Ephemeral

(adj) lasting for a short time

There is nothing better then summer. With the fresh sense of freedom from the hellhole the adults call highschool, nothing could be worse then school. Except, however, when summer speeds by and the glorious, responsibility free days come to an end with the shrill ringing of an alarm, and your lamp attacking you.

Well, that's what Ninten says, and that's how on the first day of Grade 10 I had my hysterical best friend practically sobbing on my front doorstep.

"Dude, it's four in the morning." I said, quite deadpanned. I was in my boxers, with a bedrobe thrown over me. It was still scorching in the day, but during the night it may as well have been December. Onett had really weird weather.

"Ness, you gotta believe me!" Ninten pleaded. He was wearing a pair of striped, button up cotton PJ's, a true testament of his inner cleanliness, despite the cool kid act he had going on in public. I sighed. I was a bit surprised Tracy hadn't woken up. She was going into Grade 8, and had a hysterical break down last night, not unlike the one my unofficial doppelgänger was having now.

"Maybe one of your sisters threw it at you?" I suggested. Minnie and Mimmie wheren't those type of girls, but I really wanted to calm him down so I could go to bed.

"No, they woke up when they heard me shout." Ninten said, and began to bounce from one foot to the other. It was then I realized he had no shoes on. This loser had run two kilometres from his house to mine, just to complain. That took dedication, even I knew that. I sighed.

"Get inside dumbo, you can sleep at my house, since yours needs an exorcism."

Ninten thanked me, and walked inside. He immediately dug through our linen closet, dragging his favourite blanket from it. He had claimed it as his own when he first slept over, in Grade 4. He said it was the warmest, but I know he liked it because it had Mickey Mouse on it. I began to climb the stairs back to my room.

"Ness?" I paused.

"What do you want now?" I asked, grumpiness slipping through my tone.

"My lamp really did attack me."

Instead of responding, I shut the hall light off, and climbed back into my warm bed. Lamps attacking? Ha, as if.

-.-.-

Ah, highschool. Nothing better then Grade 8's nervously making their way down halls (or acting as if they owned the world), Grade 9's starting drama before the first bell rang, Grade 10's either passionately making out or being disgusted by such a display, and Grade 11&12's freaking out about how their highschool days were almost over, or just being too chill to care.

And then there were the teachers.

"Ness! You are late!" I rolled my eyes. Yay. First day of school, I had been slightly distracted by Paula (who is super hot, and super single, may I mention) and walked into class two minutes late after some serious flirting. English was a subject I passionately hated. Mr. McBond didn't make it any better. Ninten raised an eyebrow as I flung my worn, brown backpack onto the desk beside him. He had gone home early in the morning so his mom wouldn't figure out he'd left.

"Yeah, sorry, I didn't want to come." I replied, to tired to care. Unlike Ninten, who was seemingly perfect with his backwards baseball cap and leather jacket, I was exhausted. Mr. McBond scowled.

"Sit beside Lucas, I don't want any of your shenanigans. It's the first day of school." Mr. McBond pointed towards the back of the class, and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, your right, it is. So why can't you give Ninten and I a chance?"

"Because it will be a repeat of last year." I sighed and grabbed my backpack. My english teacher wasn't wrong, it would be a repeat of Grade 9, but it was always worth a shot. I brushed some of my black hair from my purple eyes.

"Meet you in the corner at break?" Ninten said, deciding to speak up. I stretched, feeling my back pop in several different places. Ninten and I looked alike, except he had burning blue eyes.

"Nah, gotta catch up with Paula." I said, and Mr. McBond cleared his throat, expecting me to go faster. I glared, and finally moved from my spot.

Wasting time is my middle name. I shuffled from the front of the class to the back, high fiving Fuel, greeting Jeff (who was not liking the attention, poor kid) and sending a flirty look to one of the girls. Ana, I think her name was. She was pretty hot, but Paula was the only one I had my sights set on. Finally I sat beside the kid named Lucas. I had seen him in the halls before, but had never bothered to talk to him before. He seemed like a loner anyways, besides a red-haired kid he was constantly beside. He didn't look up as I tossed my backpack onto the desk next to him. Whatever was on his paper (an introductory sheet to the course, like one of the many we would get) was interesting the blond greatly. I didn't really care, but the doodles of sunflowers caught my eye.

"Hey." I said. Lucas looked up, his eyebrow raised. I vaugely wondered how he styled his hair in the duck-tail shape without it being coated in gel. He looked down at his sunflower covered paper, continuing to sketch, and I looked towards the front of the class. Wow, this would be an enjoyable semester. Sense the sarcasm? Because it's there.

-.-.-

Ah, art class. Where goths, anime freaks and british actor obsessed girls meet. I actually didn't mind art, but I wanted to scream. Usually I had Paula or Ana join me, but instead I had Mr. Duck Head here with me. I glared at Lucas's paper. Different class, same flower. I rolled my eyes. The art teacher began blabbing about how this wasn't an elective course, but a lifestyle. Whatever. I zoned out, watching Lucas draw sunflowers. A couple of minutes later he began writing something.

You're being called on, idiot.

"Ness!" Oh, so I was. I snapped my head towards the teacher. He looked rather annoyed. "Can you answer my question?"

I blinked, and saw Lucas write down something else.

Say 'the colour wheel'

I'd have to thank him later. Maybe Lucas wasn't that bad. "The colour wheel."

"We were talking about artists that inspire you. Stop staring at Lucas like he's your one true love, and pay attention." The class snickered.

Nevermind. Lucas was worse then I thought.

"You set me up!" I whispered angrily. Lucas shrugged. He still refused to say anything.

Lunch couldn't come fast enough, because I was ready to murder this kid. No wonder he had no friends.

-.-.-

"I can't believe it." I said, biting angrily into my sandwich. Paula munched on some leftover Chinese stir-fry, and Ninten dug sadly into his Kale salad. Ana sat down beside Paula, pulling out her phone.

"Wow, you have two whole classes with Lucas." Paula said sarcastically. "Your life is terrible."

Ninten sighed sadly, picking at his salad. Wordlessly, Paula grabbed his container and switched it with her own. She actually enjoyed Kale, making her one of the stongest girls I know. Ninten looked like he was about to cry from joy, and eagerly dug into the greasy leftovers.

"He set me up in Art class with the wrong answer! He's so annoying!" I complained.

"He actually has the right idea to not get involved in any of your ideas, and we would've done the same." Ana asked, speaking up for the first time. Ninten snorted. There was a scream, and I assumed one of the girls in the cafeteria was subject to a tickle attack. It happened often enough that I didn't give it a second thought.

"Shut up Ninten." I said, stealing a mini-corn from his stir-fry. I spotted Lucas walking by, accompanied by the ginger I was talking about earlier. They looked a lot alike, maybe they were brothers? "Hey there's Lucas, glare at him with me."

"Oh grow up," Paula said. Ninten hastily shoved the last of the stir-fry into his mouth and stood to throw out the container. "Has he done anything else to you?"

I opened my mouth to speak, closed it, thinking, and then opened it again before settling into defeat, and taking another bite of my sandwich. Paula smirked, and smugly took a bite of her kale salad. Ugh, it's frustrating how pretty she was. There was a loud crash, more screaming, and a yell from Ninten. He fell into the table, slumping, a chair clattering onto the ground behind him. Our group finally turned around and I wish I hadn't.

The tables and chairs in the cafeteria were floating, and looking ready to hurtle at us. Ninten stood, clutching his head.

"Ow... My head..." He turned, and jumped, pointing wildly. "I told you! I told you my lamp attacked me! Now look, other inanimate objects have come to finish me off!"

"Okay," I said, in disbelief. "I believe you."

"Wait, you lamp attacked you?" Ana asked, and I grabbed my base ball bat. A chair whipped forwards, and I got ready to swing.

"DUCK!" I yelled. Everyone followed my command, and I hit the chair with a satisfying crunch.

SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!

The chair went flying into bits. Woah. I didn't know I had it in me. Two tables came flying towards us, and I readied my bat again. I was shoved down by Ana and Paula who stood side my side.

"What are you doing?!" I shouted. The girls ignored me, and suddenly shouted in unison.

"PK FIRE ALPHA!"

The tables exploded into flames and came crashing down. The girls highfived.

"I can't believe that worked!" Ana said cheerfully.

"Our secret is out, however." Paula said, glancing at me. "I'm out of PP. You?"

"Yeah. I usually use omega or the beta version."

Questions burned into my mind. What was PP? How in the world could these girls set stuff on fire with there mind? Ninten looked at me, just as confused.

"Don't tell me you can do that."

"Nope. But it makes girl much hotter, wouldn't you agree?" I gave him a grin, and Ninten groaned.

"Do me a favour and shut up. We don't need your puns now." Ana pulled me up, Paula helping Ninten. I grabbed my baseball bat (it had clattered from my hands when the girls shoved me down) and looked at the hovering mess of tables, cafeteria food and chairs, all suddenly very life threating. Well, the cafeteria food was always life threating, but that's besides the point.

"I think we should probably move, since, you know, apparently blowing up stuff with our minds isn't an option anymore." I said, stressing out parts of my sentance.

"Uh, sorry Ness." Paula said, flashing me an innocent smile. As cute as she was, I was fuming.

"No kidding." I was kind of jealous of Paula, but mostly annoyed at myself. We've been friends since we were ten- how couldn't I have noticed she could blow stuff up with her mind? Paula's face fell, and and angry scowl graced her features.

"Uh, guys?" Ninten said, tugging my sleeve.

"Oh," Paula snapped. "Is that how it's gonna be? I just saved your life, and you're mad that I didn't tell you something that I never wanted anyone to find out about?"

"You told Ana!" I was fuming, and I saw Paula ball up her fists.

"I know your both mad, but we kinda have-"

"She discoved her powers with me!" Paula spoke over Ninten, and Ana walked inbetween us.

"Hey, what are you-" With two fluid movements, she slapped both Paula and I across the face.

"We have more important matters at hand." Ana stated matter-of-factly. Paula nodded.

"You're right Ana, thank you." Did she just thank Ana for slapping her? As if this day could get any worse.

"GET DOWN!" Ninten screamed, but it was to late. The various pieces of furniture came hurtling towards us. We all flinched, and braced ourselves for the incoming pain, but it never came.

"PK LOVE!"

Bright light filled my vision, and two forms came into view. My mouth dropped open as the dust settled.

"What the..." Ninten whispered.

Lucas and his red-head companion stood before us, arms still in position from their attack. Suddenly the blond, who had done nothing but be mean to me, turned and grabbed my wrist.

"If you want to live, run with me."

I don't know why, but I followed, trusting him.

And so did everyone else.

-.-.-.

To be continued...