When Lightning Strikes

Chapter 13 -- Bigger fish to fry

"Get her some blankets!" Jonas calls out to Ash. They both rush around Jonas' house, trying to help me in any way. My body temperature is going down hill.

Jonas calls my parents as soon as he crosses the threshold. How he'll explain all of this, I have no idea. I hope my identity isn't revealed in the process, but I don't know how else they'll understand.

"How are you, Del?" Ash spreads a few blankets on top of my shivering body. I bite my lip, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.

"G-g-great." I sound like an infant trying my best to stutter out my first word. She smiles a bittersweet smile.

"You're going to be fine. Jonas will know what to do." She takes a seat next to me in an attempt to comfort me. Ash and I have never been the touchy-feeling, emotional best friends. We usually pat each other on the head when one of us is upset.

"Jonas? Taking care of something?" I bust out laughing, but with my lip quivering it sounds like I'm dying.

She chuckles, "He cares about you, so he won't give up. He's going to figure out what this is." She gestures to my whole demeanor.

"You're giving him a lot of credit." I state blankly. They've never gotten along, so I'm surprised to hear her take his side.

She shrugs, "He deserves it. You know, he never left your side in the hospital until you woke up and took a shower. He's beating himself up for leaving you alone when Red Raven came in."

I stare at her. Jonas was my best friend, but he wasn't that sentimental. Surely she's exaggerating. He didn't stay by me the whole time.

"He couldn't help that. No one has control of themself when Red Raven is around."

Ash replies with a quirk of an eyebrow. "Well Jonas can't control himself around you. Perhaps that's why he needed some fresh air and 'came looking for me'." She scoffs after using air quotes.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Ash, quit already. Jonas and I don't like each other."

A gleam in her eyes tells me she doesn't believe that. "Well, you'll come around. As for Jonas, I hear wedding bells."

I push her off the couch, laughing hysterically at her accusations. She can be terribly delusional. Ash starts to cackle from the floor.

Jonas walks in the room just in time to see us goofing off. Typically he'd look at us strangely, but all he does is get down to business.

"I told your parents." He faces me directly, but there's sorrow in his voice.

My eyes wander to the floor, "So they know I'm Rapid Glare?" When I look back up, I find his face has gone from sulking to a form of gratitude.

He smirks, "They know I'm her sidekick. I told them Red Raven was after you in the hospital and I had to get you out. Your secret is still safe."

He crosses his arms proudly. In an attempt to smile, I fail. They need to know. They're my parents.

"Geez, woman, make up your mind!" Jonas groans, obviously having read my thoughts. His arms flail over his head. I rub my temple, exhausted with his outbursts. There's been too much yelling today.

"We need to talk all of this out. Maybe this is a new power you developed." Ash finally pulls herself up from the red wine colored carpet.

"A new power?" I question. She nods in excitement. What's it like to be a normal person when your two best friends are super freaks?

Jonas rubs the stubble on his chin. He claims he's trying to grow it out but it's been the same length for over a month now. He snaps his fingers together in conclusion.