James Knight: Teenage Superhuman - B2

Three

JAMES

"You can't go to school like this, James. I'm calling the principal to tell him you're sick," my dad said, stopping his pacing and looking straight at me. My eyes must've caught the light, because he frowned. "They're glowing... like, seriously glowing."

Sam plopped down next to me on the couch, pointing his phone's flashlight at my eyes. Derek and Noah hung back near the doorway, just watching. The bright beam made me blink a couple of times before I even noticed how dusty the living room had gotten.

"I can run some tests to figure out why your eyes aren't turning back to normal," Sam said, keeping his flashlight steady. "But yeah... your dad's right. Going to school right now isn't a great idea."

"I didn't really want to go anyway," I muttered.

Noah grinned, strolling into the room. "Me neither," he admitted. Sam's frown deepened.

"You're starting school, Noah. No excuses," he said, pointing the light at my eyes again.

"Seriously?" Noah groaned. Sam just nodded.

"James is sick," Sam said, giving me a sympathetic look. Then, with a shrug, he added, "But you? You're going." There was a tiny hint of pride in his voice. Noah rolled his eyes but jumped over the couch anyway, landing beside me. His hands brushed the dusty leather as he settled in.

"Besides," he added with a smirk, "I don't want to be around Rudolph, the purple-eyed freak."

"Noah!" my dad and Sam yelled at the same time.

Grace barged in, shoving past Derek and bumping him lightly with her shoulder. She grinned like she owned the place, wearing one of Sam's old high school hoodies and a pair of Mom's sweats. Derek just rolled his eyes and stepped aside.
"Bitch," Derek muttered under his breath. Grace scanned the room, deliberately avoiding his gaze. Their constant tension never failed to confuse me.

"Hello, gentlemen—" she said, shooting a sharp look at my brother before settling on Derek. Her grin stretched as she crossed her arms, clearly enjoying Derek's flustered expression. The whole room seemed to lean toward her.

"Did you sleep well?" Sam asked quietly, finally putting his phone down.

Grace's grin grew wider, clearly loving the attention. "Like a newborn," she replied.

"That's because you are a baby," Derek shot back, just as provocatively. Grace didn't miss a beat—she jabbed him in the chest. His scowl deepened.

"Derek, Grace. Knock it off," my father shouted. Grace raised her hands, pretending to surrender.

"Fine. I give up. Derek's weak anyway. Let's spare him the misery." Derek just rolled his eyes.

"Talk about irony," he muttered, leaning casually against the wall. "Says the girl who got her ass kicked by her dad and brother."

"DEREK!" my father bellowed, red-faced.

"I'm heading out to explore the neighborhood. Anyone coming?" Derek asked, dodging our father's glare.

"I'll go. We haven't been back since I was nine," I said. Moving back here after Mom passed had been hard, but somehow, it felt right being home again.

Noah smiled. "Count me in." Sam's eyes darted between us, clearly weighing who he should scold first.
"Neither of you is going anywhere," Samual said firmly, with my dad nodding beside him. "We need to sort out the issue with your eye color before you step outside. Your father and I will see if we can get some colored contacts, but for now, I don't want you showing your eyes to the world."