The Clairvoyant

Six | 82 days, 4th hour

I wake up some time after midnight to my cellphone ringing. Annoyed, I turn over my pillow and ignore it, but it keeps calling and calling – and maybe it's even passed three calls. Now picking it up, I put it against my ear despite not looking at who it is.

“Do I seriously need to listen to metallic just to wake you up?”

“Oh God no,” I answer right away, my eyes jolting open as the word 'metallic' passes through my ears. As much as I don't like eating mom's home cooked meals – and believe me, dad cooks better – the next thing I'd never want to do in the morning is listen to metallic music.

I get up, rub my head, then look at the clock and it's revealing the numbers “0”, “4”, “3” and “1”.

Why the hell did you wake me up at four in the morning? I wanted to scream to his mind, but my sleepiness doesn't let me. Instead, I get off the comforts of my bed sheets and stare out the window where I spot him. He's wearing a white coat, and a pair of pants as if he's ready to go somewhere.

We're going on a date.

A date? He gives me a thumbs up. Why? Why four in the morning? You do know a date can be done in the afternoon, right? Or maybe the earliest date is around brunch time or something. Haven't you ever gone on a date before?

I have, he snaps at me, which sort of makes me laugh. Just get down.

Give me ten.

Five.

Eight.

Seven.

I'm not coming down then, I reply, crossing my arms since he can see me from below.

He crosses his arms too in imitation, and then he's smirking at me. Fine by me, he replies and suddenly I'm hearing screaming music in my head. I tumble backward, surprised at the intensity of the music, and then stagger backward onto a chair of mine.

Stop! Stop! I'll get down! Just let me take a bath!

Hurry up. It's just so lonely here.

I'm about to take a bath, until he sends: Bring some extra underwear. I'm about to ask him why but he's putting up the metallic music again. Grinding my teeth, I enter the bathroom and throw my clothes into the laundry.

I take less than five minutes to finish bathing, another five to put on some descent clothes: white patterned tights, a cute ruby red dress, a dark trench coat, then the usual brown boots that reach my knee. Just before leaving the room though, I grab Cain's scarf off the table and the glasses too.

Outside my room, as I expected by the time I took a bath, my siblings doors are still closed, and only one room is open: our parent's bedroom door. As far as I can remember, no one ever closes that room when they're not at home.

It's as if, if you close the door, then it’s like telling them to never come back.

Creeping down the stairs, I quickly leave a sticky note on the refrigerator – a note I bet you Ian will first take notice. After putting the pen back, I snatch my house keys off the rack and close the door behind me just in time for Cain to walk up behind me.

“Wow,” He mutters, and I can feel his stare boring into my back. “You're rather... dressed.”

“And you aren't?” I mock back as I turn around. “So where are we going so early in the morning?”

He takes out his car keys and points at his lime colored Chevrolet Beat. It's as if he's showing it off, and I don't even have to read his mind to know what he wants to point out. “What time's your appointment with Dr. Joelle?” He asks.

I ponder a minute on what time it was. “Around five in the afternoon.”

He grins at me, I smile unknowingly back. “Then I can borrow you until then.”

“Borrow me?” I echo as Cain pulls my wrist towards the car. “b***h, I'm not borrowable.”

“Then you're going out on a date with me until your appointment,” He doesn't give me time to answer back since he's already opened the door to the passenger seat. I go in warily, I mean, this is like kidnapping after all, right?

Cain puts on his seat belt, so do I. He turns the engine on, I turn the radio on.

And like that, he's backing out of the driveway. “What sounds great for breakfast?” He asks me, a ghastly smile forming on his pinkish lips. “You think French sounds good, or maybe Italian? Or maybe we should skip all that and just eat desserts?”

“I don't think eating desserts is really that healthy,” I begin slowly for him to understand as his car lurches to the side. I suddenly begin wondering if Cain's really that expert of a driver. “But whatever's up to you. I only brought around twenty with me.”

His eyes are on the road, but I can tell his expression is that of a blank stare.

I was kidding, I send to him, crossing my arms and slumping into his seat.

“So what do you wanna do today? Talk about the headaches first or grab something to eat?” I almost forgot that topic last night, and so when he mentioned it, my head swung quickly that it snapped in place and Cain laughed.

I rubbed the back of my neck, an obvious sour expression on my face. But Cain's eyes are glued to the road so he doesn't really see it. “Okay, ha ha, funny.” I give a sarcastic laugh. “I think we're talking about that headache first.”

“You sure you don't wanna grab something to eat?”

Cain suddenly turned right, making me hit the glass window and I can swear he was trying very hard not to laugh at me. I felt like getting out at the moment, I couldn't take any more humiliation than what he was doing already.

“I'm sorry,” Cain apologized when he parked the car in front of an Italian restaurant.

“Yeah, sorry by butt. Like you even meant that,” I snap at him and exit his car, closing it with this abruptly loud sound that echoes into the empty and dark parking lot. I shiver only because it's dark, not because I'm scared of the place.

We enter the restaurant, and its dimly lit as if wanting to get some kind of romantic atmosphere. Except for a few dozing-off waitresses, there's another couple of guys at the back, and another girl sitting alone at the far corner.

“Table for two?” The waitress asks, chewing on the bubble gum loudly.

So much for the atmosphere, I hear Cain laugh and I giggle. The waitress eyes me, and I eye her back. She loses that little duel of ours and takes us to our table without Cain having to answer her question. She places us near the table, away from the others.

After handing the menu, we check it out and order small time food. A platter of their traditional piedmontese agnolotti and a cup of iced tea for me, and one cup of coffee and a plate of tiramisu, not that I didn't think he was serious about eating dessert for breakfast.

“That's really unhealthy,” I comment once the food was served minutes later.

“I ate breakfast at home.”

“Why'd you take me out then?”

“Since I was bored.”

I began chewing on my ravioli slowly, its contents warm and soft. “So do you normally wake up at four in the morning or you were seriously just...” I trailed off, unsure what else to say. I knew from the bottom of my hear that Cain isn't the type to wake up this early.

And neither am I actually.

“I woke up from the headache,” His lips didn't move at all, rather, he's chewing his dessert. “And I remembered how I told you I would explain it to you. I mean, explain what I know to you, okay? Then there's my glasses – you still had it.”

I began chewing on my food too, the pasta and roast beef suddenly feeling like it was a bit too early for breakfast. I chomped on it much slower than I usually do, afraid that it would come spilling out any moment now.

“Your headache, when does it occur?”

I look up, and he's looking at me, I put down my fork and lean on my upraised hand. “I guess it happened when we were at the mall. Just once. When you were far away from me and I was looking for you since you told me you were near.”

He did a 'hmm' sound and nibbled on his tiramisu. “I had them too, a few days ago. We were having PE class and I was just playing around like how I do every other day, and then suddenly this massive headache hit me, threw me off guard.”

I didn't say anything else but continued to listen to his story. “So anyway, it disappeared right after that. Then it happened again when you weren't around, and I was in a crowd. Don't get me wrong okay, but I think it happens whenever there's too many people around me, and you aren't there.”

“That's sweet,” I wanted to say but kept my mouth shut instead.

Not that it really was sweet in the first place.

“So then you mentioned a headache yesterday, and you were in a crowd too. So that got me thinking, maybe it happens when we're in a crowd after all but of course, I'm only getting this from just speculations. I'm not sure yet with anything.”

I shake my head, taking in a gulp of my iced tea. “Well, if it explains the headaches, then I guess that's fine one way or another than having nothing at all, right? So this headache thing, you mean to say that we're like some kind of protection guard against the other?”

“Protection guard?”

Biting off a piece of my pasta, I look up at Cain again. “I mean, if we're near each other, a crowd doesn't really matter to us. But if we're not near each other, and we're in a crowd, then we'll be like, vulnerable to headaches.”

“I guess you could say that,” He whispers softly, almost finishing his tiramisu already.

“So you think we should tell Dr. Joelle about this?”

Cain's eyes perk up at the mention of Dr. Joelle, and before I can even say that I was just kidding, he snaps. “No, you can't ever tell Dr. Joelle about this, Stella. What are you gonna do when the guy decides to suddenly dissect our brain or something – do you want that?”

“No sir,” I mutter quietly, looking down at my food. I begin unraveling the contents of the pasta and the meat, and I can hear Cain telling me to look at him and to listen to what he's got to say. “I won't tell anyone, Cain. I promise.”

He's considering this for a moment, his mind suddenly quiet when I know it should be empty. Finally I let out a sigh and he looks up from his finished plate, frowning. “What's wrong?” He asks seconds later when I don't say anything.

“It's just that... I get this feeling like you're hiding something from me, you know. That or sometimes I can't hear you think at all.” I finish drinking my iced tea and he's still staring at me even as I put it down on the wooden table.

He's fiddling around with his fingers and immediately I realize there's something in his mind that he's trying to consider. What are you thinking about? I send to him, putting my fork and spoon down on the side of my plate as neatly as possible.

“I... I might be able to shut you out of my mind.”

I stare into his hazel eyes. “Excuse me?”

“Like, you know, not let you read my mind.” His voice trails off.

I give out a laugh, and I can tell the people in the restaurant are looking at me. “What kind of 'not let you read my mind' are you talking about?” I inquire, my cheeks turning into a Cheshire grin but somehow they want to go back into a frown.

“Okay, here, try reading my mind.”

“Cain, that's stupid. I can-”

“Please?” He has that puppy dog look in his eye that I cannot defy. I look into his eyes – it’s not necessary to do that, I just automatically do that whenever I'm trying to read his mind. His hazel eyes settle onto mine and I'm staring at him, just staring.

His lips are pinkish red, more like salmon maybe, and for the first time in ages, I realize how long his eye lashes actually are. He puts his head on his hand, eyes still on mine, and then he brings a hand through his ebony black hair.

And then I realize it just like that.

I can't hear him. I can't hear him think of anything.

I let out a shaky breath, turn my eyes to anything else other than his. “I can't hear you,” I frustratingly mutter. “And I bet you you were reading mine the whole time, huh?” I can't bear to look at him right now because I feel as if my cheeks are burning red.

“Yeah, you were kinda checking me out,” Cain chuckled, shaking his head and calling for the waitress. He asks for the bill and we wait there in our seats: me looking out the window the whole time and Cain boring his stare onto my shoulder.

Once we're done paying the bill, we get in his car and he's driving once again. I'm staring out the window the whole time, just staring at the moving trees, until the sound of music interrupts my mind and I'm facing Cain.

“Is this the part where you start ignoring me?” He asks me, his arms firmly planted on the wheel. “I mean, I know it was mean of me to not tell you, okay? But I wasn't sure yet. I wasn't sure that I could actually lock you out of my mind.”

Stella...

I look back at the dashboard, sighing. “So where are we going? The sun's about to rise.”

He suddenly parks the car at the side of the road, puts the headlights back up and then looks at me. “Stella, look at me.” He urges me to do so, his hand is on my arm and he's trying to make me look. “Stella, please? I'm sorry.”

“Let's just get this date over with.”

He shakes his head. “I'm not moving unless you accept my apology.”

“That's kind of like blackmailing me or something,” I chuckle, giving him a kind smile. “It's fine, really. But I kinda wanna know where we're going, and, well, I really haven't been able to hear you say anything except my name lately.”

He curses and continues driving the car. I ask him what's wrong and he says, “It's because of that. See, I don't know when I shut you out or whatever. I just realize that you can't hear me when you're not replying to my questions. It's troublesome!”

“It's troublesome that I can't hear you?” I ask slowly, unsure of what I actually heard. “Are you sure you're fine? I mean, that's kind of really normal one way or another. Don't you think it’s better sometimes that I can't hear you at all?”

Cain gives me a kind smile but shakes his head. “Stella, if only you could hear my mind every single moment, you'd realize what I'm really thinking about.” He laughs after this, and then shakes his head again. “Nah, never mind. I'll just keep it a secret.”

“That's not fair!”

“It's not my fault you can't hear me,”

“Dude, that is so wrong in so many ways.” Cain breaks into laugher, and I know my lips are formed into a wide smile. “Whatever, just get me to wherever you wanted to take me. I'm tired of this secrecy thing you have with your mind.”

“If you aren't aware, it's supposed to be hidden away from everyone else in the first place.” Cain replies with a chuckle, his car turning over to the beach. There's no one there but us, and by no one, I literally mean no one.

He parks the car at a random place, walks out and opens my door. I give him a look as if he's crazy but he only jerks his chin to the waters and cracks a grin. “Come on Stella, don't tell me you're afraid of dawn swimming?”

“Cain, it's February. It's bound to be cold!”

He breathes in the cold spring air, then walks to the trunk and takes out a pair of towel. Giving me a grin, he begins taking off his shirt, and then realization hits me. “This is why you told me to bring extra underwear, isn't it?”

“At least you brought some.”

“I am not swimming,” I deadpan, but he's already up to the beach wearing only his boxer shorts.

“Stella come on, I'm freezing. I promise I'm not coming out until you swim. Five minutes.”

“Cain, you're being unreasonable.” I cling onto the car mirror, staring at him as he's holding onto his towel, his feet already in the sea. I know I'm somehow checking him out, but how can't I when he's practically just wearing his boxers?

Finally I sigh out loud and begin undressing – it's a good thing i'd wore something under my dress. I place them neatly on my seat, then slowly walk to the shore where the cold water is almost to my feet. I try to touch it, then like a little kid, I draw back.

“I can't do this,” I finally state out loud, shaking my head. “I really can't do this. This is crazy.”

But I don't have enough time to turn around and run when he's already pulling me into the sea. We drop inside, my body hitting the cold like a talon of meat. A shriek escapes my lips involuntarily but a pair of hands on my waist prevents me from leaving the sea.

“It's cold, it's cold!” I cry out loud, clutching tightly to his neck. “It's f*****g cold.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Cain laughs onto my arm, and he dips further into the sea. I'm about to pull away from him, my mind racing from the cold temperature that's practically drowning me. “Five minutes, we haven't even done one minute yet.”

By the time I realize it, we're already chest deep and he's still holding me firmly into place. “I'm not gonna escape,” I mutter, frowning at him as I realize how embarrassing my actions were: I mean, who clutches onto a guy's neck like that?

His hands leave my waist, and like that, the warmth as well.

I dip into the sea until my head's the only thing possible, and then he dips his head further in and he stays just like that for a long time. Finally, unable to wait for him, I slink down into the sea and the cold water catches my face.

Staying like that for a long time, my ears hearing nothing and my eyes beginning to feel the cold, I suddenly feel a pair of hands on my face and they yank me up out of the sea. Cain's looking at me, and puffs of cold air are escaping his lips.

“You were in there for a long time,” He bit his lip, then apologized.

“It's fine, it just felt really awesome to dip in the cold like that,” I grin at him, resting my hand onto his face. “You're awfully warm,” I whisper, tracing the tips of my fingers to his lips. They were soft and plump-like. Then I pinched his cheek.

“What was that for?” He exclaims, quickly enveloping his arms over my hips. He raises me out of the sea where the cold wind smacks me on the face. My hair blows all over in place despite it being drenched, and Cain grins.

I clung tightly onto him, telling him its freezing cold, but he doesn't put my back into the water and just lets me stay there. “This is punishment for pinching my cheeks,” He tells me with a wide grin appearing on his face. “And-”

My eyes are locked onto his watch, and they widen in surprise. “Dude, it's past five minutes already!”

“No, my watch's like, advance,” He obviously lies.

“It's past five minutes. You said five minutes!”

“Just a little more,” He complains.

Then I realize that he's already hugging me, well, actually hugging my stomach. I tell him to put me down since it’s too cold up here, and then he agrees to do so and begins heading to the shore. He doesn't let go of my hand the entire time, but when we were there, he wraps the towel around me.

“Warm already?” He asks me, his teeth clattering against each other.

“You aren't,” I frown, taking a towel away but instantly regret it when the cold air whips my legs.

“I'm fine, really,”

But I can tell he's lying. His mind's practically screaming cold and hot at the same time. Already in the car, me just wrapped around in some thick towels and Cain relying on the heater of his car, I give out a little laugh and he looks at me.

“What's so funny?” He demands, a frown forming on his face.

“It's just that, you look so funny. It's like, you're gasping for air from that thing.”

Cain raises an eyebrow, then blasts the heater all the way. “At least I'm trying to keep us warm, idiot.” He mutters, putting on his shirt despite still being half-wet. Then after putting his seat belt on he drives backwards and moves away.

I'm checking the radio half way to his place when suddenly the heater lightens down. “What's wrong with the damn thing?” Cain punches it after realizing that his cheeks were becoming numb from the cold. “I should've brought dad's car instead.”

He's in his seat, driving us home, and I can tell he's having a really hard time concentrating away from the cold. “You know,” I take the towel off, and then its already feeling cold. “You should really just use this, really, Cain.”

“You're going to freeze to death.”

“I'm not gonna die in ten minutes,” I give him a wan smile. “Come on.”

He stops on the side, wraps the towel around his body, then bites his lips as he continues the drive. I can't help it after all, it really is freezing cold even with the sun up in the sky already. He's about to give it back to me, I can read his mind after all, but I tell him it's fine, I'm okay, it's not that cold.

We're in front of his house and it seems awfully lonely. “My parents aren't home,” Cain mutters and pulls into the driveway. He kills the engine and we're already going inside his place. And once we are, I'm grateful that the heaters are on.

“Warm milk?”

“You're not offering coffee?” I smile.

You don't drink coffee.

He chuckles and enters his kitchen even though he's half naked. The towel's actually threatening to drop. “Stella, why don't you take a bath first? Upstairs on the right is my room – my parents and I kinda have our own bathrooms so I hope you're fine with it.”

I give him a nod, head upstairs with my change of clothes. His room's abnormally tidy for a guy like him but I enter the bathroom anyway. I'm about to enter his shower, when all of a sudden this thing attacks me from behind.

A stifled scream escapes my lips as I crash down onto the wooden floor. I'm pushing whatever it is away from me, but when I stop, I realize what it is. On top of me is this wild albino Siberian Husky. “Cain!” I cry out, terrified. “Cain!”

“Stella?” I hear the voice inside my mind, a panicked stricken call. “Stella!”

“Cain!”

Loud thumping footsteps enter the bathroom and I can see Cain just by the doorway. “Sit boy, sit!” He commands the dog, pulling it by the tail. “Grey, sit down boy. Stop jumping on people! Get off her!”

The dog, Grey, gets off me with a whimper. Cain pats it on the head and he helps me up. I'm shaking all over – I'm not really a dog person after all. “Hey, you okay?” He asks me, even though I'm obviously terrified. He lets out a chuckle.

“This isn't a laughing matter,”

“Yeah,” Cain mutters, looking away from me. “But your bra's about to fall if that's okay with you.”

And he's right. My bra really is threatening to fall. The stupid dog actually ripped it on the side. I push him out, one arm holding tightly onto my – oh, right – his towel and the other shoving him out the door. “Get out! Out!”

The dog barks at me, I glare at it and it only glares back. Cain pats it on the head and he's only laughing. I close the door behind them but I can hear Cain's laughter from outside the bathroom. I didn't know you were afraid of dogs. He sends to me.

Whatever Cain, I think aloud, entering the showers since I've already taken my underwear off. I'll find out whatever your weakness is too!

Oh yeah?

Yeah, I will find it.

I'll be looking forward to that.