"Okay... we don't have time to waste since there's a lot you need to learn," Zai began.
"Didn't we just waste a lot of time, just now?" I pointed out.
My question caused him to gasp dramatically.
"What kind of teacher do you take me for? I am stunned and appalled that you would accuse ME of slacking off. What we just did were important cardio exercises, necessary for your training," he argued
"How so?" I inquired.
"I'm helping you build stamina, flexibility, and endurance. You should have noticed that it takes you longer to get tired, right? And you recover faster as well."
I have noticed that, but I feel like he's just making up an excuse that's convenient for him.
"...Now what are you supposed to say?"
I stared at him blankly for several seconds... then I remembered what he meant. My face heated up, and through gritted teeth, I said,
"Thank you, teacher."
"Good. Now, back to the lesson, you telegraph all of your attacks, your eyes always give you away, and your punches have no force behind them. You just throw out your arm when the power should come from your shoulders and hips as well. Plus, your footwork is sloppy... We'll be stuck reviewing the basics for a while," Zai listed.
I sulked.
"I was never good at fighting... even in school," I admitted.
Zai stroked my head and then pulled me in for a hug with his free arm.
"It's alright... I'm your teacher now, and if anything dangerous happens, I'm by your side."
I felt my face heat up, but then he let me go and said,
"Before we move on to the next part," he eyed me up and down briefly, "I'm going to really need you to tie up my other arm."
How bad is his impulse control?! After I had him tied up, Zai sat cross-legged and said,
"Now close your eyes."
I mimicked his sitting position and closed my eyes.
"Your element is no longer water; you are wind, and you are light. The lightning has chosen you because you are my wife."
His voice sounded more soothing than usual with my eyes closed, and the word "wife" sent flutters through my chest.
"You have to change your perspective on how to use your power. The limits you once had are gone," he instructed.
"I don't understand," I whispered.
"You will. Open your eyes."
I opened them to see the vast forest in front of us.
"Now focus on the air, the space between the trees, see the path ahead, and envision being already there."
As he spoke, I felt my body grow weightless, and everything became still. The trees rushed past as if I were in a vehicle.
I feel like I'm flying.
It was exhilarating... but
The thrill soon ended as I crashed face-first into a tree.
The impact stunned me, and I fell on my back.
Zai rushed to my side at that very moment, laughing heartily.
"Good... you did so well," he praised me while trying to control his laughter.
"Don't laugh at me!" I snapped.
"Why not?!" he replied, still laughing with no sign of stopping.
I pouted and looked at the tree in front of me.
It was the largest tree I've ever seen.
Now there was an indentation where I crashed.
Inside that indentation was a burn mark that was still smoking.
I then took a look around us. The house was nowhere in sight. Where, the heck, am I?
"Where are we?" I asked, Zai flopped down beside me and said.
"We're about two miles from home."
Two miles?! I got here faster than I could blink.
"You did well for your first time.
Back when I was training, we had limited space. I ran into a wall so many times until I learned that gravity is no longer a factor when it comes to speed.
If a wall is in front of you, run on top of it or run around. It takes time to really believe that." He turned to me and smiled.
"I'm proud of you," Zai declared while kissing my forehead.
I wanted to ask him to elaborate, but more than that,
"...I want to try going home," I said aloud.
Zai laid his head on my shoulder and whispered,
"Then you know what to do."
Even with both of his hands tied, he had no trouble rising to his feet.
I saw a blinding flash of light, only a flicker, and he was gone.
The only thing left with me was the sound of thunder.
I took a deep breath, stood up, and faced the direction that I came from.
I visualized home, and like before, all obstacles seemed to move out of my way, and I was on the back porch standing beside Zai.
"You took your time..." He criticized.
"It literally took two seconds! Weren't you just praising me?!" I snapped back.
Zai sighed and tapped his foot...
"I'm just cranky... because you bound my hands," he grumbled.
"You asked me to!" I reasoned.
He sighed again and then sat down on the porch.
"Fine, I need you to move from here to that tree until you feel tired," Zai instructed while leaning on the railing.
I don't feel tired at all right now, so I didn't hesitate to begin.
It took me 3 more attempts before I stopped charging into the same tree.
I could feel myself slowing down just before impact, and it was too wide to run around normally, so I panicked, lost my footing, and had no choice but to crash.
But after the third time, as soon as the tree was in sight, I looked up, and instead of crashing, I ended up high in its branches.
I must have seen that tree over a hundred times before I finally collapsed in front of Zai.
I was sweating and panting; I hadn't been this tired since our wedding ritual.
"Good work, Snowe, you lasted 5 minutes." I wheezed in response, "Your max velocity is about 9,258 miles per hour... It's slow... but this is your first day."
"How... do... you... Keep up... Aren't your powers suppressed?!" I asked while catching my breath.
"Yeah, I'm weaker than normal, but it doesn't take much to keep up with you," he teased.
I shot a glare at him, but looked away when he refused to break eye contact.
My heart can't handle it when he stares at me so intensely...
"Snowe... untie me," he demanded.
"You're going to have to wait a moment!" I shouted.
I got to my feet once I was able to breathe and moved over to Zai.
He had his eyes on me as I approached, and as I was looking down at him, the urge to touch him overtook me.
He looked so vulnerable sitting there with both hands bound.
"What are you thinking?" He asked while giving me a smug look.
I sat in his lap and kissed him as I replied,
"I'm thinking, you look really sexy tied up."
His eyes lit up, but I didn't need to see them to know he was in the mood.
"Untie me," he commanded again.
"No," I replied defiantly.
I kissed him again. In response, he smiled and gazed down at my lips saying,
"Oh... then once I'm free... I'll make you pay. You'll wish you'd just listened to me."
I'm suddenly very afraid but intrigued at the same time.
I heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see Valin standing on the porch, looking at us. My face burned red in embarrassment.
"Hey, are you done yet?" he asked.
I didn't reply, but he took my silence as a yes and continued by saying,
"I need your help, as a friend."
"Valin, untie me," Zai requested, and his brother began undoing the binds without hesitation.
"Wait... wait um... I'm going to help Valin so... don't do anything," I pleaded.
"Are you scared right now?" Zai asked, then he smiled sweetly and added in a deeper tone, "That's cute. Fine, your punishment is postponed. For now."
He lifted me from his lap and rose to his feet.
"What do you need?" I asked.
"Can you... Go with me to buy a frappe?! Jey already said no, and I can't go alone! Please?" he pleaded.
"Why didn't you ask me?" Zai asked.
"Will you go with me?" Valin asked, and Zai frowned and said,
"No, go by yourself."
"See?! Only Snowe is such a people-pleasing pushover that she'd agree to do something she doesn't even want to do, just to spare my feelings! She's the only one I can rely on!" Valin argued,
"I am literally right here... I can hear everything you're saying." Once I said this, Valin looked at me blankly and said,
"I know you can hear me... wait? Are you not going to go? I thought we were friends, Snowe!" His large, round eyes filled with tears, and that's how I ended up in a cafe wearing shades, next to my brother-in-law, who was wearing a fedora, shades, and a trenchcoat.
Zai was there too, but he refused to play dress-up for Valin.
"So... why are you dressed like a cliche detective?" I whispered.
Valin leaned over to me and whispered back,
"You can't possibly expect me to walk out in public and make direct eye contact with strangers?!"
"Then why did you insist that I wear shades too?" I asked.
"Because... I'd stand out too much if it were only me wearing them!" he argued.
Fair point.
I sighed and glanced at Zai, who didn't seem interested in the conversation at all.
"It's almost our turn. Do you know what you're going to order?" Valin smiled and showed me his phone,
"I ordered online." He proclaimed as if he were proud of himself.
"Then why am I here?" I asked.
"For moral support," he answered.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just send me to pick it up?!" I inquired.
"But I have to check to be sure it's made right!" he shot back, and then it was our turn in line.
"Hello, Welcome to Happy Cafe, How may I help you?" The cashier greeted, and Valin turned to her in disgust.
"Bitch, why the f*** are you talking to me?!" ...
Okay, his people skills are terrible. I intervened and grabbed his phone to show her the order number.
"Sorry about my brother, we made an order online," I stated to reconcile the situation.
She looked as if she wanted to say something rude, but held it in and said,
"Okay, can I see your order number?" I held up his phone, and she input something into her register.
"Wait over there," She instructed, pointing to a counter on the left. "We'll have it out to you shortly." Once we were away from her, Valin sniffled while wiping his eyes and said,
"Did you see how she looked at me!? What's her problem?"... this guy is unbelievable...