Pictures and Movies Chapter 1

He looked at me, his brown eyes intense, and I knew something bad was going to happen.

         It’s the summer before my senior year, and I am staying at the most fabulous hotel on the coast of California. I’ve spent the past three days lying on the beach soaking sun with my best friend Avi. I’m so going to have a killer tan by the end of the summer.
         Today was much like the past three. I was lying on the beach thinking about where I would find the perfect shoes to go with my new purse when my mind went blank and something else came to occupy the space. I let out a gasp as I saw what it was.
         “Whatsa matter?” Avi asked me, propping herself on an elbow to look at me better.
         I didn’t reply. How do you tell your best friend that you can see the future? I don’t even know if “seeing the future” is the right term for it. It’s not like I know what is going to happen, it’s more like seeing people in my mind and then having them magically pop into my life a few days later. It’s an unsettling “talent”, but it can come in handy.
         The unsettling part is that these people I see, come to me, are drawn to me for a reason. I don’t know why me, but they come. They need me for something, and I, sweet innocent helpful person that I am, cannot say no.
         I’ve been doing this for five years. It took me the three of those to figure out exactly what I was doing. These people I see are drawn to me, I’d established that, but I finally know why.
         I found out a long time ago that I am very sensitive to people’s emotions. I can tell when they need to talk, or not, and have developed this into an art. The people who seek me out have usually just made it through a very emotionally trying time. Maybe a death in the family, or a terminal illness, but there is always something that leaves raw emotions to be dealt with. I deal with those emotions and help them find peace. I guess you could call me an emotional mediator. I prefer that over a shrink. I don’t even charge money!
         I studied the image in my mind, it’s always helpful to remember what the person you are expecting any day now looks like. He was tall, 6’2 or 6’3 with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. He was very muscular, and very attractive, I had to admit. How could I not enjoy this! I could see him very clearly with sharp detail, and knew I would see him very soon.
         “I’m fine,” I remembered Avi asking me a question. “I just remembered something. Don’t worry about it.”
         “Oh my gosh, who is that fine specimen down there? He is nice!” My eyes were still closed, but I felt her weight shift next to me. She was probably sitting up looking over her designer sun glasses at this “fine specimen”.
         “Seriously! Look at this guy. W-o-w!” She turned the last word into three syllables.
         Giving in to Avi’s persistence I opened my eyes and turned to look where she was looking. Involuntarily a gasp left my lips again. It could not possibly….It could. Walking down the beach in my direction was the person who I had seen two minutes ago in my mind. I couldn’t possibly believe that he was here today! Either I was losing my touch, or he was special.
         As he came closer to me I noticed where his focus was, me, and he did not look happy. He came up to me as I started to sit up. He towered over me, his body framed by the sun behind him.
         “I need to speak to you. Now.” He said to me.
         I scrambled to my feet and followed him as he walked away from Avi. Feeling her eyes on my back I turned and shrugged then turned back and followed.
         “Who are you?” I asked him, feeling disadvantaged. He obviously knew me, but how?
         “You know who I am, or at least why I am here.”
         “I actually have no idea what you are talking about.”
         “Yes you do!” he hissed at me leaning closer to use the full advantage of his height.
         “I do the same thing you do. I know what you do, so let’s get this over with.”
         He knows what I do? Wait, rewind, I do the same thing you do? There is no way!
         “You never answered my question,” I said, stalling for time. “You have a name, right?”
         He sighed and raked a hand through his hair.
         “My name is James.”
         “Well hi James,” I said sticking my hand out, “I’m…”
         “Jennifer. Prefer Jen. Yeah I know. I know who you are.”
         He ignored my hand so I dropped it to my side. How could he know this? Unless…his talent, my talent…
         “We need to talk.”
         “I’ll follow you,” James said sarcastically. “The sooner we get this over with the better.”
         I walked back to Avi. I could see the questions burning in her eyes. Questions I couldn’t answer. I shook my head slightly to let her know not now.
         “I have to go. I’ll see you back at the hotel?”
         “Definitely. Go have fun,” she replied with a smirk. The expression on my face must have been a good one because the smirk slid off Avi’s.
         I turned around and led James to a secluded area of the beach surrounded by rocks where we could talk privately. As soon as we sat I rounded on him.
         “How do you know who I am, or what I do? What do you mean you do it too?”
         He took his time answering. I could see the guarded intensity in those beautiful deep brown eyes of his, and wondered why it was there.
         “I know,” he answered slowly, “because I do it too, only different.” He got up and started to pace.          
         “You see people. You see them in your mind, but it’s only a picture. I see them too, but it’s like a movie. I see who they are and how they act and what they need from me before I even meet them. That’s how I knew you.”  He sat down again, with his elbows on his knees and face in his hands.
         “Are you saying that you think that I need your help?” I asked incredulously. “I saw you. You need my help.”
         This got an unwanted reaction. James jumped to his feet and grabbed me by the wrist in a vice like grip.
         “I need your help? Ha!”  He jerked my wrist and pulled me up to him. “Why would I need help from you?” he sneered in my face.
“James please let me go. You’re hurting me.” I whimpered in pain.
         As if suddenly aware of what was going on James looked down at his death grip on my wrist and let go. He backed away from me slowly, as if not sure of what he had just done.
         I looked down at my wrist. There was definitely going to be a bruise, but that’s not what concerned me. When he touched me, it felt like my wrist was on fire. A shock had gone through my entire body, and suddenly I knew.
         I walked to James and put my hand to his face. He lifted his head slowly and looked into my eyes.
         “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
         “I know,” I whispered back.
         “I do need you. I really do.”
         I stepped closer as he put his arms around me and pulled me to him.
         “It’s going to be okay,” I whispered against his chest. “I promise.”