
    I will be gorgeous one day.
    That was what the chart was all about, finding the ideal image, defining what it truly meant to be beautiful. Once I discovered the ideal look from forming all of the best parts of captivating people into one person, then I would change my body, hair, and face into the image and never return to my old self.
    A smack sounded from the living room.
    “Ouch .” Rich laughed. “Was that necessary?”
    “I want to look at Santeria Live,” Fin whined. “Give me the remote.”
    “Give me a foot massage,” Rich replied.
    “Get some sleep,” I called back. “We have a long day , tomorrow.”
    “What do you mean we ?” Fin asked from the living room.
    “Someone needs to stay here and watch Wiz and Sasha. They’ll both be vulnerable during the day.” I pulled my sneakers off. My vision blurred. I blinked my eyes twice, but the images still resulted in distortions.
    I won’t be able to make it to the shower tonight, but at least I got Wiz home.
    “Why do I have to do it?” Fin whined.
    “Because. . .” I swayed and bumped into my nightstand. My Captain Habitat lamp and comics crashed to the floor.
    “Whoa. Are you okay?” Rich asked.
    “Uh. . .” I crashed to the ground and hit the rough carpet. Pain licked at the side of my face. My body ran numb. I lost my ability to move everything, even my lips, but I could still see a little as I floated within myself. Footsteps thundered my way. Holey and dirt grimed socks arrived right in front of my face. The material stunk of foulness.
    Note to self: Beg Rich to wash his socks.
    “Cameo?” Rich’s hands wrapped around my waist. Another set of fingers seized my feet. I figured it was Sasha since Fin didn’t have a lot of strength. My body rose in the air and then I was placed on the bed right next to Wiz.
    “Is she okay?” Fin asked from the doorway.
    “Wiz told me once that Cameo gets dizzy sometimes and passes out. I’m supposed to watch over her when she does.”
    They didn’t know that I could shift into other images or that the transformation took away my energy. All they knew was that I had green eyes with black slits, pale white skin coated in clear scales, and that I could control those scales by flicking them around or sucking them into myself, so that only the skin shown. In fact, only two people in the entire habitat had known I could shift into images, Wiz and Mom.
    Now only Wiz knows.
    “What do we do?” Fin’s voice sounded shaky and distressed.
    “Relax. I’ve seen her do this before,” Rich said. “We’ll just keep watching them both through the night.”
    “What’s wrong with Wiz?”
    “Nothing, Fin.”
    “Doesn’t look like nothing to me. In fact, Wiz and Cameo both look messed up.”
    “What a weird little couple,” Sasha mumbled.
    Someone placed my head on a pillow and covered me with a warm sheet.
    Thanks , I thought as darkness swallowed me whole.

Chapter 7
     
    The next morning, heat rose from Wiz’s skin. His citrus scent captured my senses. I struggled to breath in any other smell, just to get my mind off of him. His face and voice corroded my dreams. I’d woke n up several times last night, with the cold realization that I’d only been imagining those romantic scenes where he whispered I was beautiful and pressed his lips on mine. 
    God , I’m pathetic.
    I kept my eyes closed and stretched my toes under the covers. All of a sudden, Wiz’s rough hands slipped up my shirt and caressed my waist. I froze. He’s awake? His heart pounded in my ears. My breathing increased to an unsteady pace. I opened my eyes. Sunlight peered through my bedroom’s blinds, brightening his sleeping face, and painted his eyelashes in a golden hue.
    Goddess he’s beautiful, but he’s defiantly not awake.
    Wiz’s hands pulled me to him. What? How did he do that? I