approach Milo, “I’m sorry for making an assumption.” Ollie deserves an apology too, but this one is for him. “I’ve never really had very many friends. I’m not trying to use my ignorance as an excuse, I shouldn’t have done that, sorry.” Milo looks up, his lips in a thin line as he attempts a false smile.
Ollie swings his legs over to the floor and leans into Milo’s side, wrapping his arm over his neck. “He’s not mad at you Laura. He’s mad that through all of this, none of us have made our intentions clear.” My brow furrows.
“What intentions?” I question as Milo jabs his elbow into Ollie’s side, causing him to fold back and grunt.
“Easy bro,” Ollie pants through his teeth.
Milo’s eyes go wide. “Shit, man I’m sorry.” He stands, backing away from me and the couch. “I wasn’t trying to exert. Are you okay?”
Ollie unfolds on a slight wince. “I’m good, we all probably need to focus on not using our abilities for a little while, a least until we get a handle on the extra boost.”
“That was my fault. You hurt him because I was standing close to you?” I’m the one backing away now. I don’t think I truly believe I’m somehow enhancing their abilities, but I can’t stand the thought I might be the catalyst for them hurting each other either. First Ollie with the fire, now Milo. “I think you guys need to tell me what’s happening. If I’m the one causing this then I need to figure out how to make it stop.”
Ares sits forward on the sofa, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes tracking my movement. “That’s the last thing we want to do.” My mouth pops open to argue with him and Ares raises his hand. “I just mean the making it stop part, we will explain what’s going on.” I deflate, the fight leaving me. He pats the spot I was sitting in, inviting me to return. I look at Milo who is standing near the fireplace shaking out his hands.
Slowly, I make my way back. Keeping as much distance between Ollie and myself as possible. I feel like he might catch fire if I get too close, it’s not reasonable because we were sitting together on the floor earlier, but still I do it.
Ares places his hand on my thigh again, his fingers curl slightly above my knee with a gentle squeeze. Like he knows I’m afraid of triggering them. I narrow my eyes at him. “Can you read my thoughts?” It’s not the first time I’ve questioned their uncanny sense of me. Ares doesn’t answer me, but he does have a dark grin curling his lips.
Knowing that’s the only answer I’m going to get, I push on. “So, tell me about the Infinity, what exactly is it? And how am I involved?”
Fifteen
My question is met with silence. I look at all four of them, wondering if they ever plan on telling me anything. Ares sighs. “Can’t expect boys to do a man’s job.” The others ignore the little dig as he continues. “I’ll start with the basics, considering these guys’ track record with you involving information. An Infinity is usually made up of two men, and one woman. There are a very few that have three men and one woman, we however have four to one.”
“How do you know?” I interrupt.
“Know what?” Ares drops his head back on the sofa, he’s already exacerbated and it’s just my first question.
“Know that there is only one girl, woman. I mean there are four of you, so could that mean there is more than one woman?”
Ares tilts his head, studying my face. “No, I’m confident there is only one.”
“How?”
Dante scrubs his hand over his face. I feel a slight pang of exclusion. They already have these answers, they grew up knowing their lives would change irrevocably at some point. I know nothing. Hell, I still don’t know if I believe them. I pinch my lips together and look down.
I feel the couch shift. “I’m confident there is only you, because I feel it. I know you won’t understand it yet, but I think at some point you will.” Ares tilts my face up, so I can see the patience in his eyes. I nod and wait for him to continue. “Where was I?” he mumbles under his breath. “Ah yes, so we,” he makes a circle with his hands encompassing Milo, Dante, and Ollie, “are like the reactants,