My Exact Opposite | Jachary AU

3

Zach's 

1 month later...

I get up and realize it's the first day of school, and I groan.

"Zachary Dean Herron, you might be a Shade, but you better hurry up you'll be late for school!" My mom shouts from downstairs. I throw on a random shirt and ripped jeans, then head to the kitchen. After I finish eating my breakfast, I go to the bathroom and style my hair, rushing to get it done, then brush my teeth, grab my bag, and walk out the house. I see Jonah and Corbyn ahead, so I run up to them.

"Hey Corbs, hey Jo." I say, slightly out of breath.

"Hey Zach. You excited?" Corbyn asks.

"Meh. I mean it's school, so I don't know." Something else comes to mind.

"Are there any bullies that I have to worry about?" I had to deal with a lot of bullies in my old school, I hated it. I still have scars....

"There's one person....his name's Jack Avery, the only reason he didn't bug us last year was because we had our Skills and he didn't, but now this year he's gonna be on our case. God knows what Skill he has." Jonah sighs.

"Dude, don't worry! Zach's a Sha-" I kick Corbyn because we're at school.

"I don't want anyone to know I'm a Shade, and I'm not gonna use my Skill unless I absolutely have to! I can't have people crowding me." I say, then I notice Jonah's face light up.

"Dani!" Jonah and Daniel do their incredibly long handshake while me and Corbyn just look at each other and roll our eyes.

"Dude, lemme see your schedule." I grab Daniel's schedule and check it, then I smile.

"Yo! We have all our classes together! YAS!" I'm practically bouncing up and down from happiness. Dani just rolls his eyes, and then the first bell rings.

"C'mon Dani, let's go. See you guys later!" I say at the 2 retreating figures.

* * *

"Oh, they're sitting there. Come on Zach!" Daniel literally drags me across the cafeteria as I laugh hysterically, drawing stares from a lot of people.

"What was that all about?" Jonah asks Daniel and I, but we can't answer right now 'cause we're doubled over laughing.

"Nothing. Daniel was just really eager to see you guys, but it felt like I was walking a dog." Jonah and Corbyn burst into laughter and all of us are holding our stomachs while people just stare at us weirdly.

Until someone grabs Corbyn's shirt and shoves him. Then we all stop.

"What's so funny? Huh? Tell me, nerd." I see a mop of curls and I don't need to ask Jonah who this kid is because I already know.

Jack Avery.

Jonah and Daniel's faces are full of rage and I think mine is too. Corbyn starts to get up but then he's shoved back down again by Jack. Daniel's face is contorted and I already know what he's gonna do before he does it. A strong gust of wind hits Jack square in the chest and he flies back. Dani gets out of his seat but then Jonah and I grab him and hold him back.

"Stop! Lemme get to the jerk!" Daniel shouts, struggling to get out of our grip. Corbyn gets up but then he's knocked down again by a blast of light.

Oh god. Mr. Bully is an Illuminator.

"Still wanna mess with me, huh Seavey?" Jack shouts, pools of light coming from his hands. Corbyn gets up and shoots an ice block at Jack, but then it's melted by the light.

Shit. Not even Corbyn can stop him.

As if they all realized this at the same time, the guys all look at me, and so does Jack.

"Who are you? What's your Skill? Are you a lame Healer? You seem like one." Jonah looks so angry right now and I shoot him a look and he calms down. Jack sends a blast of light at me and I close my eyes, bracing for the impact. A gasp comes from the crowd of students, and I slowly open my eyes to see that I've made a barricade of darkness in front of myself. Jack looks stunned until he becomes angrier.

"Stop hiding behind that wall and fight me." HIs voice rings throughout the cafeteria.

I look over at the boys and they nod solemnly. Sighing, I make a bubble around them and concentrate on it in the back of my mind.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" I say, trying to keep my voice from wavering. Jack doesn't even speak before he sends another blast at me and I block it, my confidence growing. I have my next move in my mind, and as he sends another blast, I stop it, and it comes to rest above my hand.

"Not too confident are we now, hm, Avery?" I ask once I see his gaping mouth. I can hear Daniel laughing inside the bubble.

Then I let the light sink into my chest and blast him with his own light. Jack falls to the floor confused, and I allow myself a small smile as I hear the boys cheering. Then, I mask it again once Jack gets up. He's angry, and he keep blasting light at me. I just laugh and let them sink into me, wondering when he'll realize. Jack stops once he does, and that's when I open my mouth, the words spilling out before I even think about it.

"Here's a lesson for you, pretty boy. You might think that because you're an Illuminator that you're so high and mighty, but the thing is, light -" I let the light pour from my palm, "only lasts for so long before it's consumed by darkness." The darkness from my palm follows, and I extinguish all the lights in the room to prove my point.

"And when that happens, Avery, where, pray tell, will you be?" I finish off and blast him square in the chest, knocking him down. Wasting no time, I turn the lights back on, grab all the boys, and step through my own shadow bubble, ending up just outside the school. My breath is coming in uneven gasps and everything is spinning around me as I try to regain my balance, but then I feel strong arms grab my shoulders and I start to feel less tired.

"That was badass!" Daniel cheers.

"Yes! He won't bother us anymore!" Corbyn says, hugging me. Even Jonah allows himself a smile before he speaks.

"That was the best I've ever seen. Great job Herron. And you didn't seem as tired this time. Thing is, I'm not gonna allow you to shadow travel this school week unless it's for emergencies. Like, what are you gonna do when I'm not there?" Jonah says worriedly.

"Jonah, you have a good point, but stop worrying for a sec! We just stood up to Jack Avery!" I say. Jonah smiles again.

"I guess you're right. C'mon, we have to go back for 5th period." He says, and we all go our separate ways for class. 

What do you guys think so far? Comment and gimme feedback plsss.