“I’m good,” Dirk said. “But maybe we can do another movie if we are all staying?”
Dad rubbed his chin. “Sure, just keep it down, and you two be good.” He looked over at Israel and Megan.
“Sure thing,” Megan stood. “I’m going to need some caffeine if we’re doing another movie.”
Israel sat still, not wanting to upset this scene. It was not right, his dad was not acting like himself and he knew that this was going to end badly. He secretly wished everyone would just go home.
“Help yourself to the kitchen, I’m going to bed. Nice meeting all of you.”
“You too, Mr. James,” everyone said at the same time. Molly laughed and Lars burped.
“Okay, bathroom break. We need more popcorn and soda if this night is just getting started,” Molly said.
Megan went into the kitchen and Israel found himself alone in the living room. Mom had gone to bed already and he started to relax, knowing that he wouldn’t have to face her till the morning. And if he played it right, he might hold it off for the rest of the weekend.
The movie ended up being old school, one of the eighth or ninth Star Wars episodes. Megan grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the fridge—where all the junk food came from was a mystery—and snuggled next to him. He was having a hard time figuring her out. On one hand, she was beautiful and he liked her a lot, but on the other, she was involved with a very powerful company and her father was the frickin’ CEO.
“What is going on in that mind of yours?” Megan sipped her soda and Israel played with her free hand.
“Just trying to figure you out and wondering why you would like a guy like me.” He had never felt so free before. He always wore a mask and hid behind the projection but with her he wanted to be seen, to be real for once.
“Are you fishing for a complement?”
“No. I mean, there’s no question why I like you, but I’m not exactly the cream of the crop.”
Megan seemed to ponder this. “You’re smart, witty, and have a dark side. I kinda like how on edge you are, as if you’re holding back some secret. And the feeling that I might be the one you tell is intoxicating.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “And you’re cute.”
Israel chuckled. “Thanks…I guess.”
Megan sighed. “So, I’m not really into this movie, want to walk me home?”
“Sure. You aren’t going to stay over?”
Megan giggled. “Now, now, Mister, that would be trouble and you know it. How about you take me to that Monster Ball thing and we can go from there.”
“Hey, you spoiled my grand plan to ask you. I was going to rent a limo, release white doves, and have a band play on your front lawn. Oh well, your loss.”
“Whatever. Just get up, Romeo.” She yanked his arm and pulled him to his feet.
The others grunted their goodbyes and Molly winked at Israel and had a stupid grin on her face. “Have fun, bro.”
The night air was cool and Israel and Megan walked hand in hand across the front lawn and up the stairs to her front door. Megan turned and faced him. “I had a really good time tonight. It was nice to meet your parents.”
“I had fun too.”
“Although, I don’t think your mom likes me much. She has a way of letting you know what she’s feeling without saying a word.”
Israel sighed and looked down at his shoes. “Yeah, she does. Sorry that she’s weird. My family has never been the most normal.”
“It’s okay, we all have our secrets.”
Israel wanted to tell her what he was feeling, to warn her about his parents and make her tell him everything she knew about IGT and her father. “You left me again.”
Israel snapped back to the present. “What?”
“You left me. You get this far off look when you run with your thoughts.”
“Sorry, I think too much sometimes.”
“I like that about you. I’m not into silly little boys who live for sports and fast cars. You’re deeper than that. Sometimes life forces us to grow up faster than we would like.”
Pulling her to him, he kissed her. It was something he would never have done a week ago, but everything was changing. Something inside made him feel stronger. Megan kissed him back and then she was gone. He stood on her front porch for a minute and let the feeling of this—whatever it was—consume him. He knew it was much too fast. He shouldn’t trust her, let alone let himself fall for her, but there was a part of him that just didn’t care what was right.
What are you doing, Israel?
The weekend passed and Israel successfully avoided his parents. He hiked with Megan up to the Site Saturday afternoon and on Sunday hung out at her place. Israel worked on his novel a little and Megan read. He liked working with her close by. They didn’t have to talk much, because just knowing she was in the same room felt good.
Sunday night Molly texted him and they met up for some ice cream down town.
“Hey stranger, you engaged yet?” Molly was being a punk as usual.
“Yeah, we’re going to Vegas next week. Thinking of getting the Elvis package.”
“Cool, make sure you tell her that you might burn her in her sleep.” Molly had a way of getting to him.
“Not so loud.” The ice cream shop was packed and he didn’t want to talk about their weird abilities in public.
“Why, you really think someone is going to believe we have powers?” She turned toward the guy behind the counter. “I’ll have a scoop or Rocky Road, oh, and guess what? I have super powers, and can fly, well sort of fly… I’m still new to this superhero thing.”
The guy pushed his dumb paper hat higher on his head and looked at her as if she’d just escaped from the mental ward. “Okay. Do you want any toppings?”
Molly flipped her hair and gave Israel a stupid grin. “See.”
“Nice, Molly.” He hated to admit it, but talking about it without proof would go unnoticed, unless they were not the only ones in Silverwood to have abilities. It was not the first time he’d wondered if they were alone or if the strange happenings in Silverwood had to do with this sudden gift. The power had been going off and on all summer, there’d been strange earthquakes, and the weather patterns were all jacked up. On their own it didn’t amount to anything but it was starting to add up.
“For you?” The ice cream guy asked him.
“I’ll have the same.”
The guy gave him a weird look and said, “Sorry, we ran out. She got the last of it.”
Molly giggled and took a huge lick from her cone.
“Coconut then.”
“Cool, we’ve got that.”
After he paid they found a table outside under a fat oak tree. He noticed Hailey at a picnic table with one of her soccer friends, but she was in a deep discussion and didn’t notice him.
Molly sighed and put her feet up on the table. “So I’ve been playing with my powers. Cut myself the other day, and it hurt like crazy, but when I turned on my energy aura thing it healed in a few minutes.”
“Really? What possessed you to do that?”
“Come on, Issi, don’t tell me you aren’t practicing, getting more control of it?”
“Well, yeah, but I haven’t tried to hurt myself.”
“You should try it, but keep your aura off ‘cause when it’s on you won’t be able to even cut yourself. It makes your skin like stone.”
The aura seemed to make him stronger and faster—like everything was on hyper drive—sounds, sight, all the senses. “Have you had any other side effects?”
Molly shook her head. “Like what?”
“Like more nightmares, a feeling that the more you use the powers the more it takes over?”
Molly snorted. “No, it feels good. I’m getting stronger, and feel more connected. Not sure how to say it—it’s as if the earth is speaking to me. But it’s a good feeling. Not evil or anything.”
Israel wondered if the fire aura had different effects than the energy Molly seemed to connect to. Hers acted li
ke a sponge, soaking up energy around her when his felt like it was drawing from himself. It made no sense and each time he used it he could feel a dark place open in him. It felt good at the time but somehow he was slipping, losing control, instead of gaining it.
“So I think I might be able to fly.” Molly sat back in her seat with a look of pride on her face.
“What?” Israel tried to contain his shock. If she could fly he was going to be insanely jealous.
“Well, not really fly… I sort of hover. If I push my energy down and jump at the same time it pushes me higher. But it sucks everything out of me. Not sure how long I could hover or if it would only work with a surge of energy… Maybe if I get really mad or something.”
“Wait, so you can push energy and jump higher? Have you tried to stand and just use your energy without jumping?”
“Once. I got off the ground but it gave me a nose bleed, and I felt like I got hit by a bus…”
Israel thought of the possibilities. “Cool. You could use it as a modified super jump, push off and let it propel you. I wonder if mine works the same way.”
There was a long, awkward silence and Israel looked over to where Hailey was sitting. She caught his eye and he looked away embarrassed.
“Mom corner you yet?” Molly must have picked up on his discomfort.
“Not yet. I’m waiting for the storm.”
“You better prepare. She hasn’t said a word all weekend, and you know what that means.”
“Great, that’s all I need. One more thing to deal with.”
“Maybe you should’ve kept it cool with your girlfriend in front of them. You kinda asked for it.”
Maybe he did. Why would he do that? Did he want to get into a fight with Mom? Somewhere deep down he did. He wanted to face her and stop the cycle. But what could he do?
Later that night, Israel rode his bike home. Molly had left before him and was going to text him if things looked bad. No text ever came. He had to be home by ten since it was a school day tomorrow, so he waited for the last minute and parked his bike in the garage at 9:55.
The house was dark and he wondered if everyone was already in bed. It was not uncommon on a Sunday night but Molly was never in bed by ten.
Making his way up the stairs he got into his bedroom without incident. He shut the door—Dad finally got one installed a few weeks ago—and turned on the light.
Mom was sitting in the window seat. His heart pounded in his throat and his gut balled up. Fighting the need to vomit he smiled and said, “Hey, Mom. Everything okay?”
“No, son, it is not okay.” She stood and put her hands on her hips. “You come into my house with your slut girlfriend and prance around like you own the place. You dishonor your family by lying to me about the hike. And yes, I know about you hiking with your bratty friend Dirk.” Her face flared red.
“Mom, I—”
“—Shut your mouth. You don’t get to talk, you get to listen.” She lowered her voice and took a step forward. “Your friends are bad for you. This school thing was a mistake and now I am stuck with it. I forbid you from seeing that whore, and as for Dirk and that skinny runt, keep them away from me.”
Israel fought the heat building in him but it was getting hard to control. His hands were burning and his arms were sweating.
“Now,” her voice softened, “for your punishment you and your sister are not allowed to go to that Monster Ball dance. I have already talked to Molly and also took her phone. I will need yours as well, this texting and calling is getting out of hand.”
Israel took out his cell and handed it to her.
“You’re a fool, Israel. Megan is just playing you, trying to get you to sin. You think you know what life is about, but all you are is a mistake.” Bursting into tears she fell on the bed, sobbing. “You’re getting it easy compared to what I got when I was a kid, and yet you still act like I’m being unreasonable. Sometimes I wish you were never born. You’re a disgrace to me and your father, just go… Leave me.”
“Mom, please.”
Her head snapped up, eyes red. “Shut your mouth. You don’t get to call me Mom.” Jaw set, she stood and marched from the room. Before she shut the door she shot a glare over her shoulder. “After all I did for you... Made your friends comfortable with that junk food, let you stay up late, and this is how you repay me? I hate you, Israel James.”
Slamming the door she left him in the dark. His chest was so tight that he gasped for breath. Flames burst from his hands and arms. He ignited from head to foot and fell to the floor and wept.
Two weeks later the night of the Monster Ball arrived. Molly was in a foul mood and Megan was angry that he blew her off. He didn’t know what to tell her, how to explain what had happened. No one would believe him, it was such an overreaction. But it was the norm for his family.
Molly sulked around the house after dinner and found Israel in his room.
“I had a costume and everything.” She stuck her lower lip out and Israel rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, well, I was going to go with Megan and she showed me her costume, and it was—”
“—Yeah, yeah, she’s smoking hot. We all know. But what about me? I was going to go with Dirk. I know he’s a bit goofy, but I like him.”
Israel was lying on his bed with his hands behind his head. “We could go…”
Molly held still and a moment passed in silence. When she spoke it was in a whisper. “You think? I mean, we would get in so much trouble. Like epic trouble.”
“Yeah, well, we’re always in trouble, so what’s the difference? Besides, I’m a senior and I’ll never have another chance to go to a dance like this again. I think we can swing it. Just go to bed, do the whole pillow under the covers thing. I don’t think they check on us in our sleep.”
Molly smiled. “Sweet. Okay, I’ll text Dirk—”
“—How will you do that? Mom has our phones.”
Molly pulled hers from her pocket. “Got mine back yesterday… She must be madder at you than me. Want me to text Megan?”
Typical. Molly got off scot-free. If she wasn’t so annoyingly irresistible he would hate her. “Yes, tell her to meet us at the park at nine.”
Molly giggled. “This is going to be awesome. Thanks, Issi, I owe you one.”
“Yeah, I’ll remember that when we get caught.”
Molly went to bed first, claiming to have cramps. Mom was back to her normal self and acting like Israel and her were the best of friends. He made it to bed after Dad announced that he had an early day tomorrow.
“Night, Son.”
“Night, Dad.”
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask. How is that internship thing going? Did you get in?”
“Don’t know yet. I guess they’re still processing the paperwork. I should know next week sometime.”
“Okay. I hope you get it. I think it would be good for you.”
Israel nodded and went up to his room. It was ten minutes to nine and he was scared that Mom wouldn’t go to bed and still give them time to get out.
“I’m beat. Think I’ll turn in early, too,” She kissed him on the forehead and followed Dad.
This was it. Darting up to his room he shut the door and changed into a tight blue suit. It was a Human Torch costume he’d picked up on Amazon. He had ordered it for Halloween and it looked just like the character in the Fantastic 4. He pulled the mask over his head and crawled out the window. Molly was waiting for him under the big oak in the front yard.
“You ready?”
Molly grinned. “Yup, let’s do this.”
The four of them walked into the gym at 9:30. They ended up going in the back door as the front parking lot was blocked off due to some sort of construction. The music was a mix of modern and classic rock. Megan was wearing a skin-tight Catwoman outfit and Molly was dressed as Electra. Dirk looked hilarious, he was painted green and looked like a skinny Hulk. They were the superheroes of the Ball.
As they wound through the cro
wd, he got a few pats on the back and a couple cheers as a few kids still remembered his fight with Jay. Like most things, fame in high school faded quick, but a few still remembered and thought he was one of the cool kids now.
“I’m so glad your parents let you go after all. I would hate to miss this.” Megan took his arm and they made their way to the drink table.
“Molly’s excited. She and the Hulk are already dancing.” Israel pointed to the dance floor, which was in full swing. They were late but that turned out to be better. It was never good to be the first one to a party.
“No kidding. She’s got some moves.”
“Shall we?” Israel held out his hand and Megan took it.
“Yes we shall.” She giggled, and the sound made him want to kiss her.
The dance floor was set up in front of a stage and the promise of some sort of best dressed contest was the rumor of the night.
Megan took his hand and guided it to her waist. Israel looked down at her and moved with the music. She was good at letting him lead and it felt good to have her in his arms.
“You’re not too bad. Did you practice in front of the mirror or did your sister teach you?”
“Ha, funny.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. The paperwork processed and you’re the new intern at IGT.”
“Are you serious? How? I mean… Really?”
“Yeah. I told you that they would like you, and your tests were off the charts. You’re gifted Issi. I mean it.”
“Wow, that’s great. I kinda gave up on the idea. Figured they picked one of the other candidates.”
“It was always you, Issi.”
“So now what? Do I get a letter, or go in or…”
“We can talk more later. I just wanted to tell you, but the work talk can wait. You have better things to do right now, like dance with me and whisper sweet nothings in my ear.”
Israel leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Sweet nothings, sweet nothings.”
She scrunched her shoulders and laughed. “You’re such a brat.”
Before he could tease her more someone grabbed his arm. Spinning around he came face to face with his dad.
The 'Naturals: Awakening (Episodes 17-20 -- Season 1) (Young Adult Serial) Page 6
