Evolved

13. Little Holiday Surprises

The next morning, I woke up with a headache. I moaned and pulled the covers over my head. I really overdid it at the party.

"Here," I heard Cadence whisper softly. He took the covers off of my head and handed me aspirin and water. I thanked him and took it. I sat up slowly to see that Kylie was still knocked out beside me. I laughed softly and lay back down. I went right back to sleep and I didn't wake up until the next day.

Sunday, we all went to Ian's and trained. The next few weeks went by unnoticeably. School, went on boringly. Now that I knew everything, there wasn't much for me to learn. It got to the point where I started correcting the teachers sometimes. Every day with Cadence was like the first day we started going out. He was great; kind, sweet, charming, caring, faithful, brilliant, funny, and so much more. Damon and Tessa continued to date. They were really cute together, and often, Damon would leave to go spend time with her. Kylie found someone as well. She met a guy from the football team named Aaron. They were hitting it off as well. My powers were getting stronger and stronger every day, if that was even possible. I was lifting cars for long periods of time with my mind. Ian claimed that I even surpassed his abilities. I would take a run with someone every day, but I was always so far ahead that it started to seem like they were trying to chase me. My physical strength was great as well. I was sure that I was much stronger than the Hulk and Superman combined. The only difference being I had no kryptonite and I couldn't fly. Although I did want to test the flying thing. Nothing weakened me. Finally, Christmas break showed its head. We all ate dinner at my house with my parents on Christmas Eve. Even Aaron and Tessa joined us. I was the one who woke up at midnight and woke everyone else up. We all sat by the tree and exchanged gifts. Cadence got me a beautiful diamond heart necklace. I got him two tickets to Hawaii.

"Hawaii?" he asked excitedly. I smiled and nodded.

"I figured we can go when everything settles down," I explained vaguely. We were all careful about what we said and did around Tessa and Aaron because they didn't know what we were yet. Cadence kissed me softly.

"I love it; thank you," he smiled. When everyone was done exchanging their gifts, Tessa stood up and looked at everyone.

"Um, I have some news," Tessa announced a bit nervously. We all looked at her expectantly. Even Damon looked lost. "I'm... I'm pregnant." She said. My jaw dropped to the floor. Everyone stared at her shocked. She shrugged and waited for someone to say something. I was the first one to speak up. I turned to Aaron.

"Aaron, will you please leave?" I asked. He nodded and headed out the door. When I couldn't hear his car anymore, I turned to Damon. "Did you know?" I asked. He shook his head. He looked like he had just seen a ghost. Tessa was starting to look scared.

"What's going on?" she asked a bit panicked. I turned to my parents.

"Mom... Dad?" I asked. They both stood and left the room as well. I was thinking about how Tessa would react when her baby turned sixteen. I sighed and turned back to Damon. "You weren't careful?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"I thought we were," he replied quietly.

"Well, now we have to tell her since she is carrying your child," I said. Tessa was nearly frantic now.

"Tell me what?" she asked.

"We don't have to tell her right now. We could wait until later," Kylie jumped in, looking kind of scared. "How do we know we can trust her?" she asked. I sighed and looked to Cadence for help.

"She's having Damon's child for God's sake Kylie. She's going to find out sooner or later. We need to tell her. We can't wait till the child's older and it's too late," Cadence backed me up.

"Tell me what?!" Tessa yelled. She looked completely scared now. I guided her to go sit next to Damon. I sat back where I was beside Cadence.

"Are you going to keep the baby?" I asked her.

"Well, I'm not going to get an abortion, if that's what you're asking," she said softly looking at her hands. I sighed and looked at everyone. Cadence nodded to me encouragingly.

"Okay, I'm going to tell and show you something, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. If you do, it could put all of us, you, and your baby in danger. Do you understand?" I asked. She nodded hesitantly. I motioned to Kylie, Damon, Cadence and I. "We, are not normal, and your child won't be either. We are... more evolved than regular people. We can do things that most people can't, and when you're baby turns sixteen, it will too." Tessa looked at me confused.

"What are you talking about? I've known you forever, and I haven't seen you do anything... weird," she argued, relaxing a bit. I chuckled and leaned back into Cadence.

"We all get it when we turn sixteen. It's a very painful process," I recalled with a frown, "but everything is highly enhanced after that. We can run faster, see better, hear things we shouldn't be able to, and more." She still looked at me like I was crazy. I sighed and looked at Cadence for help.

"Show her," he said softly. I nodded and turned back to Tessa.

"Look at the TV," I said.

"How that going to prove anything?" she said stubbornly.

"Just look," I replied. She sighed before she looked at the TV. I used my mind to lift it all the way to the ceiling. She gasped and watched. I moved it directly over to her and then I put it back. "See?"

"How did you do that?" she asked shocked.

"My mind has evolved a lot, allowing me to move objects without even touching them," I explained. "But you can't tell anyone... at all. There are people out there who will kill me, no questions asked." The reality of what I said sunk in as the words left my mouth. She looked at me shocked.

"Why?" she asked quietly. I looked at everyone else before I looked back to her.

"The less you know the better. It's a long story, but I'll just leave it at this. I'm... highly sought after," I cringed slightly as I said it. She nodded and didn't ask anything else about it. She turned to Damon.

"So... you're the same as Ellie?" she asked. He hesitated before he nodded.

"Kind of," he answered. "I'm not nearly as strong, fast, or smart as her. She truly is the weirdest of us all." He joked. We all laughed. I was glad he lightened the mood. He looked at her stomach and back to her.

"I'm going to go take a shift," Kylie said getting up. Damon was still looking at Tessa.

"May I?" he asked unsurely. She smiled softly and nodded. He put his hand on her stomach. "Hi there." He started baby talking. I smiled softly as Cadence's arms went around my waist. Tessa's eyes started to water.

"You're not mad?" she asked softly. He smiled and kissed her.

"Of course not mad. It is partially my fault," he admitted. I wasn't used to seeing this side of Damon, but then again, babies brought out the parent in you. Damon smiled and talked with Tessa. I stood up and took Cadence into my room by his hand. I was trying to give them some privacy. I sighed ad ran my hand through my hair.

"Wow, I did not see that coming," I breathed. I could still hear Damon and Tessa talking in the living room. Cadence wrapped me up in a hug.

"No one saw that coming," he agreed. Kylie breezed in. I thought of Tessa. Someone would have to protect her now that she knew.

"Damon, you're no longer on Ellie Watch. You have to protect Tessa and the baby. Kylie and Cadence can hold up this end. You're on Tessa Watch," I instructed. After a while I heard him.

"But we have to clear it with Ian first. He wanted all of us to watch you because of Shiatvzi. Don't do anything rash," Damon replied. I laughed.

"I thought this through. I'm not the one doing rash things. I can't believe you got my best friend pregnant," I muttered back. He laughed loudly.

"Are you talking to Ellie?" Tessa asked.

"Then let's go clear it with Ian now," I said talking to Damon still.