Rare Earth Element

Chapter 8- Attraction

”Do you have any idea what time it is?” Bolin asked, looking over to Irulan from the passenger side, the wind blowing through his hair.

”Do you care?” she answered, pushing her foot a little harder on the gas, the engine revving.

”No…not really, I ..just don’t want Mako to worry…about me,” he muffled, realizing that obviously, his older brother wasn’t really giving a shit about him. With one hand on the wheel, Irulan looked over at Bolin, sadness creeping onto his face. Whatever happened, had dropped on him like a boulder.

”You can take of yourself; and if you can’t, I’ll take care of you,” she reassured, patting his thigh, before giving it a squeeze. Though flattered, a crazy sensation raced through Bolin's knee, making him unable to answer promptly.

”You ‘kay, Bo?” she asked, taking a quick glance. “You keep shivering everytime I touch you.” Bolin shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck.

”I don’t know what’s going on…but every time you touch me I get this weird…energy from you. It makes me I dunno…I can’t explain it. It’s not a bad thing; it’s just weird,” he explained clumsily, his tongue tripping all over any logical words.

”I make you feel weird?” she asked, slightly insulted, “Damn dude, thanks.”

”No…Lani, I didn’t mean it a bad way. Please don’t misunderstand, but I haven’t seen you in forever, and you’re just so damn…pretty…and it’s just not sinking in that I’m in a satomobile right now…with pretty you,” Bolin explained with sweat popping on his brow.

Irulan chuckled. “Hey there, Bolin, it's just me, Lani, just older and not stealing shit.” Confident Bolin seemed to have a pretty high melting point which was pretty rare for EarthBenders. At least he wasn’t a brooding, self-absorbed bastard like Mako, his firebending brother.

”Lani?”

”Huh?” she asked, suddenly feeling Bolin’s hand on her leather-clad thigh. Bolin couldn’t help but laugh at the size of her eyes as they grew wider.

”I said, I didn’t mean it in a bad way; please don’t be mad,” he reiterated with remorse in his pink-tinged eyes. “It’s weird only because I’ve never experienced it before.”

”Well, there’s always a first time for everything,” she responded with a fond smile. “I just hope you’re open to new adventures.”