See How She Runs (The Chronicles of Izzy #1)(32)

This Seer business kind of sucked. I had all of these super powers, but I felt guilty using them. My mom and Grams both always taught me that it was not polite to pry. Yet, that is exactly what I had just done. I wondered if all of those warnings were to keep me from maniacally going about the world sifting through everyone’s memories. I could probably turn a lot of bad guys in to the authorities.

But then I would have to do the whole, "Ma’am, how did you know he robbed that convenient store?"

And then I would have to be all, "Well you see officer, I saw it in his head."

Then they would proceed to cart me off to the loony bin. So it probably was best for me to not go sifting where I was not welcome.

I lay on the bed for a long time, feeling guiltier as the seconds ticked by. So instead of wallowing in my guilt I decided to get up, put my big girl panties on, and apologize for trying to barge into memories Kennan did not want me to see. I opened the door and found him sitting on the couch reading a book.

“Kennan, I am sorry. I know that I went poking where I was not supposed to. So, yeah, I suck. Sorry," I said sheepishly.

“Iz, I get it. You need to know how to do the whole mind meld thing, but next time don’t push. There are reasons I don’t want you to sift through those memories. Reasons I will tell you someday. But as my friend, I need you to promise not to go there yet." The word friend caught me off guard. More importantly, it pissed me off.

“Oh, so now we are friends again. Awesome. You can’t just go throw the friend card around whenever I have done something to upset you. Because you have been kind of a shit friend the last few days. Pardon my French." I sat down heavily in the chair across from him. I felt weird having actually cussed. I was raised to know better, but sometimes a girl just needed a stronger word.

Shocked at my outburst, and even rarer use of colorful language, Kennan paled. He rubbed his face again and walked over toward my chair. He lowered his massive frame down so that he was eye level with me before leaning in and kissing my forehead.

“You will always be my friend, Izzy. No matter what may come, you are my friend. And yes, I have been an unmitigated ass to you the past few days. It was just so much easier when you didn’t know. I could just be your friend and not have to worry about protecting you or training you. I lived in denial for so long that now reality is rushing in and I am ill equipped. So, just let me get my bearings. I will try and be less of an ass, okay?" He stuck his hand out with his pinky up.

“Are you late for high tea or something, Kennan?" I asked snarkily.

“No, I am trying to pinky promise you." He looked serious and I suddenly burst out laughing.

Something about the sight of a man his size trying to pinky promise finally cracked through all of the other emotions weighing me down. I laughed for the longest time and the harder I laughed, the more irritated Kennan’s expression became. Which only fueled my laughter further. By the time I had composed myself, Kennan had moved back to the couch and had gone back to reading his book.

“Okay, I am sorry, but you have to admit that you looked ridiculous. I mean, when have you ever pinky promised in your life?" I had trouble imagining such a guy’s guy ever doing anything as girly as pinky promising.

“If you must know, you used to make me pinky promise you all of the time. So just shove that in your pipe and smoke it, smarty pants." He never took his eyes off of his book as he delivered that little nugget.

“Well, I am pretty sure I was much smaller, but I will take your pinky promise all the same. You have to know that a pinky promise is quite binding. Horrible, terrible things befall those that forsake the oath spoken over the pinky. I am pretty sure if you start being an ass to me again you might bring down a plague or a swarm of locusts upon yourself," I said with mock seriousness. I knew teasing him was probably not the best course of action.

Suddenly, Kennan was right in front of me holding out his pinky once more. I smiled barely able to contain my laughter. Once my eyes locked with Kennan’s, some of my humor faded. His eyes spoke of a serious vow not to be broken. So, I hooked his pinky in my own and realized that the feeling was not so unfamiliar. I wondered what things I had made him promise when I was young.

“I vow to try and be both your friend and Guardian. I will try my very best not to be an ass if you promise to stop doing stupid stuff around me." He looked me in the eyes like I should know exactly what stupid stuff he was talking about.

“What stupid stuff? Didn’t you just vow not to be an ass?”

“I mean the whole prancing about in lingerie and stripping down to nothing in front of me. You never did that back in Chicago, why would you do it now?”

“Whoa there big guy. I am pretty sure you packed those clothes. Second of all, I thought you were asleep." The second I practically yelled. I would be darned if he was going to blame me for something that was not intentionally done.

“Fine, whatever, just promise to be fully clothed from now on." His eyes sparked in a way that made me think part of him did not want me to promise at all.

“Deal. No more exhibitionist Izzy in exchange for a friendly non-hostile Kennan O’Malley. Do we have an accord?" I asked with our pinkies still entwined.

He shook my hand up and down before releasing it.

“Well, now that is all cleared up." I cleared my throat in an effort to avoid the giant elephant in the room. “What next. It is only half way through the day and my mind is pretty much mush. I don’t think I can do any more mind melding or anything else at this point. So is there something I can do around here?”