... THREE YEARS LATER.

BRYCE

I carefully lifted my soccer trophy from its spot on the dresser, feeling its weight in my palm. I smiled as I polished it in the corner of my sleep shirt before replacing it. My fingertips lightly grazed over the ridges of my abdominal muscles — still six. A soft knock echoed outside my door, and Dexter's muffled voice called out to me.

"Happy Birthday, Superboy," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "I hate it when you call me that, Dad."

"Are you almost ready, kiddo?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied—the room froze in seconds. I swiftly finished my routine, brushing my teeth and combing my hair. Then I rushed from the bathroom and opened the door, surprisedly greeting my dad.

The edges of my ears burned with embarrassment. "Okay, quicksilver," He laughed. "Save your superpowers for when you need them." I tried to walk off, but his muscular arm wrapped around my broad chest and shoulders, and Dexter pulled me back in front of him. The white cotton fabric of his dress shirt and the woodsy smell of his cologne filled my nostrils, unleashing a flurry of sensations I didn't know what to do with.

Dexter's expression tightened, and his gaze was piercing as he spoke. "About that fire the other day... Was that you?" His voice had an edge that sent a chill down my spine. I bit my lip nervously and shrugged, unable to help the wide-eyed glimmer of excitement in my eyes. Could it be that Noah was back in town?

My father caught my arm just as I was about to run off again. "Don't know, and we'll be late if we don't hurry." His firm voice crackled with concern, and he looked away, embarrassed at his emotions. I sighed, relieved this time. "But it wasn't me, so don't worry. I'm sure whoever knows what they're doing." I gave his shoulder a reassuring pat before turning to Dexter and beckoning him towards the stairs.

Kyra was already thirteen when I spotted her in the kitchen, busy scrambling eggs and bacon on the stove. She had been nine just a few years ago, but time seemed to fly by. Seeing her cooking in the kitchen made me feel older, too.

I sat at the dining table as Kyra brought my dad a plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. She moved with a coltish grace, making her look too young to work in a diner. Her dark braids brushed her smooth chocolate skin, just below her crop top hanging under her ribs and a pair of off-white shorts and black sneakers. "Good morning, Bryce and Dad." Kyra smiled. Her lips were full despite how thin she was. Then she walked back over to the stove to grab another.

"Happy Birthday, Bryce." She handed me a plate of food piled higher than my father's. "I made them special for you."

I smiled big at my sister, too. "Thanks, Kyra."

Dexter patted my shoulder. I took a bite of bacon and shoveled eggs and pancakes into his mouth until his plate was empty, and I pushed him out of my seat.

I pecked Kyra on the forehead before turning away. My father followed me to the door, his warm breath on my neck.

"I can give you a ride today if you need it, bud?" Dexter asked. I smiled and shook my head, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

"Why would I take the ride if I have super-speed or the ability to fly?" I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest. Before I could shut the door, my dad grabbed it, stopping me.

"That's what worries me," he said sternly. I turned halfway around and looked at him. His eyes were worried, but I assured him I would be fine. He tossed me the keys to his brand-new truck, which hung in mid-air as I snatched them out of the air.

"Take the truck. We'll worry about turning in your permit later."

I pulled open the door, but my dad stopped me again, pointing to a bag on the floor. "Your backpack." I sucked air through my teeth.

"Right." I heaved my backpack onto my shoulder and reached the doorway. "Have a nice day, Bryce." He gave me a crooked smile that squeezed my heart, and Kyra waved from across the room with her soft hands. I returned their smiles as I stepped out into the bright sunshine and started towards the old truck in the driveway, its paint flaking off in large dusty chunks.

∆∆∆

MARK

A nightstand in the center of a hotel room separated two beds; outside, the sun bid a sleepy good morning through partially opened curtains. Max was obnoxiously chewing on gum while lying on his back, embracing Mia, who wore only her undergarments against his warm, shirtless torso. I shook my head and sighed as I floated my credit card card and cell phone in the air, staring at the ceiling above me from the opposite bed.

Max rolled Mia onto her back so they faced each other, his hands tenderly tracing her spine as he leaned forward to kiss her. Mia kissed him back eagerly, pulling his gum into her mouth with one swift motion.

"Could you please rent another room so I don't have to watch you guys have sex? It's annoying." I groaned, rolling my eyes at them both.

Mia pulled away from Max's lips with a smile, her sparkling eyes meeting mine. "You don't have to watch," she teased.

"Yeah, fuck off, mate. Go to school or something," Max added with a scowl.

I groaned, rolled out of bed, caught my phone and key in my hands, and walked out of the hotel.

Moments later, I clicked the elevator button and impatiently tapped my fingers against my thigh. An older man stood at my side. He had a sage-green tweed blazer and thick glasses that rested on his nose. His leather shoes were polished to perfection.

"How old are you, kid?" The man asked. I briefly glanced at the older man, sizing him up, but he waved me inside the elevator before I could answer. "After you," he said with a slight bow of his head. I stepped inside, feeling the worn carpet under my feet. The doors closed, and the older man stood opposite the elevator.

"Is there an adult with you kids, like your mom or dad?" The man pushed. I grunted in annoyance, pressing the elevator button again, hoping it would speed it up.

"It doesn't matter," I growled as the lights flickered above us. Suddenly, the elevator dinged again—we had arrived at our floor—and I threw my hood over my head and raced out of the elevator with superhuman speed, much to the older man's surprise.

∆∆∆

JAMES

Derek strode toward the front of Los Angeles High School, back straight and chest puffed out. His crisp new police uniform gleamed in the morning sunshine, and a pair of aviators perched on his nose. He stopped at the back of a police car, where Noah and I were seated side-by-side with bowed heads and nervous eyes. Our backs immediately stiffened as Derek opened the door, and he helped us both out of the vehicle.

"You two have your school ID?" Derek asked, looking me directly in the eye. We nodded silently before reaching into our pockets to fish out our cards. We held them up for him to see without saying a word. Behind us, a group of boys stood watching, their eyes going from Derek to Noah and me repeatedly.

"Good," Derek said before entering the driver's seat and driving away. Without Derek to protect us, the boys approached us slowly and cautiously. We slung our backpacks over our shoulders and walked silently towards the school building.

Shit.

Sebastian Marian, the exact sort of boy who made my mother's blood pressure spike and engendered a primal fear in my father, wore a Los Angeles High Letterman Jacket with his last name on the back. He shoved me into a mud puddle, laughing hysterically as black clouds gathered in my mind. They circled angrily as flashes of Mark played across their surface like lightning. Noah looked like he was about to pounce on the kid, but he held back. The veins in his hands stood out as his fists clenched at his sides.

Noah stumbled back as Sebastian chuckled provocatively. "Making new friends, Bryce?" he asked, pushing Noah with outstretched arms and giving him no chance to react before being held tightly. The other boys stepped closer, gathering around the pair like spectators in a fight. I scrambled backward, trying not to draw attention to myself as I watched Noah tense up and speak in a harsh American accent, his voice low and menacing. "What the fuck did you call me?" he said through gritted teeth.

Sebastian didn't seem intimidated by the aggression, instead leaning forward and responding with a smirk. "Would you like me to tell everyone here your biggest secret? Just because Uncle Dex adopted you doesn't make you any less of a freak." His words hung heavy in the air as laughter from the onlookers filled my ears.

Again, there is total confusion. There was silence. Then Sebastian shoved Noah and me to the floor, straight into the muddy puddle. My comic book drawings flew everywhere, and Sebastian walked off with the group of self-entitled Jocks, mumbling, "Clumsy fucks," as if we couldn't hear him.

"Shit!" Noah cursed. I felt like swearing, too.

"Who the hell is Bryce?" I questioned instead. Noah picked himself off the floor and dusted dirt and debris from his hoodie.

"Not now, Knight," he asserted.

My eyes met a new pair of chocolate brown eyes, and her smile melted as she held her hand out for me. I looked at the floor and reluctantly smiled at her because of my past relationships.

"Hey. " The girl locked eyes with me and helped me to my feet. She and I smiled, allowing me to collect my comic book pages. "I'm Claire, and this is Shawn." She introduced me to her brother standing behind her. Shawn lifted his hand and waved awkwardly with pursed lips.

"You drew these?" Claire seemed surprised by my artwork as she handed me the last page.

"Yeah. I doodle when I'm bored." I muttered.

She smiled. "They're amazing," she said.

I reddened like a cherry tomato. "Thanks."

Shawn readjusted his backpack on his shoulder and tapped his sister's shoulder. "We have to get to class, Claire." Shawn looked at Noah and me as he sucked in a sharp breath. "Would you guys like to hang with us?"

"Thanks, mate." Noah grinned this time. I shoved my papers in my backpack and shot a glance at Noah. Noah cleared his throat. "Ehem... I mean, Bro. Thanks, bro."

Shawn walked off, leading the group. I dug in my pocket and pulled out my schedule, handing it to Claire as we walked.

"I'm James, by the way. That's Noah." I introduced Noah and myself. Noah waved to Claire. Shawn held the door and led Noah, Claire, and me.

∆∆∆

MARK

I stood petrified by the window as James and Noah approached the school grounds. A sudden force pushed against me, and I felt myself wriggle to the ground. I could feel a hand pressing against my back, preventing me from rising.

As I gasped for air, I noticed a boy in a hoodie standing over me. He had come up behind me without making a sound.

As he released his grip on me, before I realized what was happening, my foot quickly connected with his stomach, knocking him down to the ground and causing his hoodie to fall off his head, revealing his face.

His eyes were intense when they met mine, filled with confidence and an almost godlike glow that made my heart beat. The same smug expression as Noah's rested on his lips as he rose to his feet effortlessly and dusted off his jeans.

"Son of a bitch, Noah. I'm going to kill you," I muttered, smirking slightly before watching Noah enter the school gates.

The boy stepped forward and helped me to my feet. "Guess again, dude. My name is Bryce." His voice was recognizable but American.

I stared at Bryce, looking him up and down. "There is no way that cocky dick has a twin."

Bryce's grin grew. "Wow. I'm standing right here, you know?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want?"

"Who are you?" Bryce studied me, and I did the same to him, leaning against the hunk of metal next to me.

"It doesn't matter." I snarled. Bryce chuckled deeply.

"Max must love you," Bryce emphasized the word love as if it had a more significant meaning.

I grunted at him, "Shut up."

Bryce chuckled again and threatened me. "You touch my brother or family, " Bryce gestured to the building below. "... and you're a dead dude."

I scoffed. "You're an idiot, just like them. You have no clue what's coming."

"Whatever, dude." Bryce glanced at me from afar and ran off, appearing below near the school doorway. I huffed, collapsing against the metal wall behind me, blowing hot air from my cheeks, taking a seat, and running my fingers through my shaggy, dark hair.

Shit.

∆∆∆

NOAH

The warning bell rang, and my twin brother piled into the back of the classroom, sitting on the corner desk near the window and hiding his face from me while doodling on a notepad. James and I took the front seat opposite Bryce.

Jason Tanner, a tall, broad instructor with a bright smile, pulled from his seat and counted the empty desks. Without looking up, he addressed the class.

"According to the schedule, we have three new students starting today. James Knight, Noah Knight, and Mark Reignson?" James readjusted himself in his seat, feeling uncomfortable.

"Fuck," I growled. The attention in the class turned to me as the classroom broke into soft chuckles.

"Excuse me, Bryce?" The teacher snapped. I proceeded with my Australian-American accent.

"The name's Noah, mate. Noah-Samuel-Kinley-Knight." Did I have to bloody spell it out for him?

Laughter filled the classroom again. I looked back at my twin, sitting quietly in the back corner, and Bryce removed his hoodie, staring at me. With raised eyebrows, James made the instant connection. There was a sudden silence in the classroom.

"Hey, Noah. Happy Birthday." Bryce smiled big.

I grinned back. "Same, mate." James looked shocked. Tanner did a double-take and collected himself at the front of the class.

"As much as I hate giving new students detention, rules are rules." Tanner scribbled on a notepad. Mark shuffled through the door, and James buried his face in the desk.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Mark apologized. I groaned—bloody hell.

"You too, Mr. Reignson, I assume. I'll see all three of you in detention later today." Tanner split the first slip from the casing.

"Son of a bitch, " James moaned in annoyance. Mark huffed, walking to the back and taking the seat beside Bryce. Bryce bowed his head to his desk, snickering.

"Mr. Marian, do I need to give you detention?" Mr. Tanner gazed straight at Bryce.

Bryce snorted. "I wouldn't mind some time away from home." He leaned back in his seat.

"And do you think your uncle or father would be happy with this on your birthday, Mr. Marian?" Tanner pushed. James looked at Bryce, then at me. I shrugged, looking innocent.

"It's not the first time," Bryce admitted. The student's laughter filled the room again. Dear God. As Mark tapped Bryce's desk with the end of his pen, Bryce looked his way.

"You're an idiot," Mark said, his hazel eyes glaring at Bryce's brown eyes. He gave that look. It was the look I gave when I liked someone, and I could only assume he did it, too. Son of a bloody bitch.

Mark clicked the pen, letting it bounce from his hand and off the desk, and before he could catch it, Bryce grabbed it from the air, glaring at Mark. Mark sat back in his seat, glaring at James and me.

∆∆∆

JAMES

Bryce, giving an don't give a fuck' attitude, slumped against his seat, lounging with Noah and me at an emptied table. Noah was grinning, and I was still shocked.

"Okay, yeah, I have a twin, mate, and apparently, he goes here. Big whoop. The last time I saw Bryce, the firefighter we saw last week adopted him, but that was years ago." Noah and I looked at Bryce sitting across from us. Bryce wiggled his fingers but didn't bother looking up from his food.

"Hey, " Bryce grimaced, pushing his lips together.

I briefly glanced at Mark at a table on the other side of the cafeteria, pushing french fries around on his plate.

"That was you I saw the other day?" Bryce suddenly pointed his finger at me. I glanced over the three tables where Madison, Easton, and Dylan sat together, and I almost felt bad that we didn't invite them. Noah chuckled, and my eyes darted back to him.

"Yeah, and it doesn't surprise me if you started the bloody fire, mate," Noah muttered.

"I swear it wasn't me, but if you wanted to know—" Bryce checked his surroundings, flicked his fingers together, igniting flames, and blew out his fingertips in fear.

"Damn." I stared at Bryce's fingertips.

"Pyrokinesis. It's the sort of cool party trick I picked up."

Out from the corner, Claire slammed her tray and bag down. She smiled and waved at me, sliding in next to Bryce. Bryce grunted, and I smiled.

"Hi, " she said. Shawn slid in next to me with his tray and backpack. I melted into my palm, staring at Claire while resting on the table. I had a dizzy and sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, as if I would pass out at any second. No, it wasn't because I had a crush on Claire. It seemed almost as if I were reliving Halloween day at the blood drive.

Noah snapped in my face, trying to wake me from my dazed, comatose stare, and I felt awkward as my gaze shifted away from Claire. "Earth to bloody Clark Kent? You okay, mate?" Noah snapped twice again. I mused him, barely recovering from my trance for a moment before my vision doubled, and I took one last disgusted look at the gorgeous girl before I nosedived to the table.