Part one: Ana

It all started the day my brother died. He was involved in a car crash three days before my 13th birthday. In my family, you were told ever since you could count, that your 13th birthday was always the greatest and could never be forgotten. Mine went unnoticed. In the midst of the tears and the flowers, I turned 13.

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According to my mother, every Martino who turned 13 has a ‘gift’. My mom could create light out of total darkness which is helpful when my brother Leo shorts out the power. My grandmother Sarah Jane is an extravagant writer and ended up writing for the paper. My grandfather Ledger had the same gift as my eldest brother Jake, they could take anything apart with their mind and put it back together again. My father’s family is normal so they have no “gifts”. Jake was 18 and would have made an excellent mechanic, Leo is 14 and he can control electricity, I’m 13 and nothing has changed.

 The first few days without Jake were scary, I didn’t go to school the week after the accident. My mother made me go into school after two weeks, but no one talked to me and most left me alone. My friends stayed close, but everyone else acted as if I was invisible. No one went near me, but I heard the whispers and the rumors, the dead boy’s sister, the unstable girl, the girl who disappeared for two weeks and came back crying. That girl.

            My parents refused to tell Leo and I what had exactly happened, but we learned quickly. He was driving home from his friend’s house when a driver in the lane next to him swerved and hit him. He was killed almost instantly. They talked to the driver who had hit Jake, and he said that Jake swerved as well and his car sort of ‘exploded’ into the different mechanical parts. The parts went back together and then they started falling apart. At that moment Jake was hit and killed.

Jake must have realized he was going to be killed because he only loses control of his ability when he is very upset. Maybe he was upset that he was going to die without seeing his family one final time. That day he had gotten in a fight with all of us and made me cry. He walked out of the house shouting to all of us “I HATE YOU All!” Those were the last things that he said to us.

Part two: Ana

There was a car speeding towards me. I looked to my left and there he was, Jake. He looked panicked, the car parts quickly flew out from underneath me and just as quickly went back together. “I love you guys,” he muttered. The car next to him swerved and hits Jake. He was killed instantly. The car fell apart and I woke up in tears.

            “LEO!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. “Leo, I miss Jake,” I said fighting through the tears.

            “I know Dino, I know. Me too.

            The next day was Friday so I had to go to school. I told my best friend Violet that I had that dream. She wasn’t very supportive.

            “Annie, get over it! Quit being such a baby. I could see mourning for a week, maybe two but a month. That’s ridiculous!”

            “FINE!” I said as I ran off towards the bathroom crying.

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            The bell then rang telling us to go to lunch and to leave the halls. I left the bathroom and went to my locker. Once I got my lunch I sat at the table in the corner alone. Lunch was almost over when a quiet boy who I never really talked to came and sat with me.

            “Hey, Ben,” I said barely looking up from my lunch.

            “Hello, Anatolia,”

            “Just call me Ana.”

            “Oh ok, hello Ana. I understand what you are going through. You may think I don’t but I do. When I lost my sister last year there was no one really to talk to, you have all your friends, and even a few unlikely people in your corner. You can talk to me.  That’s a fact.”

            “Thank you. This is the nicest anyone has been to me since the accident.”

            “What about Violet? Isn’t she your best friend?”

            “Yeah, but she told me to suck it up, and to stop being a baby because I was upset.”

            “Oh, I’m so sorry. Anyway, I’m here if you need to---” He said as he was cut off by the bell dismissing us to period 6.

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            Later that day I went home and talked to Leo about my day. He was only a year older but he seemed so much wiser.

            “Do-Don’t call me Annie. Ever again!”

            “Why you love that nickname? It was Jake’s nickname for you. Remember?”

            “Well, Violet yelled at me for being a baby and for being upset. She said to suck it up and to get over it. She then called me Annie. That’s what really made it sting. ”

            “Annie-” I glared at him. “Ana, don’t tie the name Annie to bad memories. Tie it to good memories think of how Jake called you that, because when you were born he couldn’t pronounce Anatolia, so you were Annie. Think of how he made you laugh, and how he called you that when you were scared. Violet is practically part of our family, she is going through a different stage of grief than you. She may be angry or just in denial. Just give her some time. She’ll come around, don’t worry.”

            “Okay,” I say with a deep breath and walking out of the room. I ran to the drawer in the kitchen and ruffled through before finding my school’s directory. I immediately looked for Ben’s name. I grabbed my phone and called.

Part three: Ana

 “-Uh hello?”

“Is this Ben?”

            “No this is his brother Oliver. Who is this?”

            “My name is Ana. I know Ben from school. Is he there?”

            “BEN! THERE’S A GIRL ON THE PHONE. SHE SAYS SHE KNOWS YOU.” Oliver shouted on the top of his lungs.

            “I’m coming I’ll be right there.”

“So, are you Ben’s GIRLFRIEND?”

            “Oh- what no. We are just friends.”

            “Oliver, can I have the phone?”

            “NO! I’m talking to your GIRLFRIEND!”

            “WHAT! She isn’t my girlfriend. She is just a friend. Okay?”

            “Fine, you can have the phone.”

            “Hey Ben, I was wondering, since today is Friday I usually go to the mall with a friend, and I figured why not invite my newest friend. Wanna go? I want to make my life as back to normal as I possibly can.”

 “Yeah sure, sounds fun. I’ll ask.”

            “Okay.”

            “I can go.”

            “Tell me your address so Ja- my mom can pick you up.”

            “I live at 417 Richards Ct.”

            “Okay see you in 10.”

Part four: Ana

“So, your brother jumped up and shouted GO BENBEN in the middle of your ceremony?”

            “Yup It was really embarrassing because 13th birthdays are huge in my family.”

            “They are really important for my family too.”

            “You’re Jewish?”

            “No, they are important because- ah-actually I would rather tell you later.”

            “Ok.”

            “So where do you want to go?”

            “I don’t know, Macy's?”

            “Let’s go then.”

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            We started walking around the mall in search of Macy’s, once we found it we first went to the shoe section. We looked around and joked about what shoes were our type, and how tall heels could be before I couldn’t walk in them. It all was going great until I spotted Violet walk into that section. I quickly took the heels off and put them back. Grabbing Ben’s hand, I ran up the escalator and didn’t stop until we reached the sleep section. I collapsed onto the nearest bed and sighed. Ben collapsed next to me and I felt bad.

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            “I- I um, I’m sorry I made you- dragged you here and then up the escalator.”

 “You didn’t drag me anywhere, I wanted to come with you. It was kind of fun running with you from Violet.”

            “I’m still sorry. To make it up to you, name any store in this mall and we will go.”

            “I don’t know, GameStop?”

            “Ok sure.”

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Part five: Ana

“How do you play this again?”

            “Well-”

            “B BUTTON! Wait what did I do?”

            “You chose your character.”

            “Well, who did I choose?”

            “Pichu. You don’t play video games much do you.”

            “No, Jake and Leo were more focused on taking things apart and cutting the power.”

            “Cutting the power?”

            “Shoot. I guess I should tell you now.”   

            “Tell me what. Did you kill Jake?”

            “Um… No. My family is different them most. We have- we have- we have abilities.”

            “So, everybody has talents. I’m really smart, Oliver is an amazing artist, and Hannah was a phenomenal dancer.

            "No, not like that. We, well we, I’ll start from the beginning with my grandparents. My grandparents' Ledger and Sarah-Jane Kale, had gifts. My grandfather could bend metal and take things apart with his mind. My grandmother could make anyone believe whatever she wrote. She would write these absurd stories and give them to people, soon the town was running wild with people who believed them. My mom and her brother were born with gifts too. My mom can create light out of everything, her brother can make stuff levitate with his mind. My dad is ordinary and does not have a gift. Jake, had the same gift as My grandfather. Leo is able to generate electricity, and then there’s me. 13 and as average as ever.”

            “Wow.”

            “Wow what?”

            “I can’t believe that you think that’s real.”

            “It is! If you knew us you would see!”

            “Really? Not likely.”

            “Hey, I got to go home. I don't feel too well.”

            I got up and walked out of his room, I made my way to the door. Ben tried to stop me from leaving.

            “I’m sorry. I didn't believe you. It just sounds absurd.”

            “Whatever, I've got to go,” I said while walking out the door.

            “Ana I'm sorry!”

Part six: Ben

“Ana! I’m sorry!”

            “Ben? Ben! Are you okay?” Oli asked me while I shut the door.

            “No, I’m not. I just lost a friend.” I sank into a crumpled pile onto the floor, light tears fell down my cheeks.

            Oli sat down next to me “It’ll be alright, she’ll be your friend again. She reminded me of a bird, ethereal, and steadfast. You should go catch her.”

            I listened to the young boy’s words, wondering how inspirational my 8-year-old brother could be.

            “Have you been reading Hannah’s books again?”

            “Yup, and your dictionary. You should go catch her.”

            I took his advice and ran out the door.

 “Ana! Ana!” I said as I ran up the street.

            I turned the corner and saw her floating through the air. I caught up with her and shouted her name.

            “ANA! ANATOLIA!” She faltered and stumbled nearly falling. “Ana, it’s Ben. Please come down.”

            “No, leave me alone. You insulted my family. You were-” Her voice cracked as she lost control and came crashing to the ground.

            I ran to catch her, it was the least I could do. She landed in my arms, she felt light as if something was different to the both of us.

            “You were the first one who I told the secret to, and you were a complete arse.” Her words hurt but not more than the slap she gave me to punctuate the sentence. “I HATE YOU!”

            I placed Ana on the ground and started to apologize. “I’m sorry for not believing you in the first place. I was an idiot and a fool to treat you badly and I’m sorry. It’s okay if you don’t accept my apology, and I deserve that. I’ll see you tomorrow Ana. Bye”

Part seven: Ana

“I’m sorry for not believing you in the first place. I was an idiot and a fool to treat you badly and I’m sorry. It’s okay if you don’t accept my apology, and I deserve that. I’ll see you tomorrow Ana. Bye”

            Ben turned and walked away. My voice was quiet as I croaked out his name.

            “Ben, wait. Come back.” I curled up on the curb and rest my head on his shoulder.

            “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for screaming and yelling at you and then slapping you. Sorry.”

The quiet took over making the air feel colder.

            “I guess you aren’t so average after all,” Ben whispered to me.