Part 21 (1/2)
It's easy to know if you've hit upon a Snap Shop. There will be no lights on or people in the window, but the sign says ”Open.” Humans pa.s.s by them thinking the owners forgot to change the sign. Then way in the back of the store, there is a room filled with gumball machines and what looks like different types of candy.
I look around for the Snap Shop Jay had told me about. He said they had pretty good powers. I know Ameana has always wanted the power to Blink like Reese. Snap Shops are open twenty four hours a day. But after midnight, some kinds of Snaps are not allowed to be sold. Fire Snaps, Lightning Snaps and Brawn Snaps.
We knock on the door and the Seller opens up. We follow him to the back of the shop. Some Snaps come in the form of Tic Tacs. Some are bubble gum tape and others are rock candy. They have Snaps of all colors, shapes and texture.
”Hey, can we get eight Gum Snaps, please, two Ice, two Blinks and two No See.”
A short while later the Seller comes back with a bag filed with the Bubble Gum Snaps we had ordered. He touched my top coat and my feathers flew right into his cash register. We walked out into the night.
”I'm so excited! I have been wanting to Blink for the longest time,” Mimi says.
”We only got the five minute ones. Do you want me to go back and get the ten or fifteen?”
”No, five is perfect. Can we Blink first?”
”Okay, but save the Ice ones. I want to do that last.”
She looked a little nervous about putting the white gumball in her mouth.
”I can't believe you are such a punk about this, Mimi. I have to tell Reese. You are afraid of a little old Blink Snap?”
”Oh, okay. It's on now.”
”Wait, where do you plan to Blink to?” I ask.
She is a few feet away from me. She takes a few more steps back. She pops the gumball into her mouth and instantly disappeared.
”Meana?” I ask, looking down the street for her.
”Yes, baby?” she whispers softly in my ear. She had Blinked right on to my back. I was completely taken off guard. She laughs at being able to sneak up on me.
”You're supposed to use it to travel great distances. I'm like five feet away.”
”I'm supposed to travel to what I want. And you're what I want.”
”Alright, s.e.xy, hang on to me.” I pop my Blink Snap into my mouth. The two of us disappear. It looked like the street we had just left had suddenly gotten blurry. Seconds later we are standing in the middle of the Dubai Marina courtyard.
The city is alive with energy and lights. The trees are lit up and the fountain in front of us springs water out in a dazzling display of patterns. Mimi hops off of me and her eyes are immediately drawn in to the center of the fountain. It's circular with a myriad of different colored fish. The underwater lights reflect waves on my baby's face, making her already beautiful face that much more amazing.
”This is my favorite one so far,” she says. Mimi loves fountains. She doesn't ever make a wish herself, but she loves watching people throw pennies in.
”Don't hate me for saying this-you are so beautiful.”
”Don't hate me for saying this-I know.” She bursts out laughing. She was never really one to brag about her looks. This was a big step for her.
”I think the Snap has faded out. I don't think we can Blink anymore,” I say.
”Good, I want you to stand still while I do this.”
She bites her lower lip. She moves in slowly. She tilts her head to the side and does something she has never done before: she kisses me. She didn't wait for me to test myself to see if I could resist kissing her. She just leaned in and sought my lips. No waiting game. No test. Just her. It was...nice.
I don't remember what made me stop kissing her. I'm sure it was something out of my control because I never would had stopped on my own. She looks up at me and a grin spreads across her face.
”What is it?” I ask.
”You're so pretty when you s.h.i.+ne.”
”What? You-.” I look at my reflection in the water and, sure enough, I am glowing so brightly, I looked like I could blind the whole city of Dubai.
”You are so gonna pay for that.” I run after her playfully. She takes off immediately, laughing the whole way. When we get into the air, she dodges and swerves but I keep up with her. Then, out of nowhere, she disappears. I knew she had taken the No See Snap.
I find her hiding behind one of the skysc.r.a.pers. I knew it was her because the flag on the top looked like it had been wrapped around something. She's hiding under the flag twenty stories up.
”Gotcha!”
”You are such a cheater,” I accuse.
”I would have beaten you anyway. I'm faster than you.”
”You are not.”
”Really?” Oh, so now she wanted to challenge me, huh?
”Okay, we'll race.”
”Where to?”
”The other side of the country.”
”You're on.” No sooner have I said that then she takes off. I fly fast and steady on her heels. Then I get a small lead and I pop in my No See Snap and disappear. Then I wait for her to catch up and I trip her. She only loses her balance for a fraction of a second, but that is enough for me to maintain my lead.
”Cheater!” she shouts as she tries to catch me. We fly at top speed and are neck and neck most of the time. Just a few miles shy of our destination, she stops.
”What? What's wrong?” I ask, concerned.
”I think I hurt my leg back there.”
I rush over to her. She sees me coming and pops an Ice Snap in her mouth and before I realize it's a trick, she blows a breath of ice around me. I am trapped in a block of ice.
”That is not angel-like behavior,” I say.
”Don't let the wings fool you,” she teases. I smash the ice and it falls harmlessly into the water below.
”I win,” she screams.
”That's because you cheat.”
”Yes, I do, but it works out for you.”