The letter was old; stained from coffee, worn at the edges and folds from her reading over and over again. The script was old, curling. It was beautiful to look at, and ever since she got it, Julissa couldn't stop gazing at it. A call from downstairs snapped her out of her revere. She sighed, slipping the letter into the pocket of her pants.
What to pack for an Elemental meeting? Never had she met another Elemental. There would be plenty of them at the Earth Temple. Should she wear the color of her element; white and yellow? Surely she would pack her glowstone, the bright jewel on a chain that remained around her neck always. Should she dress to impress? She eyed her dresses and skirts that lined her closet, and shook her head. Maybe they would be training; but for what? Wanting to be safe rather than sorry, she folded her gym shorts and Under Armor clothes into her suitcase. She grabbed her sneaker and shoved them in, too. Then, she walked to her door, where her boxing gloves hung by the string over a nail. Would she need them? They were her favorite, not as puffy and regular gloves. They were thin, giving her power and protection. They would go.
After taking the better part of an hour packing her clothes, Julissa sat on her bed. Currently, she was rereading the tale of Romeo and Juliet. It was for a school assignment, and usually she would enjoy rereading the story, but now it was rather dull. She never had a boyfriend of her own, and felt detached from the book. How could she enjoy the story if she didn't understand the feelings? Suddenly, for the first time in her life, she didn't feel like reading. She grabbed her boxing gloves and headed for the gym.
The gym she attended was small, exclusive. Most of the football and other sports players in the school attended it. Julissa’s parents bought her a membership when she was ten, and she attended the nights she didn't have gymnastics. Since then, the gym had added and addition that included a gymnastics corner, and the place had become a favorite spot of hers. She kept a spare change of clean clothes in her locker there, and she quickly changed. She emerged from the locker room, pulling her gloves on when she met a group of jocks. They were all crowded around the front desk, flirting with the receptionist. She was way too old for them, but she flirted back. Julissa scoffed at the situation, and went to the boxing section.
She stood in front of the speed bag, hitting it over and over, quicker and quicker. The bag bobbed up and down, turning into a blur. Sweat began to bead on her forehead, until slowly she was slick from head to toe. Stepping away from the bag, she took deep breaths, trying to slow her heart rate. Picking up her water bottle, Julissa unscrewed the cap, and leaned against the ballet bar to take a drink.
She had downed half the bottle when someone cleared their throat in front of her. Pulling the bottle from her lips, she swallowed and put the cap back on. Looking up, she noticed one of the guys, Easton, at her school standing before her. Due to her small frame, she had to crane her neck to look at his face. He smiled; no one normally looked at her, and now he was looking at her in the eyes. What did he want now?
“Hi. I saw you across the room. To be honest, I was impressed,” he looked into her brown eyes. Julissa was surprised, yet skeptical. This made no sense. He was the quarterback of the school’s football team. No, he wanted something else. Julissa’s suspicions were confirmed when Easton stepped forward, placing a hand on her bare waist. He pressed her against him. “For a freak, you could do a lot more with your time they lighting the candles around the house.” Fuming, Julissa used her power. Her body temperature increased, until Easton gasped and let go. Looking down at his arms, he stared at the pink flesh as if and alien had caressed his arm. He glared at her with wide eyes, blinking. After gaining his bearings, his face turned into an angry stare. “You little – “ he was cut off as Julissa stormed away, cheeks flaming.
Now was not the time. She had to catch a plane