A different kind of girl {Book One}

The machine

Sitting at Jameson table is more awkward than I thought. Especially with Hilary and Astrid, knowing if they could, they would rip each other's throats out. Roger is smiling at everyone, getting no response from Luka, of course.  

I nudge his foot to get his attention and smile at him. I think he wants to punch me as well.

"This is nice" Marla says and smiles at Luka.

"Yeah dad. Your chicken Parmesan is better than I remember. What do you think Luka?" They're all trying to include him, but he's having no of it.

"It's great" he mumble. He hasn't touched a single part of his meal. Roger smiles at him again and it pushes him over. "I can't do this" he says and pushes his untouched food away.

"Luka, it's okay" I say.

"No! Am I supposed to sit here and pretend this is normal, that I'm normal?"

"Luka" I try to stop him but he continues, just getting himself more annoyed than ever.

"That dad hasn't being gone for 10 years? That my mom and brother are... are mutants?" He's gone overboard and even Marla is getting annoyed and the table goes silent.

"Okay this is not the time to do this" she says and smiles at me, hoping I'd help.

"Why not?! Astrid knows everything and I'm sure Stephen's paranormal girlfriend knows everything too".

"Luka, calm okay. Think happy thoughts cause you're digging a very nice hole".

"No, no, it's okay. My apologies to those who aren't family. Uh." He stands up, "I was also very disorientated and confused but I was also very happy to be back home with the ones I love." He looks down at Luka. "No happy, no that doesn't describe it at all. I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude for the four of you. You're my world and my reason for being. I don't want to leave again". Luka looks down, ashamed now of everything he had said. "Let's all raise our glasses" he says and actually raises everyone's up in the air for us to take. It's strange seeing someone use their powers in public like this, for a stupid thing too. But it's nice too. This is a safe place where we can use our powers. "Here's to family".

"To family" we say in unison and clink our glasses.

"Now let's get the desserts" Roger says happily as if nothing had happened. I put my arm around Luka and hug him.

"Are you okay now?"
"I guess. Still you can see how awkward it is".

"Yes but if you don't try, it's just going to get more awkward". He nod and walk over to his dad to help with the desserts. Stephen smiles at me.

Thank you. You're a girl of many talents.

Stephen walks Astrid to the door, Hilary standing at the kitchen entryway watching them go. Astrid hugs Stephen and glares up at Hilary, giving her quite a glare. Then she acts normal again and leaves the house. I tidy the rubbish away and help Luka clear the table.

"I'll be upstairs" Stephen shouts and take Hilary. Of course, he and Hilary disappear into their worlds.

"Rachael, thank you for helping out back there. You seem to understand him a lot better than I do" Roger says.

"You'll learn".

"Yeah".

"So do you know where you father is right now?" he asks.

"If I did, I would have invited him. He's turned his phone off and he's not at home. Sometimes he's just so distant".

"It's okay, I bet I can find him. Here's some money, take Luka to the cinema okay" he says and hands me 50 dollars.

"I don't need that much".

"For a new dress? I'm not so good with girls". He grabs his coat and kisses Marla goodbye before leaving.

"Luka, what film do you want to go and see?" I ask.

"What?" I take his hand and walk out the house, grabbing his jacket as we go.

"What film do you want to see?"

"I don't mind". Great, I have to decide and if I get it wrong, he'll kill me. Or I just let him go in the movie and I go shopping?

I drop him outside the cinema with 20 dollars telling him to do whatever with it, just make sure to tell his dad he went to see a film with me. I have a more pressing matter, like what dress did I want to buy. I go from shop to shop, looking for the right dress, when I notice the time. Luka would be done by now. I grab the white flower dress and try it on quickly before buying it and running out the shop for Luka who is casually throwing rocks on the floor.

"Sorry, it took longer than expected. Home?"

"I can go myself, I need to time please?"

Okay but tell anyone". I watch him disappear then I go behind a bush and teleport home. Right onto the couch. Good thing I didn't have muddy shoes or it would have been ruined. I go into the kitchen to find something when I hear the elevator beep.

"Still going for a minimal vibe". Roger? I walk round to see Jed and Roger.

"Dad!"

"Hey honey, just a little busy". He takes the picture off the wall to reveal a small box. It's a laptop. He sets it down and turns it on before giving me a hug and kissing my forehead. He then returns to his laptop.

"Come on Alice".

"Hello Jed, what a nice surprise!" the computer speaks. It's like Tim.

"Oh you're dating a computer" Roger says as he walks over after browsing the room.

"Hey Alice, can you finish protocol 1359 please?"

"Can I have a talking laptop? Everyone seems to have one but me" I say.

"Maybe later dear".

"Why does it feel like we're being naughty?" Alice asks.

"That's because we are". Roger laughs. "Don't want the founder secretly spying on us now do we?" I grab an apple and wash it.

"Rachael we need to go" Roger says randomly and grabs my hand, getting ready to teleport.

"What, why?"

"Agents, they'll take you away".

"Jed we've got to go"

"In a minute".

"Now". Roger grabs his hand and teleports us down to the lair. "We need your help".

"Actually we need Tim's help" Jed says and passes the computer to John.

"I know you're upset with me John, but please do it for Stephen". Why is John upset with Roger?

"What is it?" John asks as he leads us to Tim's room.

"If we're lucky, it's nothing". John plugs the drive in and the scene shows two videos. One of Stephen in the machine and a room with two people, one wearing white and the other black. As the machine whirred into motion the white person stopped moving, but the black person continued to move then smashed the person into millions of piece.

"Omigod" I gasp and hide into Jed's shoulder. Who could do such a thing?

"We better get Stephen" John says sternly.