Free Emotionally Charged by Selina Fenech

sound of the running water lulled me.
    But Dean could learn how to shut down Empaths. He could practice on me. I would give up my powers. I’d give up the whole super hero fantasy if it meant everyone would be safe again.
     
    ***
     
    I stared at the screen of my phone. I’d been staring for half an hour since I woke up, according to the clock. I’d tapped in my home number but couldn’t hit Call.
    Dean slept on the beanbag. I’d fallen asleep in his bed before he got out of the shower. He curled on one side, holding the bandage on his arm with the other hand. It didn’t look comfortable. I noticed no coldness from him while he slept, but couldn’t read any emotions on him. That could just be because he was asleep.
    I sighed and looked at my phone again. I should call my parents, but at this point what could I say? Sorry for leaving, I’ll be back as soon as I take down a bunch of super-powered criminals. Yeah, that wouldn’t freak them out at all.
    The beans in the beanbag rustled and hissed like a snake. Dean shifted and opened his eyes. I gave him a shy smile in return. He probably felt more awkward with me here in his bed than I felt. I could only make guesses though, as the coldness crept into me again.
    I put the phone down on the top of the drawers.
    “Morning. You calling someone?” he asked.
    “I was going to call my parents.” I took a deep breath. Time to sell Dean on my plan. “But I want to finish all of this first.”
    I started again, trying to explain the Empath powers, who Jake and the team were, and what Jake said about Dean being a blocker.
    Dean still looked skeptical.
    “I know you think I was babbling like a madman last night, but it’s real, the powers, the whole thing.”
    “Then show me.”
    “I can’t . You’re a blocker remember? When you’re around, you stop my powers working. At least unless you’re surprised by something and let go a bit.”
    “I’m not doing anything on purpose.”
    “I know. But I need you to believe me. I need your help. Let’s go outside and I’ll see what sort of range the blocking has. Maybe I can demonstrate from a distance. I’ll still need some strong emotion to tap, though. Anger emotions are easiest.”
    “Sure, okay. But you probably shouldn’t go out looking like that.”
    Dean dropped his gaze to my chest and I blushed. Then I looked down too and saw the bloodstains across the front of my shirt. Dean dug out what he assured me was his smallest t-shirt and I went into the bathroom to change and clean up.
    I tried to tuck the shirt in, tie it to the side, do anything to make it not look like I wore a tent.
    Dean paused and looked me over before we left the trailer. “Looks good on you.”
    He said it in the same matter-of-fact way he’d complimented my smile before. I just shook my head and tried to cool my face. I never understood why guys liked girls wearing their shirts. Wearing a guy’s t-shirt felt like the most unflattering fashion ever.
    It wasn’t too early, but no one else seemed to be out and about in the trailer park. Finding some anger to tap proved easy. Just a few trailers down the sounds of a domestic came clearly though thin walls. I stood outside, and Dean backed away until I felt the cold leave me and gave him a thumbs up.
    I let the heat of emotion radiate into me and my muscles burned with strength. A ‘Caution Children’ sign across the laneway became my target for a demonstration.
    I checked Dean was still watching, grabbed the pole with both hands and put my foot against the middle. I pulled with my hands and pushed with my foot, and the solid metal pole bent dramatically. 
    It felt good to be so effective with my powers and I couldn’t resist a smug smirk when I saw Dean’s jaw drop in the distance. I probably looked the same when Jake demonstrated his powers by smashing that bench. Ugh. Way to break a mood. I didn’t even care then how much work someone must have put into the careful mosaic artwork on