Hurricane (The Charmed) (2 page)

How could she be so stupid? Walking right by Chase’s car, the one boy who could almost see her and they were inside it to boot. Lyla debated whether she should leave her hiding place but looked at the time and sprinted to fifth period just before the bell rang.

Sitting quietly in her seat she closed her eyes and focused her energy to calm her frantic nerves. Her knee hurt where she hit the door and her elbow throbbed where she hit the ground. When she opened her eyes, Lyla felt calmer, more in control. Of all the classes to get right after her close encounter, Chase, Jaden and the red-headed pixie were all in attendance.

The subject was anatomy and Lyla felt a small burst of sadness she couldn’t participate, just once she wanted to be called on by the teacher. Where most kids slid down in their seat, it became a drag to be invisible to everyone.

Latin was sixth period, an easy enough subject, Lyla thought. At least she didn’t have to worry about pronunciation.

When she arrived for her last class, Leadership, Mr. M stood outside and stopped her. He spoke low so nobody would hear. “You have to watch from my office for now.”

“Why?”

“When you told me Chase might have sensed you, I realized my mistake putting you in here. His senses might become heightened being with everyone else, plus we don’t know which others might see you. Let’s play it safe for now. If you take that door over there and walk around, you can get into my office from the outside. Keep the lights off.”

The bell rang as Lyla walked around the back of the room and entered the side door. It was sheltered from view in a small hallway she tip-toed into the messy room and sat at his desk, scooting papers over to allow room for her backpack. She could see the whole class through a glass window. It didn’t consist of many; the pixie whose name was Harley, Mr. Tall and Big who she found out is called Brendan, a girl named Kayla, Chase and Jaden. The minute her eyes moved over Chase, his head turned and looked at where she was sitting. Lyla scooted down in her seat. He couldn’t possibly see her, she thought.

“Chase, may I have your attention please?”

Chase turned around, confusion sweeping over his face.

“Senior year. All of you but Kayla turn eighteen during the school year. We will begin working on accepting your full powers. Some are intense, others subtle. Many of you will get special gifts, most just a heightened awareness. Chase will be our first guinea pig.”

A bunch of hoots and hollers went around the room. Brendan, the large football right guard who was dating Harley, the pixie threw a paper ball at his head. Chase raised his hand, pointed it at the ball on the floor and motioned it back to Brendan. Brendan flicked his finger while the ball was mid-air and the paper burst into flames.

“Hey, I’ve warned you before, no fire.”

“Yes Mr. M.” Brendan smirked to the class.

Mr. McCown pulled out a paper and read birthdays:

“Chase, August twenty-fourth, Jaden, September twelfth, Harley, November fifteenth, Brendan, February fourth, Kayla, June fourth.”

What Mr. M wasn’t saying was that Lyla’s birthday was October thirty first. All Hallows Eve. Their group revered this day as nothing special, but November first was the most powerful of all days. Through the years their group managed to spread propaganda to keep focus off November first and on Halloween instead. They conveniently had many high up in both card companies and costume retailers, which helped. No spell was involved, just good business.

Lyla looked around the group. They all had the personality of their month. Chase was organized and smart, Jaden was basically Chase’s twin, Harley feisty, Brendan a bit type A and Kayla kept to herself most of the time but with a quiet temper just under the surface.

Lyla was nervous about the girls. She could tell they wouldn’t accept an outsider if she was ever found out. The boys seemed a little more trusting and maybe a little more lighthearted.

“I’ve been working with Chase and Jaden this summer to prepare them. Harley, we have two and a half months to get you prepared. You might have to spend some Saturday’s with me.”

“Uh, I’ll try. Dad doesn’t like me gone on the weekend.”

Lyla could tell there was something wrong in Harley’s world, it might account to why she seemed angry all the time.

“I’ll come by this weekend to talk with him. We go way back.” He gave her a little smile and moved on. “The spells are reasonably complicated so I’ll make a printout for each of you to start working on. Chase, I’ll see you this weekend.”

The bell rang. Lyla was startled; the hour had flown by much too quickly. She gathered her things together but saw Mr. M motion subtly for her to stay.

Lyla sat back down and waited. The rest of the class filed out but Chase stayed behind.

“Yes Chase?” Mr. M leaned against his desk, arms and ankles crossed.

“I don’t know if it’s my eighteenth birthday coming up but…”

“But what?” Mr. M narrowed his eyes, waiting for what he knew the question was.

“I’ve felt something all day. I don’t know what it is. A presence, a person, a something. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Sometimes powers can give you a heightened sense of nature. Maybe the trees or bugs are talking to you?” He smiled.

“You’re kidding, right? Trees? Bugs? That would completely suck to have as a power. I’ll be nicknamed nature boy.” Chase ran a hand through his hair, looking around and glancing to the back of the classroom where Lyla was sitting.

Mr. M noticed but didn’t let on. “Listen, sometimes powers come at us with a wallop. Sometimes it’s gradual. I have a feeling your wallop will be made evident soon.” He placed a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him.

Chase picked up his backpack and slung it over his other shoulder. “Fine, but if a bug starts talking to me on the football field; I’m really going to be pissed.”

They both half-heartedly laughed as Chase left the room. Mr. M locked the door and shut the light off. He commonly did this but, today it was to keep out his own group as well. He walked to the back, shut his office door and switched the table lamp on.

Lyla was sitting in the extra chair opposite the desk. Mr. M sat down behind the desk and clasped his hands together.

“So, how was your first day?”

“Good and startling all in one breath.”

“You mean Chase?” Mr. M looked expectantly at Lyla.

“Yes. When he comes into his full powers, then what?”

Mr. M sat back. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to take it one day at a time.”

“Oh, that’s great. I’ve got one more day then.” Lyla put her head in her hands.

“Lyla, listen. It’s not the end of the world. Of all people to see you or feel you there, it’s pretty cool it’s Chase.”

“Why?”

“Well, Chase just sort of exists. When he dates it’s for a week, no more. All his friends are the same one’s he’s had since birth. With Chase, there’s no change. His family life isn’t so warm either. I don’t know what it means yet that he can sense you. Maybe nothing. Let’s just give it time.”

Lyla thought for a moment. “Because its change, is that why coming into power worries him?”

“Exactly. It’s a change, even though he knew it would happen, he doesn’t know the what.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.” Lyla picked up her bag, getting ready to go.

“Hold on. I wanted to talk to you about your own eighteenth birthday.”

“What about it?” Lyla sat back down.

“Your birthday is October thirty-first?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That will give me some time to work with you. I’ll come over tonight to discuss it with your parents.”

“Okay.” Lyla hesitated.

“Yes Lyla?”

“There isn’t any sacrificing or altar thing or blood involved, is there?”

Mr. M laughed. “Have you ever seen anything like that?”

Lyla smiled. “Well, no.”

“No Lyla, there isn’t any blood or sacrifice involved. But make sure you have a chicken handy in case I change my mind.” He smiled.

Lyla laughed and stood up. “Thanks for your help, guess I’ll see you tonight.” Lyla left the way she came, through the back door.

Mr. M turned back to his desk and pulled a notebook out from a hidden desk drawer. He wrote a heading;
Lyla Bleu.
Possibilities are she’s the one, her parents believe it but there’s no indication especially since her birthday narrowly escapes the predictions. Chase could be pulled into it already. Might need to convince her family to move away to protect Chase, will know more by October.
He dated the page, closed the book and placed it back in his drawer. He liked Lyla but would do anything to protect his group of kids, even if he knew her parents from years ago. He had been through too much to let Chase be a victim of circumstance.

W
hen Lyla arrived home she let her parents know Mr. McCown was coming over, which made her parents happy and apprehensive all at the same time. She was baffled as to why, but not enough to dwell on it.

“Do you know why, sweetheart?” Her mom was standing in the doorway to her room.

Lyla sat on the bed, “Something to do with me being eighteen soon. He said our powers come in to full force, I don’t know,” Lyla shrugged. She sat down on the bed and looked over at her mother still in the doorway.

“It’s okay isn’t it, him coming over? You have that look, mom.”

“What look?”

“That oh my, gosh we have to move look.”

Her mother went in and sat down next to her on the bed. “I just think that maybe we shouldn’t have chosen Lakeland, Florida for your senior year.”

Lyla sat up, “I like it here. Please don’t tell me we’re moving again.”

“We have to be careful Lyla. Even though Sam is a good friend, we have some things he doesn’t need to know about us. It’s been years since we were all together.”

“Like what?”

“Things even you don’t need to know.” She patted Lyla on the knee and stood up. Lyla grabbed her hand to stop her.

“Don’t you think it’s time I did know?”

Her mother removed her hand and walked out, pausing in the doorway. “We’re doing this to protect you. You’ll know soon enough. Let’s get you through this year.”

Lyla threw herself down on the bed angrily and turned toward the wall, ignoring her mother’s presence in the doorway. She was so angry she might say something horrible she couldn’t take back.

Lyla sat in her room that whole late afternoon doing homework. She didn’t really get how her teachers would grade her papers, the whole set-up at school was confusing.

Around five-thirty she heard a doorbell. That must be Mr. M, Lyla thought. She packed up the last of her work and headed down the stairs. When Lyla came around the corner in the kitchen, the sight was something she had never seen. Her parents were laughing. Lyla stared. Her mother’s normally creased face of worry was alight and sparkling. Her father had taken his glasses off to rub his eyes from laughter.

Frank Bleu looked up, “Oh Lyla, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Apparently.”

Her mother wiped at her eyes and motioned for her to sit.

Mr. M spoke up, “I haven’t seen your parents in so long. We were quite the group in college.

“You went to college with them?” Lyla, curious now wanted to see a different side of her family.

“Yep. It was your mom, dad, me, Daniel, Scott and Harriett.” A shadow swept across his features. He looked down into the mug he was drinking out of. Lyla’s mom patted his hand.

“So Lyla, I’m here because it’s time for some extra training. Since you know a complicated spell like cloaking, I’ll guess you’re up on the rest.” He waved his hand in the air.

“Who were those other people?”

“In the classroom?”

“No, the one’s you just mentioned you went to school with.”

They looked at each other. “Just some people we knew.”

“Don’t do that. I’m tired of getting the brush off.”

“I’ve talked to your parents already, and they said they would explain it all to both of us but not until your trained.”

“Why? What does that have to do with anything?”

“If it’s a life-changing emotional experience, your ability to come into your powers will stop.”

Lyla sat down hard in a chair that was nearby. “That’s not fair.”

“No Lyla, it’s not. But since we’re on the cusp of you coming into your own, we have to be careful.”

Lyla looked down into her hands, feeling helpless. “So what’s, next.”

“Training. Since Chase has had training all summer and Jaden is my son which means he’s ready, your birthday is next. We will need to meet about four times to practice the conversion of power.”

“Will it hurt?”

Mr. M thought for a moment. “You won’t really hurt you’ll feel a rush of power when the minute of your birth arrives. Some experience a wave of emotions, which in their own way can be painful. Some will get a happy rush and euphoria, a little like intense endorphins. But not pain, no.”

“So when is my first lesson?” Lyla was twisting a scarf in her hands, wringing it through her fingers.

“It should be soon. This weekend if that’s alright?”

Lyla’s parents looked at each other, something passing between them that Lyla didn’t understand.