Chapter Five: A New FAYZ

Drake

Man, was I feeling good. I couldn't help but smile as I walked back to my room. I managed not to skip down the hall like Caine did, though. Okay, so now I had to figure out a way to escape the school's security system by Saturday so Diana and I could get out for our date. I might need to ask Caine for help, but then he would ask why, and I would end up explaining the whole thing to him. He was the one who was going to be jealous. If I were a decent person, I would have felt bad about spoiling Caine's fantasy. But I was a sadist. I could barely wait to see the crushed, heartbroken look on his face when I told him the news. I threw open the door and slammed it behind me, a mile-wide smile on my face. Caine looks at me suspiciously. He was still bouncing up and down on his bed, but he stopped when he saw me.

"Why are you so smug?" He looked suspicious, like I might have, oh, talked to Diana. He was smart.

"I went to go talk to Diana," I said casually, "We were talking, and she said she was just teasing you about today in biology. Then we were talking, and I asked her on a date for Saturday, and she said yes."

Caine was speechless.

"Oh, and then, on my way out, she kissed me," I turned to face him. My face was a twisted smile. Caine's was a mix of anger, pain, and realization. I couldn't believe it had taken him that long to figure out she was just kidding. Diana was a mean girl. Anything was possible with her. Who knew, she could be laughing at my stupidity right now.

"She—She WHAT?" He asked, still completely shocked.

"Yeah, she kissed me!" I smiled and went to brush my teeth. Caine slumped back on his bed, no longer happy. I smiled wider. His pain made my mood even better.

Caine

The next morning, I didn't want to get up. I really didn't. So Diana didn't like me, and now she was dating Drake. I was so angry and sad and hurt. But if she hadn't wanted to go out with me, why did she insult Penny yesterday?

I dragged myself out of bed and down to breakfast. I didn't talk to anyone. Diana and Drake were both quiet too. No one else joined us. No one really knew us yet. Penny was glaring at Diana from across the room, but didn't try to flirt with me again. Which was really a shame. She was no Diana, but she was pretty.

I noticed a girl who was maybe a year younger than me walking over. "Hey. You guys are new, right?"

We all nodded. "Cool. I'm Brianna. I heard you guys really insulted Penny the other day. Congrats on that. Can't stand that girl. Anyway, welcome to Coates, and that's pretty much it. I've been here for years, so any questions that teachers might not approve, feel free to ask me. I gotta go. Bye!"

We all stared after her. She was…fast. It was a little strange. We cleared our plates and went to get our stuff for class.

Diana

Coates was really starting to become home now. It had been six months since my first day. A few more people had joined us at meals, but Drake, Caine, and I are still closer to each other than to anyone else. Maybe it's something about messed up people that draws us together. Drake and I went to the McDonald's in town for our first date. It turns out students are allowed to leave on Saturday evenings, so we didn't even have to sneak out.

A few weeks later, Caine passed me a note in Biology saying he needed to talk to me that evening. He said I could meet him in his dorm. After dinner, I finished my homework and walked to his room. I knocked on the door. He opened it immediately, and I wondered if he had been waiting for me. It was funny. I had him wrapped around my finger. I could ask him to kill someone and he'd probably do it. Drake wasn't there. Caine said he was off torturing some kid.

Drake had become the school's biggest bully. No one messed with him. But he didn't hurt me, so we were still going out. Caine hadn't really done much. He was charismatic and had become the class president. He was furious when he realized the class president doesn't really do anything. Anyway, Caine ushered me inside and shut the door behind me. I sat down at his desk and he took a deep breath. "Okay, Diana, there is something really weird going on. I have no idea what's happening, but it's really weird. I mean, it's awesome, but still weird."

I sighed, wondering why he had to tell me this. "What, Caine? Is Drake growing a tentacle for an arm? Has a five year old enclosed us in an impenetrable sphere with an alien bacterium? Do you have a secret twin?"

"What? No!" He looks at me strangely. "Seriously, that's like, the seventh time someone has mentioned a secret twin. And I don't even want to know where you got the idea for the alien thing. Have you been reading science fiction lately?" I rolled my eyes. God, he needed to learn to take a joke. "Oh, right, the weird thing. Well, I don't really know how to say this, but, um, I can control stuff. With, like, my mind."

I looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Yeah, it's called voluntary muscles. You would know if you did something other than stare at me during biology." Caine blushed, and I smirked. Humiliating him was very entertaining.

"No, like this," Caine said in annoyance, and suddenly invisible hands were grabbing me and lifting me off the ground. I rose to the ceiling and hung there, suspended. "And look, if I move my hands like this," I flew sideways and my shoulder hit the wall. I yelped in pain.

"Caine, you put me down right now," I said, trying to sound casual despite the terror creeping into my voice.

Caine looked at me and smiled. "Or what, Diana?" He was getting cocky. I tried to think of a way to get out of this. Suddenly it came to me.

"Or I'll tell Penny what you told Drake about her the other day." The effect on him was immediate. He dropped me, but, of course, I fell on top of him. Then I felt the weirdest thing, like a flash of power, before Caine scrambled up and turned red

"How did you even find out about that!" Caine said, looking around as if I had hidden cameras in his room. I smirked and examined my fingernails.

"Let's just say, Drake and I have our fun laughing at you." Caine blushed even more, equal parts furious and embarrassed. It was hard not to laugh at his expression. "Anyway, now that you've shown me your magic trick, can I leave?" Caine nodded, but had on a faraway expression.

"Oh, wait, Diana," he said slowly, carefully. I stopped walking. "One more thing." I turned around to make a snide comment when he pressed his lips against mine. For a second, I was too shocked to do anything, but Caine didn't move. I had to admit, he wasn't a bad kisser.

Then, of course, Drake walks in.

I leapt back from Caine, staring at the two of them. Drake was just standing there openmouthed, but a look of anger is appearing on his face. Caine looked like a deer caught in headlights. He stared at Drake, and I figured in his fear he had forgotten that he had the power to lift Drake helpless in the air. I realized I was going to have to be the one to break this incredibly awkward silence.

I summoned my voice and said angrily, "Well, that's what you get for throwing yourself at me, Soren." I shot him a look that he probably thought meant 'we'll talk later'. I meant it to mean, 'I'll kill you later'. I walked out the door and stood listening for a few seconds until I heard the crash that meant Drake had just launched himself at Caine's throat. Drake was as charming as ever.

But still, why hadn't I shoved Caine off as soon as he kissed me? I was dating Drake. Well, maybe you don't like him anymore on the account that he is a psychopath who will probably kill you one of these days? I considered my conscience for a moment before walking back to my room. I'd figure out how to fix this mess in the morning.

Drake

Trying to tear Caine's throat out helped me feel better, but not by much. I had been having a great day. The kid, some eleven year old, had screamed for mercy. It was like music to my ears. Then I walked back to my room, hoping to annoy Caine before going to bed, and what did I find? Caine and Diana, making out a foot away from his bed. I didn't even want to think about what I would have walked in on five minutes later. I was angry, and beneath that, I was deeply hurt. But I don't like people to think I get hurt from stuff like that, so I just attacked Caine. Before I knew what was happening, I was flying through the air, landing on the other side of the room. Caine stood up and brushed himself off.

"I think," he said matter-of-factly, "I am a telekinetic."

Four months later, I hated, hated, hated, HATED Diana Ladris. Underneath I missed her and was upset she picked Caine over me, but I mostly hated her. I had hated Caine, too, but he gave me a real gun for my birthday, and I forgave him. Caine was some sort of superpowerful telekinetic mutant freak now, and Diana apparently could read the "power levels" of others. To me, it sounded like something from some nerd convention.

One day in class, it happened. It was the one class the three of us had together, English. One minute the teacher was droning on and on, and then he was suddenly gone.

Gone.

A few kids gasped. Caine stood up, smiling. This was just like him, taking charge. But were all the adults gone? I felt a smile come to my face. No adults.

Perfect.