Author's note: Dedicated to someone who truthfully commented. Thanks for reading!

Maria:

"You're such a basket case, Lydia!"

"So you don't think the new guy's a hottie?", my newfound acquaintance Lydia said to me in the school hallway.

"No! He's as ugly as a baboon and struts like a peacock", I responded.

"How could you say that? He's practically Adonis reincarnated and you just insult him like his appearance isn't a gift from the heavens above?", she replied back.

I was not going to admit James looked fine with that sleeveless black shirt he was sporting. Nope! He had not talked to me for two days since we arrived at the GEAR institute and I would not give him the satisfaction I still thought about him!

[James: So you thought me attractive even back then????

Maria: If I hit you in the face, are you still attractive?

James: You wouldn't slap me. We're in the middle of an interview.

Interrogator: Can we get back to the important stuff here? I don't see you too threatening each other with bodily violence being relevant to this report.

Maria and James: We'll get back to the story if you stop talking.]

That annoying little piece of do-no-good boy had been ignoring me since we got here and I was increasingly growing frustrated at him for not even acknowledging what happened during the journey from the warehouse to the institute. I even thought for a moment, just a moment, that he could be...a friend.

Uhhhh. I hate boys! I especially dislike James right now. Wait until he hears me give him a piece of my mind!

"Here he comes around now, Maria!", Lydia yelped in my ear. Her wavy brown locks whipped in his direction.

"Please act civilized around my future husband, Maria. Don't mess this up for me.", Lydia whispered as he came nearer to our lockers.

"Don't worry, Lydia. You have no qualm from me if you wish to stake your claim on him. He's all yours.", I responded.

"MARIA, be serious. Ok? First impressions count...how do I look by the way?", she asked.

She looked like a doe-eyed tanned beauty with her hair floating by her shoulders. Compared to her, my hair looked like it had been torn apart by wild wolves, (I forgot to straighten my hair today), and I was nowhere near as pretty as her. The first time we had met was two days after I had talked with my brother and it was instant friendship. Lydia was kind, dainty and the opposite of what I was on an everyday basis-composed. My mom would have liked Lydia because she exemplified the perfect daughter.

The devil walked right by us without saying a single word on his way to history class. At the GEAR Institute, we had several classes for superhero kids, but a standard American curriculum of history, science, math and language was still in place. Yayyy...not. It's not that I don't like school; I'd just rather spend more time with my family than routinely memorize the different capitals around the world.

" How did he not notice me? I thought you told me I looked great. Am I meant to be an old hag for the rest of my life?", Lydia broke down and started crying in the middle of the hallway, incidentally smearing her mascara over her face.

Lydia was a great person, unfortunately she was very insecure. Her drama would only be useful in the theatre, not really in front of other students at school going on their way to class.

Now I had even greater reason to despise James. He caused my friend to cry!

The bell rang and Lydia and I scurried like little rats to gym class.

The GEAR Institute promoted a healthy lifestyle and had different gym classes depending on which exercises you preferred to work on-kinda like a normal gym with group exercise classes. The difference between GEAR and regular school is since it was geared towards a superkid student population, special classes based on our powers were also placed on our schedules. For example, those with enhanced/super physical abilities had a special gym class focused on their powers.

Today was the very first day James and I were attending school here so I had to decide which gym class we were going to take as well as take the entrance GEAR exam. The entrance GEAR exam basically tested out super-abilities in an obstacle course and was used to track your progress over time. Once you graduated from the GEAR institute, the student would have mastered using their powers and be able to better serve the world, at least that was the idea anyway.

"Listen up", the gym teacher told us, "There are two new kids, recruits I'd say, into this school and I'd like you to welcome them." Light applause followed. "They'll be with us who take the Standard Gym class. However, today we have a special guest. The choreographer of Chorale and the advisor to the Dance team is trying to recruit new blood. If you audition and get accepted, dancing would be your physical education credit, which I don't agree with by the way but nobody cares what I think."

"Oh tsk tsk, George. Where's your spirit for risk-taking?", a Nuyorican woman in a red dress echoed as she walked toward us in the bleachers, presumably the dance teacher.

"Alright, who's up?", she inquired. Knowing I had two left feet, I did not raise my hand.

James raised his hand surprisingly and went up to her.

"Ok, let's start with salsa...follow my steps...", she displayed a serious of steps that I lost track of very quickly. Could James even do this?

"Now dance with me", she told him and turned on the salsa music.

In a series of awestriking movements, James danced the steps perfectly, swaying his hips to the beat while rhythmically keeping in time to the rhythm. He twirled and danced with her like he had done so his entire life.

Just who was this guy?