When I was in the fifth grade, my mom laid out the facts for me. I was just a blond girl that was meant to marry some perfect guy and be the perfect little wife until the day I die. Needless to say, my mom didn't aim very high, and she didn't count on me ending up going to a high school for superheroes. Now the only hope she really has is my half-brother, Speed's, best friend and neighbor, Lash Daniels… who is four years older than me. My mom kind of scares me. My name is Emery, and okay, I have no problem admitting I would fit the profile. I have straight platinum blonde hair that goes just past my shoulder. I have bright ocean blue eyes, and this fixation on baking. Don't ask me why, but I love to cook. I do the whole milk and cookies thing on a regular basis. It's like my Zen or whatever. As for my powers, I must have gotten them from my dad or something because my mom can't do jack. I'm not entirely sure what you would call me other than a dreamer. I bring things to life, from my head. How much use this is to the world I don't really know, because I don't use them for other people much, but it's a pretty cool power none the less. Right now, it is 4:22 in the morning on the day I'm supposed to go to Sky High. I am in my kitchen, in my pjs, pulling a pan of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and pushing them off onto a plate with the other ones. I nearly had a heart attack when I heard a light knocking on the door. I spun around and saw none other than Lash at my kitchen door. I checked that I was breathing and opened the door for him. I guess it might make me a bad person that I didn't really care what he and Speed did last year or what they do everyday. They were repeating their senior year because the court couldn't technically put minors in solitary. My heart fluttered when I noticed that he, like me, was in pajamas. The difference being that mine are a sports bra and long silky black pants. His is just a pair pants carelessly slung over his hips. I'm sorry, but any girl who wouldn't swoon over his body, Is out of their mind.
"Like what you see, Emmy?" He cocked an eyebrow and gave me that sexy smirk that never ceases to make me melt inside.
I scrunched my nose up. "You're the only one who can get away with calling me that." I moved the bowl with dough residue on it in the sink with the pans. "So what brings you here at this oh so reasonable hour?"
"I was up and smelled the cookies. Your light was on so I thought I'd come see how you were doing." He smiled at me. He told me once that I was one of the only people he smiled at, not entirely sure why.
"And if I just so happened to give you some cookies in the process, all the better, right?" I joked bringing the plate of cookies with me and two cans of coke.
"Of course." He said, popping the can open and taking a bite out of one of the cookies. "So what's on your mind, Vixy? Not that I don't love your cooking, but it's a bit strange for you to be doing it at this hour."
"I dunno. Just a little bit nervous, I guess. New school, new people. With the people I grew up with I'm guaranteed to be popular. I'd have the whole cheerleading thing lined up and some other stuff, but at Sky High, everything's different. I've got nothing going for me really, and it really doesn't help that every time I turn around my mom is trying to get me to just be normal or whatever. It really kind of bums me out." I nibbled at my cookie and took a swig of the coke.
"Your mom is insane. You should know this by now. You're not normal. I guess you could try, but you wouldn't feel right, and you would always be trying to hide something. If she can't see that, it's her problem, not yours."
"She never put Jace through this." I furrowed my brows "Sure it's okay for him to be like this, he's the guy in the family, but I get a power, and it doesn't matter. I'm just supposed to grow up and be some guy's quiet little housewife for the rest of my life. It's not fair."
"You… a quiet little housewife... Nope I can't see if. You thrive on the abnormal. You're too crazy to be some guy's quiet little housewife. You've got the little part down though."
"5'4" Is not that small. You're just tall." I playfully glared at him. It was a frequent battle we had. I'm 5'4". He's 6'1". Next to him, I looked like a midget, but I wasn't about to admit to that.
"Mhmm. Whatever you say, Vixy." I glared at him one more time before putting my coke down and pouncing him, hoping to catch him a bit off guard, but things never go my way, but then again, my way isn't always the fun way. He caught me around the waist and snaked his arms around behind my back. I eeped and put my hands up against his chest trying to put at least a little bit of distance between us. I dropped my head, so hopefully my hair will cover the furious blush that consumed my face. I must seriously be hooker red right about now. "You know, small doesn't have to be bad. I like small, personally, but that might just be me." Oh my god, I he flirting with me? Eep he smells like cinnamon, and he's all toned and he has good hair. Ahhh, why does he have to be this close? I can't think straight. He gave a small laugh and pulled my chin up, brushing a few of the bangs out of my face. "Why would you be blushing, Vixy?"
I pushed him back and grabbed my coke and took a very large gulp of it. "Killer abs, Ash. I just got a little bit surprised. That's all." He just chuckled and grabbed another cookie off the plate. Yes Ash. I didn't forget a consonant. I am probably one of the few people beside his mother who knows that his real name Is Ashleigh, and also probably one of the only people who can get away with using it. "Hey, Ash, can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"Why are you always so nice to me? I mean, you tease me and all, but it's not really in a cruel way like you would the sidekicks at school or something, more just playful I guess." This seriously confused me. Jace and he were really mean to most everybody else, but both were real sweethearts to me. Jace I get half or not, I'm still his little sister.
"I dunno. You're like a puppy or something. I'd feel bad about picking on you like I do the sidekicks. I do have my own fucked up code of ethics."
"I don't know if I should take this as a compliment or an insult."
"It's a compliment. Think of it this way, even if you go through power placement later and end up a sidekick, I'll leave you alone instead if making life hell." I continued nibbling on the same cookie I had been for the past 20 minutes.
"You're a strange man, Ash Daniels. I guess I'll just have to be sure I don't make sidekick. Shouldn't be too hard."
"You sound very sure of yourself. Sure you can get past Boomer?" He polished off his coke and went for another.
"I've actually got a pretty awesome power. It's just difficult to control if it gets out of hand, so I usually only use it in small ways."
"How can your powers get out of control?"
"When they're fueled to some extent I don't have to necessarily be conscious to use them. One time I had a dream I was drowning I woke up and coughed up water and all my clothes were soaked. My powers can easily go out of control."
He just shrugged. "You just need practice. You'll get better at them after a while. How's the conjuring working?"
"I can only seem to do foxes; everything else turns out messed up. I can do flying foxes just fine, but everything else I have to map out on paper or something before I can make them real, and even then it's only a fifty/fifty chance."
He blinked and seemed to go over the words slowly in his head. "You conjured… a flying fox."
I nodded. "It was an interesting thing. I needed to get to the mall a few times over the summer, so I've pretty much perfected him."
"No way. I'll believe it when I see it."
"Well he won't fit in the kitchen." He walked over to the screen door and held it open, making a ladies first gesture with his hand. "Fine, but if the neighbor's catch me, I'm blaming it all on you." He just nodded. I closed my eye and concentrated on nothing but my ever so graceful fox. I felt winds shifting in front of me and after a moment, I opened up my eyes to look on the familiar black tipped red fur and ghostly scarlet eyes I'd become accustomed to over the summer. I loved my fox. He's twice my size and generally soft and friendly. Of course he would be because I created him. I hopped on his back, and reached my hand out to Lash, who looked between my hand, and the fox and just gave me an "are you serious?" look. I grabbed his hand and pulled him on behind me. "You're coming with me, with or without your consent."
"Wait a second where are we going- holy shit!" He clamped onto my waist as I just laughed and clutched the fur.
"We're just going for a quick spin. You believe me now?" I circled around about a mile and went back, slowing down and landing in the yard skidding a little as per usual. "Still need to work on the landing. Eep." I fell off, landing on top of Lash who'd been starting to unwind his arms from my waist. In the end, this had an interesting turnout of me being pressed flush against him and his hands resting on my hips. He groaned lightly.
"Emery, don't move." My blush started to fade as I looked into his face. He seemed to be in pain.
"Oh my god are you okay? Did I crush you or something? Oh my god." He dug his fingers into my hips, and forced me to hold still. I noticed something hard pressing against my thigh, and I blushed bright as a tomato, and stopped trying to move. "Erm, how do we get out of this one?" The problem here being that not only am I getting to him, but his fingers are digging into a hotspot for me, and I was almost on the brink or an orgasm here. I looked into his eyes and saw something I didn't recognize from him. I'd seen it from other guys sure, but not from him. That look from him is what wet dreams are made of. "Ash, move your hands up or down, just get them off my hips."
"Why?" He pressed a little bit harder, and I let out a small squeak. The playful glint had returned to his eyes. Now this is what my wet dreams are made of. One of his knees slid up between my legs and I was flipped over onto my back. A gasp escaped me, and I screwed my eyes shut.
"Hey, what's going on out here?" Jace opened up the door and we jumped apart as fast as humanly possible.
"Um, flying fox, and we fell and landed and yeah. " I rambled before scurrying off into the house. Omigosh! What did I just do?! I just and he just… Ahhh! I ran into the basement that I had changed into my bedroom shortly after I hit the 2nd grade. Mom never approved, but mom still can't find it, meaning she cannot corrupt it with happyfull girlyness. I have no problem with being feminine, but that woman takes it to a freakish level. Over the years with the help of my wonderful powers, I've made it my own. It has dark pine green walls covered with various little posters and keepsakes. I have a queen sized bed, conjured of course, covered in black jersey cotton sheets. I've got a computer with wireless internet connected to my cell phone, a closet was built into one of the walls near a bathroom I had conjured up a while ago. The door was a slider that my mom assumed had been an alcove for a piece of furniture or something, so she never suspected. I peeled off my clothes and hopped in the shower, turning on the hot water and adding in the cold after a minute. I picked up my shampoo, apple cinnamon. I like my shampoo, even better is that I have vanilla conditioner and brown sugar body wash, so I always come out smelling like an apple pie. People seem to like that. One time this guy sniffed me and that was a little bit strange, but besides that, it's pretty generally fun. You know the nice thing about being awake at 5 in the morning is that I get to shave. I smiled and pulled out a razor and some oil. 30 minutes later, I was calm lotioned up shaved and ready to pick out my clothes. I walked into my closet and scanned everything I owned. See this is the hard part about first first days. I could go for the flowy skirt and a cute tank top and be cute, but a little shy looking. I could be the quirky girl, and put on my black button-up shirt, a pair of dark stretch jeans and my purple tie, a few buttons undone and the tie loose, just to retain the feminine aspect and then there's the crowd favorite, denim mini tank and the slut shoes… quirky. The tie is soft and my converse are more comfortable. I pulled them on and took a look in the mirror. I look good. All in all, I like myself. I got my father's looks with my mom's body, so that leaves me blond haired and blue eyed with the nice milky white skin that tans easily in the summer, and a nice curvy body. I'm not J Lo or something, but 34C and the butt to balance it out is nice, and it means I can fit into most stuff with ease. I put on a little bit of eyeliner, some mascara and a little bit of chapstick before running upstairs with a couple of band around my wrist for my hair, braiding it back as I went. It may seem a little bit dorky to some, but I say screw them. I like it. It works for me.
I got up into the kitchen, and something was wrong. Lash and Speed weren't up here. I looked at the clock and squeaked, running out the door in time to see a yellow school bus going around the corner. "If that's how you want to play boys…" I ran after it, and jumped on top running along it when it jumped off the cliff. I hopped off the top and landed on my fox, running along with the thing and taking a moment to stick my tongue out at Lash and Speed, who were just snickering. The bus driver appeared to be glaring at me. Fuck him. I bee lined for the school that showed itself a bit sooner than I thought it would and I went skidding for all I was worth finally having the fox bump into a wall and go poof, making me land flat on my ass a bit disoriented. "Well that was an attractive entrance, Emery. Seriously, way to go, and now I'm talking to myself."
Lash and Speed stepped off the bus and came over to at least see that I came off in one piece. We have an understanding on school. I wont mess up their images by calling them Jace and Ash, and they'll gladly beat the hell out of anybody else that tries to use Vixy or Emmy on me. It's their names for me after all, and nobody else's "Nice landing, Emmy" Emmy is Jace. Vixy is Lash. It works.
"Yes I thought so too. I totally got dressed this morning thinks wow, I hope I miss the bus and end up landing flat on my ass in the dirt." Lash helped me up to my feet.
"We tried to get him to wait for like 10 seconds, but Ron's weird about that. We'll just have to get him back for it later." There was still some dust clouding around and I sneeze accidentally conjuring a fox and knocking myself into Lash. Dammit it's not even vicious or something. It's a midget fox and unless cuteness is your weakness, it is in no way menacing. This is where the nickname Vixy came from. Lash found this out when he was teasing me with pepper one day. It flew into Speed before going POOF and disappearing. "Vixy strikes again!"
"Sorry, Speed." I said. I want to die right about now.
A pair of arms once again snaked their way around my waist for the third time this morning. "What I don't get a sorry? Wow I feel so loved." I blushed again, and Jace just laughed. I don't think it's really a secret that I have a small crush on Lash, hell even Lash actually knows, but I can pretend can't I? One of the top buttons on my shirt had busted revealing a little bit more cleavage than I had planned on this morning, and I saw some creepy guy with white hair looking at me like he wanted to rip the rest off. I inwardly screamed in terror and disgust and put my arms on top of Lash's, leaning back, giving off the appearance of being "friendly".
"I'm officially disgusted and disturbed." Lash saw where my gaze was going and pulled me in like a possessive boyfriend would.
"Speed I think we have a few sidekick's memories we need to refresh. Can't have freaks like that looking at Vixy, can we?"
"No we really can't, see you at lunch, Emmy. Lash please watch her. I'm dead if she gets raped or something first day." He turned and walked in the direction of the kid that was looking at me. "Hey, Glowworm!"
"Well, he did tell me to watch you. I could just throw them off a bit." He nipped at my ear a bit, making me squirm a little bit until I was turning to face him. Objectively, that was probably not the best idea I've ever had.
"You're nothing but trouble." I said poking him in the chest.
"Then I'd say you're in serious trouble." He brushed one of my bangs out of my face. "We never did finish what we started this morning."
"And if any guy in the school had a doubt before, it's gone now."
"Better be safe. I can't watch your ass all day, now can I?" He leaned down and kissed me, quickly slipping his tongue into my mouth. This isn't anything new. We've done it since I was in the sixth grade. Guys start looking at me, and I'm not big on being groped, so Lash and I either go into a love clutch, makeout, or a combination thereof. Today is a combination, not that I'm ever complaining. I like him and he really knows how to use his tongue. I'm happy to fake it if I get a taste of his tongue working skills that he has perfected over the years.
"Lash, this is a new record for you. Only ten minutes and already you and your friend here have a detention, but PDA is a new one for you." We jerked apart at the lips anyways and the principal was standing there. Other principals are gross and creepy looking. She looks like Miss America, and great already she doesn't like me.
"Then how much would it really matter if we continued doing what we were doing?" Lash asked defiantly.
"Detention tomorrow morning as well as today. Come on, Emery, you can go through power placement after lunch." Lash just shrugged and draped an arm around my shoulder as she led us to a painfully white room and locked us in.
He sat down on the floor and pulled me into his lap like it was nothing. I just blushed again and looked down. "Why do you always do that?"
"Do what?" I mumbled.
"You blush. You do it every time with out fail then you put your head down and hope that your hair will hide it. Why?" He tilted my chin up, so I couldn't look down again and my bangs fell out of my face. "It works for you, but still unexplained."
"No reason." I muttered looking at a spot on the ceiling. Is it just me or did he suddenly get really close. Ahhh having flashbacks to this morning. No, Emery, think of something else. Think of puppies or kittens or something like that. Do not think of Lash. Do not think of Lash, even though he's only a few inches away and you're sitting on his lap.
"Bull." He whispered. Defying a few laws of nature I turned a brighter color. "What are you thinking?" His pressed his lips lightly to my neck, and my breath hitched in my throat. "You know. I really don't get why you're so self conscious. You've always been shy, and I don't think you realize how unbelievably sexy you are." He pulled the band out of my hair and ran his fingers through, destroying any remnants of the braid.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Look at me, Vixy." He breathed into my lips, and I purred, shooting my eyes back to him.
"We're alone." I said, baffled beyond all recognition. "You're not doing this to keep some guy away from me, but wh-"
"Stop thinking."
"But-"
"Stop it."
"But I don-"
He growled and pulled closer, the only time I'll ever be at his eye level, and I had blushed so hard that I couldn't blush anymore. He quickly pecked at my lips. "No. If you think, you'll freak yourself out and then you'll immediately jump up and we'll be sitting in this room awkwardly for the next 2 hours. Leave the awkward moments for the hallways, please." There is logic in what he says. "Oh my god. You're thinking about thinking. Fine, Emery. I'll leave you alone." He let me go and stood up in an annoyed huff, sitting himself down in one of the desks. What did I just do? One chance and I blew it… or did I.
"Who says I was thinking?" I said in the most straight forward voice I could muster. "Maybe I was just having a blond moment, and my head was totally blank." I slid a hand over his shoulder and down his chest landing near the hem of his shirt, running just up under it. "But I could be lying. There could have been a million thoughts running through my head. You'll just never know, but the wonderful thing is you really don't have to." I slid down into his lap and curled up against him, resting my head on his shoulder. "But you changed your mind, so I think I'll just catch up on some sleep"
"You're cruel and unusual, Emery Brown."
"Yep" I kissed the crook of his neck and closed my eyes. Actually, sleep does sound very appealing right now. Within a few minutes I was off in dreamworld, without worrying about my powers going wild. I felt his arm wrap around my waist and I dozed off.
