What caused it? Something must have set it off. It can’t just be random.
First of all, that would be deeply uncool if he can’t control it. Second of all, Colten definitely knows something. He figured something out on the field, even if he won’t tell me for whatever lame reason.
The first time it happened was in the locker rooms, so it’s not the sun or the grass or getting his clothes dirty.
ButIwas there both times, which makes me suspicious.
We were both in the bathroom when Elias did the spell, after all. Maybe I’m part of it somehow?
I lean back against my locker, thinking about the second flashlight impersonation. We were wrestling, having fun, just normal everyday stuff.
Is it having fun? The first time it happened, we were joking around with the guys. And Colten seemed like he was having fun when we were wrestling.
How could he not? He completely bested me.
He had my arm pinned behind my back, his leg hooked around mine, all while sitting on my waist like he’d just won the Olympic gold medal. Somehow, despite being nearly a foot shorter than me, Colten always destroyed me when it came to wrestling.
It's probably all in his arms.
During our physical therapy sessions, it’s hard not to notice how his biceps flex when he helps me stretch. They’re ridiculously huge. I've spent an embarrassing amount of time resisting the urge to poke one, even though my biceps are pretty big, too.
Anyways, while we were wrestling and he had me on the ground, he was grinning like he does when he’s having fun and forgets to be cool about it. It makes him look younger, even though he's barely twenty to begin with.
Honestly, I actually kind of like it when he wins. Not that I would ever tell him that.
There’s something about being bested by him that makes my stomach do this weird swooping thing. It’s probably adrenaline, since I always want to tackle him back, though sometimes, I kind of want to see how much further he can push me into the dirt.
He easily could’ve done that today. With his legs wrapped around me, his strong hands holding my arms down, and his hair falling out of his ponytail from where his face was right above mine—
“Patrick.” Colten is staring at me, stiff and awkward.
I blink, realizing I zoned out for a moment. “What’s up?”
“You’re…glowing.”
I look down, and—
“Oh!” My handsareglowing! It’s not super bright, but it’s impossible to ignore now that I’m looking at it. I turn my hands over, fascinated. I can’t feel it at all. There’s no tingling or heat, just glowing like a vaguely useful flashlight.
“That’s so cool,” I say, though it starts fading almost immediately, my skin already looking completely normal and boring again. Still, super cool! I have super powers!
“Awesome!” I say, grinning brightly at Colten. “So we both get magic flashlight powers.”
Colten is watching me very carefully, not nearly as excited as I am. “What were you thinking about?”
“Oh.” Right. I was thinking about…Colten.
But instead of saying that, I give him an easy grin and say, “Jessica. You know, the one from the presentation? I was hoping she felt better.”
It’s a lie. I know this is something I probably shouldn’t lie about, but for some reason, I don’t really want to tell him the truth.
Colten goes very still, his face carefully blank. “You were thinking about Jessica,” he repeats.
From years of living beside him, I can tell he’s angry. It’s simmering just under the surface, his shoulders tense and rigid with it. Not just that, but I can tell he’s more angry at himself for being angry.
It’s odd, and I feel weirdly guilty. Should I just tell him the truth?
But before I can say anything else, he slams his locker shut.
