Discovering Rose

Chapter 12

"So basically, baseball is about how fast you can get  team out, and how many runs you can score when you're in?" I went over what Via, Kamil and Thea had explained, helping myself to a large handful of popcorn.
"Bingo," Kamil said, moving the popcorn away as I went in for another handful. "Nu uh, Rose, you've had way to much already," he winked as he passed the popcorn on.
"And they choose to wear these strange, white uniforms because...?"
"Tradition I guess," Thea shrugged, pulling on her shades. I thought even Zed struggled to make the baseball whites look 'cool'.
"Protection, actually," Via corrected.
"And Zed's our best player?"
"Could be. Drives the coach erratic. All his brothers apart from my Yves were in the team when they were at school, but none of them went on for a scholarship. Coach Hurst is getting more and more perplexed. Keeps trying to persuade Zed - his last chance at a Benedict - but no such luck."
Zed's first pitch beat the batsman by miles, and the fangirling spectators screamed with enthusiasm and approval.
"Zed's in the zone," Via said, watching the game with eagerness.
"Yeah," Thea said, absent mindedly passing the popcorn to Kamil.
"He keeps looking up at this section of bleachers doesn't he," Zoe said innocently. She giggled, as Thea looked at me with a wicked smile.
"I wonder why," she said, grinning.
"He doesn't even know I'm here," I blushed, my face exploring all sectors of the red spectrum.
"He knows, sweet thing, he knows," Kamil winked.
"Wait!" Via suddenly said, fishing her phone out from her pocket. Before I could object, she had taken a snap of me. "Just for posterity. Everyone is gonna be dying to hear about the only girl from Wickenridge Zed's ever dated."
She showed me the picture, adding little hearts and a tiara using one of her apps.
"That's one of his exes down there, I think," Via pointed out an Aspen cheerleader. I immediately felt an irrational pulse of jealousy. She had glorious corkscrew glossy curls, and long legs.
Thea, Via and Kamil were still debating my love life whilst I was staring at the game in my thoughtful haze.
"She's probably exotic enough for Zed too, all the way from England," Thea said.
"I think he should just leave Rose alone," Kamil said, revealing his protective streak.
"Yeah, we should go all gangster on him," Thea said, clearly enjoying this.
"And spoil the excitement?" Via said in disapproval. "Just think about it for a second. Zed dating another girl from Wickenridge would be the most exciting thing since ... since..."
"The gold rush," Kamil helped her out.
"And you two are such exaggerators," Thea said drily, grabbing a handful of popcorn.
"Never!" Via used a mock shocked tone.
"Excuse me guys, but I am still here. Nice of you to plan my love life, but maybe I have an opinion," I butted in, half amused, half exasperated by them.
"Your opinion?" Thea said, raising an eyebrow.
"Well...I'm still working on it. Anyway, Zed and me just wouldn't happen. As I said, I don't like him."
"Still, you don't need to like a guy like that, just date him for a week or so, and your reputation will leap," Via said.
"What, use him for eye candy?"
"Yeah, exactly."
"That's sick Via," I said, trying not to laugh at her absurdity.
"I'm great, right?" she grinned.
Excitement started up in the crowd as another player struck out. "If anything that boy is hot hot hot!" Via leapt up and started punching the air and dancing round on her feet.
But suddenly, a change started in Zed. His concentration seemed to disappear, that steady look from his eyes gone, replaced by a present one like the other players. His pitching went from incredible, to just very good.
"He always does this!" Via groaned with exasperation. "He gets so far, and then..."
"But why?" I asked in total confusion.
"Guess he's just not committed," Thea shrugged, removing her shades now the sun had disappeared slightly. The Wickenridge students groaned as the other batter man almost hit him out of the diamond. I watched Zed shrug, and hand the pitching position to another team mate. In my heart, I knew Zed could have made mincemeat of them. It was just maddening.
"The teachers are always telling him to start showing consistency, but he's just too arrogant."
"Hmm." I wasn't convinced. I was sure there must be something else - another reason why Zed was keeping his play slightly down. And I wanted to know.
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"I'll drive you home?" Thea offered once the match was over. Wickenridge had beat Aspen, but the man of the match had slowly shrunk away into the crowd, away from attention. It was frustrating to know why.
"No, I'm good thanks," I said. "I said I'd pick some groceries up for Josie."
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
"Bye."
I watched her car accelerate off, and then disappear around a bend. In the grocery store, I grabbed the stuff Josie had requested, and was about to leave, but Mrs Brockman swept in.
Damn.
"Rose! How lovely to see you, it has been a while, is your family doing well?"
"Great thanks," I nodded, my eyes looking frantically for an escape. Kelly, the shop assistant I had met during the chutney pot disaster who had become to be a good friend since, suddenly swept in to my rescue.
"Hello Mrs Brockman! Oh, hello Rose! You must tell me about the baseball match tomorrow! And go through every detail! But for now, I'm sure you have homework?"
"Yes, I do, it was nice to see you two, but I must be going now," I said thankfully to Kelly. She gave me a half amused look.
"You'd better get back home before it gets dark," she said suddenly. "Are you okay walking back?"
"Fine thanks," I smiled gratefully.
Outside was chilly, and the shadows seemed to loom over me. I wrapped my Jack Wills tighter around me, swinging the shopping bag casually. A light fall of sleet had begun, and it was beginning to get slippery.
"Rose!" Someone grabbed my shoulder and I spun around in shock, to see Zed. I lowered the shopping bag I had just hit him with.
"I almost had a heart attack!" I protested, regaining my breath.
"Sorry, I thought I told you to not go out alone after dark."
"You mean some mad boy might suddenly jump out of the shadows and give me the fright of my life?"
A flicker of a smile flashed across his face. "You can never be sure. There are some strange people out in the mountains."
"Well you've certainly proved your point."
He grinned. "Let me take your bag," he said, reaching out for it. I pulled away.
"I'm fine, thanks."
He took the bag from me. "Let me walk you home."
What was going on?
"Don't worry about it."
"But I want to."
"And I'm guessing you always get your own way?"
"Most of the time."
We walked in silence for a while. Eventually, Zed broke the silence. "So when were you planning to tell me?"
"Tell you what?" I asked, confused.
"That you're a Savant."
"A what?"
He stopped us underneath a street lamp and tucked a strand of my loose hair behind my ear.
"Surely you must realize how amazing it is."
"What is?" I was totally confused now. What was he on about?
He laughed. "I understand. Okay, you don't have to be like this, I'm sorry I was such an idiot. But you need to understand, I had no idea it was you. I just thought I was preventing some English stranger from being murdered."
I pushed him away. "What are you talking about?"
"I had this vision a few nights before I warned you, you know, screams, running, blood. And you. Just thought I'd better warn you."
I was so confused - almost scared. "Zed, um, thanks for worrying about me but I'd better get back."
"Yeah right, Rose, you're my soulfinder, you can't just walk away."
"Soulfinder?"
"You must have felt it too, as soon as you replied to me in that football match, I felt something. Something incredible." He came closer, running his finger down my cheek. "The odds of us ever finding each other, its just amazing."
"Soulfinder?" I repeated.
"Yeah," he grinned. "No half soul or life for us. I've been waiting a while so I can break the news to my folks."
He had to be winding me up here. I pushed myself away from him.
"Zed, I have no idea what you are talking about. You can't just expect me to...to...look, you don't like me, I don't like you, get over it."
"Get over it?" he asked incredulously. "Savants wait all their lives to find the one and you expect me to get over it?"
"Why not? I don't even know what a Savant is!"
His eyes blazed like fire, full of anger and desperation. "I'm one." He gestured towards himself. Then he prodded me. "You're one. You're gifts make you a Savant, Rose."
I stepped back. "Give me the shopping bag please."
"What! We've just made the most astounding, incredible discovery of our lives and you're going home?!"
I looked around for someone to help me, Mrs Brockman, my parents, anyone. No such luck.
"Um...yes. Looks like it."
"You can't!"
"You just watch me." I snatched the shopping bag from his hands and quickened my pace until I was almost running to the last few yards to my house.
"Rose, you can't ignore this!" He stood underneath the streetlamp, sleet settling in his hair, hands curled into fists at his sides. "You're mine - you have to be."
"No. I. Don't."
And I slammed the front door.