JACKIE:

Grace grabbed two sweaters from her closet and threw one at me. We put shoes on and stepped outside to experiment with our genetically enhanced super powers.

“This is exciting.” Grace smirked. “I feel like a covert spy or something.”

We laughed and walked through the crisp morning air as the sun rose to greet us. It was the crack of dawn, and dew dripped from the Grid. The campus was still asleep. I guess rich kids don’t usually wake up too early.

“This way.” Grace led me to a parking structure. “No one will see us in here.”

We bound up the stairs and walked past parked cars until we found an empty corner. Grace looked around to make sure no one was watching.

“Coast is clear.”

A pile of crushed beer cans littered the empty end of the lot, so we lined them up on the concrete wall divide.

“Okay, show me what you’ve got, Grace.”

“You go first, Jackie. I’m nervous.”

“Come on. You’ve got this.”

Grace closed her eyes and opened her palms. She manifested a small fireball, but it fell out of her hand. She stomped the flames out against the concrete with her foot.

“See, I suck at this.”

“No big deal. Try again. Shoot the fireballs out with more force. Don’t worry about hitting the cans, just get them close. Precision can come later.”

Grace stepped forward and aimed her hand at the line of cans. She closed her eyes, and a fireball shot out. It missed the cans by a long shot, but went further this time.

“Maybe you should keep your eyes open,” I instructed. “Don’t be scared of your full potential.”

“Okay, okay.” She tried again and missed. Grace made fire, but didn’t have the conviction to push it out with force.

Sensing her frustration, I stepped up and aimed at the end can. My blue bolt of fire struck the target. Perfect shot!

“Nice job, Jackie!” Grace cheered.

I levitated a few inches off the ground and gave a curtsy.

“Come on, Grace. You can do hard things. Forget the fire for now. Try to fly.”

Grace closed her eyes and concentrated, but nothing happened. She jumped, but fell right back down to the ground.

“This is stupid. I can’t fly!”

“Envision yourself succeeding. Feel the power from within and focus on the strength in your legs.” It was hard to describe how to do it, but my encouragement gave her the confidence to try again.

Grace nodded. She jumped up and down several times. Still nothing. She stomped her foot, frustrated.

“Don’t give up.” I levitated and inched toward the concrete divide. The farther I went, the faster I got. Flying was fun.

“Woo!”

Grace laughed. “That’s so cool! I want to do it!”

Still levitating, I shot a fireball, knocking down another beer can.

“Five points for me! Come on, Grace. Keep trying.”

The excitement of seeing me succeed helped Grace find her way. She jumped up, and her feet hovered above the ground. She swung her arms around to maintain her balance.

“Woah, look at me! I’m doing it. I’m flying! This can’t be happening.”

“This isn’t a dream. It’s real! You’re a phoenix gene carrier!”

With my encouragement, she created a fireball and aimed at the cans. She fell back down to the ground, unable to shoot and levitate at the same time. Grace aimed at the cans again. One fireball missed, but the next one hit its target.

“Alright! Way to go!”

“That one hurt.” Ash covered Grace’s burnt hand. She tried to wipe it away, but it was ground into her skin.

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“It’ll heal. Leave it alone and focus on flying,” I told her.

Grace closed her eyes again. She levitated ever so slightly. Her feet barely left the ground, but I still celebrated her minor victory with a high five.

“You’re doing it!”

“This is unbelievable, Jackie! How is this even possible?”

“We’re special… Take the last can.”

Grace levitated slightly and aimed.

As she lined up her shot, the side door to the parking garage open. Voices echoed. Someone was coming.

She looked back while taking her shot. Grace fell to the ground, still unable to levitate and shoot at the same time. She missed the can and hit a parked car instead. The alarm went off at full volume.

Grace’s jaw dropped in shock. “Oh no. Let’s get out of here before we get caught!”

We ran away to avoid being discovered. Our feet pounded the pavement as we raced down the stairs, out of the parking garage and onto the campus quad.

“Did anyone see us?” Grace asked with worried eyes.

“I don’t think so…”

“I hope not! The press would have a field day if anyone knew about these powers.”

“Your secret is safe with me!”

We kept running. The crisp morning air kissed my cheeks and sent a rush of energy up my spine. Once we were far enough away from the parking garage, Grace and I stopped to catch our breath. We burst out laughing.

“You should have seen your face,” I joked.

Grace winced. “Should go back and leave a note?”

“Yeah, no. I can’t get involved in legal matters in this timeline. I’m sure anyone who goes to Hampshire University can afford a new paint job.”

“Very true,” Grace agreed. “I’ll probably still go back and leave a note or slide some cash under the windshield wiper.”

“That’s very noble of you.”

“Thanks for showing me these abilities, Jackie. I can hardly believe it.”

“You’re more powerful than you know.” I hugged Grace, unable to resist the urge. She hugged me back.

“I still don’t understand how we share these powers. Do we both have the… phoenix gene?”

“It’s complicated, but I’ll explain everything. Hey, should we grab some breakfast while we talk things over?” I asked. “I’ve worked up an appetite.”

“If the campus food didn’t scare you off, let’s use up my meal plan credits.”

“Thanks, Grace.”

My mom and I walked toward the cafeteria with a newfound pep in our step, brimming with excitement over our shared abilities.

“Stephanie would be so jealous,” Grace joked. “But no one can know about this. Promise not to tell?”

“Promise.” We pinky-swore on it. Our little secret.

We joked about joining the circus on the way to the cafeteria.

“Let’s run away together. We’d make a fortune as a traveling freak show."

“My father would love that!”

“He might want to marry the bearded lady!”

Grace grimaced. “Yeah right.”

“What? Not his type?”

Luckily, the cafeteria had already opened. We were the only ones there besides the staff. The smell of fresh bread never gets old. Grace scanned her DNA Identifier to pay for us to enter the buffet line. Once again, I piled my plate as high as possible, while Grace stuck to a small salad with black coffee.

The sweetness of the fresh fruit, the warmth of the eggs, the way the butter melted on my toast; the abundance of this life was a far cry from my original timeline.

“I’ve never seen someone like this hospital food so much!” Grace joked.

My mouth was too full to speak, so she continued.

“Time to fess up, Jackie. If we both have these powers, does that mean you’ve injected the serum too? How do you know so much about my family? Did my mother really send you?” Grace took a sip of coffee and leaned in, desperate to know all my secrets.

How could I explain it to her? I swallowed my food, ready to get real.

“Yes, Beatrice sent me here to help you.”

“When? Did she reach out to you right before she died last summer?”

“Not exactly… Grace, I’m your unborn daughter from another dimension.”

She spit her mouthful of coffee in my face. “Sorry, Jackie, but you are too funny! Don’t you realize how ridiculous you sound?”

Coffee dripped from my nose. I wiped it off with a napkin.

“This is serious, Grace. In another life, both you and my father took the serum. I was naturally born with the phoenix gene.”

I ran my fingers through the red streak in my hair and shifted in my seat awkwardly. How would Grace take the news?

Her cheeks flushed. “Your weirdo act was funny, Jackie, but it’s getting tired. You’ve taken it too far this time.”

“Weird is an accurate way to describe me, but I’m telling you the truth.”

“So you actually think you’re my unborn daughter… From another dimension?”

“It seems crazy, but yes. I’m telling the truth.”

“Who’s your father? Who’s my… supposed lover?” She smirked while crossing her arms defensively.

Zayne crossed my mind, but it didn’t seem like a good idea to give her details from another probability.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said.

Grace wiped the smile off her face. “It matters to me! Don’t I end up with Feraz? We’re going to be together forever. I know it.”

“Definitely not,” I declared.

Grace deflated. “We haven’t picked a wedding date yet, but he’s planning to propose soon…”

I touched Grace’s hand from across the table. “Look, it’s difficult to face the facts sometimes, but trust me when I say Feraz is not right for you. He’s using you to get the Life Rite serum. Isn’t that right?”

She pulled her hand away. “He wants to be together forever. One lifetime isn’t enough. I think it’s romantic, don’t you?”

“Grace, he wants immortality. How are you getting the drug? Who is synthesizing it? From what I know, Mark didn’t release it to the public this time.”

Grace shook her head. Her rosy cheeks deepened to a crimson red. “None of your business. If you tell anyone about this drug, my father’s lawyers will crush you for defamation. Don’t even try to drag Feraz into this. His family is not to be messed with.”

“I already told you. Your secret is safe with me.”

“People like me can’t afford to have secrets. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Yes, but….”

“Drop it, Jackie. I want to help you out, but if you investigate this line of questioning, things won’t end well for you. That’s the way the world works.”

I pushed my plate away, no longer hungry. Frustration filled my belly instead. “I’m fully aware of how the world works, Grace. But do you? I’m trying to help. You’re in too deep, but you don’t have to face it alone.”

“I don’t need you, or anyone, for that matter.” Grace took a sip of her black coffee and got up, leaving her salad untouched.

“Where are you going?”

“Goodbye Jackie. It’s been fun, but it ends here. You already know too much. Don’t follow me, psycho.”

She walked away without giving me a chance to explain.

I pounded the table with my fist. “Damn it. I took it too far.”

Back at square one, how could I convince Grace that I wasn’t the enemy when she’d protect her darkest secret at all costs?