I really, really didn't want to go to school today.
What if Lincoln had told someone? Is my cover blown?
I paced back and forth in my room, thinking of how I could get out of going to school.
On the bright side, however, I still have my powers, so that means that if someone knows I have them, I don't lose them.
No one in my family knows what will make me lose them. Aunt Correra never did get to finish her gift to me, so I'm stuck in curiosity forever.
I still haven't told my mom and dad that someone knows my secret, and I don't think I should. Dad would worry about me, and I'd get a hit from mom for letting my secret slip.
"Okay, I've got to go sometime," I say pulling over my clean, pink hoodie.
I eat an apple on the way to school and try to build up my confidence. My heart is beating out of my chest as I enter the glass double doors.
As I walk in, I notice that everyone is acting normal, which is good.
I start my way to my locker, looking at everyone with suspicion. Just as I'm about to reach my set of lockers, I feel a hand pull me sideways into a room.
The person who's pulling me puts their hand on my mouth, and I try to bite it.
I'm struggling hard when I notice that I'm in the dark janitor's closet.
I punch whoever is holding me, but I'm not sure where.
"Owww..." Is all I hear as I search for a light switch in the dark, cramped space.
My hands finally fine one, and I flip it on.
Someone is hunched over in the floor, holding their upper arm.
So that's where I hit them, then.
"God, you punch hard," I hear a familiar voice say.
The person who was crouched over stands up, and my eyes bulge.
Lincoln.
My hands immediately go for the door handle of the closet. Just as I'm about to open it, a hand slams down on it, closing it back.
"Hold on now," He starts, looking down at me. "I'm not done with you."
"Well, I'm done with you," I say as I start to open the door again.
He, this time, puts both of his hands on the door. One was on the left side of my head, and the other on my right, closing me in.
Our faces are a ruler's length apart, and that's close enough. His dark hair falls in his eyes, and I watch him blow it out of them. His eyes then go to mine, the dark blue of his clashing with the light blue of mine.
"What do you want?" I ask, trying to lean as far into the door as possible.
"How?" He asks, an astonished look now on his face.
"What?" I ask, confusion filling my features.
"I watched you last night. I saw you beat up five guys and throw them like they were paper," He says, turning his head to the side to observe me.
"What are you doing? Stop," I say as I push him back. He takes a couple of steps back. "I didn't do anything last night."
"Liar. You're lying, and you know it," He smirks. It's so arrogant and annoying I just want to wipe it off his face.
"Fine. Let's say I was lying," I say as I take a step back. "What are you going to do about it?"
"I'm not going to do anything," He says, crossing his arms. "But I think the police will love to hear about it."
I clench my jaw. "Fine! What is it you want, then?" I snap, getting irritated. "You want to tell my secret to the whole world so that I'll be made into a spectacle for people to watch?"
He has an unrecognizable expression on his face, but then it quickly disappears.
"I have three favors," He says, holding up three fingers.
"Number one," He starts. "Tell me how you can do all of that. There's no way a petite girl like you can do that."
"Wait a second," I say. "What will you do if I don't do your favors?"
"I'll tell everyone about your secret and you'll be made into, what was it?" He taps his chin a couple of times. "A spectacle, was it?"
My teeth clench again. "I'll was gifted with these powers at birth by my aunt. I don't know how to get rid of them, I just know I have them."
"Where's your aunt now? Can she give me some?" He asks, his eyes lighting up.
"Doubt it. She dropped off the face of the Earth ever since I was born. I haven't seen her in sixteen years. It's just like she..." I think for the word. "...disappeared."
"Really? So your witch aunt gave you them? Alright," He says. "Favor number two."
I watch as he holds up two fingers. " I need you to beat up someone who's bothering me. He's someone you could call a bully."
"Done," I say hastily.
"Really?!" He asks, his face showing disbelief. "I thought you'd say something like, 'I only use my powers for good!' or something like that."
I roll my eyes. "If he's bullying someone then he needs to be taught a lesson. What's the third favor?" I ask.
"Go on a date with me," He says suddenly.
I'm shocked for a second, and my eyes go wide. "A d-date? What do you mean a date?"
"I want to go on a date with you. What do you say? After school today?" He smiles, showing off his bright teeth.
No guy has ever asked me on a date. Never. Not once. So why did he want to go on one with me? What's his plan, anyway?
I narrow my eyes at him, and take a step back.
"...sure..." I mutter. "I'll see you after school..."
I don't care if I have a crush on Parker or not. When a guy asks you out, you blush.
For someone like me who has never had a boyfriend or even held hands with a boy, it's crazy thinking that I'm going on a date with one. My heart also thinks it's crazy, because it's sending a whole bunch of extra blood to my face for no reason.
My hands go for the handle again, and I fumbled with it before I finally open it. I rush out of the small room, and take a deep breath of the fresh air.
"Oh my gosh...this is crazy..." I mutter to myself as I open up the door of my locker. "What have I gotten into now?"
***
I stand outside the school doors, waiting on Lincoln. I had been standing for ten minutes, and if my secret hadn't have been on the line I would have definitely left by now.
"Where the heck is he?" I ask myself, checking the time on my phone.
"Hey, did you wait long?" I hear his voice say as he comes out of the glass doors.
"No," I lie.
I don't need to get a smart mouth with him, if he gets upset he can say my secret very easily.
"What kind of date were you talking about?" I ask. Even saying the word 'date' sounds foreign to me.
"I was thinking we could walk in the park. What do you think about that?" He asks me, putting his hands in his jacket pockets.
"Sure," I say as I begin to walk off.
The quicker I get this over with, the better.
***
We walk for a long time in silence. The only noise you can hear is children playing in the distance and the sound of wind blowing through the trees.
I reach up and catch a leaf as it falls to the ground. Winter is fast approaching, and I didn't like it at all. I prefer fall weather, like today.
"So what all can you do?" He interrupts the silence.
"Do with what?" I ask, turning the lead around in my fingers.
"With your powers I mean," He looks down at me, a curious expression on his face.
I only now notice the extreme height difference between me and him.
"Well, it's super strength, right?" I ask. "So I can just lift heavy things and do strong stuff. Nothing special."
"What's the heaviest you've ever lifted?" He asks me, curiosity filling his voice.
"I don't know, I haven't tested it out much. I know I can pick up people, that's easy," I smile, thinking about how I picked up my dad one time at thanksgiving. He wasn't so happy about that.
"Yeah I saw that. I hope those guys are alright," He says with a look of sadness on his face.
"They are."
"What do you mean?" He asks.
"I don't ever hurt anyone enough for them to die. I just hurt them so that they remember next time," I look up at him.
"You're like Wonder Woman!" He smiles.
"No I'm not, shut up!" I shush him.
He looks back down at me. "Did you know how I knew something was off about you?"
"How?"
"I saw you carry five boxes of something to the teacher's lounge like it was nothing," He raises his eyebrows. "Then I went to the lounge to tried to pick them up myself, and that's when I realized no normal human could possibly lift that much. And you were running with them, too!"
"Oh...yeah..." I give a small smile. "That would cause some suspicion."
I couldn't help but to notice how the sun is beginning to set behind the trees.
"Hey, could you take me home? It's getting late," I say checking my phone.
"Sure, where do you live at?"
***
As we approach the porch, I see a familiar figure sitting on the doorstep.
"Hi Parker!" I say as I run up beside him.
"Where have you been?" He asks. "Why is it so late? I told you to come straight home."
"She was with me," I feel a hand being placed on my shoulder, and I look up to see Lincoln standing beside me.
"Lincoln? Why are you walking her home?"
Lincoln smiles, and his grip on my shoulder tightens.
"Park, we're friends, didn't you know that? Isn't it okay for a friend to walk another one home?" Lincoln's voice is deep and cold, almost threatening to Parker.
"Andrea? Friends with you? Since when?" He asks, putting his weight on his left foot.
I admire the stance he's in, and take my time to notice his collar bones coming out from under his baggy shirt.
Wow, he looks as great as ever.
His hair was ruffled up as always, and his dark eyes were sexy as he stared Lincoln down.
"Right, Andrea?"
I'm pulled out of my thoughts by Lincoln's voice.
"Huh?" I ask.
"I said we have been friends since today, right?" Lincoln asks me.
The tight grip on my shoulder tells me that if I say we aren't, my secret is as good as gone.
"Right! Sorry I didn't tell you, it was sudden!" I smile at Parker, hoping that he isn't angry.
"Well," He starts. "I guess that's fine. Just tell me if you're going to be late anymore, okay?"
I nod. "I will! I promise!"
"And you," Parker points to Lincoln. "I'll see you later."
The way Parker talked seemed like him and Lincoln were friends, but the way he pushed against Lincoln's shoulder as he walked by said otherwise.
Great. What have I done now? Why do they suddenly hate each other?