"Okay class, pencils down." The teacher announced as the students breathed a sigh of relief. Midterms had been exhausting, but as he packed his bag to leave Eli was reenergized with the thought of winter break and the much needed time away from Webster Public High School.
As he walked down the hall and towards the school bus that would take him away for a nice two week long vacation, he met up with his best friend Misty.
"Man that algebra test was too easy. Misty bragged with a chuckle.
Eli loved Misty but her perfection did make him feel self conscious. Misty was not only top of her class for the two years Eli had known her, but she looked like a super model with long flowing silver hair and ocean blue eyes.
Not that Eli was in love. Misty was his best and only friend, but he couldn't understand why someone so cool would be friends with him. He was short and scrawny. With dark brown hair and eyes along with tanned skin from his father's middle eastern side of the family.
Standing next to Misty he felt like a pile of dirt beside a shining moonlit river.
Despite his low self esteem, grades, and shy yet stubborn personality. Misty had approached him on his first day of high school and been his best friend ever since.
Eli smiled as they took their seats
and the bus started to roll.
"So have you heard anything from your dad?" Misty asked casually.
Eli flinched, he hated talking about his father, since every time he brought it up he knew he'd have to lie to his friend.
"He's still away on business." Eli supplied cautiously.
"He sure does travel a lot. Being an archeologist must be tough." Misty said before moving the conversation to the algebra test and her thoughts on the easy questions.
Eli tried to listen but guilt weighed him down. He hated lying to his friend, but his mom had told him to keep dads secret, well, a secret.
The truth was Eli was worried about his father. It wasn't a lie that he was away on business, just not archeology related. Normally he would send a post card every month to let Eli and his mother know he was still safe, but they hadn't gotten anything the past two months, almost three months now.
He knew his father stayed away for a reason. If his father stayed with them it would attract all kinds of trouble that would put them all at risk. He just wished his family was normal and his dad really was just an archeologist so he wouldn't have to worry so much and keep secrets from his best friend.
"Eli.... ELI!!! HELLO!!!" Misty snapped in front of his face to get his attention. "It's our stop." Misty explained as Eli returned from his own thoughts.
"Seriously, sometimes you have this far away look and I can never tell what you're thinking." Misty huffed as they got off the bus.
"We'll I'm gonna go review my notes. Let's hang out tomorrow. We can go to the arcade and you can beat me at air hockey again." Misty smiled as she walked in the other direction towards her house.
Eli smiled again. He may not be able to tell Misty everything, but she was always there for him. He hopped on his bike and began riding towards his house on the outskirts of town.
He rode the bus as far as it would take him, but Eli's house was in the middle of nowhere so he rode his bike to and from the bus stop every day for miles.
"I wish I could go faster." Eli muttered as he began the long bike ride to his isolated house.
Just as he finished the thought Eli felt a surge of energy and saw a flash of gold light.
"Oh no!" Eli thought as the bike began pedaling itself. Going from 3 mph to 50 mph in five seconds flat.
"I WISH THIS WOULD STOP!" Eli screamed as the bike flew down the road leaving a cloud of dust and skid marks behind.
Just as before Eli felt a surge of power, his eyesight turned gold and he went flying off his bike as he came to a sudden halt only a block away from his house.
"I guess I should clean myself up before mom sees." Eli muttered as he examined his dirty clothes and scrapped up legs and arms.
"I wish I was clean and healed." Eli whispered as he felt the familiar energy.
When he opened his eyes his clothes were spotless and the cuts and scrapes from his fall were gone.
"That's better, can't let mom know I accidentally used my powers." Eli thought to himself as he walked the bike up the street and into his driveway.
"Mom I'm home." Eli called as he walked through the front door.
"You're home a little early today." His mother said as she walked out from her office and stopped when she saw him.
"ELI! DID YOU USE YOUR MAGIC AGAIN!" She yelled, startling Eli.
He should have known. Every time Eli used magic his mother could somehow tell. She never told him how she knew, but she would reprimand him every time.
"How many times have I told you to - "
"-Only use magic in emergencies." Eli finished for her.
"I know mom, it was an accident I swear. I just had a careless thought and before I knew it my bike was going 50 in a 25."
Eli's mom sighed as she looked her son up and down. She knew he was young and couldn't always control it. She just wished Omar was here. He would be able to help Eli more than she ever could.
"I know you didn't mean to, but you have to be more careful. Your father and I have already explained what could happen if you use your powers, especially in public." His mother said worriedly.
"We live in the middle of nowhere mom, there was no one near by who could've seen." Eli tried to reassure his mom.
"I hope your right." His mother sighed. "Well there's nothing we can do about it now. How was your last midterm exam?" His mother shifted into a smile. "I made some pot roast to celebrate the break."
Eli and his mom eat dinner with smiles and laughter. Even though his father was away and his mother had to work as a translator a lot, Eli cherished these family moments where they could just sit and enjoy dinner like a family.
If only Eli and his mother knew just how fleeting these moments were. Tomorrow everything would change.