I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax. I thrust my bare hand into the burning fire. Instinctively, Josh gasped and pulled my arm back, but I shook him off.

"Just trust me on this," I said. "I think I know my own abilities." I went to do it again, but he stopped me.

"You must be crazy! How do you know—"

Without meaning to, a plume of fire surged from my right hand, the one he was holding, and singed his nose hair. He froze, looking down at his nose.

"Oops."

He swallowed. "Go ahead."

I smiled, and stuck my arm in the fire, turning the hot coals over in my bare hand. I pulled one out and held it up for him. The smoke made him cough. I quickly put it back.

Through bits of coughing, he managed to say, "How... *cough*... does the smoke... *cough*... not bother... *cough*... you?"

It never occurred to me that the smoke from fire bothered people in the first place, but I guess my immunity to fire helped. I shrugged. "I suppose it's because I'm resistant to flames, " I speculated.

"That's so cool!" Josh exclaimed. "I mean... not cool... like, um—"

I laughed. "I am hot, aren't I?" I joked.

He grinned back. "You know that's not what I meant."

"I know."

"Have you, you know... always had these... powers?"

My smile faded. What would he think of me if I told him the whole thing? I hesitated, then reluctantly said, "Yes. Always. They.. they first manifested when I was little. You know how they always tell you not to play with fire?" He nodded. "Well," I continued, "fire never really scared me. It fascinated me. On my sixth birthday my parents threw a birthday party with all my friends and their parents. I was so intrigued by the candle flames that I reached out to touch them and they burst into fire. When one of the girl's mother saw this, on top of that when I pulled my hand out it was unscathed, she screamed, "Devil's spawn!" and that put an end to the parties for a while. But she scared me badly that day, especially when I learned later at around eight what she really meant. My mum seems to know something, but she hasn't told me ever. I fear I might be a demon-child."

Josh smiled in understanding. "Well you sure don't seem like a demon to me!" He winked, and put his arm around me. I grinned a bit and leaned into him. Then I sat up and drew my knees in. I opened my palm and played with a ball of fire, letting its twisting tendrils of stray energy wind their way around my fingers. The warm glow danced light across Josh's features. I looked at my fire melancholically.

"So you don't think I'm some demon child of the netherworld?" I asked, almost hopefully. "You're not freaked out about my pyrokinesis?"

"Of course not!" he exclaimed. "It's so co—er, awesome! I mean, I was a bit freaked out when you stuck your hand in the fire, but it fascinates me how you can summon a flame just like that," Josh marveled, snapping his fingers. "What does it feel like?"

I looked at him confused.

"I mean, like, using your... magic," he stammered, turning red. I nudged him with a grin my face, then called upon my fire a few times.

"I don't know, kinda tingly I guess," I replied. "In a warm, comfortable way.

He reached over to hold my hand, but the moment his hand touched mine, he recoiled.

"Ow! Your hand is freaking hot!" he exclaimed in surprise. My fire sizzled out.

"It is?"

"You mean you don't feel it?" Josh said in awe. I shook my head.

"No, not really. It feels normal. Unless I do this..." I concentrated and summoned heat to my hands, which I balled into fists. They glowed red with warmth, and Josh had to shield his face from the intensity.

"Geez, that's a pretty ardent fire!

"450°F," I said, not knowing how I knew that. "Watch this."

I got up and walked over to a tree. Josh stood and followed me. The heat licked up my arms, warming me up. I drew back my arm and punched the tree. My fists burned a hole through the trunk, leaving a ring of scorch marks on the bark. I opened my fists and released the energy back into the rest of my body. Josh peered through the empty blackened hole.

"Whoa... that's so cool!" he exclaimed. "Show me more. This is so awesome!"

So we had spent the rest of the night playing with fire. We set tumbleweed on fire and I shot it into the air. We had fun with torches, bonfires, and all sorts of dangerous stuff. I figure out how to make a full-body heatshield for Josh, and he trusted me enough to run through the bonfire. At one point he asked me if I could make fireworks, and we had made a mini fireworks show... after burning down a few—okay, a lot of—trees that were in the way.

So while Josh spent the night reveling in the magic of fire, I reveled in the feeling of not having people being afraid of me. It was the first time in years that someone hadn't called me a demon or the like in the week.

Is this what being accepted feels like?

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So sorry for the late update guys. I had a regatta the past two weekends (a regatta is a race between crew boats) and last weekend I had a sleepover with my friends for placing second and third out of three and six boats respectively. And school and homework and the whole shibang. U get the point. Anyways, as usual, comments, corrections, advice welcome. First one to comment something nice gets the dedication. Follow me for the most updates profile and I'm tired so goodnight. Hope u enjoyed this chapter. If u did plz vote it helps me get recognized. Ok bai now.

-Misty out