We are the Enhanced

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Omg guys we are over fifty reads!!! People, I can't thank you all enough. I hope you continue to enjoy!

Coming into a new school in the middle of the year had been stressful for Charlotte, especially since the children spoke a different language. But after a couple months, she could understand enough to at least pass the classes.

A Monday, toward the end of the Brazilian school year, Charlotte was trying to figure out her geometry homework. Just trying to procrastinate, she thought about doing algebra in some language that didn't use the Roman symbols. She imagined 在 divided by 不 or something and how she'd be even worse at that. She grinned a little at that.

For an hour, Charlotte worked in peace, her parents out. Then she heard the door unlock and creak open.

"Good afternoon, Dad," she called over her shoulders at the heavy footsteps coming down the hall.

The footsteps stopped. Charlotte held her breath, waiting for her father's next action.

"Who's there?" He called, "Who's in my house?"

Charlotte stood up from her chair and faced him.

"Me, Dad. It's Charlotte. Just me."

Charlotte's eyes grew wide. Her father, broad and tall, was crying. Silently, tears fell, just a few, and it wasn't noticeable in his voice.

"You are not welcome in this house. I don't care what your name is. I don't know you, you... you," he struggled for a word, "You intruder!

He strode closer, "NOW GET OUT OF MY HOME!"

Now up next to Charlotte, her father grabbed her around the neck and lifted her. Charlotte struggled for air, choking and miserable. She suffered, let herself suffer, to stay with her parents. A part of her knew it was worthless, that her parents were gone, only shells left. But she still hoped, and when she could breathe again, left outside the closed door of her apartment, she let a tear fall. Everyone was teary lately.

She'd leave for a week or so, until her dad had forgotten the encounter.

Standing, she cringed and gingerly touched her bruising neck. She couldn't go anywhere like that. It would be obvious to anyone that she was abused.

Sighing, she closed her eyes. She didn't like to do what she was about to. It made her want to do it more every time. To embrace it. She had, she knew, she had embraced it. That's why her mom didn't have cancer, but also why her mom no longer knew Charlotte. When she did this, she was always afraid she'd lose herself, but she knew her parents were more important.

So, eyes closed, Charlotte took a deep breath and searched for the pain the bruising made. She latched onto it, and pulled, imagining peeling the injury from her like she might a bandage.

She sighed. It felt so good to use the ability, the thing the doctor had called an Enhancement; it felt as if she's released some sort of pressure. She wanted to do it again, and again. She shook her head. She couldn't use it. She shouldn't. It was meddling with something that should be beyond her.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Charlotte walked down a market street, taking in the colorful culture. Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

ᴜɴɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪғɪᴇᴅ ɴᴜᴍʙᴇʀ
ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟ?

Charlotte accepted, curious to see who was calling her, in Brazil.

"Um... Hello?" A voice said. It shocked Charlotte a bit to hear an American accent. "Is this Charlotte Myers?"

"Yes..." Charlotte said apprehensively, "Who's speaking?"

"Oh, right, sorry," the voice laughed nervously. It sounded young, female. "I'm Ariya Gordon. Remember, we met on the plane yo Brazil?"

Charlotte tried to remember. "Oh, yeah! Ariya, hi! You're the one with the crying little brother, right? What's up?"

"Yeah, crying little brother, that's me. I know it's been, like, half a year since we met, but, you seemed, well, friendly. I suppose that's more than I could say about any of the girls at my school, besides the language barrier," Ariya seemed a bit ashamed. Charlotte wasn't sure why. But she thought she might have a hunch.

"Sure. Go ahead, I'll listen." Charlotte sat down on a nearby bench overlooking a pond.

"Alright. It's mostly just friend problems, but thanks. I needed someone to talk to," she said before continuing, "I suppose it's just difficult being the new kid, at a new school, halfway through the year, in a new country, but I feel different. Different from them, firstly, but also-"

"Different from your normal self?" Charlotte asked, frightened.

Ariya's end of the line was silent for a minute, before she whispered, "How did you know that?!"

"Ariya," Charlotte said, dead serious, "I will be the new student at your school tomorrow. Until then, don't give in. Got it?"

"Umm, sure," Ariya seemed nervous. "I guess I'll see you then."

"Bye Ariya." Charlotte clicked off. She was shaking and shivering, though the sun was burning hot. She was afraid of what she'd gotten herself into.