The Amplified : Fire Blight (Book 1)

Chapter Seventeen - Moments Rememebered

I was thrown back exactly a years ago today, I was back in my house before it got burned down, I watched as I was preparing for school like I usually would. I heard Stephy ruffling through her room looking for something, panicking while searching for it. I opened the door to try and help her, but she started to shout at me, so I just left her to do her thing while being annoyed at everything. Looking at it now, she might have used her powers to make me angry then. I walked downstairs to see mom in her apron as she pulled two slices of toast from the toaster and splay them on a plate next some golden scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. I could remember the taste of the food, the eggs were soft and delicate to the touch with just the right amount of salt and the bacon crunched so satisfyingly with each bite, filling my tongue with a timeless sensation. My mom looked beautiful, her chestnut hair was in a bun with some strands of hair falling light against her face, the light in her blue eyes seemed to intensify behind her glasses but there was the same warmth in them as there always was. Then there was that smile. Stephy being annoying seemed to completely disappear from thought, my mom had that effect on everyone around her. I watched as she talked to me before Stephy walked down and joined us on the table, still upset, but it took mom just a few words to make her smile too. It hurt to see her, parts of me told me I couldn't do anything but watch, so I just watched. Pain still lingered in me like shrapnel slowly digging its way into my heart as I watched her, ghostly tears that weren't there ran down my cheek effortlessly. Seeing her this happy was always something I longed for but now the thought ached me to my core, I could never remember the words spoken that morning but I knew the words that flowed out my mother's lips brought a smile to our faces. 

Suddenly scenes change to halls of school, still the same day. I was now watching myself pace outside F9 impatiently, peaking into the window to see if I could see her. The door finally opened as people flooded out like a leaking dam and when everyone was out the person I was waiting for still hadn't gotten out yet, then she immerged head hung low with sadness only to display a test paper with an A+ on it. I embraced her in a hug and swung her around like a ragdoll. I released Megan from my bear hug and walked away together, our hands intertwined in each other. Her cherry hair moved like waves by the beach, her freckles were like ink splattered against her nose. We had been dating four months at this point. 

"I told you that you could do it," I said with a smile that took up all of my face. 

"I know, I just thought that I rambled too much on the purpose of cybersecurity and the effect on the economy and-" 

"Hey, you got an A+ which is great. You don't have to worry about it anymore." I told her as pulled her close and put my arm around her. 

"Yeah, you're right. We have a new thing to worry about."  

"We do?" I asked partially scared because I knew how worked up she would get when she was worried or stressed. 

"Your birthday is in two days." She said with glee. 

"Oh yeah, I'm just going to do the thing I've been for the last five years. Pizza and a crappy movie with Juan and Pepper and you obviously unless you are going to Stephy's sweet sixteen extravaganza." 

"Or you guys can share a party so that I don't have to choose my boyfriend and my best friend." 

"We haven't shared a party since we were ten and you know that I hate big parties." It seemed like we had been walking forever, to a place that would never come. 

"I know, I'm sorry that I'm asking but I don't want to choose between the two of you." She didn't want to push but I knew how much we both meant to her. 

"If you want to go to Stephy's party, it's fine. Juan's bringing the original Fantastic Four and Pep is bringing a crap ton of junk food. Stephy's will be more fun, but I just can't do a big party."