After The Storm

"Estelle."

SEPTEMBER 25TH; JARBULL MALL.

Why do we have these powers if it's nothing to fight with them?" I ask, cutting through the silence at the table. "I don't know Ziggy, but I think it's pretty cool, you know we're like in a cartoon where we're all friends having magic and stuff." His friend, Caleb adds. "Right guys?" He says, looking around the table looking for am agreement from others. "I mean sure, but what if something eventually happens? and why are we even talking about this? You guys are supposed to be deciding whose gonna give me money for my shopping spree." Maxine says in an annoyed tone. "Wait no, Ziggy has a point." Caleb cuts maxine off. "This isn't for no reason." I look at Caleb and sucks my teeth "Caleb It's been 3 years, although I also feel like it's something behind this, I think we're safe bro. Something would've happened by now." Maxine's phone rings and she answers. "Oh... right now?... oh, okay. Yeah bye. "Sorry I have to go guys. My mom needs me." Maxine says while rolling her eyes and leaving the table. "Yeah bye." we all say.

    It was Maxine's birthday in a few days and my friends, Ryan, Girl, Caleb, Victoria and I are all going out of town on her birthday so we can't make it. Sucks, I know right? We were supposed to give Maxine her early shopping spree before we go but we're all kinda... broke.
Well, I first met Girl and she helped me realize I had powers and things of that sort. Then Caleb came along, then Victoria, then Tori, lastly miles. Those two are siblings, Tori and Miles. They're cool I guess, I mean—Miles is nice and all but Tori is to herself, y'know? Starting with school tomorrow, the first day of freshman year we can finally have classes with each other again.

SEPTEMBER 26TH; WILLOW ANNE HIGH.

     September 26th; The first day of freshman year. We're finally in high-school after those dreadful years of middle school. I can finally call myself a high-schooler. I mean— "HEY ZIGGY" Caleb yells, trying to get my attention. He runs up to me and hugs me. Looking at my surroundings, I see someone I've seriously never seen before. Not even in the neighborhood. She had ginger hair and the ends were neon pink, weird combo right? I know. But you could tell her hair was soft. It stopped at her shoulders with sort've curly ends. She had freckles and she was tanned a little. She had these baggy jeans that she almost tripped over as she was walking, converse, and this dark gray jean jacket with a nirvana shirt under it. All I could remember thinking was wow, this girl is gorgeous. "Ziggy??" "Ziggy hello?" Maxine shouted, waving her hand in front of my face. Almost like a 'Earth to Ziggy' type of thing to get my focus back on them. Next thing I know when I snap out of my day dreaming, The rest of the group is in front of me. "Ohh I see, Ziggy has a little crush!" Girl adds, dragging her words out. Yes, her name is Girl. Girl Davis. Her power is invisibility and smoke. But, the only thing about it is her smoke is purple. Very obvious so we don't let her use her powers to fight. At least not her smoke one. Then they'll know we're like this. "Shut up. I just never seen her before, you think she's new?" I ask, putting my focus back on her. "Well, if you never seen her before wouldn't she be new?" Maxine says, in an annoyed tone. The bell rings. The ginger-haired girl hurries inside, wasting no time. "Let's go." I say, grabbing Maxine's hand and running into the school building, the rest of the group follows us.

    We walk into the main office and ask for our schedules. "Hello, I'm Mrs. Martin. How can I help you all today?" She asks, putting her focus on us and stops typing on her keyboard. "Um," I hesitate, looking around to see if the group is with me. It's seven of us, including me. Miles, Tori, Ryan, Maxine, Girl, Victoria and Caleb. "We need our schedules." I add. "Okay, what's your name, young man?" She asks. "Ziggy." She raises her eyebrow and looks up at me with her eyes, keeping her head down. "Ziggy Coleman, sorry." She looks back down at her computer and keeps typing. "You, young lady—purple hair in the back, what's your name?" "Girl Ree-" As Girl tries to speak we notice the main door open. It's the girl with the ginger hair. She walks up to the counter. "Hold on, young lady." Mrs Martin says while turning to her and back at Girl. "Repeat that?" "Girl. Girl Reed." She says in s steady tone so the lady will hear her correctly. Not Erl, curl, Girl. Her actual name. After the lady finishes typing she turns to the ginger-haired girl. "Hello sweetie, what do you need?" Ash they're talking, they completely get drowned out by them whispering behind me. I'm not taking my eyes off her, though. "Dude, she's actually pretty up close" Caleb whispers. "Right, y'all think she's like us?" Victoria whispers back. "You mean like our powers?" Girl asks, trying to keep her volume low. Victoria nods in like a 'duh' type of way. "Bro seriously? We're in Colorado. Nothing happens here, why would she be like us?" Girl asks in a yelling but whispering level. "It happened to us, right? I mean look—It's eight of us. That's a lot. Why couldn't it be more?" Miles added. His voice is already low naturally so he didn't need to whisper. "Can you guys shut up, I'm trying to listen." I say, still not keeping my eyes off this girl. But, once I say that, she looks at me. I quickly turn my head away and look at something else. I was scanning the room trying to find something to stare at so she'll stop looking and it was this poster that really caught my eye.

     "We Need Band Members! Play For Tates Stadium! October 11! Ask Mrs. Martin Or Mr. Hues For A Slip!" and at the bottom it said, "Reward: $200 Per Band Member!" I needed some money and we all play an instrument. "I shrug Caleb with my shoulder, still staring at the poster. "Hey guys, look." Trying to break their conversation about the ginger-haired girl. "Wanna try?" I ask them, looking back. "Sure, It's our first year of high-school. Let's do whatever." Tori walks up from the back and as she gets to the counter, we see the ginger-haired girl walk out. Their conversation was quick. She was holding two papers, one looked like her schedule and the other had different colors on it. I'm guessing that was the permission slip. "Hello, can we get eight permission slips for that right there?" Tori asks, pointing at the poster making both of their heads turn. "Eight?" Mrs. Martin asks, just making sure. Tori nods which leads to the lady sighing and heading the the back to get the papers. Tori turns around to look at us and leans on the counter, putting both of her elbows on it to prop herself up. "So, what about this girl?" "You mean Ziggy's girlfriend?" Caleb says, followed by laughter from the rest of them. "Dude." I turn around. "Okay okay, Ziggy likes her but—" "I DON—" "BUT!!," Tori continues. "All we have to do is check her back. If she has her lil' mark then she's us. Simple." "And if she is?" I ask, raising one eyebrow. "Then we take her in, duh?" Tori adds. We all look at each other after Tori turns back around. "Thank you." Tori takes the slips. "Now, can I get the rest of you alls names for your schedules?"

    September 26th, 1:36; We're in class. Well, Caleb, Maxine, Girl and I are. Well, including the ginger-haired girl. I'm sitting in the front sort've and she's in the back-middle, if that makes sense. "Ah! Estelle! Can you answer this question?" The teacher asks, while she points her chalk to the question on the board. Estelle looks up, looks at the question and with no hesitation she answers. "Seventeen with a remainder of four." Estelle answers, confidently. I look back at her. She's so gorgeous. Her ginger hair and light brown eyes just go together so well. I don't even know if she'll like me. I'm like 5'10, pale, I have black curly fluffy hair with a birthmark on the side of my nose, It's black. Weird, right? Not even brown or a tan. Simply black. It's like an oval sort've. Plus—I'm a squeaker. My voice is high pitched like crazy. While I'm zoned out, looking at Estelle, she eventually looks back. I don't even notice because I'm still thinking to myself about her. Eventually I snap out of it and quickly turn back around. I look back one last time and by then, she's already looked away and talking to her friend on her side. As I'm looking closer and focusing on her. I see her neck. It's not a bruise or anything, It's like a tattoo. We're 14? Why does she have a— Oh my G—. "Ziggy and Estelle sitting in a tree, k-i-s—" I hear Maxine say, her turning around since she's directly in front of me I quickly shake my head, looking at her. I mouth, "She's one of us!" Her eyes get wide and she turns back around. Why is her mark on her neck and not her back...?

    September 26, 1;55; The bell rings. I quickly grab my bags and speed walk out the door. Standing to the side—Waiting for Girl, Caleb, and Maxine, they finally came. Then after them, It was Estelle. "What were you guys talking ab—" Caleb gets cut off by me. "HEY!" I yell, trying to get Estelle's attention. She eventually turns around and at the point I already left Maxine and them and went up to her. "I'm Ziggy—Uhm, Ziggy Coleman." "Estelle. Estelle Navy. She says, almost in a mocking tone. "You look pretty cool. Wanna sit with me and my friends at lunch?" I ask, looking back at them so she'll know who I'm talking about. She nods. "Cool." I respond, walking back to my friends. "Will you tell us what's going on now?" Girl asks, once again, in an annoyed tone. "Literally." Caleb adds, following his sentence with a sigh. "She's sitting with us at lunch, okay?" I say, in a rushed way. "WHAT? WE DON'T EVEN KNOW H—" Caleb puts his hand over Girl's mouth. "You were saying?" "Right, so she's sitting with us at lunch." I repeat, looking around after. I whisper, "She's one of us..." They get quiet. "Told you." Miles says, shrugging his shoulders. "When did you guys even get here? Okay, doesn't matter but she's one of us and we can maybe take her in—Like you said, Victoria." "Mhmm." She hums. "What do you think her powers are guys?" Miles asks. "Maybe she can shoot ice from her hands" "No, that's Victoria's power, it can't be duplicates." "Or, maybe she has teleportation. "Uhh guys.." Ryan drags his words. "No, she might have Ziggy's power since their true soulmates." After that statement it was nothing but giggling and laughing. "Telekinesis? Nah that's boring." "Guys.." Ryan says, still staring off into the distance. "What if she can fly, that'd be dope." "GUYS!" Ryan yells, having half the hallway look at him. "Look at her." He says in a firm voice and looks back at her so we all turn around. There she was, literally using her powers to float her books while she was in her locker arranging her things. She really did have my power, telekinesis. Oh my gosh.

TO BE CONTINUED?