Like A Flame {Warren Peace}

I

Warm air greeted him at once, as he left home about six-thirty am. A soft smile spread across his face to find a note from his mother, 'Have a great first day kid. Knock 'em dead!' written in cursive font. He liked that about her. While she was busy with work, she did not hesitate to leave at least little notes around.

His little sister, Ava had since left for middle school.

The sun glared all the while he walked, to Will Stronghold's house just a few streets down from his. They met one another at summer camp a few years back, at nine and ten years old. Layla Walsh did not come into their lives, until middle school. To this day he still had no idea, she was crazy for him in more ways than one. Once together, the trek to Sky High began.

Flowers blossomed thanks to Layla, as they passed garden after garden. He did not really understand why she did not use them, often. It was a power she should take pride in.

"Dorian, relax. I'm sure you'll be fine." Layla said. Sensing his nerves. The way he clutched his bag.

"Yeah you say that. But...Layla, it happened again last night." He whispered, afraid someone could hear.

"That bad?"

"Worse than I remember it. What if I...I have an attack, at school? Or I, I don't know, I stop someone's heart? Cause random fires-?"

She stopped his rambling. "Stop, please won't you? I know it can be horrible, but I also know you're your mother's son. You just need confidence in yourself."

"Easier said than done, Lay." He muttered, taking a bite out of bacon he snagged. "...Oh. Uh, sorry." He could feel her stare a mile away.

They entered the Stronghold's kitchen close around six fifty am. "Morning Will," Layla called first in which Dorian followed suit.

"Morning Layla, Dorian." Will's attitude changed at once when he saw, the always happy red-head and his other best-friend. Josie Stronghold came in with more eggs and bacon, in which Layla of course denied both. Whenever Josie looked his way, she immediate cast her gaze to elsewhere. He did not understand it in truth. All over an incident in high school, when they were kids.

"Dorian, you look well this morning. All ready for your first day of high-school?"

"Kind of...Mrs. Stronghold, it's really not-."

She left to find her husband after hearing that phone call. Dorian sighed softly, running a hand through his hair as he to left with his friends. But before Will was curious of his parents taking action. He flipped on the TV, just for a local news report to appear on screen. Of course, The Commander and Jetstream were on the scene of the robot attack. A small smile crept upon Demetri's face, to find his mother was there with them.

His father had clearly moved on. But Josie still held guilt.

Dorian had hopes to spend his days at Sky High in complete anonymous. Where he could spend four years of his life, in peace. He wanted to focus only on graduation night and serve his service as hero or sidekick. It did not matter the label.

They arrived at the bus stop soon as it pulled up. Their driver was a pudgy man, named Ron Wilson. He eyed all three with skeptism. When Will's name had been revealed, Ron at once held a big smile upon his face.

Hushed whispers float from one aisle to the other. He noticed one boy dressed in orange greet Will at once. Along with another boy with neon clothes. There was a girl beside the other boy, dressed in purple with a deadpanned stare if he'd ever seen one.

He felt bad for Will honestly. Would it be like this all throughout his years? The pressure that should not even be, to being The Commander's son? His mother never instilled that thought into Dorian.