Epiphany

Chapter 1

    Her memory was failing her. Harper had no idea how she had gotten into this situation. How had she knocked out that guard? How had she known where to hide? She felt like it was twenty years ago, not twenty seconds. Even amidst all this chaos, she wondered again how she had got here and how long she had been here. This institution was driving her crazy.
“He he,” Harper chuckled under her breath. Even she had to laugh at the irony of a mental institution driving someone mad. Focus, she thought. You have to find a way out of here.
Just as she began weighing the possibility of being able to incapacitate another guard, an alarm sounded. Loud and piercing, it announced her escape. How had they found the guard so fast? Literally one minute ago she was being hauled off for “medical treatment”. As she tried to clear her mind and focus on her plan of attack, she heard voices and footsteps. They can’t suspect I’m in this closet. Nothing would lead them here. I left no trail.
But as the thought left her mind, the “doctors” burst through the door. She tried to run, but they caught her before she could get away. She winced, anticipating an injection of sedative, but nothing came. Harper opened her eyes to see the “doctor” just staring down at her blankly. All of the sudden, he started shaking her and saying her name.
“Harper…Harper…Harper Kale….”
She woke with a start, gripping her bed for dear life. Her mother jumped back, startled.
“Harper, sweetie, you didn’t wake up from your alarm clock, so I came and woke you up. Were you having a nightmare? You look scared, pumpkin. Are you sick?” her mother peered down at her with a worried look on her face.
A dream, she thought. It was all a dream. She sighed, grateful it was over. The warning alarm had been her alarm clock.
“No mom,” she assured her. “I’ll be fine.” She added a smile once she saw her mother’s forehead knit in concern.
Her mother smiled at her. “Okay honey. Have a good day,” her mother said cheerfully. “Oh. And you need to hurry. School starts in twenty minutes,” she uttered as she closed the door.
Great, Harper thought. Another ponytail, comfy clothes day. School had only started a week ago and already she had four of those. No way I am going to be popular this year. Poor Jason.
Her boyfriend, Jason, and her had started dating over the summer. She  had a crush on him since her freshman year, but he hadn’t even noticed her until they had met in June at their summer job. Harper had been told that she would have to buy her own car because her father was laid off. Lola, her best friend, had suggested that she take a “high-way sanitation job”, which basically meant garbage picker upper, but it was community service and paid ten bucks an hour. Now, she thanked Lola everyday because that job led her to the one good thing in her life, Jason.
Jason’s parents were rich and had sent him there to “learn the value of a dollar”. He wasn’t very interested in the job. But he found her reasons for being there “kind-hearted” and “sweet”.
“You’re pretty cute, too,” he had said.
She lived that day over and over in her head. Whenever she got depressed, it would help her through it and put a smile on her face.
Even if I didn’t want to go to school or was sick, I would go just to see him, Harper thought. Lola thought she was moving too fast and getting too into him, but she didn’t understand how you could be too into someone you really cared for.
Harper took a quick shower, pulled a pink American Eagle shirt over her head, slid on some South Pole jeans, grabbed her Gelaskin covered iPod Nano and was out the door in less than 10 minutes. She lived close enough to school that she could walk and, without a car or gas money, that was her only form of transportation. She enjoyed the walks though. They cleared her head and allowed her to be in a world of her own for awhile, free of parents fighting, a boyfriend who is more popular than her, and a best friend who is smarter than her.
She walked in the door three minutes before class, putting away her iPod as it played “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance. Usually she listened to more Ashley Tisdale or Jay-Z, but Lola recommended MCR and now she really liked them.
Lola was a punk and one of the other few outsiders in her school. Most kids in their school were preppy and all friends. Harper was kind of ignored. But Lola stood out like a sore thumb. And how could she not. In the sea of Juicy couture and Limited Too, she shopped at Hot Topic and Zumiez. Naturally she was blonde, but freshman year she had dyed her hair hot pink. No one knew why. Not even Harper. She had asked once and Lola had said that she had “gotten tired” of her perfect golden colored locks and “needed a change”. Harper never understood what would compel her to do that. She would have dyed her hair that exact shade if it wouldn’t be so obvious that she was trying to fit in. But those weren’t Lola’s only differences. She read comic books avidly. She wore very intense make-up and the colored contacts they make for Halloween on a daily basis. And she was one of the only students with a “broken” family at William Howard Taft High School. Her parents were divorced, but Kate, Lola’s mom, was extremely cool. She was very lenient and let us call her by her name, unlike most parents in town. She even let us call her Kate instead of Catherine.
“Hey Harps, wait up!” someone called after Harper.
“Hey Lola,” Harper said before she even turned around. Only Lola called her Harps. “What’s up? Your mom’s cutting it close this time, huh?”
“Yah,” Lola huffed out, obviously tired from running to catch up with her. “But I think I could get away with it even if I was late. Teachers love me,” she said with a grin.
It was true. Lola get’s straight A’s, so most teachers let her break a rule now and then. Harper wished she was that lucky. She get’s straight B’s with the occasional C. Even her grades were average.
“So are your parents doing any better?” Lola inquired. Harper’s parents have been fighting more and more lately. She talked to Lola about it because she really understands people and is a good listener.
“Can we talk about this later? I don’t want everyone in school knowing,” Harper pleaded.
“Sure,” Lola said. But then she got a mischievous smile on her face. “But I thought you wanted to be noticed,” she jested.
“Yes, I do. But not for that,” Harper retorted. “That wouldn’t make me popular, only more of an outcast.”
Lola shook her head, a smile on her face. “I will never understand your need to fit in.” She sounded as if she was describing ripping out your fingernails with pliers and not practically every high schooler’s dream.
“I know you don’t get it, but it’s important to me. Can we just drop it?” she asked, letting an annoyed tone color my words.
“Sure. We’re going to be late anyway,” Lola warned, picking up the pace to a fast walk.
Harper ran to keep up with her. Lola was in much better shape than she was because of her constant need to be in a sport. Right now it was soccer, but her favorite was tennis. She was team captain of everything she was in and could beat out any of the boys at any sport, if they’d only let her try out for boys sports. But their town is very traditional, so much in fact that Lola was the first girl to even ask. Which is also why Harper was so confused about her hiding her blonde hair and blue eyes that their town covets so much.
As they sat down in their assigned seats, that were unfortunately across the room, in Mr. Byron’s chemistry class, Taylor Mc Gowen walked in. She was the head cheerleader and the head alpha of the entire school. Everyone, excluding Lola, wanted to be best friends with her. She made her entrance at the very last second, just before the bell rang, so everyone would know how cool she was. It was like arriving late to a party and it drew everyone’s attention.
“Good morning, Mr. Byron,” Taylor called as she smoothed out the hem of her empire waist lime green Juicy dress that just screamed, “My parents are so much richer than yours.”
Mr. Byron waved her off, not bothering to even look up, but Taylor’s smile was unfailing, even in the aftermath of a rejected greeting.
“That’s a gorgeous dress Taylor,” Harper commented, trying not to let her envy seep into the compliment.
“Thanks, Harper,” she replied. “I love your cute, but casual look, too. It really works for you.”
I know that was meant as a compliment, Harper thought. But it just makes me feel so much more under-dressed.
Just then, Harper’s pink Razr sprang to life and started vibrating. She quickly silenced it and put it into her desk to read the “no cell phones during class” rule breaking message safely.
You are such a suck up, it read. Lola, she thought. Always ready to break a rule because even if she gets caught she won’t get in trouble.
Don’t text me anymore, Harper typed. I can’t get in trouble.
The reply came back a millisecond later. Chicken.
Harper sighed. She hated when Lola patronized her. Harper knew she was kidding, but it still stung.
“Miss Kale, is there a reason you are so absorbed in your desk you have completely ignored my question?” Mr. Byron asked, obviously offended.
“No, Mr. Byron. I’m sorry. Could you repeat the question?” Harper asked, hoping he would. Even when he doesn’t find the text, I’m still in trouble, she thought.
Mr. Byron let out an irritated sigh. “I suppose so,” he uttered.
I should have just stayed home, Harper thought.


Chapter 2

The day was half over. Somehow she had survived the last two periods. She guessed it was the thought of having lunch with Jason that gave her that last push through Accelerated English 11. She had been so confused by Tom’s infidelity to Daisy in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. She would never even consider looking at another boy the way she did at Jason, let alone date someone else behind his back. Not that she thought she could get another boyfriend. She was always afraid, in the back of her mind, that he was playing a practical joke on her, or he would change his mind and just leave her.
Stop thinking that, Harper thought. If he didn’t like you, he would have broken up with you a long time ago.
She turned the corner, breezing by Mrs. Hampton’s floral design class, and walked into the already crowded cafeteria. There were at least 400 kids in there already, but she only saw one. Jason sat at their table, a private one in the back of the cafeteria, waiting for her. Seeing him, with his wind blown blonde hair and in his blue and red striped Ralph Lauren polo and khaki cargo pants made her want to rush into his arms, slow-motion movie style, and end the long run in a kiss.
Harper shook her head to bring herself back to reality. Sometimes the movie in her head meshed with real life and made it difficult to think straight. She had dreamed their first kiss hundreds of time. She had experienced it never. They had only been dating for two months, but she really hoped it was soon. She wanted him to do it. She knew it shouldn’t matter, but it would mean so much more if he was the one to initiate it.
Just then, Jason noticed her standing there and got that sexy smile on his face she loved and waved. Harper waved back feeling lighter than air. She went to get a salad as quickly as possible, so she could spend as much time with him as possible. Jason was in none of her classes, so this was the only time she had with him. Lola was in most of her classes, but she was still surprised how well she took it when Harper told her she needed this time alone with Jason.
“Okay. That’s fine,” Lola had said. “It will give me time to finish reading ‘Teen Titans’ because that’s not ‘appropriate reading material for AP English 11’,” she said, mimicking our English teacher, Mrs. Lebowitz, slow over-enunciating voice perfectly.
She finally got out of line and practically ran over to Jason. She passed Lola on the way. Even Lola’s food choice was strange. Everyone else in school ate salads, but ever the fad breaker, Lola had started making and eating sushi she brought from home. She even used chop sticks because otherwise it wasn’t “authentic”. As she took another bite, Lola looked up and waved, half a California roll still out of her mouth. Harper, slightly embarrassed and at the same time finding it hilarious, shook her head with a smile and waved. Lola could be so random and embarrassing, but that’s why Lola was her best friend. Lola kept her down to earth, which Jason told her was on of her best qualities.
“Hey Jason,” Harper said, as her lips curled into a smile. She couldn’t help it. When she was around him, Harper just grinned constantly. “How’s your day going?”
“Better now,” Jason replied, taking her hand in his. “Hey, I was thinking we could go out to lunch. You want to?” he asked, jingling his keys.
“That sounds great!” Harper chirped. That sounded nice ad romantic. And, most importantly, private. “But I just bought this salad. What am I going to do with it?”
Jason smiled. “I’ll take care of that,” he said, taking her salad and handing it to some random kid walking by. “Here, have a free salad.”
The kid looked at him skeptically, but finally decided it was safe, shrugged and walked off.
Harper chuckled. She loved Jason’s complete nonchalant attitude about everything, but she had spent money on that salad and she didn’t get much from her parents.
“Jason….” she started.
“Don’t worry, baby,” Jason said as he put an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll reimburse you.”
“Okay,” Harper said as she allowed Jason to steer her to the car.
Jason had the nicest car in school. His father owned the Ecko Red clothing line and bought him whatever he wanted. Jason wanted a high end, top of the line car. His dad bought him a cherry red convertible Ferrari 360 spider.
“Okay, Harper, close your eyes,” Jason said, as he pulled out a pink bandana from his back pocket. When he saw her uneasy look, he grasped her hands in both of his and gave her an easy smile and a wink. “I’ll protect you. I promise.”
Harper could feel her face slipping into a smile. “Okay. I trust you,” she said giving in.
She sat back quietly as they drove wondering where they could possible be headed to. Every time she tried to make a guess, she wanted to peek, but Jason was watching carefully and gave her knee a little push, silently telling her to just wait.
Suddenly, the Ferrari came to a stop. Jason killed the engine and got out of the car. He went around to the other side, opened her door and grabbed her hand to lead her out, blindfold still intact.
“Can’t I take this off now,” Harper asked. “We’re already here.”
“No,” Jason corrected, “we are almost here. Just a little farther.”
Jason kept his hand on the small of her back guiding her. It sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine. He is so amazing, Harper thought.
And just when she thought this, they stopped. He took the bandana away from her face as he said, “Okay. Now we’re here. What do you think?”
Harper rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the bright light that now assaulted them. Once she stopped, Harper was met with the most beautiful vision she had ever seen. They were at a small creek in the woods, but so far out that a single tree stood facing away from the water. And then she saw what was under the tree. A red and white plaid blanket laid on the healthy green grass, with an old fashioned picnic basket right on top. There was also a circle of flowers around the blanket that Harper assumed Jason had gone and picked from these very woods.
“Oh, Jason,” Harper barely could get out, feeling as if she might cry she was so happy. “It is absolutely beautiful. And it’s so perfect and romantic. Just like you.”
Jason looked at his feet, sheepish. “Well, I just thought you’d like a day away from the dismal cafeteria.”
“I love it,” Harper said, as she squeezed his hand. “Just like the movies.”
Jason grinned. “Well, let’s get to eatin’,” he said as he sat down.
The rest of lunch was magical. Jason had brought chicken fettuccini, Harper’s favorite food, gave her a back massage, and almost made her totally forget there was anyone in the world, let alone that it was a school day.
“We should probably head back to school now,” Jason said, standing. “It is fifteen minutes until our next class.”
Jason telling her what time it was and getting up broke Harper’s illusion of being the only ones on this planet. From fantasy land to reality is a hard fall, she thought. God, I sound like Lola.
“Okay,” Harper said, sort of disappointed, but still elated from the lunch. “Thank you so much, Jason. This was the best day of my life.”
Jason held out his arms to hold her. Harper ran to them, almost tackling him in the process. Good thing he’s strong and tall, Harper thought. The only problem with that was Harper was short. Jason was at least a head and a half taller than her.
She gazed up at Jason, his arms encircling Harper’s waist. He was already looking down at her, like he cared about her more than anything else in the world. That might not necessarily be true, but Harper liked to think so.
Slowly, Jason lifted Harper’s chin higher towards his face, leaning down and pursing his lips slightly. In a fluid motion, Harper did the same, puckering her lips and getting on her tip toes to reach higher.
And then their lips met. Harper felt as though she had been lifted off the ground with happiness, like her joy had propelled her into the air. She didn’t yet realize how true that might be.
All of a sudden, it seemed they were at a more equal level, as if she and Jason were the same height. His eyes were still closed, but Harper’s flew open and she saw that they were level and in fact she was almost taller than him now.
As quickly as she was in the air, Harper fell to the ground, startled and scared. Did that really just happen? she thought. No, she decided, I was not floating. That is impossible.
Jason noticed the sudden disconnecting of their lips and was on the ground by Harpers side in a fraction of a second.
“Are you ok?” he asked. He looked very confused and concerned. “Did you trip backwards?”
Harper nodded slowly. Yes, of course she had slipped. What other explanation could there be? she thought.
Meanwhile, in the cafeteria at W.H.T. High, a tall brown haired boy with light, almost glowing, green eyes, looked up abruptly as if someone had called his name. Then his face broke into a dark, crooked grin.
“Gotcha,” he whispered.

Chapter 3

Harper had been wrong about this being the best day of her life.
Throughout the rest of her school day all she could think about was that kiss. But not in a good way. Harper tried to convince herself that nothing strange had happened. It wasn’t easy. It took all her concentration not to think about what had happened.
No, she thought, what didn’t happen. Nothing happened.
Then how do you explain the height and floating sensation? a different part of her head asked.
It must have been nothing. What could it have been? Harper thought at the other voice in her head.
Magic? it asked.
Ha. Magic. Sure. I’m a magician, Harper thought.
“Miss Kale. Do you have the answer?” her very annoyed history teacher, Ms. Montgomery, asked. Usually, Ms. Montgomery was her favorite teacher. She was very nice, but hated when kids weren’t paying attention. “If not, I doubt you will find it on that desk.”
“The United States entered the war because Germany was sinking our commercial boats that they believed were holding weaponry, which was technically true,” Harper answered. She had been paying some attention just in case she was questioned.
“Well,” Ms. Montgomery started, looking stunned that Harper had gotten it right, and then pleased, “at least someone in this class is listening. Thank you, Harper.”
Harper nodded and then directed her attention back to her desk. She hoped answering that right meant that she wouldn’t be asked another question for awhile.
I just have to think like Lola, Harper thought. Lola was very into deductive reasoning and logic. She tried to get Harper to think like her and always talked to her about how much it made life easier, but Harper thought it was a bunch of mumbo jumbo. Until now, when she had no Lola and needed some of her dominantly correct advise.
Harper could practically hear Lola’s voice in her head. It was nothing, it said. You just let your fantasy mix with the reality of the situation and so you think there is a fantastical answer for what happened, but there is nothing. You let yourself believe you were floating, so you saw it. You took the metaphor of happiness making you as light as air too literal. And then you tripped, breaking the illusion.
“That makes sense,” Harper mumbled happily. She had been so worried, but Lola, even in a fictional sense, had solved her problems and made her breathe easier.
After history, Harper’s last class, she hurried out of Taft High to meet up with Lola. Fake Lola had gotten her through the rest of school without losing her mind, but having real Lola confirm what she thought now wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Lola and Harper usually went to Sam’s CD Shack after school. They played pretty good music in there, had pretty good food, decent coffee (at least that’s what Lola said; Harper hated coffee) and, most importantly, it got Harper away from her arguing parents and Lola from her loneliness at home until her mom got off at three. Kate was a bartender and didn’t usually wake up until ten, so Lola didn’t see much of her mom until the weekends. And, even though she was too stubborn and proud to admit it, Harper knew that Lola was really lonely when she had to be alone that much.
As she hurried to Sam’s, Harper had that feeling as if someone was following her. Every so often she whipped around really fast, without warning, but no one was there.
Paranoid, Harper thought. I am just being paranoid. Who could be fallowing me?
Little did she realize how wrong she was. Who indeed?

                                      ~~~~~~~~

“Gotcha,” he whispered. The boy’s green eyes returned to their normal forest green shade. He quickly ran into the courtyard, that was rarely used in W.H.T High, to make an important call.
As he left the school, the boy smiled smugly. I knew I’d find someone, he thought. I’m not the best around for nothing.
He lifted his watch to his lips and spoken as he kept the button o the side pressed.
“Yo G.M.F., come in,” he said, seemingly talking to his wrist. “Code blue.”
“Code blue?” the response came back. “Why should I believe you? How do I know this isn’t a prank, Cal?”
Cal’s eyebrows knit together in frustration. He couldn’t believe this. Finally, he finds someone and Grand Master thought it was a prank?
“No, I am serious,” Cal said, trying to have the most serious tone he was capable of. “Why would you think this was a prank?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Grand Master’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe it is the fact that in the last week I have gotten four calls from you and none of them have yielded any results, or even a hint of powers at all!”
“I’m sorry, Grand Master Flash,” Cal said, slightly sincere. “But I am telling the truth this time. I sensed some power activation a couple miles away at lunch and called as soon as possible.”
“Okay. I will give you the benefit of the doubt,” G.M.F. sighed as he said it, wishing he could just punish Cal for his annoyingness. “And do not call me Grand Master Flash. I don’t need anyone around you figuring out my power and I hate rap. My name is Anatole and you know it. What type of power are we talking about here? How many guys are we going to need?”
“Chill, Anatole. There is nobody around,” Cal said, checking for the third time. “I’m even powered up so if anyone was hiding, I would still see them,” Cal assured him, rolling his eyes. Suddenly, he turned serious. “It seems that the power I sensed was some form of flight. It didn’t last very long, so I am assuming they are new to it, or they only have levitating powers. You want me to follow them home? Figure out when would be the best time to…you know.”
“Yes, that’s good,” Anatole responded. “Depending on what you find, we will probably need only three to four for this. That’s good. But notify me immediately if you find anything else. Good work, Caliban. Anatole out.”
Jeez, Cal thought. Someone needs to lighten up a little bit. And can no one say goodbye anymore.
Caliban sat through the rest of his classes, paying no attention at all. He was too excited at the prospect of a capture. Finally, the bell rang and Cal sprang out the door and went back to the courtyard.
Closing his eyes, Caliban searched for the blue dot in his internal GPS system to find his target.
“Going to Sam’s, huh?” Cal said, a laugh in his voice. “This is almost too easy.”
And then he ran after her, completely unnoticed.

                                        ~~~~~~~~

Harper burst through the door of Sam’s. She scanned the place as she entered and found Lola at their usual spot. They normally got to the Shack pretty early so they could grab the most comfortable couch in the listening pit. It was chartreuse and a little tattered, but it was 60’s-70’s hippie chic and very cozy and private. Lola sat there cross-legged, sipping a caramel macchiato, with a copy of The New Teen Titans issue #15 spread out on her lap.
Harper went up to the counter to order a Shirley temple, but before she even opened her mouth, Sam looked at her and wrote down Shirley temple with an extra cherry on his notepad, ripped it out and hooked it on the trolley and spun it around.
Harper smiled. She loved being able to go to a restaurant or Sam’s and not have to speak a word. They just knew what she wanted from habitual visits. She knew everyone who worked there and came often, like her. She knew everyone’s schedules and that new CD’s came in on Tuesdays. She really loved being at Sam’s a feeling like she was a part of this community.
Almost like having a second home and family, she thought happily.
Harper’s drink was there promptly a minute later and she headed over to sit with Lola. As she walked to their spot, Harper saw a boy with dark green eyes and long brown hair step in, looking around as if trying to find someone. Harper thought she recognized him, but she shrugged it off. There were hundreds of kids at her school. She had probably seen him once or twice and just remembered his face.
Lola looked up just in time to see Harper before she sat down. “Hey Harps, what’s up?” Lola inquired, putting her half-empty cup of coffee down, moving to sit Indian ( “Native American”, Lola would have corrected) style on the couch, so she could look more intently at Harper and so she would know Lola was listening.
“I have some exciting news with Jason!” Harper said, regaining her earlier elatedness as she could feel his lips on hers again in her memory. But quickly her smile faded into worry. “But I also need to talk about something weird that happened, too.”
“Okay,” Lola said, getting a confused, then interested look on her face. “Which one first? Exciting or weird?”
“Well, they are both wrapped up in the same story,” Harper said, “so I guess both.”
Lola nodded, not saying anything, waiting for the story to continue.
Harper took a deep breath and then started. “Okay, well first Jason took me to a picnic he set up for us this morning. It was right by the creek and it was the most romantic and beautiful setting I have ever seen….” Harper trailed off remembering, a smile spreading across her face.
Lola sighed. She was more interested in the weird part of the story than a gushy playback of Harper and Jason’s love life. She shook Harper out of her stupor.
“Focus,” Lola said. “I want to hear the whole story and if you get distracted again, it could take all night.”
“Okay. Sorry,” Harper blushed and had a sheepish look on her face. Sometimes she hated how wrapped up she could be in her head. “Anyway, it was a great picnic. Jason brought my favorite foods and gave me a back massage after lunch. Then we stood up and he held me for awhile. And then, the exciting part, he leaned down and kissed me! It was pure magic.”
“Great,” Lola said. “I’m glad Jason makes you happy and you got what you’ve been wanting, but where is the weird part?”
“Oh, yeah,” Harper had forgotten for a minute. “When we were kissing, I felt like I was getting lighter and lighter from happiness. Then I opened my eyes and they were level with and then above Jason’s! Once I noticed that I was gradually floating, I fell right on my butt and Jason thought I tripped on something.”
Lola’s eyes flickered to life with interest at the last few sentences. “Interesting,” she purred. “Very interesting.” Lola looked into space as she pondered what Harper had just told her.
After a minute or so, Harper got anxious. Lola hadn’t said anything yet and it was scaring her. Why wasn’t she telling Harper that she was crazy? Or that obviously she was mistaken? Calm down, Harper thought. I’m sure it’s coming.
“Well,” Harper said impatiently. She couldn’t stand much more of this. “What do you think?”
“I think,” Lola began. She was dragging this out as long as possible, just to make Harper mad. “I think that you might have levitation. Was that your first time levitating? How long do you think it lasted?”
Harper’s mouth fell open in shock. Lola had to be kidding. Was she dreaming? She pinched herself just in case. Ow. Nope, Harper thought. I am definitely awake. She must be kidding then.
“You are hilarious, Lola,” Harper began, letting the acid of a woman scorned seep into her words. “You know, taking advantage of the gullible isn’t very nice.”
Lola’s eyebrows bunched together in confusion. She blinked rapidly as if not knowing how to begin her reply. “Harper,” Lola said, complete sincerity in her voice, “I wasn’t kidding. I really think that the levitation theory makes the most sense.” She made a sound, less of a laugh, more of a sigh with a smile on her face, that seemed amused. “You’re sort of like Ariella Kent. Except she is invincible and can fly and…”
“Would you focus, Lola?” Harper said, irritated. She knew Lola loved comic books, but was she letting that love smother her normally insightful and logical advise? “I need some help here. I have been worried all day about this and I assumed that your wisdom would help, but you’re just making me more nervous.”
Lola chuckled. “Wisdom, huh?” she said under her breath, a smile on her face. “Well, thanks for the compliment, but I really seriously think that you have, or had at the time, a levitation. How long do you think you were in the air?” When she saw Harper’s glare, Lola sighed and looked slightly annoyed. “Humor me.”
Harper couldn’t believe she was answering such a stupid question. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe twenty or thirty seconds before I noticed and fell.”
“Okay,” Lola said, giving Harper an encouraging smile, so she would keep going. “Is this the first time you have levitated?”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Lola, if it had happened before, I would have told you. You know that.”
“Just making sure,” Lola said, hands up like she was preparing for Harper to physically attack her instead of just with words. “How did you feel exactly when it was happening?”
Harper squinted, as if focusing her eyes more would make her memory clearer. “Well, I was just extremely happy. Overjoyed that we finally kissed, y’know?” Harper said, looking at Lola for understanding. Lola nodded. “And then…I don’t know. It freaked me out, seeing that I was so far off the ground and I looked down to see if my feet were really in the air and how far up, but before I could see, I fell.”
“Wait, so you started floating during the kiss? Immediately, during the surprise of it, or after you realized what was happening?” Lola asked, sounding urgent.
“After I figured it out and the happiness washed over me,” Harper said as she nodded, realizing it was true. She didn’t know how that would help, but Lola seemed very intrigued by what Harper was saying.
Lola was quiet. She was lost in thought. Harper could almost see Lola scanning through all the information she had about everything that could possibly relate to this at all.
After a few minutes, Lola looked up. “I don’t know much about this particular superpower, but I will do some research,” Lola stated. “In the mean time, we can test if this really is a superpower and it shouldn’t be too hard.”
“What?” Harper hissed. If there was a way to easily figure this out, why didn’t she tell me that before and save me all this worry?!? Harper thought. “What is it?!?”
“Well, you need bring back your happiness from the kiss. But it has to be utterly and purely about that. If you have any distraction or start thinking about something else, you will probably fall again.” Lola explained, seemingly un-phased by my angry statement.
“And why,” Harper said, letting her anger show again, even more annoyed now that Lola had ignored it before, “may I ask, did you not tell me this earlier?”
“I didn’t think you would believe me about the you having powers,” Lola explained, “so me telling you my theory would have just had you laughing in my face. Although, I don’t think you really believe yet that you do have levitation, but I think you’re considering it as a possibility, correct?”
Harper scowled, but nodded. She hated how right Lola was about her feelings. How right Lola always is about everything. Why is it so easy for her? Harper wondered for probably the four hundredth time since they became friends.
Lola smiled. “Great,” she said. “I’m glad you are pondering it as a possible explanation. I will do some research and get back to you as soon as possible, but you should do your test as soon as possible, too, so if it fails then I can stop looking and if it succeeds, I will look harder. Are you willing to try?” Lola asked, a pleading look in her eye.
Harper sighed. She couldn’t say no to Lola, no matter how hard she tried. Good thing Lola didn’t really push her around or ask for too much. A lot of other friends would have, but not Lola. “Yes,” Harper said. “I will try. I don’t have high hopes, but I will try.”
Lola grin lit up her face like the fourth of July. She hugged Harper tightly and then checked her watch.
“Uh-oh,” Lola said. “It’s 7:30. The Shack closes in thirty minutes and I promised my mom I’d clean the house. And I have to do that research for you which could take awhile. I need to get home. You want a ride?” Lola offered. Lola didn’t have a car. She had a six speed bicycle and she was trying to get Harper to take a ride on the handle bars.
“No thanks,” Harper said. “I’ll just walk.”
Lola shrugged. “Okay, dude. See you later.”
Harper waved at Lola as she finished her Shirley temple. Lola waved back while she put up her kick stand and started her long trek home. She lived five miles from Sam’s, but Lola loved to ride her bike everywhere, no matter how far.
Harper waved goodbye to Sam and headed out the door. If she didn’t get home soon, not only would her parents be arguing, but it would be about her.
As she walked down the street, Harper couldn’t help thinking about the levitation. Did she really believe that was what it was? Harper didn’t know. She was too confused to it figure out.
Slowly, she was getting the feeling of being followed again. So she started running. Anything to get away from this feeling as fast as possible, Harper thought. After a couple minutes of running, Harper felt better. She had shaken off her paranoia and was calming herself down for the screaming match that was likely going on in her house at the moment.
Harper took a deep breath and turned the knob. Before the door was even all the way open, she could hear them. Her parents were in their room, so Harper couldn’t hear anything but muffled yelling. But she knew what they were arguing about. Mr. Kale would complain about not having any food. Mrs. Kale would blame it on Mr. Kale not having a job. And then it would explode into a huge screaming fight and Harper would hide in her room and wait for it to stop.
An hour past and her parents only got louder. Why can’t they just stop or get divorced? Harper wondered. Lola had told her that the fighting stage of divorce was the worst part and Harper agreed with her one hundred percent.
The louder they got, the more angry Harper got. She realized now the being so angry your blood is boiling is only kind of a metaphor. As she went from annoyed, to angry, to seething, Harper got hotter and hotter. There was another metaphor she knew was true now; seeing red. As she got more furious and more warm, her vision started to slowly be outlined in a deep rouge. But it didn’t stay there. Slowly, the color consumed any normal vision she had, making it look like she was seeing through rose colored glasses. But not for naïveté, just anger. She was so frustrated Harper wished she could break something. So angry that she could explode. So furious that…
Harper’s thought were interrupted by a loud crash. What was that? Harper thought, getting scared. She turned around and saw that her mirror had shattered. All the pieces remained in the frame, but the glass had a perfect spider web of cracks all the way through it. How did this happen? Harper thought, What hit it?
And then she saw her brush. It was obvious that the brush was what had broken her mirror, but how? Harper didn’t throw it and there was no one else in the room. But she hadn’t even been facing the mirror and the brush had been on her dresser across the room.
Wait, Harper thought, her heart sinking. Did I do that…with my mind? Lola had told her that she thought she floated because she was happy. Did I do this because I was angry?
Suddenly, the fighting stopped and a knock came at her door. Harper whipped her head up to stare at the door, as if she had been day dreaming in class and a teacher yelled her name.
“Harper, honey. Are you ok?” her mother asked. “I thought I heard a crash”
Harper didn’t know what to think or what was happening, but she knew what she needed to do. She got up quickly, opened her window and jumped out, narrowly missing the rose bushes. She jumped out, but didn’t hit the ground first. She tripped over something, although Harper saw nothing that could have gotten in her way.
And, as she started getting up, an invisible force grabbed hold of her ankle. Am I going crazy? Harper thought. No. Crazy people never think they are crazy. She struggled, but the force held strong. Harper kicked with all her might, broke free of her unseen bonds and ran. Into the night she ran and ran and ran until she reached her destination.
Lola’s house.