As dawn broke and gentle sunlight filtered through their tiny window, Kane, Leo, and Liam stirred awake, each stirring with groggy but cheerful grins—until reality set in. Today was the day of the challenge with Andy and his crew, and each of them felt a knot tighten in their stomachs.
Liam's face was the first to change, twisting into an expression of mild horror as he remembered what lay ahead. Kane frowned, his mind already racing through scenarios, and Leo just groaned dramatically, pulling his blanket over his head like he could hide from the day itself.
Liam, ever the blunt one, broke the silence. "Kane, seriously, what were you thinking when you agreed to this?" His tone was half-joking, but the worry was clear in his eyes.
Leo peeked out from under the blanket. "He wasn't thinking! Besides, I haven't even figured out my stupid 'electro-speed' or whatever." He waved his hands vaguely. "It's only worked once, and that was pure luck!"
Liam rolled his eyes, suppressing a grin. "It's called electrokinetic reflexes, Einstein. And yeah, you're right—none of us really know what we're doing." He shot a quick look at Kane, who seemed lost in thought, his frustration clear.
Kane finally spoke, the weight of his thoughts evident. "It's not just that. This system thing—it barely gives me answers. It can't tell me about my own power, about my parents, that map, or even the compass I found." He paused, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "It's like…it's there to tease me with hints but won't actually help when it counts."
Liam shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe that's a good thing. Think about it: if we suddenly knew exactly how to use all these abilities, what would Andy and his goons think?" He gave them a significant look.
Leo glared at Liam with a mix of exasperation and playful annoyance, muttering in his head, 'I used to think Kane was the smart one. Guess I was more than wrong'
Liam continued, ignoring Leo's look. "We can't go around drawing attention, especially with powers we don't fully understand. For now, we're better off…flying under the radar."
Realizing Liam was right, they shared a resigned look. Their confidence, already fragile, seemed to crack under the weight of what lay ahead. Andy and his crew would definitely wipe the floor with them today.
"Well, here's to having our butts handed to us," Leo muttered, rolling out of bed.
They got up one by one, each heading to freshen up, silently preparing themselves for the inevitable—knowing the day was about to challenge them in ways they weren't ready for.
____________
The three boys headed downstairs for breakfast, the lively hum of the teenagers around them filling the room with an infectious energy. Everyone was counting down the days until the two-month mark, which was expected to bring exciting new privileges. For Kane, Leo, and Liam, however, today's thrill was dampened by the looming showdown with Andy.
After finishing their meal and gathering their things, Leo suddenly froze, his gaze landing on Sophie, who was chatting with a friend nearby. Kane leaned in, whispering, "What's up with you?"
Leo straightened, a determined glint in his eyes. "If I'm going to die today, I can't leave any regrets behind." His voice was full of bravado, and Kane immediately knew this was going to be a disaster.
Sophie noticed Leo staring, and her face turned pink as she began making urgent hand gestures, trying to warn him off. She could tell exactly what he was about to do and, as always, knew it would be something ridiculous. But Leo, oblivious as ever, took her signals as encouragement. Both Kane and Liam facepalmed, silently mourning for their friend's lack of awareness.
Ignoring Sophie's flustered expression, Leo strode over to her, dropped to one knee, and looked up at her with an expression he thought was charming. Sophie's face turned bright red, her eyes widening as she realized he was actually pulling off a proposal pose in front of everyone. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate Leo's commitment, but his timing was undeniably awful.
Before Sophie could even muster a response, Mrs. Eldridge, the house supervisor, swept in, taking in the scene with an amused smile. She gave Leo a playful nudge, "Now, Leo, we're not ready for proposals in this house just yet."
Leo tried to argue, but by then, Kane and Liam had swooped in, each grabbing an arm and dragging him away from his would-be audience. He protested all the way to the door, but their tight grip kept him moving, sparing him further embarrassment.
As they left, Leo gave one last look over his shoulder, blowing a dramatic kiss. Kane and Liam just shook their heads, silently preparing for what would likely be a very long day.
_______
The three arrived at school bright and early, a nervous energy buzzing around them as they prepared for the day. Before splitting off to their classes, Liam pulled the group aside, his expression serious. He looked primarily at Kane, knowing Andy was in his class. "Remember, he'll probably try to provoke you. But no matter what he says, don't react."
Leo nodded, though his hands fidgeted at his sides. Liam continued, "If things get too messy, we'll take the coward's route and skip the whole thing. Got it?"
Kane gave a weak smile, appreciating Liam's practicality. With that, they parted ways and headed to class.
As usual, the lessons dragged, though Kane could barely concentrate. His mind kept drifting back to the challenge, and the hours seemed to pass by in a blur. The growing dread in his stomach only intensified with each passing moment, and before he knew it, the final bell rang.
Just as the class began to gather their things, Andy climbed onto a desk, flashing an overconfident grin. "Alright, listen up, everyone," he announced, his voice booming over the hum of chatter. "I've got some news for you."
Kane's stomach twisted as he realized what was coming. Andy's smile widened as he continued, "It seems like our very own Kane and his 'pup-club' thought it'd be funny to challenge me." He smirked, twisting the story with ease. "Can you imagine? Kane, challenging me? The guy's got guts, I'll give him that."
The room exploded in laughter, the sheer absurdity of the idea making it all the more entertaining to them. Kane clenched his fists, his face flushing. Andy went on, "So, if you want to witness this showdown, we'll meet at the usual underground spot after school. Don't miss it."
'wait, what? Underground spot? That isn't what we agreed on, is it? We agreed on the park" Kane was in a big dilemma, he never knew, Andy was willing to take it this far. But what's done was done, the whole class was already leaving and speaking now was only going to add to his embarrassment.
With that, he hopped off the desk, strolling over to Kane with an evil glint in his eyes. He nudged Kane's shoulder, leaning in just close enough to mutter, "Better not chicken out, Kane."
As Andy left, Kane slumped into his seat, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him. When he finally regrouped with Liam and Leo, his friends were already deep in discussion.
"No way in hell are we fighting," Liam declared. "We'll back out—who cares what anyone thinks? It's the smartest choice."
Kane sighed and explained the whole twisted story, how Andy had made it seem like Kane had issued the challenge. "If I back out now, my last two months here will be the worst of my life. I'll never live it down."
Leo's expression turned serious, and even Liam fell silent. They all knew the truth: they'd been cornered, and there was no easy escape. Still, a faint spark of determination rose in Kane's chest. "If we're going down, let's at least do it with some dignity."
Leo and Liam exchanged a look, then nodded. They'd face this together—whatever the outcome.