I'M YOUR PUPPET; invincible

chapter 1

    Any energy was wholly and completely at their hands.

    Loren pushed off of the counter, picking up a blueberry muffin in the process. She gave her father a mock salute, backing her way to the stairs. "I have to get ready for school, but I expect to hear all about it later."

    A bellowing laugh. "Of course, Sweets."

———

    A car rolled forward, stopping at the edge of the curb. It was the usual, routined time. Practiced and perfected. It was a smaller car, just big enough. Navy, so dark it nearly looked black.

    Mark Grayson, not surprisingly, couldn't help the smile that overcame his expression. He pushed up off of the path to his front door, brushing off his pants. Trying, of course, to make it look like he hadn't just fallen.

    The passenger window of the car rolls down, revealing a familiar face inside. Tan skin, green eyes, long brown hair. The most beautiful face he'd ever seen. "Are you trying to fly?" Her dark brows furrow, her nose scrunching. An unconscious thing that she does.

    He laughs, reaching a hand to rest against the back of his neck. "No," he tells her fervently, unable to hide his smile. "No, of course not. That's ridiculous, Lo, I don't even know why you'd say that."

    He ducks, lowering himself into the passenger seat of the car. Turns his gaze and just...stops. Just for a moment. Allows the rush to get powers to stop. The want to be more than he is. It all just comes to a halt, just for a moment. Just to watch her.

    He watches as she adjusts the volume of the music, then pulls the car away from the curb. He watches how her brown hair, always something of a windswept mess, blows around her face, the sunglasses perched atop her head keeping only some of it away from her eyes. Her eyes, which are the most beautiful shade of green that he had ever seen. The color of grass and pine trees mixed together into a mural of color—lightly lined with a golden yellow. They appear even brighter, he knows, when she wears green like she is then. A darker green, one that warms the tone of her tan skin. The slope of her nose, the slight bump at the top. Her high cheekbones and smile lines. The simple golden jewelry she wears glints under the light of the sun.

     His gaze snaps to the road when she glances at him. She grins. "You were staring."

    "Mhm," he mutters, running a hand through his black hair. "Sure. I wasn't, though, you know? Because that would, that would be weird, right?"

    She only laughs. Laughs and focuses on the road before her, driving them to school.

    By the time they arrive at the school, they go their separate ways. Mark to his best friend, William. Loren to her best friend, Eve.

    The red head greets her with open arms, the two girls embracing quickly. They pull away, both laughing. There was no reason, really. Just simple joy. Just between them.

    Loren glances down the hall at a sudden commotion.

    "Knock it off, Todd!" It was Amber, moving her body, trying to get around the tall blonde boy standing before her.