Chapter 12: Different light.

"Umm...okay what's up?"

"Everything you said back in the hospital, was it true or false?" I don't like treating people rudely, especially Dave, but somehow I know Dave was hiding something from me, I can just feel it. Dave showed a mixture of emotions, confused, guilty, clueless and scared. Honestly, I can't tell what was going on his mind then.

"Come with me." He said finally. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to an abandon part of the school where there was nobody there early in the morning. His hand that was wrapped around mine felt cold. He finally lead me to a storeroom, he opened the door with his free hand and pushed me inside before he entered the storeroom and locked it. Panic rose in me. Why are we doing here?

"Hey! Why-?" before I could finish my sentence, Dave interrupted me.

"I need to tell you something, promise not to tell anyone okay?" He said in fear and his eyes searching mine for any hint of trust.

"Ermm...okay I promise." I said. Fearing of what he was going to say next. I've never seen Dave like this. He looked so scared, worried and obviously hiding something. Most of the time, he was just well… passive. Still, there's a million possibilities appearing in my head two at a time.

With shaking hands, he unzipped the front of his hoodie. A thin yellow line which stood out in the dark atmosphere caught my attention first. My eyes were trying to adjust to the darkness and slowly the infamous green spandex suit revealed itself. It hugged his body tightly under his hoodie.

Oh no, no no this couldn't be true. Dave is Kick Ass?!

"WHAT THE-" I shouted uncontrollably but Dave quickly slammed his hand on my mouth and placed his other hand at the back of my neck to pull me closer to him.

My heart was hammering in my chest violently. We were quite close thanks to the limited space in the storeroom. I couldn't believe it, how could I not realize it? After all these while, Dave is really Kick Ass? I still want to think it was my imagination but the green spandex under his unzipped hoddie was flashing in front of my eyes, rubbing in my face and showing me that it was all real, a reality. This explained a lot. It explained his permanent eye bags under his eyes, his usual pale and tired face, his late homework, his endless supply of bruises that decorated his skin-

"Maddie, look I'm sorry, I really wanted to tell you a long time ago, I really do." Dave spoke quickly. "I'm sorry about all the stuff I've said back in the hospital, it was not true. I'm sorry that Hit Girl and I kept on disturbing you. I really do care about you Maddie-OUCH!"

My teeth sank deeply into Dave's hand that was covering my mouth, causing him to remove his hand immediately.

"Why, Dave? Don't you trust me? I thought you are my friend!" I said angrily. Anger was pulsing through my veins; I could literally feel my body heating up.

"I was in the hospital scared to death and wondering how I got there. I was so clueless about what was going on in the world, especially after I was out for three whole freaking days! You lied to me when I needed you the most. Just for what? To protect your identity? How selfish can you be?!" I was furious, my whole body felt as if I was on fire.

Without thinking, I raised my hand, my hand itching to slap Dave out of anger. Just when my hand was a few inches from his face, my hand was literally on fire.

Flames engulfed my hand, all I could see was a gradient of red, orange and yellow along with a faint outline of my hand. Strangely, I did not feel pain.

"OW!" Dave clamped his hand on his cheek; I guessed the fire burned him. He turn is head and he stumbled a few steps back from my hand, almost tripping. His eyes widened immediately. "OH GOD MADDIE YOUR HAND! FIRE! WHA-"

"WHAT IS THIS? WHAT DO I DO?!" I was panicking. Oh god, oh no, this is not happening, why was it happening. No scientist could explain what was happening then. Is this even real life?

Dave searched the room frantically and found a bunch if rag cloths. He took a bunch of it and covered my hand. I felt the heat from the flames being contained and I forced myself to calm down, taking in deep breaths.

"CALM DOWN! Calm down, Maddie! I'm sorry okay? I'll do anything you want! I promise!" Dave words were like soft buzzing of a bee in my ear, drowned by the loud pounding of my heart.

I'm going to be okay.

I thought to myself as an attempt to calm myself down, overpowering the negative thoughts that were arising, ignoring the supernatural phenomenon that was taking place.

I'm going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.

Fortunately, it works. I could feel the heat in my body and my heartbeat decreased to a normal level. The cloths that turned black fell from my hand and my hand was looking normal like before, unburned.

Dave was opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish, his eyes which was filled with disbelief and fear was staring into mine. We both stood there in the storeroom speechless. What on earth just happened just now? I really want all this to be just a mere dream and I will wake up and continue my normal life.

I couldn't process that Dave was Kick Ass and I definitely can't accept that my hand was literally in flames yet I did not get burned. The muffled sound of the school bell which represented the first period could be heard but neither of us moved an inch. My mind was occupied by the countless questions that were pouring into my mind.

Do I have powers like how it is only possible in the fiction world?

What if I can't control it?

Did my DNA get altered?

What if it's deadly?

Will I be sent to quarantine?

Will I get rejected and feared by the members of the society?

What if there are side effects to it?

Will I die?

Each question bubbled stress in me. At one point, I couldn't take it anymore, uncontrolled tears rolled down from my eyes.

"Oh no, Maddie." Dave said soothingly, he must had saw me tearing. He pulled me into an embrace, wrapping his arms around me. "Don't worry, Maddie. Everything will be okay. I promise I will do anything to help you."

His words made me cry even more. After everything I shouted at him and I even burned him on his cheek, he was still nice to me.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm here." Dave said softly while he rubbed my back.

"What is going to happen to me?" I said softly, barely audible to his ears.

"Nothing bad I promise. We can seek professional help from people to help you." He replied.

We just stood there, me in his arms in silence. I was too mentally tired to think about absurd theories. After what it seemed like a long time, Dave released me and both of his hands placed on my shoulder.

"You okay now?" He asked with a smile. A smile can hide so much because I know that deep down he was worried and drowned by fear.

I just nodded and wiped away any visible trace of my tears. His hoodie was still unzipped and his suit can be clearly seen, reminding me that Dave is Kick Ass. What is done is done; I couldn't stay angry at Dave forever. He did tell me the truth eventually.

"So, the quiet guy that always skipped gym class is Kick Ass huh?" I said, trying to brighten up the atmosphere. The poor guy looked so worried.

Dave looked down to his suit; he zipped back the hoodie and adjusted it so that no dark green fabric could be seen.

"Yeah." He gave me a sheepish grin. "And who would have thought the girl that seems to have a permanent place in the honour roll list is Sunnies Girl?"

Suddenly, Dave looked as if a light bulb was lighted in his head. "I think I know the perfect person that can help you."