Prologue
"I've always thought that life was pretty much just like that one Pink Floyd rock song i cant remember the name of with lyrics that go... 'Just another lost soul swimming in a fish bowl, year after year'. A constant loop of time that pulls you forward but keeps you consumed in present matters. Not looking back." Dereks calm, cool voice reverberated in his own head. His green eyes glittering like embers from a fire that burned out hours ago. A sideways grin across his face. Then he fell into nothingness, a strange somber white world. He felt like he was drowning. He clawed at the air above but it wasnt air at all. It was the nothingness that often chased him in his dreams until he cried out and awoke in a sweaty pile of flesh twisted in his bedsheets. But this time was different, this time he found himself standing in the principles office in 2nd grade beside his friend Jake Summers, Jakes Dad Thomas, and his own dad Justin. With his usual Tense stare.
"What did Derek do this time?" His Dads gruff growl made Derek look down at the floor, feeling guilty even though he didn't do anything wrong.
The Principal hung up the phone, adjusting her glasses delicately upon the bridge of her nose. "Well Mr. Shamen its exactly the opposite." She smiled reassuringly at Derek and he smiled back before his eyes moved to the floor again.
"Derek protected Jake from another boy here in school that was bullying Jake." Jake smiled, slapping Derek on the back. At the time Jake was the taller of the two and more athletic. Snapping Derek out his thoughts of self doubt his Father always managed to stir, his intimidation subsiding.
The Principal looked at the two boys with an unreadable expression.
"But Jake didn't cause this to happen did he?" Jakes father asked.
"No, it was an untriggered attack. The other boy tried to attack Jake and Derek stepped between them and countered him."
Suddenly the office door opened and the boy that was bullying Jake walked in, his Mom and Dad storming in behind him. "I'd like to know why i was called by the school while i was in the middle of an important meeting!" Said the Bullys Dad huffing angrily as he spoke.
His Moms expression was unreadable and she didnt speak. She sat in a chair between her son and his Dad facing the Principals desk.
"Well Mr. Green it has come to my attention that your son has been bullying Jake and Derek for six months now. And he finally got caught and stopped when he tried to harm Jake because Jake finally stood up to him." The Bullys Dads eyes flashed around until they settled on Jake. "Oh of course the poor boy." He mumbled looking down at his phone.
Dereks hands clutched the sides of his chair tightly, a soft green light beginning to glow from the palms of his hands unseen to the others aside from his Dad. His eyes flashed in anger for a brief moment. Suddenly the Bullys Dad screamed and Derek looked up from the floor towards him when everyones eyes turned the same direction.
The Bullys Fathers phone exploded in his hands, shards of the screen flooded into his face and eyes. Embedding themselves in his skin as if they had been there forever. One with his face. The battery of the phone was the source of the explosion, its acid dripped into the bloody mess Derek left. His anger in the moment quickly faded away into sheer shock. The Bullys Dad dropped his phone and fell to the ground. His five fingers on his right hand were gone, replaced with bloody and disfigured stubs.
The Principals mouth dropped wide open as she frantically picked up the phone on her desk and called 911. Dereks Dad raised his eyebrows and looked down at his son, noticing the green light in his sons palms beginning to fade away.
Derek was horrified, he looked down at his hands. I hope no one notices this! What have i done? His own thoughts screamed in his head.
His Dad nodded to the Principal and to Jake and his Father. No one noticed, thank God. Derek looked at his Dad and tears streamed down his face. His Dad grabbed him up by his arm and left the office quickly as sirens began to surround the school and the scene.
Jake waved at Derek. "See you tomorrow Derek!" He yelled as the door closed behind them.
Derek jerked awake in his sleep. He was sixteen again. He stood up and went into the bathroom connected to his room and looked in the mirror to make sure this was all real.
Damn.. I sure do hate these flash back dreams. His thoughts echoed in the back of his mind as he washed his face with water from the sink that was as hot as he could handle. Burning reality back into him.
I need to get ready for school before my Dad tries to kill me, god forbid i piss him off before he catches his plane for his Law Firms big buisness trip coming up. Derek went back into his room, which he kept meticulously clean for a teenager, finding the shelves of which he sorted his school outfits in from his everyday outfits; 'Not related to school'... Right.
He carefully thumbed his way through until he found his Favorite Maroon 5 t-shirt and a pair of starched dark blue jeans. Maroon 5 was his favorite band. He nodded approvingly and grabbed his dark green hoodie that zipped in the front, feeling the small pouch pocket with his left hand. He slid it on over his Maroon 5 shirt and left it unzipped. He was left handed. Ah good my ipod nano is in there. I cant afford to get my phone taken away during class again. His school allowed them a music device if it didn't have a big screen that allowed you to do more than browse your music collection.
He made sure he had his earbuds with it and sat on his bed, grabbing a pair of socks from one of the two drawers in the frame of his bed below the mattress.
He began humming to himself as he slid his socks on, then his dark green converse high tops. He popped his earbuds into his ears and grabbed his back pack that was covered in pins with all his favorite bands on them and a funny little voodoo looking doll tied to his backpack that had pins in her head, a very neglected barbie doll Jake gave him when they were in 8th grade two years ago for laughs. He was starting his sophomore year in High School this year.
He walked out of his bedroom, down the hall past his dads room and the laundry room and down the stairs and past the kitchen and the second bathroom. Through the living room and out the front door. Happy to be away from His Dad. He met up with Jake outside at the bus stop and high fived him. Of all people aside from his Dad Jake was the only person that knew Dereks secret. But Jake was a Norm- Non Muntant. Hes never given Derek a reason not to trust him. He actually helped Derek control his powers and train.
"Derek.. My girfriends been cheating on me. Look at her Facebook, shes already removed me and tagged someone else in my place." He handed Derek his phone and Derek thumbed through her timeline. "Well you knew how big of a slut she was before you began dating her. Her track record isnt the best. I warned you man." Jake sighed. "Yeah but you know me!" Derek chuckled. "Yeah you just wanna be happy. Nothing wrong with that. If she makes you happy then go for it." Derek was still a virgin himself, and his whole life other than watching girls his age or older at a distance he focused on playing guitar and his school work. His interests this year began to get a little different though. When he found out Sia Tomas was starting her freshman year with them at Wellford High. He had thought they were moving away but her mom Changed her mind. Maybe this year will be different. Maybe this year she'll notice me more.
The bus pulled up as they nodded to one another and got on, sitting side by side in the very middle of the bus. "Ill take a better look at Lunch." Derek whispered to Jake when the bus driver told everyone to be quiet. She didnt have much patience.
