Oh man, I don't know why I constantly did this to myself, yet there I was. My mouth felt dry, the stench of alcohol seeping from my pores and breath.

I did pace myself and made sure not to get drunk. But I still ended up feeling nice last night. And that meant facing some... consequences the following day.

I could've just healed myself. But I wasn't a punk.

I greedily gulped down a glass of water. It was amazing how much something so simple aided in curing many ailments, particularly the ones we created for ourselves. Once my stomach filled, I trudged to my bathroom and washed up.

At least I didn't look as crappy as I was feeling. My dark red curls were neatly placed in their pineapple style, some ringlets falling onto my soapy forehead. I pushed them back and continued washing up.

That's when I noticed my eye color was different. My eyes widened as I took them in; the usual amber color was now light gray.

I rushed into my room and shakily called my dad. He picked up quickly, his voice cheerful. "Hello, baby girl! Nice to hear from you."

"Um, yes, Dad," I started, "my eye color changed. What does that mean?"

He paused and then called for my mom.

"I'm getting ready for a mission," she replied far away. "What's the matter?"

"I think she's getting your favorite power," he said in an almost singsong voice.

"What power?" I asked.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" she said, her voice nearing. I could've heard the excitement even if she stayed in the furthest part of the house. "You know, I was beginning to feel a bit snubbed that you only got your father's abilities."

"Can either of you please explain?" I snapped.

"Welcome to using the weather to your advantage," she said. "Create your own storms; go ahead, try it."

"I... don't know how." I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I knew they were excited, but this was new to me, and if I learned anything from training, it was not to practice any new abilities without supervision.

I would've anyway. But I was on unusually thin ice at the moment.

"I have to wait until I get to training today," I said. "I'll let you know how it goes then."

"You're gonna love these powers," Mom said. "We love you!"

Dad agreed and added, "Let us know how it goes. Bye!"

"Bye," I mumbled and then hung up.

I ran back into the mirror, looking at my eyes. They felt foreign. I was so used to how I looked my whole life. Suddenly, having this change unsettled me for a reason I couldn't put my finger on.

I hurried out of my apartment and rushed to the training arena. It was about three long corridors and an awkward elevator ride with a hero I'd never met before (very common, given this complex was massive). Once the doors opened, I sped off toward the sounds of loud grunts, screams, and general chaotic merriment.

I pushed open the heavy double doors, greeted with the stench of sweat and whatever other particles were left in the air due to people's powers.

The first thing I saw was a woman growing plants on the cement floor, who was swiftly reprimanded by one of the various coaches dressed in a neon green vest. He practically threw himself off the bleachers to stop her. She rolled her eyes and acquiesced, the plants receding through the floor.

I searched through the crowd of people "stretching," by stretching, I mean playing with their powers all willy-nilly until my eyes landed on Cecily. She spotted me when I spotted her, and she waved me over.

I made my way through the crowd, occasionally greeting my various friends while ignoring those who hated me until Cecily went in for a hug. Her mouth flew open, and she covered it for a moment.

"Your eyes," she said.

"Oh, yeah," I began sheepishly, "my parents seem to think I've developed my mom's weather powers."

"About time!" she said excitedly. "You already had the lightning down."

"Hey, I don't even know if it's true," I said, putting my hands up to calm her excitement. "Let's try not to get too happy yet."

"Try something," she said.

"The only thing I know how to control is lightning."

She put her hands on her hips with a smirk. "Girl. Duh. I mean, try something other than lightning."

"How? I feel nothing new in my body. I think it's just a load of crap."

"I'll say." The words immediately made me stiffen. Cecily's eyes hardened, and I turned to face the unwelcomed addition to our conversation. "Hi, Azira. Surprised to see I'm up and running so soon?"

Lyla's face was slightly bruised, but besides that, she looked good. Which, to be fair, I allowed to happen. I knew how much she could take from having trained amongst her for years now. I wasn't trying to come close to damaging her beyond repair. Like I said, I just wanted to teach her a lesson.

Clearly, the lesson wasn't learned. Her dark green hair slung over her shoulder in a neat braid. Her forest green eyes, just a tad lighter than her hair, lit up in amusement—she knew how easily she got under my skin and loved it.

"Those big ears of yours pick up everything?" I asked sarcastically. Her ears weren't physically big, but one of her abilities was super hearing. It's like an animal's hearing, but it's better.

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And Clara tried to call me the dog?

"Oh, yeah." Lyla smiled and took a step closer to me. "So, another ability from your parents? Will you ever be original?"

The smile didn't reach her eyes. She looked like she wanted to tear me to shreds. Her brows furrowed slightly as if fighting the frown they'd summon if they knit together. But her teeth practically shined as they spread into a toothy grin.

"You've got something right there," I said, pointing to the only imperfection on her face, stuck between two teeth. She grimaced and took a step away.

"Don't you ever brush your teeth?" Cecily teased.

Lyla flashed her a glare. "You're both childish."

"You're the one who doesn't practice basic hygiene," I retorted.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Anyway, I came here to warn you, Zira." I bristled at her use of my nickname, something she wasn't welcome to call me. Her hands shot into fists at her sides as she smirked. "One more mess up, and you're getting expelled from this school."

"She's not—" Cecily started.

"I heard," Lyla interrupted, condescendingly turning her head to the side, "that you were planning on sneaking out with Joseph."

I'm sure my expression spoke volumes to both of them because she practically giggled with glee as Cecily reached her arm out, holding me back. I hadn't even processed that I'd stepped forward with lightning bursting through my tightly clenched fists until she pleaded, "Please, don't engage her. It's not worth it."

"And if you should choose to do this, I will have no choice but to inform the Director of your blatant disregard for the rules," Lyla continued. "Fortunately for you, at this time, it's my word against yours, and for whatever reason, he wants to protect you. But he can't if you go through with this."

"So, that's it then, huh?" I growled. "You eavesdrop like a friggin' loser just because I put you in your damn place?"

"You didn't do anything," she replied.

"What's that pretty little bruise say?" I asked through grit teeth.

She laughed humorlessly. "Funny. But if you must know, I didn't have to eavesdrop. Joseph spilled the beans as soon as I spread my legs."

Another kick to the stomach. I wanted so desperately to stomp her onto the floor; Cecily's grip on my body was the only thing keeping me grounded.

"Oh, no..." Lyla pouted. "It seems I've upset you. Why don't you take it out on me?"

I hated her condescension. I hated the way she was egging me on. Gosh, I just hated her.

My words were failing me. Everything I wanted to say would prove to provoke me further.

"Stop trying to piss her off," Cecily snapped. "Go away!"

"Shut your damn mouth!" Lyla shot the mist into her face... Cecily's kryptonite—she shrank back and fell to the floor, writhing.

I was seeing red. Redder than red. In my mind, there was only one goal. And that was tearing the hair off Lyla's scalp.

But before I could react, Jeran was in front of me, lifting the glossy cement gym floor and wrapping it tightly around Lyla's body. She screamed, causing everyone's attention to look at us...

Primarily me. I had telekinesis, my most exhausting power, but I could use it to manipulate many inanimate objects. Jeran, however, specialized in controlling the earth around us. The powers looked similar even when different.

But Jeran didn't let me take the blame. "I did this. Lyla used her powers against my girlfriend. Again." He looked at me. "Heal, Cecily, please."

I sucked in a deep breath, centering myself. I knew that Lyla was handled, and as much as I wanted it to be by me, Jeran more than likely saved me from expulsion.

I squatted down next to Cecily and held my hands over her face. I lifted the mist from her nose and healed the damage it was doing to her body with a swipe of my hand. She gasped and weakly smiled. "Thanks, girl."

I still couldn't gather my words. She smiled. Why the hell was she so optimistic after being treated so horribly by that stupid chick?

"Okay, break it up," Albern, one of the coaches, said, pushing Jeran away from Lyla. "Release her."

"I will if she apologizes to my friend and girlfriend," Jeran said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I will not!" she shouted in fury.

"Then I'm not letting you out," he snapped.

Albern sighed and, with an exaggerated eye roll, said, "You're adults. Can you stop acting like damn children?"

"Yeah, Lyla, you better apologize and be a big girl," Jeran said mockingly.

She looked red in the face with rage. She began to sputter incoherently, her rambles doing nothing but further hurting herself.

"Enough, Lyla!" Albern snapped. She looked ready to breathe fire, another ability she actually possessed, but she knew she had to play her cards right to prevent further damage.

"Fine," she said, through a tight smile, "I'm sorry."

"Good girl," Jeran said sarcastically. The earth around her crumbled, and she fell onto her feet.

"Babe, are you okay?" he asked, turning to Cecily. She nodded and slipped her hand into his. "Thank you, hun."

"Of course," he said, grinning, and the rage bubbling in my heart cooled. Everything was okay. And Lyla could not provoke me into doing something I couldn't take back nor get out of.

"Go to the Director's office, Lyla," Albern commanded.

Her mouth dropped open. "What?!"

"You heard me. I know I didn't stutter."

"I didn't do anything!"

"You once again used someone's kryptonite against them. Go. Now!"

She gave me a grim look as he added, "And if I hear you try to twist this in your favor somehow, I will expose you myself. You'd better tell the truth and the whole truth." She stormed off, her green braid swinging with rage.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in.

"Look outside," Cecily said, nudging me. I looked up at one of the various high windows. It had been a beautiful, sunny day, but suddenly, it was darker than an average thunderstorm. The clouds almost looked like they were pressed against the windows.

"So?" I asked.

"That's definitely you," she said. I shook my head.

"I didn't do that; that's just the weather," I said with a shrug.

Before Cecily could further insist, Clara came storming towards us, anger filling her eyes. "You've done it again!"

My anger immediately surged up once more, my hands clenching together.

"Azira," Cecily warned. "I think you need to calm down."

"What?" I snapped, looking at her. "Why?"

"Because you're about to get yourself expelled," Clara taunted. "Go ahead. Try to hurt me."

"No," Cecily said. "That's not why." She pointed back to the window. I looked up and saw hail slamming against it.

"It's just a storm," I said, refocusing on Clara.

"You're a lowlife," she seethed. "The only good thing you have going for you is—"

"Clara, if you don't get the hell out of my face, I'll—" A giant ball of hail came slamming against the window, cracking it. It was floating there, repeatedly slamming into the window, the glass spider webbing.

"Your emotions!" Cecily said. "They're feeding the weather!"

The hail slammed through, pummeling towards Clara.

"Watch out!" Albern warned.

I yanked her behind me, and the hail stopped, dropping at my feet.

I hadn't realized I was panting until I heard its heavy thud. It was the size of a mini boulder. If it had hit us, my body wouldn't have done much to stop her from getting hurt, but at least people would know that I wasn't trying to kill her.

Cecily jumped up and down gleefully, clapping her hands like a child. "I knew it!"

People began surrounding the giant hail ball; I moved away from Clara. We held each other's gaze for a moment. Her expression was unreadable, and I was completely ready for her to have a meltdown and claim I was trying to kill her.

She didn't say anything, though. She just looked down at the hail with her lips sealed.

On the other hand, Cecily wasn't done gloating at how right she was. "I told you!" It was hilarious to her. "Now you definitely gotta control yourself, chica!"

"Cecily," I said, annoyed and about to protest that it couldn't have been me when the hail ball stirred again. I shut my mouth quickly, and her smirk grew wider.

"Oh, it feels great being right," she said as other people whispered amongst themselves.

"All right, get back to your training. Exercises will start in a few minutes," Albern ordered.

He returned his focus to us. "Big day for you, huh? Discovering new powers." He pulled out his work phone and scrolled to something before quickly typing into it. "Noted. After this, you have an extra training session to learn how to harness them."

"Nooooo," I protested, but he gave me the sharpest "zip it" look he's ever given me. I fought the urge to argue further.