Phoenix

8. Jackie

I knock on the door.

A minute later, Ms. Chan opens the door. Jackie's mom.

"Lovely seeing you again Seth. I like the new outfit. You must've paid top dollar for that."

"Thanks. Nice to see you too. I still made it. I was wondering if I could see Jackie."

"Yep. She just got home from school." She turns to face a set of stairs that lead to the upstairs. "Jackie someone at the door for you." She yells.

"Coming mom," Jackie yells back as she comes down the stairs.

She gets to the bottom of the stairs then sees me. With a sigh, she rolls her eyes and walks over.

"I'll be back before dinner." She comments to her mom as she grabs her jacket.

We walk out the door without another word. After walking down the sidewalk for a few minutes in silence she finally opens her mouth. "So, are you gonna explain the running out on your best friend thing Seth. Or are you gonna shut me out? Like you have been doing for almost the past week."

"I want to tell you every last detail. But I need your word that you'll keep it a secret."

"i swear."

I pause then sigh. I know I have to tell her... "I overheard my brother talking to my mom on the phone when I got home from running out of school..."

I explain the whole story. No detail left out. She is my best friend. I won't leave her in the dark anymore. I can't leave her in the dark anymore.

"Wow... So. You could be, like, a superhero or something."

I laugh... and then think about it.

I love to help people and with my newfound power, I could help more people. I could team up with Jake and we could save lives.

"That's not a bad idea."

"It was a joke."

"In not kidding Jackie. That's a brilliant idea. You're the best in computers. You could be my database. We could be a team. Even Jake. He could fight alongside with me. You could be in the background watching over us and helping us in missions or whatever."

"Your right. I could plan missions and stuff."

I nod in excitement. This is the best idea ever. I think Jake would agree.

We talk about how everything would work for about another hour. We walked around the block about 20 times. I'm back about half an hour before dinner.

I notice the powers out when I get home.

" Hey, mom? What's going on?" I ask.

"Some car accident knocked over the hydro lines a few blocks over. Lucky no one got hurt."

I nod. "It's gonna get dark soon..."

"Yea. Could you light the woodstove and bunch I've candles? We have no matches and I forgot to bye new lighters."

"Ok."

I light all the candles and the woodstove. Then down to my room and I find more clothing material. I light candles around my sewing machine and make a pair of boots.

I cut a hole in the heel of the boots. Then I put them on.

Focusing my energy on the heel of my feet I start to float.

I look down to my feet. I've made rocket boots.

This is the coolest thing ever.

I stop and take the boots off before anyone comes down and sees me using my powers in the house.

When Jake gets home I tell him about Jackie's idea.

"Superhero? Really, Seth? We couldn't do that. We wouldn't know where to start."

"Just leave it to me... Will you do it?"

"If you can figure it out on your own. I will do it with you... It was my childhood dream to be a superhero. But that's every kid's dream."

He goes back to his side of the room. I grab my phone and text Jackie.

'He's in.'

'Great. I'll find a base tomorrow.'

'But tomorrow's a Tuesday. You have school.'

'I'll just get my mom to let me take the day off school. She'll let me if I tell her that you're allowed to.'

'Alright. Im going to the abandoned shooting range on the other end of town tomorrow.'

'Ok. I might stop by. You gonna be there all day?'

'I think so.'

'Ok. I have to go now. Bye.'

I go and eat dinner. I can't help but think what will happen if the family finds out what Jake and I are doing. Will they be ok with it? What will happen when Callum and the twins get their powers. When will they get their powers?

After dinner, I go to sleep. Still thinking about my younger siblings and what the family will think of Jake and I.

I wake up in the morning and eat breakfast. I walk down to the abandoned shooting range and I look up some moves on the internet that I could possibly do with my fire.