He's Just a Kid (Marcus Davenport X OC Book 1)

Dancing in the Dark

I wouldn't recommend sneaking out at midnight to anyone. Especially if you're like me: Someone with unnatural abilities and killer instincts, someone who has killed something with their bare hands before.

But here I am. Sneaking out at midnight.

The window creaked shut as I pushed it closed behind me. You might be thinking that I'm sneaking out to see Marcus, but you'd be wrong. I don't even know where he lives.

Come on, use your head. Jeez.

I sneak out like this to get away from everything. It was moments like these where I don't feel the need to please anyone, I don't need to hide anything anymore. I can just run. I can chase the wind in my true form with no one around, no fear of someone seeing me and catching me to put me in a zoo or something.

The leaves beneath my feet crunched as I took my first few steps into the woods behind my house, the moon casting silver rays along my pale skin. I inhaled deeply through my nostrils and took my glasses off, tucking them into my nightshirt pocket. My vision was blurry as a result, but I knew it wouldn't continue to be that way.

Not after I let myself loose.

I squinted into the shade of the trees, mapping out my route. And then I did it.

I let go.

My entire body tingled, from my head to my toes. I felt my ears itch as they elongated and formed points at the end in a cat-like shape. My vision slowly cleared as my eyes changed, enhancing my eyesight and removing my prescription.

I felt the orange and black fur grow out of my skin, I felt my fingernails and toenails sharpen into claws, and I felt my tail grow out, waving back and forth freely.

I plunged into the darkness of the woods, my bare, padded feet crunching over twigs, leaves, and rocks without so much of a care in the world. The breeze from my enhanced speed tore the hair from my face, letting it stream behind me. The fur on my body tingled as it slicked back with the wind.

This. This is why I sneak out.

I could smell every animal in the near vicinity, I could feel every small breeze, hear every little click of a cricket call, see better in the dark. It was freeing. It was wonderful.

I paused in a small clearing, allowing myself to breathe in the clean air. Freedom. It was something I didn't get a lot of. If my mom knew I did this, she would kill me (or at least try to). Did I care? No. No, this was the only safe space I had in this cruel world. Maybe one day I would tell the Davenports about my abilities, so at least I didn't have to be alone.

I sat down on a rock and crossed my legs, leaning back into a tree. I still remember the day I found out that Adam, Bree, and Chase were bionic. They saved my life. It was Bree who used her super speed to pull me out of the way of the falling rocks on the hike, Chase who slowed the rocks down with his molecular kinesis, Adam who destroyed the rocks with his heat vision before they could hurt anyone else. I remember being afraid of them for a moment, but then becoming at peace when I realized something wonderful: I wasn't alone.

I wasn't the only one with weird abilities. You have no idea how weird it was to live thinking you were the only one with supernatural abilities. At least with Adam, Bree, and Chase's situation they had each other. I had nobody. I still didn't. Because I hadn't told them.

I shook myself. My abilities would be revealed in time. Just not now.

I wonder how Marcus would react if I told him.

I legit almost slapped myself right there. I hated---but secretly enjoyed---that he somehow managed to worm his way into every situation I was thinking about. And I also hated that I couldn't help it. Like, come on, it's your own brain. Why is it so hard to stop thinking about things on command?

"To be honest, it's probably because I know I enjoy thinking about him so much," I told myself in defeat.

How would he react, though? Would he run away from me, screaming "monster"? Would he think it was cool? Would he ever talk to me again? Or would he just pretend I didn't exist so he didn't have to look at me anymore?

Probably the last option, I groaned inwardly. I hated my own brain thinking about the correct things sometimes. Why can't I just be delusional like Bree in peace?

It wasn't too long before I realized that I should head back to the house. So, I stood, turning on my heels and heading back to the house.

The worst part about returning to my "normal" form was . . . returning to my normal form. After a while, my body becomes used to my animal form and then it gets increasingly more difficult to shift back on command. So, depending on how long I'm in my animal form, it can vary for how long it takes for me to turn back.

Eventually, though, I managed to shift back and slip into my bedroom through the window without much of a sound. I listened for a moment to hear Mom's gentle, peaceful (annoying) breathing before finally slipping into bed.

Before I knew it, I was working out ways to go on that date with Marcus right before I drifted off to sleep.

Mom would have to deal with me not being home on Saturday like she wanted.