Power (Book 1)

Chapter 18

I ran into the wall fourteen more times before I got control of my speed. Que made me run 150 laps total- and every one of them was painful after the first thirty. I actually understand why he ran me so hard, though. After those laps, I had almost completely mastered running.

It was kind of like a baby's first steps. After the initial first foot on the floor, I fell, fell, and fell again, each time knowing what to do and what not to do. I figured out how fast I needed to run to make turns and how to slow down the right way so as not to catch my shoes on fire.

Que doesn't seem that bad of a teacher. He obviously knows his way around superspeed, no matter how bad his fashion choices are. I think I'm gonna like him.

Overall, it was a pretty productive day.

As I politely declined Jake's offer to ride me back home (he was waiting for me outside his car), I wondered if I could start running everywhere. No car, no bike, no bus, no nothing. I could literally run to any place faster than any other transportation.

My thinking was interrupted by a buzz from my pocket.

I checked my phone. It was Cassie. It's been a while since I've heard from her. I answered it cheerily.

"Hey!" I said, my peppy mood flowing over into my voice. "What's up?"

"Where have you been!" Cassie exclaimed. Unlike me, she was definitely not happy. She actually seemed worried. "I haven't seen you at school, and no one knows where you are, I've asked. Even Mr. Brown, and...are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, walking along the road. I was surprised that Principal Brown hadn't announced to the school that I was kicked out. He even took it so far as to lie to Cassie. That may have been the only nice thing he's ever done for me in my whole life unless he's just trying not to ruin the school's reputation or something. "Don't worry about me."

"I know, I know," she said. "But when are you coming back? To school, I mean."

"I'm not coming back," I said quietly. My good mood dwindled a little. "I got kicked out."

"How did that happen?" she asked skeptically. She was no longer angry, just confused.

"Since there was no proof that I didn't attack my parents and there is no other witness but you...I don't know how that works. But Principal Brown kicked me out the next day. So really, I don't care." I tried to act nonchalant, as if I really didn't care. But really, I missed going to school- even though I'd only been gone a week and a half.

"Oh, that son of a bitch!" Cassie exclaimed. "I wish he would just quit already. I don't like him at all." She paused, probably thinking of what to say.

"Hey! I know what you can do! See, my parents just got this new security system installed at the house, and it has this camera that sees outside the door. They got it because they think everyone else in the neighborhood has it. If that's true, then that means that there's a pretty high chance that the people who live in front of your house do, too. And if they do, could you get it and show Mr. Brown so he could let you back in?"

"Why would that help me?" I didn't get what she was saying.

"They could have footage of when you were getting beat up by that weird-named guy on the street. And, with any luck, they'll have a good camera, too, so they might have recorded some of the fight inside the house through the window."