James Knight: Teenage Superhuman - Book One

Twelve

"What the fuck!" I exclaimed, feeling a surge of panic coursing through me. Derek drove the car slowly through our neighborhood, taking his time as we approached our block. However, instead of heading straight home, he turned the corner and sped up the hills into the nearby mountains. He glanced at me in the rearview mirror to ensure I was alright. Sitting in the back seat, my tense shoulders momentarily relaxed.

"Take a deep breath, James," he reassured me. I inhaled sharply and let it out slowly.

"Dad was right there. Right there! And there's another super. What the hell!"

"Dude," Derek softened his voice, raising an eyebrow. "Calm down. I don't think Dad noticed, and even if he did, it's time he knows."

"I don't know if I want Dad to know about my powers, Derek. What if—" I was interrupted mid-sentence as Derek cut in. He pulled over to the side of the road as a car raced past us at the top of the hill.

"Chances are Dad already knows about your powers. You're not exactly the stealthy superhero type, and he's seen your hoodies. He doesn't want to acknowledge it." I leaned against the window and gazed at the starry night sky atop the hill. Derek joined me, momentarily closing the window to let in the cool breeze against our faces.

"You were amazing today," he continued. "Don't let your humility hold you back. Be proud of the hero you've become." I wanted to tell him desperately that I did it because it was the right thing to do, not because I sought fame or any personal gain. Instead, I would remain in the shadows rather than become the hero everyone expects me to be. But Derek already understood that.

"What do you think Dad will say when we get home?"

"I don't know, but I suggest taking off your hoodie. You can stash it between your feet and grab it when Dad leaves," Derek advised. I groaned, unbuckling my seatbelt. Removing my hoodie, I slipped it off and tossed it onto my sneakers. "But Dad knows what your hoodie looks like," he added as he started the car and merged back onto the road ahead.

∆∆∆

Sam and my father were sitting together on the couch as I entered. They were nursing their beers, their gazes meeting mine. "How was the mall?" my father greeted Derek and me.

Derek and I hesitated in the doorway for a moment. I held my hoodie in my arms, and we all stared at each other like deer caught in headlights.

"It was eventful," Derek chuckled nervously, breaking the silence and saving me again.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Where were you when the robbery was happening?" my father locked eyes with me once more. Another pause filled the room as he watched me walk across the hallway into the living room, Derek leaning against the open doorway.

Rather than pressing me further, my father relaxed his raised eyebrow and said, "There's pizza in the kitchen if you guys want some." I was famished, and I was sure Derek was too. After all, I was usually ravenous and exhausted following a superhero stint, whether it involved saving the city or something of the sort. I was ready to devour anything, even the paint chips off the ceiling.

Derek and I exchanged glances, and he headed off in the hallway, calling, " l bring you some, James." I stayed in the living room, exchanging glances with Sam this time. Ironically enough, I draped my hoodie over my back and tied it around my neck like a cape.

"Did you witness what happened?" Sam inquired, watching me closely. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you kidding me?" Instead of telling a complete lie about my powers, as I usually did in front of my father, I opted for a partial lie.

"Uh, maybe? The crowd was too chaotic to make out everything, but I caught glimpses of it."

"What idiots. Who stands there filming an armed robbery doing nothing to help?" Derek joined in, appearing behind me and handing me a paper plate loaded with four slices of piping hot pepperoni pizza. Sam quickly put the pieces together, and his culinary skills were top-notch. I devoured two cuts in minutes, barely registering it, as I took that first heavenly bite.

"And I don't even get a thank you," Sam playfully pleaded for some appreciation while I glanced up from my food. Then he raised his beer towards me.

"Thanks, Sam," Derek and I paused between bites, lifting our pizza slices in a toast to Sam. My father chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. Sam downed the rest of his.

"Are you heading to bed?" my father asked me.

"Yep," I replied.

"I have an early shift tomorrow," Derek added, patting my back before saluting our father and Sam. He then walked away.

I let out a tired sigh. "I'm tired too," I announced, taking another bite of pizza and offering a nod of gratitude to Sam and my father.

"Goodnight, kiddo," my father said.

"Goodnight," I responded, going to the staircase to my bedroom.

∆∆∆

Sam found me sitting on the couch, engrossed in old reruns of a superhero TV show. He reluctantly took me aside and sighed as he reached for the remote control, switching off the TV.

"It's two in the morning. Why are you still awake?" Sam questioned. Besides the overwhelming pile of homework on my desk that I was avoiding, I had no reason to be awake. My eyes glowed with amethyst radiance, illuminating my entire room. It only happened during power surges or when I was emotionally overwhelmed.

"I'm not tired," I shrugged him off, although Sam knew better. Silence enveloped us for a moment, and then Sam sighed, asking, "What's on your mind, kid?"

I shrugged again. "Not much. Some new kids at school seem to be complete jerks. One of them even allied with Mark."

Sam gave me an uneasy look. "New kids? Is there any connection between them and the appearance of these new supers?"

I furrowed my brow in contemplation. "I'm not sure, but it does seem suspicious," I replied. "I think it's Noah and Max." Wasn't it obvious by now? I couldn't believe I was contradicting myself.

"You should get some sleep, James. We can discuss this further another time." He gently pulled at my arm. "I'm still working on finding a cure, and you have school in the morning. Go to bed."

I rolled my eyes and stood up from the couch. "Goodnight, Sam," I bid him.

"Goodnight, buddy," he replied, nodding his head. "You could try meditating in your room for a while before sleep. It might help you feel better."

I gave him a nod and said, "Thanks, I'll give it a try." Our eyes locked, and my mind wandered to the two new boys. Could they be the supers? Did I need to ponder over that? And if they were, what did they want from Sam? What kind of trouble was Sam involved in this time, and when would it come back to haunt all of us?