C H A P T E R  T W O

One of the things I hate most about going to Elysian is the annual 'Welcome Back' peprally. It's crowded and hot, and there are too many bodies packed into the stands. 

I almost envy Autumn in this moment; as a Dragonette Fire Dancer, she's standing at attention on the gym floor. She has room to breathe, to move -- to dance -- which almost makes up for the thousand pairs of eyes focused her way.

Yet, I already know I don't have what it takes to be a Dragonette. Other than the fact that I have no rhythm, I tend to panic (and then lash out) whenever too many people stare. Unlike Autumn, I've had bad experiences with that kind of attention.

So for now, I guess I'm stuck up here with the rest of Elysian's class of 2019.

"Can I get a D?"

This is how our vice-principal begins the peprally. As the senior boys below me openly crackle, the girls sitting above me struggle to stifle their snickers.

Vice-Principal Wex is trying to spell the word DRAGONS (as in the Elysian High Dragons), but it's clear he should have gone in another direction. Although he manages to get through the rest of the chant, by 'G', half of the student body is no longer paying attention, and the other half is quick to join their peers by 'S'.

Luckily, Wex is saved by the bell. . . or the alarm. The fire alarm. Yet, as everyone around me jumps to their feet and begins to race down the stands, a particular group of boys hangs around.

"That's $30 in the bank, Giles!"

A spectacled boy runs a sleeve over the lens of his glasses. "It wasn't a bet, Kelley!"

Of course. I realize then that the alarm isn't real, nor is it part of a scheduled drill. The alarm is courtesy of Elysian's claim to fame, notorious prankster Kade Kelley. I watch Kade reach his friends until someone pushes me from behind.

Not everyone has reached the same conclusion I have, and students continue to rush towards the exits of the gym. Yet, this exodus is not structured, it's in no way controlled; Elysian has thrown all training and conditioning out the window in this fake fire evacuation.

When someone's elbow connects with my spine, it awakens.

The frost.

It's too loud around me, too crowded, too hot. My eyes find Autumn on the gym floor. She's standing off to the side, where the Dragonettes' are calmly exiting the gym, single-file. Still, she's able to locate me. She can sense it.

I'm a bomb minutes away from detonating.

Our gazes locked, she shakes her head.

Trust me sis, I'm trying. And maybe I had a silver of a chance at recovery, but it dies a quick death when the lights in the gym suddenly go out.

"What the fuck, Kelley?"

"Dude, I'm right here!"

Screams erupt all around, and I'm clamoring to escape. It's pointless to fight it; this is one battle I cannot win. I'm spiraling as my body sputters. The frost surges in my veins. I'm seconds away from going nuclear; my only hope to get away from everybody else, get to a corner where I minimize the casualties.

But in the dark, in the commotion, my sense of direction is nowhere to be found. I aim to swim against the current, go where other's have left, but I'm losing the battle as other students carry me along.

"Watch it, Kelley!"

"Shit!"

Someone's foot catches with mine, and I'm falling. At the same time, the ice reaches a crescendo.

It's almost like coming home, the release. I cannot find it within myself to hate it. It is who I am, what I am, and it's utter bliss. Just like that, it is done. I manage to catch myself before I reach the ground, my hands instinctively reaching out to right myself.

"What the fuck!"

As I exhale, my breath visibly clouds the air.

And there. There, in this dark sea, a spark. Eyes come to light, a fire blazing.

But then they blink, and the flame dies, and I am just an iceberg sent out to sea.

"Did you feel that?"

"What the fuck happened in there?"

"Frostbite??"

"Which idiot turned off the lights?"

"I'm so cold."

"Fucking Kelley!"

Out in the courtyard, administration begins to direct students to their first period. The sunlight outside burns in comparison to the pitch black in the gym, but I welcome it.

A hand catches on my pullover and someone whirls me around. I'm tense, rebooting, until I notice that it's Autumn.

"What happened?!"

I roll my eyes. "You know what happened."

"Noah - " she begins, but I cut her off.

"What's done is done, Autumn. Everyone is fine. No one knows." I pull out of her grip and walk away, disappearing into a stream of students.

"Kade Kelley! To Wex's office! Right now!" Senior sponsor and economics teacher, Mr. Randall stalks past me to confront Kade. They converse shortly before Kade is ushered away.

Kade Kelley. . .

Autumn was still on the gym floor. I know that. She couldn't have gotten to me that fast, not through those crowds. Yet, I also know what I saw. Those eyes, burning in the dark. Eyes I'm familiar with. Eyes I've seen before on Autumn, when her heat sparks into flames or when I'm having an episode and our skin touches.

Those were eyes triggered by the blast I set off.

Kade Kelley. . .

He whirls around to address the student body, his victorious fist waving high in the air. A good half of Elysian's students cheer him on even as administration calls for us to report to class. Mr. Randall snaps at Kade to turn around, but as he does, Kade's eyes meet mine.

Connected for a moment, I search for recognition in them.

Yet, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if he knows me, or if he saw me because I know he felt me.

Kade Kelley's a freak. Just like me.

By the time lunch rolls around, I've decided that senior year is most likely going to be hell. My classes are easy, yet senioritis has already kicked in to the point where I'm floating in and out of reality, daydreaming when I should be taking notes on the important parts of my syllabuses.

It doesn't help that I'm preoccupied with the idea of another freak living in Fairfield. It's mindblowing. It's crazy.

Our entire lives, Autumn and I have always thought we were alone in the world. We were different. We were freaks. Just us. Yet, that doesn't mean that I haven't wished it was different. I always imagined finding out that there was someone else like us. Really, it was just as crazy to think that we alone were born this way to think that there were others out there.

Yet, as I drift mindlessly through my classes, I know two things.

I know without dwelling on it too long that I plan to confront Kade. I also know that I don't plan to telling Autumn about any of this.

"I just want to go back to Hawaii." Elise doesn't waste a minute. She sits down across from me, her lunch tray sounding against the linoleum table.

"I know you miss River, El, but I'm here," I point out.

Elise smiles, picking at her fries. "I didn't mean it like that. You know I love you, but River. . . " She sighs dreamily.

Elise spent her summer vacation in Hawaii, where she met her current boyfriend River Wu. Funnily enough, Elise and I had once agreed that we'd never ever do long distance if we ever got into relationships. Yet, that pact was made a gazillion years ago, and no one could have foreseen that Elise would fall hopelessly in love with a green eyed island boy who loved poetry almost as much as he loved Elise.

When summer vacation ended, Elise and her family returned to the mainland, to Illinois, but Elise and River refused to give up on each other despite the distance that separated them.

"It'll work out, El." I attempt to reassure her as Elise picks her dark curls up into a top bun.

"I hope so." Elise stares hard at her lunch tray before eventually whipping her head up to meet my eyes. She shakes her head before smiling brightly. "But enough about that. Let's focus on the fact that our schedules are absolute bullcrap! I only have you for 7th and 8th?!"

Kade Kelley is my table buddy.

To be clear, Miss Adeyemi, fondly referred to as Miss A, placed us together for the semester. Like the other twelve pairs in the classroom, Kade and I are allowed to work together at any time, on any class assignment, unless Miss A states otherwise.

"You'll be seeing a lot of your table buddy for the next semester. More often than not, a good relationship with your table buddy can determine whether you pass my class!" She adds from the front of the room.

Kade grins widely from his seat. "Kade Kelley," he exclaims by way of introduction.

"I know." I remark quietly.

"And you're Noah Brandt. . . " Recognition sparks in his eyes. "You're Autumn Brandt's sister, aren't you?! I think I heard once that she was a twin. I wouldn't have ever believed it if. . . "

Here we go. This is the part where he freaks out about the fact that Autumn has a twin and starts ranting about her while unknowingly putting me down in all the ways he can complement Autumn.

But Kade just smiles. "You hardly look a thing alike."

"You pulled the fire alarm." I'm trying to change the conversation. Bringing up the fire alarm prank seems like a good way to take the conversation off of my appearance while also leading up to the fact that Kade is like me.

Kade laughs, flexing his hands behind his head. "It was a prank." His dark eyes glitter.

"And the lights? What about that?"

Come on. He has to see where I'm going with this.

"I'll tell you a secret," he whispers, glancing around. Kade runs a hand through his curly, honey hair. "I actually had nothing to do with that." He shrugs before sitting back.

"Kelley!" Miss A calls. At his surname, we both whip our heads towards the front of the classroom where Miss A has begun reviewing the syllabus. "It would be in your best interest to pay attention." She warns.

And so my subtle interrogation with Kade is short-lived. But I must have made some sort of impression, because at the end of of class, Kade swings his backpack over his shoulder before grinning at me.

"You're different than I thought you would be. . . nothing like your sister."

This is not the first time I've heard that said. But when Kade says it, he doesn't make it sound like a bad thing. I stand behind my desk, mildly stunned even as Kade walks away.

"See you later, Noah!"

And he does. Kade Kelley finds me after the last bell, as I stand by Elise's locker waiting for her to gather her stuff.

"Noah Brandt!" He yells, although he's halfway down C-Hall.

At my name, everyone turns to stare at Kade, and then they turn to figure out who Kade's staring at. The entire population of C-Hall zeros in on me, and Elise freezes as Kade nears.

"Kade Kelley," I murmur in answer even as the whispers start. I bet half of them are only now making the connection between me and Autumn. The other half probably still haven't figured out that Autumn has a sister.

"So what's it gonna be this semester?" Kade asks when he's reached me.

I raise a brow. "What do you mean?" I'm trying hard to keep my eyes on his, rather than skittering among the hoard staring bullets into my skull. My company is unmoved. After all, Kade Kelley has never known subtlety. He's never gone unnoticed.

"Swear to be my saving grace? I suck at history, and I already know Miss A is going to have it out for me." He reaches for my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.

I keep my face carefully blank. "I guess." See, I know what Kade is doing. With his golden, shaggy hair and chocolate eyes, Kade Kelley is not just a notorious prankster at Elysian, but he's also one of the most sought after boys in Fairfield.

He's a pretty-boy, known to get his way with just one look, and in this moment, he's turning up the charm because he's going to need me to pass Miss Adeyemi's class. Kade doesn't even know if I'm a good student -- lucky for him, I actually am -- but he knows any grade is better than the F he'll probably get without help.

Between 6th period and the end of the school day, Kade has quickly come to this realization, and he's trying to secure his passing grade before it's too late. He figures a public charming will go over well with me because what girl doesn't like to be shown off? What girl wouldn't want to be romanced by Kade Kelley in front of the entire C-Hall?

Me.

The answer is me, but I don't pull away when Kade takes a step closer. I ignore the panic in my head. Because Kade is right, I do need him, although not for the reasons he probably thinks I do.

This is my opportunity. Instead of wasting my time trying to clue Kade in on the fact that I was the frosty bomb that went off during the fire evacuation, I can just show him. It will only take a little. I don't need to unleash the whole storm; I just have to push a flurry or two through.

But I've never been good with control.

Kade opens his mouth, most likely to make a charming, funny remark that would have any girl swooning, and I steel my nerves, ready to awaken the frost in my veins, when --

"Kade!"

We're both interrupted by a newcomer, who comes to a stop between Kade and I.

I turn to look up into the amber eyes of Caiden Haas, Elysian High's local golden boy. . . and Kade Kelley's best friend. Caiden grins brightly down at me, as if we know each other, as if we've ever spoken a single word to one another. Caiden grins at me as if we're friends, before looking to Kade.

"Mind if I borrow Noah here for a sec?"

The two boys lock eyes and a silent exchange passes between them. The population of C-Hall looks on. Elise is still staring into her locker, listening intently to the scene occurring behind her while also trying to fade into the background. Finally, Kade lets go of my hand.

He slaps that same hand on Caiden's shoulder, subtle confusion in his eyes. "No problem!"

Caiden nods before turning towards me. Our eyes meet only for a moment before he grabs me by the elbow and gently begins to usher me away. I'm too stunned to do anything but follow his lead. When we turn the corner, Caiden picks up the pace. We're out of eye-line of C-Hall, but Caiden continues to lead me to the branch between C and D hall.

He pauses near D-Hall's beginning before suddenly stuffing me into what I'm pretty damn sure is a janitor's closet.

Caiden enters after me. The closet is dark, and yet Caiden makes no motion to turn on the light. Seconds pass, and my senses begin to return to me.

What the actual fuck is going on?

"Caiden? No offense, but what the -"

I'm suddenly blinded. I stumble back, almost tripping on what is probably a mop or a broom. My hands shoot out to steady myself against the closet wall as I shut my eyes against the light. When I've recovered, I slowly peek out against my eyelids.

It's still dark in the closet. But hovering in front of me is a small, but steady flame.

"Noah," Caiden whispers.

And it's then that I look up. I meet Caiden's eyes.

Blazing, iridescent eyes burning slowly in the dark. Eyes like Autumn's. Eyes brighter than Autumn's.

"It's you," I murmur, simply stunned.

Caiden nods. "It's me."

n o t e :

hey!

okay, so this is what we're gonna do. i'm going to write. i'm going to write like crazy. we're going to say screw perfection and overthinking and second guessing and just freaking write! hopefully, this means we'll be done with the story in less than 3 years (yes, i'm talking about you 101WTSAL).

i will say that everything is coming a whole lot easier, either because i did a whooole lot of planning or because i'm writing in first person or because we've thrown caution to the wind. anyways, if you see anything a little bit off or that reads weird or you have questions about, let me know, and i'll edit slowly as i go!

this should be fun! i'm so excited for BIM! comment on what you think so far!

thank you for reading!

see you soon,

- gift.