The first day of school came too quickly for Kevin. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his blue and white jacket for the tenth time, trying to ignore the anxious flutter in his stomach. There was no uniform at his new school, but the casual freedom somehow made it worse. He couldn't decide if he wanted to stand out or blend in.
"Ready to go?" his dad called from downstairs.
Kevin sighed and grabbed his backpack. "Yeah, I guess."
The drive to Lincoln High was awkward, with his dad rambling about being polite to teachers and making friends. Kevin barely listened, his mind spinning with thoughts of starting over at a place where no one knew him. At least no one would know how sickly he used to be—how fragile and weak his body had been before… whatever happened.
"You'll be fine, kiddo," his dad said as they pulled up to the front entrance. "Just be yourself."
Kevin nodded, slipping out of the car. "Thanks, Dad," but the inner voice was like "Really, be myself."
The school was buzzing with activity, students chatting in groups or rushing to class. Kevin kept his head down and followed the map on his phone to his homeroom.The day was a blur of introductions and awkward conversations. By lunchtime, Kevin had met at least five people whose names he couldn't remember and gotten lost twice.
It wasn't until gym class that things took an unexpected turn.
The gym teacher, Coach Bradley, was a stocky man with a booming voice and a whistle that seemed permanently attached to his neck. "Alright, listen up!" he called as the class gathered around. "Today's a free day. Basketball, soccer, track—whatever you want. Just move!"
Kevin hesitated as the rest of the students scattered. Sports had never been his thing. He'd always been the kid picked last, the one wheezing on the sidelines while everyone else played, but something about today felt different.
He wandered over to the basketball court, where a group of boys was shooting hoops. One of them, a tall kid with curly hair, noticed him lingering.
"You wanna join?" the boy asked, tossing the ball to Kevin.
Kevin caught it, surprised at how easily his hands gripped the ball. "Uh, sure."
They started a quick game of three-on-three. At first, Kevin hung back, unsure of what he was doing. But then the ball came to him, and without thinking, he moved. It was like his body had a mind of its own. He dribbled past two defenders with ease, sprinting toward the basket. His legs felt weightless, his movements fluid. Before he knew it, he was leaping into the air, the hoop inches away. The ball swished cleanly through the net. Kevin was 5'6 but he dunked pretty easily.
"Whoa!" one of the boys shouted. "Did you see that?"
Kevin landed lightly, his heart racing—not from exhaustion, but from the rush of it all. He hadn't even tried, and it felt... easy. The game continued, and Kevin dominated. He outran everyone, intercepted passes, and made every shot he took. By the end, the other boys were staring at him in disbelief. "Dude," the curly-haired boy said, clapping him on the back. "You're insane. How are you not on the team?"
Kevin shrugged, his cheeks burning. "I've never really played before."
The rest of the class passed in a whirlwind. Kevin tried soccer, and it was the same—he was faster than everyone, his footwork precise. On the track, he left the other runners in the dust, his legs moving like they were built for speed.
By the time the bell rang, Kevin was overwhelmed. He'd always been the kid who couldn't keep up, and now he was outpacing everyone without even breaking a sweat. That night, Kevin sat at the dinner table, poking at his spaghetti and meatballs.
"How was school?" his dad asked, scrolling through his phone.
"It was... fine," Kevin said, unsure how to explain what had happened.
"Make any friends?"
"Sort of."
His dad glanced up. "Sort of? What does that mean?"
Kevin shrugged. "I don't know. Gym was weird."
"Weird how?"
"I was just... good at everything," Kevin said, staring at his plate. "Like, really good. People noticed."
His dad set down his phone, his brow furrowing. "Well, that's not a bad thing. Maybe you've just got a natural talent."
Kevin wanted to believe that, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was something more. Something tied to the lightning, the pool, the strange changes in his body.
"I guess," he said finally.
His dad smiled, ruffling Kevin's hair. "You'll figure it out, kiddo. Just take it one day at a time."
But as Kevin lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't help but wonder: if this was just the beginning, what else was waiting to be discovered?
**************************************************
Kevin's first week at Lincoln High had been surprisingly smooth. Thanks to gym class, he'd become one of the most talked-about new students, and his peers seemed eager to include him in their activities. He found himself sitting with Sam, the tall, curly-haired boy, and a growing group of others during lunch, where they exchanged stories and jokes that made Kevin feel like he belonged.
"You coming to the park tomorrow?" Sam asked as they finished eating. "Pickup game starts at noon."
"Yeah, sure," Kevin said, his voice unsure but curious.
Sam smirked. "Cool. Don't let us down, Superstar."
Kevin laughed awkwardly, but deep down, he couldn't shake a feeling that something was... different. His body felt lighter, stronger, and he caught himself finishing activities before he'd even thought about them—like tying his shoes in seconds without realizing he'd done it. It was strange, but he brushed it off as his imagination.
That night, Kevin sat at the dinner table, pushing peas around his plate as his dad finished his coffee.
"You've been quiet," his dad said, setting the mug down. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I guess," Kevin replied. "School's good. I made some friends."
"See?" His dad smiled. "Told you you'd settle in."
Kevin nodded, but his mind wasn't on school. Lately, he'd been feeling restless, like his body was buzzing with untapped energy. Every time he tried to relax, he felt the strange sensation growing stronger, like an itch he couldn't scratch.
Later, after his dad had fallen asleep in front of the TV, Kevin decided he needed air. He pulled on his hoodie, slipped out the door, and let his feet carry him wherever they wanted.
Before Kevin realized where he was, he found himself standing at the edge of the town's power station. The glowing transformers hummed softly in the night, their rhythmic buzz oddly comforting.
Kevin's heart raced as he climbed over the fence, his breath fogging in the cool air. He couldn't explain why, but something about the energy surrounding the station called to him, like a magnet drawing him closer.
He approached one of the large transformers, the glow reflecting off his face. His hand reached out as if on its own, fingertips grazing the metal casing.
In that instant, everything changed.
A surge of energy shot through Kevin's body. His muscles locked as the world around him seemed to slow. The transformer's hum grew louder, morphing into a deafening roar, and then—
Boom
Flash.
A wave of blinding light engulfed Kevin. He fell to his knees, gripping the ground as his body convulsed. Pain gave way to a strange warmth, and then an incredible rush of power.
Kevin opened his eyes to find the night glowing. No, not the night—him. His veins pulsed with brilliant streaks of electric blue light, glowing beneath his skin like living lightning. Some of the energy occasionally leaping outside to dance onto his porcelain skin.
"What the—?" Kevin muttered with confusion and surprise, staring at his hands. The glowing veins pulsed in sync with his heartbeat, and he could feel the energy coursing through him, begging to be released but he didn't know how.
The first thought that came into his mind was, 'I need to go home.' Testing his legs, Kevin pushed himself up—and stumbled as the world seemed to blur around him. He moved, and in an instant, he was standing in front of his own house.
"Whoa!" Kevin gasped, spinning around.
It was as if time had skipped forward, leaving him to catch up. He tried again, taking a step forward. His foot hit the ground—and suddenly he was ten steps ahead, his surroundings a streaky smear of colors. As his sense of image settled he could hear the car alarms in his surrounding area going haywire.
"I'm... fast," he whispered.
But it wasn't just speed. The glowing energy inside him thrummed, making him feel alive in a way he never had before. His body was buzzing with power, his movements smooth and effortless.
With the energy slowly fading but his excitement as alive as ever he decided to go back inside. His dad was asleep on the couch with a cellphone in his hand, a half full mug of cold coffee and a heap of office work on the coffee table. Quietly Kevin turned off the TV and headed upstairs to his bedroom.
Kevin took off his hoodie and shirt and could clearly see the scorch marks and holes on them. He didn't bring himself to worry about it though? Sitting on the edge of his bed, Kevin stared at his hands, willing the glow to return. At first, nothing happened. Then, as he focused harder and re-imagined the sensations, faint streaks of light flickered beneath his skin, glowing like rivers of energy.
He clenched his fists, a grin creeping across his face. Whatever had happened to him, it was amazing. But as the excitement wore off, a flood of questions filled his mind.
What was this power? Where had it come from? And why him?
As Kevin lay down, staring at the ceiling, one thing was certain: life as he knew it had changed forever. Exhaustion now flooded his body like never before and he slowly drifted into a deep dreamless sleep.