James Knight: Teenage Superhuman - Book One

Nineteen

In the soft glow of my moonlit bedroom, I jolted awake, my eyes wide open, radiating a fluorescent purple hue before fading to blue—sweat drenched every inch of my body. Hurriedly, I reached for my phone on the nearby counter, relieved to see Mia's name on the screen.

"Where did you go, James?" Mia's message appeared. I sat up on my bed, anxiously biting my cheeks.

"Are you safe?" I asked, envisioning Mia with Max, his hand gripping her throat, silencing her.

"I'm fine. I'm at home, in my bedroom, where I belong."

"But how did you get there?" I inquired, a sense of relief washing over me, knowing she was safe.

"I don't know. I thought it was you, but I could see dark crimson eyes."

Damn.

"Are you sure you're okay? Do you want me to come over?" Three dots appeared on the screen.

"You can come over, but I don't want Mark to know you're here," she replied.

"He already knows my secret," I confessed.

"Still," she insisted. I swiftly got out of bed, pulled my hood over my head, slipped my phone into my pocket, and darted out of the house.

Later that night, I found Mia safe and sound at her home. To be specific, I knocked on her window, surprising her. "James, I didn't expect you to show up," she said.

"I came to check if you were okay," I responded, gently tucking a loose strand of her golden blonde hair behind her ear as her eyes softened.

"Do you want to come in?" she relented moments later. The outside air was chilly, brushing against my arms.

"Yeah," I acknowledged with a smile. Mia stepped back as I slid through the window's edge.

"I-I'm okay, James. Just leave before Mark wakes up," she whispered.

"I have more pressing matters." Mia and I brushed our noses together. I looked down at Mia, taking in her presence. Mia backed away. "I still can't fathom how you gained superpowers." I made my way to Mia's bedside and sat down.

"It's a long and complicated story. Would you like to hear it now?"

"No, not now. My uncle and Mark would have a fit if they knew you were here. So, please leave, but you can tell me at your place in the morning," she suggested with a friendly grin, gently nudging me toward the window. I met her gaze, one foot dangling.

"That would be great," I grinned. With one final push from Mia, I soared away, pulling my feet to the side.

∆∆∆

I held Mia close to my warm body. Her eyes sparkled, taking in the sights of Sam's spacious laboratory. Sam watched us with a grin as he tinkered with the keys on his laptop. After revealing my secret to Mia, which he was initially upset about, Sam finally agreed to let me show her the lab—a proud moment with the girl of my dreams.

"This is amazing," she exclaimed, her nose twitching in delight as Sam flicked a switch on his motherboard, bathing the room in neon lights. Sam's grin returned.

"You like it now," Sam chuckled. Mia played with her hair, glancing in my direction, her teeth tugging at her upper lip. She intertwined her fingers with mine, and our warm hands melted together.

"Yeah, I like it," she admitted but frowned. "It reminds me of the northern lights. My family took me there when I was seven." Sam dimmed the lights and glanced at me as I gently squeezed Mia's fingers.

"That's interesting," Sam remarked, but his attention quickly shifted back to his computer, a hint of annoyance that Mia hadn't grasped the concept of his hypnosis beams. He believed his invention could help millions suffering from hypersomnia. Sam seemed dissatisfied but kept his feelings to himself. After observing his defeated expression, I diverted the conversation toward a box in the corner of the room. Sam retrieved a vial containing neon liquids from the small box and closed it.

"Sam has been working on some major projects, and after having my superpowers for so long, I've been contemplating giving them up. Mia, I'm unsure how long I can continue with them."

Mia's mouth fell open, her hands withdrawing from mine in surprise. "You can't just give up superpowers."

"Yes, I can. I've debated whether to keep my powers or embrace a normal life for years, especially when Sam offered me trial cures."

Sam sat quietly behind his computer, not uttering a word, silently debating whether to intervene.

Mia grimaced. "But what about the bad guys, James? Who will stop them? I saw how you handled that other super yesterday. You're a good guy, James. We need a hero." My eyes softened as I sighed.

"I'm not just a super, Mia. I'm a regular guy trying to live an ordinary life, too. If there's anyone who can take down a super, it's the police."

Mia pouted but didn't argue further. Instead, she stared into my eyes, hoping for a different answer. But it wasn't forthcoming. That's just how I felt.

"I should head home now. My uncle might look for me. It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Knight. I'll see you at school, James," she acknowledged, brushing against my hand again.

Leaning down, I kissed Mia. She didn't pull away but kissed me back. Then she ascended the steps, glancing at me before exiting the room.

"What did I tell you about revealing your secret to others?" Sam lectured.

"I know, Sam. There's no need to rub it in," I muttered, my heart sinking as I growled at him.

"I told you she was safe," he continued.

"I know," I grumbled. I already knew Mia was right. Some instinct told me she was safe, but my conflicting emotions prevented me from fully acknowledging it. The bigger question was, who had brought her home that night? If it was Max or Noah, Mia knew something about my secret. Or maybe I was speculating. All that mattered was that she was safe.

I questioned whether giving up my powers was the right choice. With Max on the loose, the city needed a hero. I debated whether I was that person. I was far from being the hero I aspired to be, and sometimes, I even questioned if I truly wanted to be a hero. But I felt trapped, with no other option, as if it were my inevitable fate.