Downpour

  “How sweet,” she said, full of sarcasm.

  “You finally speaking to me?” I asked, annoyed. Her wicked eyes slid together, and for a moment the sky darkened slightly. I cracked my still sore back quickly. Slowly she reached out for my hand and scooped it up in hers. Her fingers slid through mine like a lock and key.

  “I’m done. No more pouting.” She even managed a smile.

  “That’s a relief,” I said smugly, not believing her fully. She snuggled up along my warm side and shifted her weight into mine, ignoring my sourness. As good as she felt along side of me, I still found it hard to take my eyes off of Kai and Sam.

  “Settle down Mad Max. Besides, doesn’t this place remind you of that spot in the Virgin Islands?” she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. Sam and Kai turned to us. My mind raced to the memory instantly. It filled my chest with comforting warmth. We were so happy then…so together. A smile forced itself onto my long face as I squeezed her hand tighter. Her natural electricity ran through me, easily slithering just underneath my skin. The sky lit up to its original hue of grayish blue. It pulled my attention from Sam, but I could still feel her eyes locked onto me.

  “Ummm…the red bikini,” I smiled completely.

  “Uh huh,” Asia purred.

  “One of my favorites…”

  “Mine too,” she whispered into my ear. As she did, she removed her loose tank top to reveal the very same bathing suit. Kai stood at attention and Sam looked away quickly. Asia smiled wickedly; satisfied with the reaction she was hoping for. My hand found its way to and through my falling bangs.

  “Come on you two, we’re wasting daylight!” Kai laughed. He turned toward the pathway leading to the waterfall. He never relinquished Sam’s hand either.

  We all made our way up the overgrown trail. The sound of the waterfall grew louder with every step. The air filled with thick humidity that attached itself to every pore on our skins. The moisture only seemed to intensify Asia’s natural scent. My mind raced away as the beautiful waterfall setting snuck up on me. My chest filled with the smell of cherry blossoms as I held Asia’s hand even tighter. She followed my pace along the winding trail on the side of the fall.

  “It’s amazing,” I finally said. Asia slid up close to me and watched Sam and Kai as they pointed to all the familiar spots. I wasn’t comfortable with her wandering eyes. I could tell she was up to something. Kai pointed to an opening just below us under the cascading waters.

  “Heavens Hideaway,” he smiled. Sam stole a quick glance my way. I pretended not to see it though. Kai continued, “Once we make our way down into the water, it’s only a short climb to the entrance of the cave.”

  “This place truly is a little sliver of heaven,” I huffed, with a wink.

  “I knew you’d like it bro!” Kai cheered.

  “Come on!” I shouted at him. He smiled with a giant grin even before I finished, and ran past all of us toward the cliffs edge.

  “Last one in has to buy lunch!” he hollered as his body disappeared over the fall. His voice echoed throughout the secluded cove until he connected with the perfectly mirrored water.

  “Who’s next?” he yelled from below us with a wave of his arms. My eyes pulled from Asia’s to Sam’s and back again.

  “What the hell,” I whispered with a shrug of my shoulders. I began running for the fall, removing my shirt as I ran. The girls followed behind with a couple anxious squeals. Splash after splash we all enjoyed the free fall into paradise.

  Under the water I could feel my core heat up. Steam was already begging for release as I broke the surface. My lanky body was the last to come up, and when I did my ears filled with the sound of Kai laughing and water crashing behind me. It only took a moment to realize I had surfaced only inches from Sam.

  “Hey,” she said softly.

  “Hey,” I returned. She smiled silently before swimming toward the shore. Kai followed, unaware of the tension pulsing through the cove. Asia quickly slithered along my back, wrapping me in her strong embrace. My skin immediately filled with an invisible fire that warmed all the water around us. She felt instantly wonderful against my bare back as her breath tickled my ear.

  “Just like the last time, huh,” she remembered. I placed my hands on top of hers that were locked directly under my chin, across my beating chest.

  “I know what you’re thinking and the answer’s no.”

  “Come on Max…for me?” her voice filled with desire and her embrace tightened.

  “It’s not safe and someone might be watching,” I stalled.

  “I’ll be watching,” she growled and let her hands slip under the water and trace themselves along my chest. Slowly they made their way down my sides only to stop at my lower back. She smiled and pushed me forward in the water. We both swam for the shallow waters edge and slipped into the cooling island breeze.

  “I don’t know Asia…”

  “Please. I'm sure they would get a kick out of it,” Asia said, impatiently.

  “Kick out of what?” Kai played along eagerly. Sam stood quietly as her face filled with curiosity. I felt my face fill with embarrassment.

  “Water angel,” Asia announced.

  “Water what?” Kai asked. Sam tilted her head with fascination but said nothing.

  “Show em baby!” Asia pushed me toward the hidden trail to the cave, behind the fall. I reluctantly shuffled my feet up the trail. After, she winked at Sam and placed her long frame along a warm rock facing the falling waters. Sam didn’t approve, her face puckered up tight. Asia flipped her still wet hair and called out to me.

  “We’re waiting!” She smiled devilishly at me and blew me a kiss. I took a long moment before deciding to do what was asked of me. When I finally let go of my worried thoughts, my legs seemed to make their way up the side of the fall without even thinking about it. Just before I disappeared behind the falling water I caught one last glance of the three of them. Asia looked on excited and waved for me to hurry up. Sam and Kai looked on puzzled but anxious.

  “What’s he going to do?” Kai asked. Asia only smiled at him. The first sizzle buzzed down the cove walls as I begun to heat up from behind the pouring water. It was a soft sizzle at first but grew with every pulse of heat I let out. The wall of water lit with all the colors of the rainbow as my white fire slowly penetrated it. Water turned from frosty white and blue shades to a glowing orange and yellow haze. Scalding liquid fell in foamy chunks around the bottom of the cove.

  “Max?” Sam started to gasp but stopped herself as my body’s outline appeared from behind the waterfall.

  “This is my favorite part,” Asia said sweetly.

  From behind the melting water I let myself go and the burning and twisting flames engulfed me. I looked like a shimmering star but I was in complete control. I smiled with delight at the feeling of letting go and stepped slowly, only inches from the water. As my flames swirled around me, fighting the presence of moisture, they turned white hot with a silvery blue hue.

  “Showtime,” I whispered to my fire. As I slid my head down and into the rushing water, my flames pushed harder. The water hissed at the intrusion and steam rushed from the sides of the falls. My shoulders followed next and the waterfall screamed as my fire penetrated it. I pushed my flames even harder in all directions. Thunder shook overhead, filling the caves with a low hum. It called to me even though I barely heard it under the rushing water that squealed throughout my ears. Asia was obviously enjoying the show.

  “Holy…” Kai gasped from below. His eyes grew larger as they followed my pulsing outline beginning to glow brighter and brighter.

  “That a boy!” Asia cheered. She watched as the boiling water fell unnaturally to the sides of the cove and splattered along the rocks. Some places began to fill with hot water like a half dozen natural hot springs. Steaming hot bubbles gurgled to life with the familiar sight of a witches’ cauldron. Sam stood at the edge of the water watching me with no movement. From behind the rushing water I c
ould not tell what she was thinking or how my magic trick made her feel. My gifts always had a habit of frightening her. She wore the calmest poker face.

  “I love you Max!” Asia screamed up to me. Sam came to life and looked back at Asia with a concerned frown. My heart filled with excitement and thumped inside of my ears, loud enough to drown out the burning all around me. It was crazy that she could still have that affect on me with all the confusion saturating inside my head. I smiled under the water and slid my arms out to my sides, letting the flames drip off of them like a melting candle.

  “Woo!” I called out and it echoed through the cove. Flashes of white and blue light flashed everywhere. White smoke swirled up over the surrounding trees, twisting into the blue sky like a dream. Asia walked up next to Sam. Her posture shifted uncomfortably. She looked around desperately for Kai but he had already disappeared up the trail to find me. Sam took in a long breath and looked Asia directly in the eyes.

  “You two have gotten much stronger,” Sam surrendered. Asia smiled curiously.

  “Your abilities, I mean,” Sam corrected herself. Asia stood quietly next to her with a growing wicked smile. That smile turned its attention up toward my scorching water angel. Thunder tickled the blooming grey sky and Sam filled with uneasiness as she watched Asia closely.

  “This is dangerous,” Sam whispered. Asia turned to her and her wicked smile faded. Sam took a small step backwards. Asia’s hand caught hers firmly and pulled at it as she turned back around to walk off.

  “Come on,” Asia demanded politely. Sam hesitated at first but gave in as she watched me begin to power down from under the water. Asia led her to one of the newly steaming pools of water along the edges of the waterfall. She quickly slid into the smoky hot water and motioned for Sam to follow. Sam watched her, untrusting for a moment.

  “I think we should talk,” Asia said calmly. Sam looked back up toward me and then back at Asia. After a quick moment she nodded in agreement and slowly removed her shorts and tank top. She adjusted her green bikini and stepped into the water.

  “Show off!” Kai yelled at me as he ran up. I stepped from the fall, still on fire and shook my head like a wet dog. Fiery water drops sprinkled all around me. Quickly, my flames disappeared and the waterfall behind me stopped screaming. The smoke and steam receded as the falling water flowed naturally again.

  “I know,” I laughed, a little embarrassed. Kai nudged me with his elbow.

  “I can’t compete with that!” he huffed. I shrugged and patted him on the back.

  “I mean seriously Max! Water angels? You’ve gotta give us normal boys a fighting chance,” he laughed. I had missed my best friend and his silly sense of humor. Kai had a way of making me feel normal, even when I was doing the most un-normal things. He reached his long arm out and let his finger tip break the surface of the falling water. It slid into it slowly and then back out again. His face looked delighted but a little confused.

  “Where are the girls?” I asked, becoming nervous. He smiled and pointed down to one of the sides of the fall. An image flashed in my brain, filling my eyes with the sight of the two girls choking each other. The thought made it hard to breathe.

  “Uh oh…” I choked.

  “Yup,” he laughed.

  White Flag - 24

  ~Love Song: 311~

  11:38 a.m.

  “I need to ask you something?” Sam said softly. Asia laughed at her timidness making Sam uncomfortable.

  “Shoot,” Asia smiled. Sam gasped at her choice of words but quickly found her strength.

  “Devon’s dead isn’t he?” Sam asked, with no filter on her curiosity. Lightning twisted above them in silence.

  “You’re asking me about your ex?” Asia tried to stall. Sam took a long breath.

  “Yes.”

  “Your psychotic boy toy that shot Max down in cold blood!” Asia growled. Sam shuffled nervously in the bubbling hot water.

  “Yes,” she nodded, gaining her composure.

  “Why do you care? You’ve moved on,” Asia taunted.

  “Please don’t play games with me. Tell me what you know. Tell me what happened,” Sam forced again. Asia’s face filled with a smile in her eyes.

  “I’ll tell you exactly what I told the police…I don’t know.” Asia turned her attention to the steaming water and slid her head backwards. The water swallowed her dark hair into it slowly. Sam stiffened, knowing that she was lying to her.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “I don’t care,” Asia said. Lightning flickered above the cove again, this time with a crackling sound. Sam wanted to ask again but heeded the unnatural warning and shrunk down in the water. After a few silent minutes Asia tried to play nice.

  “Thank you for sharing this place with Max and I,” she smiled bigger, but Sam hated how she worded it.

  “Kai loves this place,” Sam added, distant. Asia could tell she was holding back.

  “And you?”

  “I’m more of a beach girl…” Sam didn’t sound very convinced. Asia paused for a moment and slowly ran a hand over her arm with the red tribal tattoo.

  “Me too.” She paused for a moment, lost in thought. “Max and I saw many exotic sands. Mexico had some beautiful beaches. Fiji was our home away from home. But I think Australia was the most amazing,” Asia smiled. Sam shifted uncomfortably in the make shift Jacuzzi. Her eyes traced Asia’s left shoulder and the tattoo that was wrapped around it. As her eyes concentrated on the twisting design, Asia leaned in toward her.

  “You okay? Is the water too hot?” Asia asked politely. She could tell that the matching ink was bothering Sam. She leaned back again and Sam eased up a little.

  “Uh…no…the water feels great.”

  “So, you never explained just how you and Kai became…umm…more than friends,” Asia taunted again. Sam felt her face fill with hot, angry embarrassment. She urgently slid her falling bangs behind her ear and frowned.

  “I didn’t realize I needed to explain my personal life,” Sam defended. Asia’s eyes lit up at the tension.

  “That’s funny, you seem to expect Max to explain his all the time!”

  “That’s not the same!” Sam said, with intensity. Asia continued to trace the ink along her shoulder.

  “Yes it is,” Asia spit. Sam fought every urge not to reach out and grab her. Her hands balled into fists under the water.

  “So? Spill it. You and Kai…what happened?” Asia asked with politeness again. Sam planned on getting out of the water and leaving, but instead she opened up.

  “I was scared.” Sam let a long breath out. Asia sat up in the water with suspicious eyes.

  “I was scared and very pregnant. Kai was my strength and he was there for me.”

  “Do you love him?” Asia asked, bluntly. Sam chose to ignore her question.

  “He was there for Madison.”

  “Do you?” Asia asked, leaning in closer. Sam’s eyes filled with spite. A long few seconds passed before either girl spoke.

  “I don’t know,” Sam looked away from Asia’s stare. Asia’s face filled with a smile again.

  “Yes you do,” she said and slowly relaxed again in the water. Sam stole a quick glance above her, toward the waterfall. Her eyes fell sad before falling back down to Asia again. Asia watched her like a predator but never stopped caressing her matching shoulder tattoo. Suddenly Sam reached out and traced the outer line of the artwork. Asia watched her, wide eyed.

  “I was just wondering…” Sam stopped in mid statement.

  “Go on,” Asia pushed.

  “What do they mean?” She pointed to the tattoo. Asia smiled but said nothing. Sam rustled the top of the water with her hands before looking up to the falling water above them again.

  “You and Max must have seen some fantastic things…”

  “Yes,” Asia said like a robot. Sam hated her tone.

  “Why come back?” Sam asked, finding her confidence again. Asia slowly stood up and made sure Sam watched her
snakelike move.

  “For his uncle.”

  “I know that, but why did YOU come back?” Sam pushed. Asia became tense and her anger started to rise. The skies mirrored her temper. Sam looked up at her, unfazed.

  “For him of course,” Asia smiled. Sam stood up next to her and watched as the skies darkened slightly more.

  “Max on the other hand…well…lets just say, he missed…” Asia paused and found Sam's wide eyes as they stared up at her with little hesitation.

  “Home,” Asia finished and stepped from the pool. She stretched her long body and called up to Kai and I.

  “We’re hungry!” she yelled. Thunder rumbled softly in the distance. Asia flipped her head around and looked at Sam from over her right shoulder. Sam’s stomach rolled over but not because she was hungry. She stepped from the water and made her way past Asia and out of the cove. Asia looked on as she did with a small satisfied smile.

  “I know the perfect place!” Kai shouted down to the girls. Though I doubted they could hear him clearly over the crashing waterfall. He smiled at me with a wink. I knew that smile all too well. I hadn’t seen it since we had been on stage together in our long forgotten band. My body became stiff with nervousness.

  “Uh oh.” I shook my head.

  ~To Be With You: Mr. Big~

  1:23 p.m.

  “Hurry up brother. I think they can smell the fear!” Kai teased from over my shoulder. I couldn't believe how nervous I was.

  “Alright, alright…number 13,” I said unsure. Kai reached over me and took the giant book in his hands. He laughed out loud and waved to the heavyset DJ that we were ready.

  “Perfect song!” He patted me on my back as I turned to face the impatient crowd.

  “I hope so,” I coughed nervously. My eyes washed over the 100 or so faces of eager strangers. Kai had taken us to a local beach bar and grill with all the trimmings, and by trimmings I meant state of the art karaoke and soundboard. The place was packed this Friday lunch hour. It looked like half of the crowd was tourists, while the rest were jaded islanders. I began to heat with frustration. I hadn’t performed in front of a crowd since…well, since Kai and I’s first and last show.