Luke POV
I always wake up at nine for some odd reason. It's like some sort of internal clock just goes off in my brain, even if I'm super duper tired. Then I heard a pinging noise on my phone and picked it up.
Rachel: Good morning! Hope I'm not waking you up!"
I smiled to myself. 'I got my answer, I guess.' I typed my own response.
L: Morning. You wake up early too?"
R: No, it just so happens my dog needed to go out and rudely awoke me.
L: lol sry that's hilarious.
R: Meanie. Anyways, I'm bored. U doing anything?
L: I'm breathing
R: Other than that
L: Texting with you?
R: Smart aleck.
L: :P
R: But seriously, r u doing anything?
L: No.
R: Want to meet and talk? Not like there's anything else 2 do
L: Sure. Where do u want to meet?
R: Park where we studied?
L: Fine with me.
I quickly threw on my clothes and went to meet Rachel. Soon, we were walking together, chatting idly.
"So, are you going to do track this year?"
"How'd you know I was doing track?" She asked.
"Well, I've seen you on the team before," I explained.
"Ah, yeah. I think I will. Maybe we should try to convince Nicki to join!"
I laughed at that suggestion.
"Nicki has asthma and hates running. That's what he told me."
"That's tragic."
I chuckled at her comment.
"Yeah, it is."
"Hey, isn't that Nicki over there?"
I squinted at where she was pointing. Sure enough, an uncomfortable Nicki was walking with someone else who strode ahead of him with a scowl.
"Hey, isn't that the kid from yesterday?" I said with a frown.
"Yeah. What's he doing with Nicki?"
"Curiouser and curiouser," I muttered.
I waved at them, grinning.
"HEY! NICKI!"
We ran over to them and the street kid muttered curses under his breath. Nicki yelped, hiding something behind his back.
"U-Uh, gee hi there Luke!!"
"I've been texting you all morning! Where've you been?"
He shuffled his feet, looking guilty. I noticed the bag behind his back and smirked at him.
"Are you taking a trip without us?"
"Yeah Nicki. How cruel," Rachel teased.
"Hey wait, now I-!"
"Buzz off you two. This is between us," That other guy snapped.
"Michael!" Nicki protested.
He glared at him then faced us again.
"Didn't you hear me?"
"We're not going to leave out friend to the hands of some jerk like you!" I argued back.
He smirked at me.
"What, do you think I'm going to murder him? Don't worry sweetie. I'm not that cold hearted," He said sweetly.
"That's not what I'm saying!" I said angrily.
His eyes narrowed.
"You two, get out of here right now. We don't need your help-"
"Wait, Michael. Luke and Rachel are my friends, and they're... like me," Nicki said weakly.
Michael rolled his eyes at Nicki, crossing his arms.
"I don't care if they have powers," He spat.
All of us traded surprised looks at his comment. How did he know? When he noticed our expressions, he laughed at us without humor.
"Don't look so shocked. I have them too. Why do you think I'm even helping a dork like this guy right now?"
"Can you stop calling me a dork?" Nicki muttered.
"It fits you. Now c'mon, unless you want to lose your brother forever," Michael snapped harshly.
"Wait, what?! Nicki, did you find Caleb?" Rachel exclaimed excitedly.
He shrugged a bit.
"Michael says he knows where he is. It's on the other end of New York, so that's why I have a bag."
"And you trust his word?" I blurted out.
Michael's eyes blazed with anger and that's when I remembered what he could do to you. What he did to those guys. I gulped.
"U-Uh, no offense."
"Offense taken. If I didn't have a reason to come to this nerd, I wouldn't have trust me. He's irritating enough," He snarled.
"Hey! I'm not annoying!" Nicki whined.
"Yes you are."
"Michael, can't you let them come along? I promise, they'll help us, right guys?" He said, casting a desperate look at us as if to say help me.
I caught on quick.
"Yeah, please? We'll help you-"
"You two will be nothing but more trouble for me," He responded sassily. "But... I guess I could easily send you guys to the depths of **** easily if I really need to. Fine then."
Rachel and I couldn't believe our ears.
"Wait, you're letting us actually come with you!?" Rachel asked incredulously.
He rolled his eyes.
"It's not like you two would leave me alone. Let's get going. Remember, I can easily snap your guys's necks in two," He threatened.
With that extremely comforting thought, he stormed off. Nicki grinned uneasily at us, waving us along as he walked forward.
"Let's get going then."
I wonder what would've happened that day if Michael had said no to letting us come with them. It surely would've saved everyone a few gray hairs. That decision that Michael made would officially change the course of our lives, if not history.