Anomaly

I wasn't sure whether Charlotte was just unbelievably dense or if she genuinely believed everything would work itself out in a matter of minutes as long as her parents and I talked things through. Either way, her words only made an already uncomfortable atmosphere even worse, making the silence hanging over us feel even heavier.

For the first few moments, neither Charlotte's parents nor I said a single word. Our eyes met a few times, but that happened far more because of Charlotte's insistence than because either of us genuinely wanted to start a conversation. Every time our gazes locked, one of us would look away almost immediately, as if holding eye contact for even one more second would only make things more awkward.

Even so, I knew we'd be together for quite a while before reaching the point where we'd begin our search. Spending the entire drive wrapped in complete silence would make every minute feel like an eternity. As unpleasant as the idea of talking was, trying to break the ice hanging in the air seemed far less painful than enduring that suffocating atmosphere all the way there.

Before anyone could say anything, the other people in the vehicle exchanged subtle glances. Laura looked like she was about to speak, probably to defend me, but every time she worked up the courage, her lips would press shut again.

In the end, she simply looked away for a moment as a frustrated, sulking expression settled across her face. She knew nothing she said would change Charlotte's parents' opinion. In their eyes, Laura was nothing more than a scientist sent to study their daughter as though she were a particularly interesting experiment.

If you ask me, that's a terrible position to be in if you're trying to earn someone's trust. The truth was, Charlotte's parents didn't hate Laura, Emily, or even the organization itself. Their resentment was directed at the situation.

They hated the helplessness of being completely unable to do anything for their own daughter, who was now under government supervision whether they agreed with it or not. It was a frustration as deep as it was unavoidable. I couldn't exactly blame them. It certainly wasn't the kind of situation that laid the foundation for a friendly or healthy relationship.

In the end, all I could do was let out a quiet sigh at the sheer absurdity of everything as I watched the chaos unfolding around me. With every passing second, things only seemed to grow more complicated. Seriously... what happened to my peaceful days?

The days when my biggest concern was deciding which game I'd spend the rest of the day playing, what flavor of ice cream I wanted to buy, or simply sleeping all day and enjoying the good life I'd finally managed to have now that I was an anomaly.

For some reason, it felt like there was an unwritten rule governing the universe: whenever I tried to take a break, the entire world decided it was the perfect time to fall apart.

Reluctantly, I decided to play along with Charlotte.

Not that I had anything more worthwhile to do with my time: (Everything's going to be okay... I promise) This time, I didn't let my voice echo through the car. Instead, I opened a private mental channel connecting only Charlotte, her parents, and me. It was the safest way for us to talk freely without drawing attention or letting anyone nearby overhear our thoughts.

For a brief moment, I remained silent, carefully choosing my words before continuing: (I know that... my appearance doesn't exactly help) I paused for a moment, letting out a humorless mental chuckle: (And I also know that, looking at this from the outside, I'm probably the last person you'd trust to protect your daughter)

Any trace of humor vanished from my mental voice, replaced by a calm, unwavering tone: (But regardless of what you think of me... I promise I'll protect Charlotte) I quickly glanced at everyone else inside the vehicle before continuing with the same conviction: (And not just her. As long as I'm here, I'll do everything in my power to make sure everyone in this car makes it back safely)

First of all, it's worth saying that having a voice suddenly echo inside your head would catch anyone off guard. Charlotte's parents were no exception. The only one who remained completely calm was Charlotte herself. Telepathic communication wasn't anything new to her anymore. We'd spent the entire week talking that way, so she'd gotten used to it surprisingly quickly.

In fact, the situation had taken a rather amusing turn. Whenever I spoke out loud instead of directly into her mind, Charlotte would inevitably furrow her brows and turn toward me with a clearly puzzled expression, as if she were thinking: "Why are you talking like that today?" It was such an instinctive reaction that, I have to admit, it always made me smile.

Her parents, on the other hand... The expressions on both of their faces were a mixture of shock and disbelief. Their eyes instinctively scanned the vehicle, searching for the source of the voice that simply wasn't there. Charlotte's mother was the first to gather her thoughts.

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(Y-You... can hear my thoughts?) she asked hesitantly. Her mental voice faltered at the beginning, betraying just how nervous she was. There was no curiosity in her tone. No excitement, either. What lingered instead was unmistakable discomfort, almost the feeling that her privacy had just been violated.

(Not exactly) I replied loud and clear, raising one hand slightly in a reassuring gesture when I noticed their reaction: (To be more precise, what I did was open a channel between our minds)

I paused briefly to make sure they were following my explanation before continuing: (But that doesn't mean I can hear every thought that crosses your mind. I only receive the thoughts you consciously direct toward me. In other words, it's like you're speaking to me silently)

A faint smile crossed my face before I added: (Even if you get distracted and accidentally think about something I definitely shouldn't hear, that thought won't reach me. After all, you weren't directing it at me, you were just thinking to yourself)

I let out a quiet sigh, keeping my tone calm: (I hope that clears things up. And... I'm sorry if I startled you. I just thought communicating this way would be more practical and efficient)

Charlotte's parents exchanged a long look after hearing my explanation. Their expressions were difficult to read, yet something silent seemed to pass between them, as though they were having an entire conversation without saying a word. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Are they talking about me...? As I'd already discovered, I couldn't naturally hear their thoughts. That didn't mean I was incapable of doing so if I truly wanted to. All I'd have to do was extend my perception and force a connection... But that would be far too intrusive.

Invading someone's mind simply to satisfy my curiosity felt like crossing a line I still wasn't willing to cross. I pushed the thought aside before temptation could take hold.

When I focused on the present again, I realized they were both still watching me closely, carefully studying every detail of my expression as though searching for the slightest sign of deception. A few seconds later, they exchanged another subtle glance and gave each other a small nod, as if they had reached the same conclusion.

A moment later, Charlotte's father's calm voice echoed directly inside my mind: (All right... we believe you) There was no hostility in his voice, only caution mixed with trust that was still finding its footing.

I offered a small smile and nodded, doing my best to convey the same sincerity I had shown from the beginning: (Thank you. I promise I won't betray your trust)

Before anyone else spoke, Charlotte remained perfectly still, absorbing every word. The silence that settled over the room was heavy, but not hostile. It was the silence of people searching for the right words to mend something that had been broken.

Charlotte's mother was the next to speak. She lifted her gaze and looked directly at her daughter, her eyes filled with guilt and concern: (I'm sorry...) Her voice faltered for a moment: (I'm sorry if we made you feel uncomfortable, sweetheart)

She stopped herself for several seconds. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she searched for the right words: (We don't hate your...)

The word simply wouldn't come. After a weary sigh, she finally found the courage to continue: (Your sister...) she said more softly: (We don't hate her as an individual... as a person... or even because she's an anomaly. That was never the issue) She lowered her eyes briefly before looking back at Charlotte: (We're just... worried. Very worried)

Her voice grew quieter toward the end of the sentence, almost as though she were admitting to a guilt she'd been carrying for days. Charlotte's father spoke next. His voice was steady, but completely devoid of the rigidity it had carried before. All that remained was honesty: (Everything happened so suddenly) He took a deep breath before continuing: (All at once, we found out that you had ties to anomalies... that there were other people who were important to you, sisters... another family we never even knew existed)

He paused, carefully choosing his next words: (And, for a while... we were afraid) He made the admission without trying to hide his vulnerability: (Afraid of losing you. Afraid you'd drift away from us... but more than anything, afraid that you'd get hurt)

His expression softened, and an almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face: (Charlotte... you're our daughter) His voice came out quieter now, thick with emotion: (We care about you more than anything. Everything we did, whether it was right or wrong, was because we wanted to protect you)

He slowly shook his head, as though acknowledging that perhaps he hadn't made the best decisions: (Maybe we failed to show you that the right way... maybe we let our fear speak louder than our love) He let out a quiet sigh: (But in the end, there's only one thing we've ever truly wanted as your parents)

His eyes met Charlotte's once again: (For you to be safe... and for you to be happy. That has always been, and always will be, our greatest wish)

Charlotte blinked once, then twice, as if she were still processing those words. A moment later, she lowered her head slightly as a soft blush spread across her cheeks. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, subtle yet genuine, revealing a happiness she didn't even try to hide.

I was almost certain Charlotte already knew that. Even if her parents could be overly protective or a little awkward at times, at the end of the day, they were simply two parents who cared deeply about their daughter's well-being. And honestly, there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Watching the two of them cast warm, worried glances toward my little sister, as if they wanted to make absolutely sure she was really okay, I couldn't help but let a faint, almost imperceptible smile appear on my lips.

No matter the occasional disagreements or the somewhat unusual way they expressed their feelings, it was obvious that there was a great deal of love in this family. At that moment, the only thing I could think was that Charlotte truly belonged to a close-knit family.

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