9

Wes was sitting on top of the heater in the boy’s washroom on the second floor of the school, soaking wet and wrapped in Joel’s football jacket. He was shivering violently as he thawed his entire body. The others stood around him, including Lindsay who still seemed a bit nervous. They had all decided to skip their first period class and meet in the bathroom to talk some more.

“I have to admit, that was pretty cool” Travis chuckled.

“Yeah? Why don’t you have her freeze your ass then?” Wes snapped back.

“I told you to give her back her wallet Wes, it’s your fault you didn’t listen” Sarah pointed out. She turned to Lindsay, “How long have you been able to do this? Can you do it all the time?”

Lindsay looked around with a disgusted look on her face and said “Well, both me and my sister have been able to do it since about a year ago. She’s...a little different than I am though. She should be here soon though, I texted her five minutes ago”

Sure enough, the door to the bathroom swung open to reveal a girl identical in every way physically to Lindsay. If they had been wearing the same clothes, nobody but those closest to them would be able to tell them apart.

“I got your text Linds, what’s up?” Stephanie’s voice was slightly higher than Lindsay’s, which gave it a gentler quality, and gave everyone a warmer feeling about her.

“Well, these people have discovered my little secret.” Lindsay mumbled.

“What?! How? You guys can’t tell anyone!” Stephanie said shocked.

“Well, that’s not all Stephanie.” Sarah started, “we have our own little secrets too. Hmm..Wes, show her.”

“Are you stupid? I’m freezing here, I can’t do shit!” Wes barked at her.

“Fine, how about you Joel? How about a coke?” She said as she flipped him a loonie. Before anyone could blink, a forceful wind had appeared out of nowhere, and Joel disappeared only to return a quarter of a second later, with a bottle of coke in his hand, grinning widely. Stephanie stared at him with a confused look on her face,

“What about you three, what can you do?” Stephanie raised one eyebrow as she addressed the other three.

“I can read minds, and Wes can control electricity.” Sarah said. “Travis...he hasn’t yet discovered his ability, but he does have the same scar that the rest of us have, just like you and Lindsay have on your hands." Both twins stared down at their hands as if to make sure their scars were still there. "Now, what about you, what can you do?”

“You didn’t tell them yet?” Stephanie looked at her sister.

“No, I’ve barely told them anything. That one forced me to freeze him, he stole my wallet.” Lindsay defended herself. Then she grinned at her sister and said “Why don’t you help him dry off?” Sarah raised her eyebrows and chuckled as Stephanie moved towards Wes, still perched on the heater.

“Wait, wait! I don’t need another bitch attacking me, leave me alone” he jumped up and dropped the jacket off of him.

“Bitch? Watch your mouth, asshole.” Stephanie said as she pointed her fingers towards Wes. She narrowed her eyes and whispered

“Bang.”

Bright orange flames shot out of the end of her pointed finger to engulf Wes. He screamed but a second later the flames disappeared, leaving Wes with his pants burnt up to his knees. He looked from one grinning sister to the other,

“Why are there TWO of you?”

8

Travis still had a million questions for Sarah and Joel when they left his house. They said they couldn’t stay long and left Travis’ house together. Travis wanted to know everything. How long did they have their powers for? Was it something hereditary? Did they know anyone else with powers like them? When stayed up in his bed late at night, his head bursting with questions before he finally fell asleep long into the night.

The next morning, Travis woke up and walked to the bathroom where he met Blake already dressed and brushing his teeth.

“So...” Blake started. Travis looked at him in the mirror and raised his eyebrow.

“So what?” he said.

“Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be. I see. Loser.” Blake rolled his eyes and left the bathroom. Travis suppressed the urge to grin and got ready for school. He knew Blake wanted nothing more than to brag about having a special ability when Travis did not.

As Travis stepped out of his house, fully dressed and ready for school, he expected to walk down the street and take the bus. However, at the curb in front of his house were Sarah and Wes, waiting for him.

“Hey Travis, ready for school?” she called. Travis walked down the front steps of his house and joined the other two on the sidewalk. “This is Wes, Wes, this is Travis”. Wes extended his hand and Travis took it, only to recoil a second later.

“Ouch!” he yelled as he rubbed his shocked hand.

“Sorry bro, gotta give the new kid a hard time, right?” Wes laughed.

“Ha ha. Very funny Wes, we need to get to school though, Joel said he’d be waiting for us.” Sarah said hurriedly.

The three of them walked in the direction of the school. Travis wanted to ask them the questions he had burning inside him, but felt out of place, almost like a third wheel as the other two walked beside him, hand in hand.

When they arrived at the school, they saw Joel waiting for them in front of the large doors leading to the inside of the school. As they approached, he said quietly,

“I just saw one of the twins out back on the bleachers when I was doing my morning run. You know, I bet we could get her even before the day started. If we got her, her sister would probably be even easier to convince too.”

“Ok, but we can’t cut class again, or I’m suspended.” Wes pointed out. The four of them walked towards the back of the school to look for the girl Joel had seen earlier. When they reached the bleachers, they saw her sitting at the top, alone as though waiting for someone. They slowly climbed the bleachers and stopped at the end of the row. Not wanting to be rude, Sarah broke away from the boys and went to sit next to the girl. She said something quietly to the girl who looked confused and Sarah beckoned for the boys to join her.

“Lindsay, this is Wes, Joel, and Travis” she introduced them to each other. The boys all waved awkwardly and took seats on the bleachers above the girls.

“Uh...ok. What do you want?” Lindsay asked with a questioning glare.

“Well, we couldn’t help notice the scar you have on your hand, how did you get it?” Sarah asked tactfully.

“I’ve had it forever, why do you care you stalkers?” Lindsay accused them.

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself we’ve all got them too.” Wes said as he closed his eyes, showing a small scar underneath his eyebrow, touching his eyelid. The others all showed her their scars as well.

“So what is this, a scar club? That’s lame. Can you guys get lost, I’m actually waiting for someone here” Lindsay said rudely.

“Well, actually Lindsay we’ve discovered that the individuals with a scar like all of ours have certain...talents” Sarah said.

“Yeah well, I’m normal. Really pretty, but normal. So leave me alone you weirdos” Lindsay said as she started to pack up her stuff.

“Normal eh?” Wes started “So if I were to say, take this wallet of yours, there’d be nothing you can do?” Wes grabbed her wallet and stepped onto the higher bleachers with a smirk on his face.

“Give it back now.” Lindsay said sternly.

“Wes, just give it back man.” Joel told him.

“Come on, there’s got to be something you can do. All the rest of us here can do something. Look.” He raised his hand and blue sparks erupted from his fingertips. “Maybe you’re lame like Travis here and can’t do anything” Wes said as he tossed the wallet from one hand to the other.

“Give me my wallet. Now.” Lindsay raised her voice.

“If you really want it, come and get it.” Wes chuckled. Sarah started to laugh,

“Haha Wes you better give it back to her. You’ll be surprised” she warned him.

“Let’s see what this girl can do” Wes said. Lindsay looked livid as she glared at Wes and the rest of them. Wes made a dash for the stairs to descend the bleachers.

“FUCK YOU” Lindsay yelled and moved towards Wes with her hands outstretched.

From her outstretched hands erupted a gust of ice wind, headed straight towards Wes. When it hit him, he froze in his tracks, his entire body blue from cold and frozen in a solid block of ice. His eyes were wide, staring at Lindsay and blinking. Lindsay bit her lip as the others stared at her, smiling.