[8 August, 1988]
"Wake up, sweetheart! It's time for school."
A pleasant voice from a woman echoed throughout the house. There were sounds of footsteps as a lady knocked on the door of the room.
KnockKnock
It was a small but cosy room full of bookshelves, a study desk and a comfy bed. Photo frames of a happy family were kept on the desk, showing a man hugging his wife and his son, while his pregnant wife was gently cradling the soft curve of her belly.
Comic books of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC were scattered throughout the room. Posters of superhero characters such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Jean Grey and many more were plastered across the entire room.
In this room full of life, there was a child of small frame sleeping on the soft bed curled beneath a cosy blanket. The child was around 7 years old, with tousled raven black hair, pale skin with a youthful glow across his face.
As the woman came close to him, she shook him gently and said, " Adrian, my cute little son. It's already 7 AM. Time to wake up!"
Listening to her voice, Adrian stirred a bit, his eyebrows scrunched up but his eyes remained closed.
She smirked knowingly, caressed his face, squeezed his cheeks teasingly and said, "Adrian, you need to wake up soon. You have school today. You'll need to have a full breakfast. "
After a few more nudges when Adrian didn't wake up, she smiled playfully and walked across the room. She opened the door and shut it without going out of the room. Then, tiptoed to the bed and peered over the edge of the bed at him.
After a few seconds, Adrian squinted his eyes and saw his mom smiling knowingly above him, "I knew it! I knew you were faking that. You think I can't recognise whether my son is sleeping or not??"
Then, she grabbed him by his stomach and started tickling him.
"Hahaha Hahahaha, I am sorry, Mom. I am sorry.", Adrian started pleading to her while squirming under the mercy of her hands. His mother didn't stop tickling him and said mischievously, "This is a punishment for you. How dare you play tricks on me!"
The door opened behind them and a deep voice said, "That's more than enough punishment, Ashley. You will wear yourself out at this rate."
Ashley looked back and said with a pout, "C'mon Darian. You think I can't spend some happy moments with my cute son?".
"I am not stopping you from doing that, honey. But remember, you are not alone. You have to take care of another life along with you.", said Darian as he held Ashley in his arms and kissed her on her forehead.
"Yes, Mom! You need to take care of my little sister.", said Adrian sitting on the bed behind them.
"Oh, Adrian thinks he has grown so much that he can lecture his mom about taking care of herself, huh?", said Ashley as she squeezed his cheeks. She looked at him lovingly and kissed him on his cheeks and said, "Good Morning, Adrian."
Adrian hugged his mom and dad one after the other and said, "Good Morning Mom and Dad!". Darian pats him on his back and said urgently, "Now, hurry up or you will be late for school!"
"Ok, Dad. I am going to get ready!"
At the dining table downstairs, Ashley was reading the newspaper while eating her breakfast. Darian was cooking in the kitchen as Adrian came downstairs with his school bag.
The smell of freshly toasted bread and scrambled eggs wafted in Adrian's nose as he came down the staircase and took a deep breath. His small feet tapped gently against the floor.
He was dressed in his freshly pressed school uniform, which was a white shirt tucked into bright navy blue pants and a striped tie that suited the colour combination. He looked like a child who was printed on the school brochure that was presented to potential parents. Though, his wild raven-black hair might be the factor that would prevent that, since they refused to be tamed no matter what method was used.
Ashley smiled from behind the newspaper as she saw her son enter.
"There's my handsome boy," she said warmly, folding the paper and setting it aside.
"Come, eat quickly. Your dad made scrambled eggs today."
Adrian sat on the chair and gave a big smile to her. "Yay! Dad's eggs are the best!"
From the stove, Darian turned to them and smiled at both of them. He came to the table and presented the plate to Adrian and said, "Ta dah! Try that toast and tell me how it tastes."
Adrian bit into the toast and said "The toast is heavenly!"
Ashley chuckled softly, placing a glass of milk beside him and said lovingly, "Eat up. You don't want to be late for school."
As Adrian munched on his breakfast, he looked at both his parents. His dad had curly, black hair with a healthy tan on his skin. He was wearing a flowery apron over his work clothes, his sleeves rolled up which looked extremely funny to him whenever he noticed that.
His mom had blonde hair tied in a ponytail and sparkling blue eyes. Sher was wearing a loose yellow dress while her hands gently rested over her baby bump.
After finishing his breakfast, Adrian jumped off his chair and rushed to his parents. He wrapped his arms tightly around his mom and whispered in her ears, "I love you, mom,",
Ashley stroked his hair with both hands, her eyes tender, pecked his cheeks and said, "I love you too, my little angel."
He then turned to his dad, and Darian picked him up with a grunt, spinning him in the air before setting him down.
"Alright, champ. You got your lunch? Homework?"
"Yes, Dad. Everything's packed. I don't forget things. I am not a child anymore. ", said Adrian rolling his eyes.
Darian laughed, placed a gentle hand on his head and said, "Good. Now, go be awesome."
Adrian nodded at them, picked up his bag and waved goodbye to both of them.
"Be safe, honey!", called out Ashley.
However, unlike what Ashley and Darian thought Adrian didn't go straight to school.
He walked a bit of the way, glanced around quickly and after ensuring no one was watching, he then moved off the pavement.
His shoes tapped against the concrete as he slipped through a narrow path between two suburban homes, It was a shortcut he had discovered weeks ago. Adrian hummed across the way, he smelled the scent of dewy grass and heard the chirping of birds nearby.
The alley opened into a small park hidden behind the houses, It was an old unmaintained park with lots of weeds growing all over the place along with a couple of flowers. This was Adrian's secret place.
He walked over to a patch of earth near the garden's edge, where a single daisy stood alone, its white petals slightly wilting. Adrian knelt before it, putting his bag beside him.
He reached out towards the flowers with both of his hands, not touching the flowers but at a distance from them. He focused immensely, trying to gather that familiar feeling he had felt a few times in the past year. His fingers trembled slightly, and he tried to remember that feeling of warmth. He didn't understand how it was possible but he knew he could do it.
His eyebrows furrowed in focus and warmth emerged in his chest. He let that flow guide him because he knew that would result in what he desired to do and soon, the daisy trembled.
Its petals stretched upward, and it gained a pearly shine. There was no trace of that flower being in a wilted condition. There was a soft golden glow that had lit the centre of the flower, for a flicker of a second that could be easily missed and it disappeared as if it was never there.
Adrian's breath stopped as he kept staring at that fully developed flower.
"See?" he whispered to himself.
"I knew I was special."
He said that as if he was confirming his belief and to him, what he saw and he did was proof that he was different from other people. His fingers curled into his palm out of excitement as he plopped back on the grass.
He had no explanation of how and why he could do something like that, but he had powers that others didn't have.
Adrian touched the flower gently and muttered under his breath, "I don't know what this is… or how. But I'm not like them. I know it. I feel it in my bones."
There was a pause, as if coming to terms with his situation.
"…I just wish someone else knew as well."
Suddenly, a sharp realisation hit him and he shouted, scaring off a few birds as well, "The time!"
Adrian stood up, grabbed his bag and bolted out of the park as if he was running for his life. His shoes slapped the pavement as he darted through the same alleyway he had used before. He entered the main street and started running to his school while weaving through other kids and the crowd as his bag bounced on his back.
He took the last turn and the tall black gate of his school entered his eyes. There were already a couple of teachers standing there to control the final rush of students before the doors were closed.
Adrian sighed in his mind as he thought, 'I'm late again.'
He raced past the school gate and rushed toward his classroom flinging the door open, while panting throughout the whole way.
Their class teacher Mr. Farley looked up from the blackboard. He looked at the clock and raised an eyebrow, asking the reason behind Adrian being late, "Mr. White??".
Adrian leaned against the door, trying to catch his breath and thought of an excuse quickly, "Sorry, sir. I... I took the long way."
He gazed at the classroom as his friends waved at him.
Mr. Farley sighed and ushered him to take his seat quickly, "Take your seat, Adrian.".
Adrian nodded quickly and walked to his desk with a smile, relieved that not get any punishment. He sat beside a boy with brown hair who gave him a high five. Adrian returned it and opened his bag to take out his notebook.
Just as the class was going to settle down, the door opened again. However, it wasn't a late student this time.
The deputy headmistress entered the class with her thick glasses and her strict gaze. Along with her, there was a new girl. She was Adrian's age, maybe slightly older. Her skin was pale like porcelain, and her short hair fell around her face in soft silvery waves. Her expression was unreadable, and there was a reserved look on her face as if she thought that she didn't belong there. She wore the same uniform as everyone else, but it seemed off. As if it didn't belong to her, but she wore it anyway, because she had to.
Mrs. Button said with an authoritative tone, "Everyone, settle down. We have a new student joining us today.".
Murmuring in the classroom stopped at once as students looked at the new girl curiously.
The girl stepped forward as Mrs. Button introduced her, "This is Delphini. Delphini Riddle. She's transferred here from out of town. I expect you all to treat her kindly and help her settle in."
Her eyes scanned the room slowly, as she was trying to gain an understanding of the classroom.
Her eyes passed Adrian as well and he felt a strange chill run down his spine when their eyes met for a second.
She took the empty seat by the window without showing any expression at all.
Mr. Farley went back to teaching basic geometry but Adrian couldn't focus. He kept stealing glances at her.
She sat completely still, not writing anything just focusing on what was being taught in the classroom.
Adrian thought to himself, 'Something about her feels different.'
Adrian looked down at his notebook as the numbers got muddled in his eyes. His thoughts circled back to the daisy in the park, what he did and then he thought of Delphini.
The classroom buzzed around him with idle chatter, the drone of the lesson in the background but Adrian's mind was elsewhere.
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Illustrations
[Adrian]
[Ashley]
[Darian]
[Delphini]