Gotta Secret, Can You Keep It?

Chapter 3

Rebecca was used to overhearing odd snippets of conversations that the kids were having, especially once the trio started hanging out in her classroom. But what she overheard today shocked her. She was entering the classroom after snagging some lunch when she heard, "Quiet down, Miko, someone could hear you," Jack scolded. "Oh relax no one's in here. Besides, how can you be so calm after seeing two spirits last night? I'm still freaking out!" "They were not spirits," Jack said in an exasperated tone. "What else could they have been?" "Maybe they were a mirage, or a hallucination?" Raf suggested. Rebecca was still frozen in the doorway. "Yes, exactly. A heat created mirage in the middle of the desert," Jack stated. "Oh come on! It was evening, no way it was from the heat. Besides, even the guys could see it, and nothing can trick them!" 

"They did say they had been seeing them for several weeks, and unconfirmed sightings for a couple months," Raf pointed out. Rebecca's stomach bottomed out. They had been seen. "And you're telling me there isn't a possibility of spirits existing after everything that happened with Unicron?" Miko pointed out. Rebecca winced at the sound of that name. It sounded Black. She'd have to ask about that later. "Well, I guess… there could be a possibility," Jack conceded. 

"A possibility of what?" Rebecca managed to find her voice and enter the classroom. "Of spirits existing!" Miko replied eagerly. "Oh? And what makes you say that? Did you see something?" Rebecca asked, sitting down at her desk. "Yeah! Last night we went out driving with some friends out in the desert, and we saw two spirits!" "We don't know they were spirits, but it was very strange," Jack interrupted Miko. "We almost didn't see them, wouldn't have at all if there hadn't been fire." "Fire?" "Uh huh! Fire was leaping and wrapping around two running figures, we couldn't see anything specific, they were too far away, but it was beautiful!" "Steam would rise up as well sometimes. We thought it was smoke at first but it wasn't the right color. And if there was steam, that means there was water too," Raf added. "Maybe it was a fire and a water spirit?" Miko suggested. "I suppose that's a possibility. Do you think they were fighting?" Rebecca suggested teasingly. 

Surprisingly, all three teens shook their heads. "It didn't look like a fight," Raf said. "It almost looked like they were… playing," Jack suggested. "Like they were dancing," Miko added. Rebecca hummed in thought. She studied the teens in front of her. A dangerous thought was running through her head. She knew these teens could keep a Secret if they wanted to. Should she give them a hint? 

"Um, Mrs. Toal? You're taking us really seriously. You aren't going to tell us we're seeing things or making things up?" Jack asked. "I've always liked a good story, true or not. And, it's always been easy for me to believe in the impossible, because I've seen some impossible things." She leaned forward a bit, eyeing the water bottle just out of her reach on the tabletop. "You have? What kind of things?" Miko asked. "Hmm, things that would make good stories for another time. Let's return back to what you saw. It sounds like you've stumbled onto something big. Like you've stumbled onto something… Secret." The teens could hear the capital letter on that word. "Now, something like that, it's best to stay out of it. Some Secrets can get you hurt, although something tells me you're already familiar with that." She watched the blood drain from their faces. "So, while it's possible you saw spirits out there, it'll be in your best interest to not go looking for them. If you already have a Secret, it's hard to bear another one." 

She glanced up at the clock, "Well, I should leave you to your lunch." She stood up, "One last thing: two Secrets can be shared and carried together, if the Keepers are willing to." She walked towards the door, but paused in the doorway, "Oh, I almost forgot." She turned back around and held out a hand, as if waving at something. 

Before the teens' eyes, the water in the water bottle rose and pressed against the side and top of the bottle. The water bottle rose up off the desk and flew into her waiting hand. "Have a good lunch now," she said to their shocked faces. 

She heard Miko's squeal of excitement echo down the hallway a minute later.