“Nora! Don’t make me come up there!” Rooney called.

“I’m ready, geez.” Nora walked down the stairs.

Both Joan and Rooney did a double-take. Nora had her hair down for once and completely straightened. She wasn’t wearing her glasses, she found she no longer needed them any more thanks to her newest friend Jinn. Her nails were filed and cleaned with a coat of clear black polish. She wore make-up which both her parents knew she only did on rare occasions.

She had on dark grey jeans that hugged her hips just right and a skintight black tank top that has an x crossed open back look. She wore the silver-plated boots she had found in the attic and had her usual jacket tied around her waist. The sword necklace was tucked into her shirt.

“Are we leaving or what?” Nora asked as she walked to the door, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

“Uh, Nora…” Joan called.

“Oh yeah, almost forgot, bye mom, love you.” Nora ran over to her kissed Joan on the cheek before walking out the door.

“I’ll talk to her.” Rooney sighed as she grabbed her car keys.

“Find out if our daughter has been body-snatched please.” Joan pecked her on the lips.

“Not funny considering the circumstances,” Rooney mumbled.

“I’m being serious.” Joan snorted in laughter as she waited by the coffee pot.

Rooney rolled her eyes and walked out the door.

The ground was mushy and wet from the thunderstorm the night before. The sky wasn’t clear as dark thunderous clouds threatened to pour down rain at any moment.

Rooney unlocked the car and Nora quickly got in.

“Where are your glasses?” Rooney asked as she started the car.

“Don’t need them,” Nora said glued to her phone.

“So, am I supposed to assume your eyesight has been magically cured?”

“Is it really that hard to believe?” Nora said backhandedly. “I mean stranger things have happened.”

Rooney eyed her as they drove to school.

“Are those my boots?” Rooney asked.

“No.” Nora lied.

“Where did you get them, I don’t remember buying you those.”

“You guys never take me shopping; I order all my stuff online remember?”

Rooney frowned.

Nora turned the radio on when her hand was on the radio it was nothing but static coming out but when she drew her hand back the radio signal came through loud and clear.

“So, uh any reason you look nice today?”

“Are you saying I don’t look nice every other day?” Nora challenged.

“No, I just think you look extra nice today. You are actually wearing clean clothes and are freshly showered.”

“Big deal,” Nora rolled her eyes.

“Does this have anything to do with a special someone?”

“No!” Nora said too quickly.

Rooney smirked.

“You can tell me if it does, you’re at that age when you start getting feelings for other people. Trust me I know how awful it can get. I was around your age when I fell for your mom. Look at us now.”

“Ew gross, please stop.”

“I’m just saying if you ever wanted to talk about getting feelings for someone, I’m here for you. No judging or anything, promise.”

Nora raised a skeptic eyebrow at her.

“So, who are they?” Rooney asked.

Nora blushed and looked out the window to avoid Rooney’s gaze.

“Just some boy,” Nora finally said.

“Some boy, Who?”

“He doesn’t even know I exist. I’m going to ask him to the spring formal.”

“Sound fun. Just be yourself.”

“Gee thanks for the advice mom.” Nora rolled her eyes and unbuckled as they pulled into the school.

“I’m just saying you don’t have to try and be something you’re not to get this guy's attention. Getting people to like you for who you are is how relationships last.”

“Yeah forgive me if I take this all with a grain of salt. You aren’t exactly a love expert.” Nora got out of the car and ran off to school.

Rooney frowned after her but quickly drove off.

“Ta-da!” Nora spun around for Destiny.

“Holy crap Nora you look hot.”

“I know.”

“You never sent me a picture.” Destiny pouted.

“My phone was acting up because of the storm, but I did okay for myself don’t you think?”

“No way he can say no to you. Go on, go ask him now. He’s by the vending machines.”

“Now!?” Nora panicked.

“Well, why not?” Destiny asked.

“I sense a great fear of this Ross guy, I can eliminate the threat if you would like,” Jinn said to Nora.

“No!”

“No? Nora don’t flake.” Destiny pouted.

“No, I mean okay.”

“Okay to eliminate the threat?”

“No!”

“Nora you’re confusing me,” Destiny said.

“I’ll ask him right now, uh just wait here,” Nora said before running off.

“You can’t do that; you can’t talk to me when I’m trying to talk to someone else. People will get confused. Also, what do you mean, eliminate the threat? Is that a thing I can do now?” Nora talked quietly to herself.

“I can show you,” Jinn offered.

“No! Geez haven’t you ever heard of a crush? The last thing I want you to do is hurt this guy.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” she hissed, “Now be quiet.” She walked over to Ross and his buddies.

“Hey Nora,” He smiled sweetly at her.

“Oh, hey Ross,” she giggled for no apparent reason.

He had the looks of everyone’s dreamboat guy. Tall, lean, dreamy hazel eyes. His brown hair was short and had that effortlessly hot boy band look to him. He always dressed nice, khaki pants, nice shirts, belts, and dress shoes. Always looking his best no matter what situation.

Behind Ross was his usual gang of guys including Garret Hogs. A star wrestler of the school, just like his dad had been. Garret took after his father Mike a lot. He had shaggy sandy brown hair. A gentle face and a scrawny body. The kind of guy who was everyone’s bro and made everyone laugh. He was a jokester and often lit up the room with his smile. Always bringing happiness wherever he went, much like his mother Annalee. He was a good guy and knew about the world of the supernatural, although you wouldn’t be able to tell just looking at him. He was good at keeping that life away from his school life. He might not be the smartest guy, but he’s a guy that always had his buddies back. For better or for worse.

“What’s up?” Ross asked.

“Um, I… uh. Well, I think you’re amazing and I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the spring formal with me.” Nora quickly spit out, her cheeks turning bright pink.

“Wait like as your date?” Ross smirked.

Behind him, his buddies tried to suppress their laughs.

“Yeah,” Nora said.

“But I thought you were a lesbian,” Ross said.

At that, they could no longer stop themselves from laughing. The group of guys began to have a good laugh at Nora’s expense.

Nora felt her heart drop down to her stomach.

“What?” she said, obviously confused.

“Well everyone knows you have two moms, plus you always hang out with that other girl. I just sort of thought you two were dating. Everyone did.”

“I'm not gay!” Nora shouted, the lights flickering above her.

“Are you sure? We couldn’t tell.” A guy said behind Ross, gaining more laughter.

“Sorry Nora, I didn’t mean to give off the wrong vibe. I swear I thought you were gay.”

Nora’s eyes filled with tears and her insides stung with rejection and embarrassment.

“Should I eliminate him?” Jinn asked.

Nora clenched her jaw and turned to leave.

“I have a cousin who might be interested in a girl like you if you want,” Ross called after her.

“Nora?” Jinn pushed.

“Wait man I thought your cousin was a girl,” Garret said.

This made everyone laugh more, even Ross.

Nora clenched her fist and all the lights in the school flickered. Her eyes turned pitch black and all she could think about was how humiliated she felt.

“That’s enough, you guys are assholes!” Destiny called as she ran over to Nora and engulfed her in a hug.

“Don’t listen to them, Nora. You deserve way better than them.” Destiny comforted her.

Nora blinked and her eyes went back to normal, the lights stopped flickering. Ross was no longer laughing, as he had noticed the effect Nora was having on the surroundings. Being attuned to the supernatural he could sense something wasn’t quite right.

“Look if she didn’t want people to think she was gay, she shouldn’t dress like that.” A guy said.

“Shut up!” Nora snapped.

The guy went flying back into the vending machine his eyes wide with shock.

Nora pulled free from Destiny before stomping over to him.

“Even if I was gay there is nothing wrong with being gay!” the light above her shattered.

“Okay, sorry.” The guy backed up from her.

“All of you should apologize this instant.” Destiny demanded.

“Sorry,” The guys gave a collected apology.

“Sorry Nora, I was just teasing. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” Ross walked over to her.

“Get away from me!” Nora pushed him and knocked him to the ground, he slid back a few feet just from the force of the push.

He eyed her as she stomped away with Destiny on her tail.

“You okay man?” Garret helped him up.

“Yeah… did that seem weird to you?” Ross asked.

“Yeah, the chick is hella scary.” The other guy said.

The guys gave mumbled agreements.

Ross stared after Nora, a concerned look on his face.

“It’s okay Nora, I still think you're awesome.” Destiny comforted her.

“Get away from me! It’s because of you that people think I’m gay. Just stay away from me.” Nora snapped at her before walking off.

Destiny felt a pang of hurt inside of her. She watched her best friend run away from her and shrunk in on herself, suddenly finding herself all alone at the table.

Nora went into the girl’s bathroom and looked at her reflection, tears in her eyes.

“We should go back and teach those guys a lesson.” Jinn said.

Nora narrowed her eyes before she pulled her hair up and grabbed her backpack and left school. She put on her jacket and put her hoodie up as she jogged off campus just as it started to sprinkle.

“Where are we going?” Jinn asked.

“You are going to show me exactly what we can do,” Nora said coldly.