Lou pulled his hoodie tighter as he approached the bus stop. His breath was visible in the chilly morning air. The stop was already crowded with students. Their conversations were filled with laughter and the occasional bursts of exaggerated storytelling. Lou hung back at the bus stop, a lone island in a sea of chattering students. He clutched his old notebook closer, its worn cover was a shield against the invisible waves of isolation crashing over him.
The most challenging part of the day was now beginning; to avoid any human contact at all cost. It wasn't actually that hard for Lou anymore, as he had been doing this for a long time. In fact, he thought that invisibility would be the power best suited for him. He already spent most of his days that way.
As he boarded the bus, he found a quiet seat near the front. He opened a book to lose himself in. Across the aisle, two students were loudly discussing the latest gossip.
"Did you hear about Zack? He got his power the day before and guess what? He can manipulate shadows. He’s talking about dropping out of school to join the Dueling League," one student said with a mix of awe and envy.
"Yeah, and I heard he’s already been scouted by a Dojo. Can you imagine dropping out of high school to become a duelist?”
“With that kind of power, who wouldn’t?" the other replied, their voice laced with excitement.
Lou listened, the seeds of anxiety were sinking deeper. Tomorrow was his birthday. What if his power turned out to be something ridiculous? What if it wasn’t even combat-worthy?
A cold sweat prickled Lou's skin as he envisioned himself standing before the awestruck crowds of the Dueling League, his "power" a pathetic puff of wind or a paintbrush that inexplicably changed colors. Shame burned in his throat, a bitter counterpoint to the gnawing anxiety in his gut.
Lou slammed his book shut, the sound echoing in the sudden quiet of his mind. The weight of anticipation settled on his shoulders like a leaden cloak as the bus lurched to a stop. Each creak was a reminder of the unknown looming before him.
He made his way through the crowded hallways. There were a few empty lockers that were abandoned by the people who had the coolest powers. Each of them was a reminder of the uncertainty of his future. As he dodged students and navigated through clusters of excited chatter, he felt his invisibility cloak tighten around him. No one called out to him; no one stopped him for a chat. That was a relief for him.
Lou's usual refuge at the back of the classroom provided scant cover today. Derek, as menacing as he was charismatic, occupied Lou's desk with his feet arrogantly perched on the table. A malicious grin was spread across his face.
"Hey, Lou-ser," Derek's voice boomed, slicing through the classroom's low murmur like a knife. He stood and swaggered toward Lou with deliberate steps, drawing the eyes of every classmate. "Heard the big day's tomorrow. You gonna get a power as lame as you?" He leaned in close. His breath was sour with disdain. "What’s it gonna be, huh? The power to bore us all to death?"
His goonies erupted in snickers. Their laughter ricocheted off the walls, multiplying the sting of his words. Lou pushed against Derek's chest with a feeble attempt to regain some space and dignity. "Cut it out, Derek!" he muttered, his cheeks flaming and hands trembling under the table.
Just then, the classroom door slammed open. Mrs. Coldwell stormed in, her eyes sharp and scanning. "What's this disruption?" she snapped, her gaze quickly zeroing in on the commotion—Derek standing mockingly close to Lou.
With an exaggerated sigh, Derek smoothly pivoted, pointing at Tommy who sat nearby, bewildered. "Tommy was just cracking us up with his new joke, Mrs. Coldwell. Right, Tommy?"
Caught completely off guard, Tommy's eyes widened, a mix of shock and betrayal flickering across his face. "Uh—yeah, sure," he stammered uncertainly.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Mrs. Coldwell's gaze hardened further. "Detention, Tommy. Maybe that'll teach you to keep your jokes to yourself." With a stern look that quelled any further laughter, she strode to her desk, her presence imposing order.
As the class shifted awkwardly back to a semblance of routine, Derek shot Lou a venomous glance, his whisper barely audible yet cutting deep, "This isn't over, Lou-ser." He retreated with a smirk, the threat of his words lingering in the air.
Lou sank deeper into his seat, relief at the temporary diversion mingling with a growing sense of dread. While today's skirmish had been momentarily deflected, the ongoing war of high school hierarchies was far from over.
Derek's taunts persisted throughout the class, but Lou remained unfazed. He kept his focus on his notebook, his sanctuary. As he sketched stick figures donned in capes, the classroom faded into the background. The teacher's voice, droning on about historical battles, barely registered. Lou was engrossed in a different battle—a struggle to belong, to stand out, to transform from the invisible 'Lou-ser' into a hero of his own story.
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Lunchtime—great, Lou thought as the bell rang. He hesitated, waiting for everyone to leave before he made his decision. Opting against the noisy chaos of the cafeteria, he headed to the library instead. Fortunately, Derek and his goons weren’t waiting for him out there. He'd eat surrounded by books and the quiet presence of others like him—those who preferred the company of printed words to the unpredictable world of high school social dynamics.
As he settled into a secluded corner of the library with his sandwich and apple, he overheard a couple of students at the next table.
"It’s like when Jenna got her power last week, right? Instant popularity. She can make any outfit instantly fashionable. It’s like puff and slay!"
"Yeah, powers make or break you here," the other student agreed, flipping through a notebook filled with doodles and notes.
Lou chewed his apple thoughtfully, the sweet crunch a stark contrast to the bitter disappointment rising in his throat. He replayed the whispers about Zack's power in his mind, the image of a room erupting in applause a cruel mirage. Tomorrow, when he blew out the candles, would anything truly change? Would he still be invisible, lost in the sea of extraordinary abilities?
He spent the rest of his lunch break reading about heroes who had turned their quirks into their greatest strengths. The most prestigious thing in the world was winning the Duel League. Each story was a reminder that often, what made someone special wasn’t the grandeur of their abilities but how they chose to use them. The more he read, the more he regained his confidence.
As Lou gathered his belongings in the library, he noticed Evan walking towards the exit. The sight of his former friend tightened something in Lou's chest. They hadn't spoken since the fallout, a day that left a bitter mark on Lou’s conscience, the details of which he wasn't ready to confront fully, not even in his own thoughts.
Lou paused, a part of him yearning to bridge the gap that had grown so wide and cold between them. He almost called out, a greeting teetering on the edge of his lips. But as Evan glanced up and their eyes met, there was a brief moment where something unspoken passed between them. Then, without a word, Evan looked away and continued walking, his steps were quick and relentless.
The bell that released him slammed shut; the sound echoed in the sudden hollowness of Lou's chest. His still body and the vibrant school hallway all seemed to meld into a blurry watercolor painting. Rejection was an ache—physical, throbbing—a reminder in his stomach of the bridge he'd burned with Evan. He wanted so much to follow the first friend in line, the one who had ditched him now, just to fix the broken connection, but the weight of his actions kept him rooted to the spot.
Lou watched as Evan disappeared through the doors. There would be no reconciliation today, as the day before, and perhaps not for many days to come.
With a heavy sigh, Lou adjusted his backpack and stepped out of the library. As he walked through the busy hallways, his thoughts were tumultuous. Tomorrow he would gain his power, a milestone marked by excitement and anxiety alike. But beyond the possibilities of what his new ability could bring, he was left to ponder the more immediate challenges of repairing the past, of understanding his missteps and hopefully, one day, making them right.
He tried to spend the rest of the day without causing anyone to tease him, that is, in the way he was used to. However, he kept his hopes up that this would change. Hopefully tomorrow.
As he exited the school building, the cool air was a small relief against the turmoil inside him. Tomorrow was indeed another day—a day of new beginnings in more ways than one. Lou resolved that no matter what power he received, the true test would be in how he chose to wield it, not just in the world around him, but within the tangled web of his personal relationships. Maybe, just maybe, he would find a way to mend the broken bridges, starting with the one inside him.
But, maybe he would have to burn all the bridges.