chapter I : the truth

The bell rang _DONG_

The hallway erupted into a cacophony of slamming lockers, chatter, and laughter. I, Ethan Blackwood, leaned against my desk, grinning at my friend, Owen and kai.

Ethan Blackwood

"Did you see the math test?" Liam whispered, stuffing books into his bag.

I chuckled. "Missed it. Skipped class, remember?"

Liam raised an eyebrow. "Dude, you're gonna fail."

I shrugged. "Worth it."

The classroom door swung open, and the noise from the hallway spilled in. My gaze drifted... to her.

My eyes locked onto Eva's as she sauntered into the classroom, her smile like a spotlight on me. I felt my face heat up as I awkwardly turned back to my friends

Ava silkeham

"...because I have B, that's why I skipped class," I muttered, trying to deflect.

Owen snorted. "Dude, it's because you have a girlfriend, not because you're smart."

Kai chuckled. "Guys, it's not my fault you don't have girlfriends."

The guys burst out laughing, and I shook my head, grinning.

Owen clapped me on the back. "Seriously though, how's things with Eva? You guys doing okay?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "We're good. We're... yeah."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Just 'we're good'? That's it?"

I laughed. "Guys, don't push it. We're happy, okay?"

Owen piped up, "We're asking in a funny way, like, are you guys still in 'first base'? Like, which base are you guys on?"

Kai chuckled. "Yeah, or are you guys stuck in the 'no base' zone?"

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "Guys, we're not even on a field, okay?"

The guys erupted into laughter.

Owen wiped tears from his eyes. "So, what were you guys doing when you weren't in class? Skipping out on us for more... 'study sessions'?"

I grinned. "Something like that."

Owen and Kai burst out laughing, holding their stomachs.

"Dude, we knew it!" Owen exclaimed, wiping tears from his eyes. "There's no way you guys are in a relationship and not... you know."

Kai chimed in, "Yeah, we're not naive, Ethan. We know what's going on."

I shook my head, laughing. "Guys, shut up. We're just taking things slow, okay?"

Owen raised an eyebrow. "Slow? You've been dating for months, dude. You're like the slowest couple in history."

Kai snorted. "Or the most romantic."

The guys kept teasing, and I couldn't help but laugh along.

Ethan's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the school bell, signaling the end of the day. He gathered his stuff and headed to the bus stop, lost in thought about the upcoming exams.

As he boarded the bus, he found an empty seat and collapsed into it. The bus pulled away from the stop, and a few minutes later, it stopped again to pick up more passengers. The bus grew crowded, and Ethan started feeling a strange, overwhelming heat building inside him. It was like a fire burning through his veins, suffocating him. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop the bus!" he shouted, pushing past people to get out.

He ran home, not stopping until he burst through the front door. Ignoring his parents' and sister's voices, he sprinted to his room, grabbed his towel, and ran a bath. He filled the tub with cold water and plunged in, submerging himself completely.

The icy water was a shock, but it slowly calmed the fire inside him. He stayed under until he felt cold and calm, then surfaced, gasping.

As he changed into dry clothes, he heard a strange noise coming from his sister Sydney's room. Curious, he pushed open the door...

Sydney was floating in mid-air, surrounded by a whirlwind of flying objects. His parents and younger sister, Every, stood frozen in shock.

Sydney Blackwood

"Oh my God, this is not happening," his mother whispered.

His father, Marcus, ushered the younger kids downstairs. "Kids, go downstairs. I can handle this."

Ethan's mind reeled as his family scrambled to make sense of the scene. His mother, Victoria, told Marcus to be careful, and they all retreated downstairs.

Later, they sat down in the living room, Marcus and Victoria facing Ethan and Every. Marcus took a deep breath.

"There's something you guys have to know... something we've been keeping from you." He glanced at Victoria. "I think it's time to tell you guys."

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