Alex’s face immediately gained five more years. “Listen guys, we’re not that unlike each other-”

“We’re not so different you and I.” The woman with the plait cut Alex off. Nisha had to bite her lip to keep from laughing, trying her best to look cool and collected while Alex put both his palms over his eyes and muttered under his breath in what sounded like Spanish.

“E-everyone could go around and introduce themselves; name, uh, previous occupation…..power. Th-that sort of thing?” Finley suggested, making Alex brighten considerably; taking his hands off of his eyes and gesturing them towards Finley’s direction.

“Great idea! Who wants to start?”

Everyone stayed quiet, staring at the floor. Sam being the only exception, kept jumping glances from Alex to Finley. After what felt like way longer than it actually was, he shrugged.

“I’ll go first.”

Alex smiled at him gratefully, placing his hands into the pockets of his Khakis (ew). He glanced around the room for a moment before nodding to himself as he spotted a few fold up chairs. He politely grabbed a few, setting them down in a semicircle by where Sam was already seated.

“So, my legal name is Samuel Hewett but if anyone actually calls me that I’m going to have to sue for slander” Sam started out and Nisha raised her hand.

“Can I call you Sammy?” She asked, her face blank but sarcastic.

“Absolutely not I am in no way a porn star thank you very much.” Sam responded promptly, folding his hands together and placing them on top of his leg in a very professional looking way. “I used to work as a graphic designer I guess, that’s what my degree is in at least. And I can do this-!”

He dug a hand into the pocket of his blue jeans, excitedly pulling out a little rubber bouncy ball, the kind you can get for 25¢ at a local restaurant.

“Why do you own that and actually, better question, why was it in your pocket?” Black plait woman asked. Sam simply winked at her and she nodded, accepting her defeat.

He placed the ball in his palm and then placed his other hand a few centimeters on top of it, giving it enough space that there was a gap between the top hand and the ball. Then a small gust of light colored wind appeared, just in between his hands. The ball moved quickly around in a circle, tracing the shape around his bottom palm.

Sam turned from concentrating on his trick to grin widely at the group.“Isn’t this cool?” He said. “It’s just like in Avatar!”

Even James was watching, abandoning his notebook onto the floor. Finley gave Sam a polite smile which only made him beam wider.

“Really?” Black plait woman spoke up. “You can do magic air shit now and you decide to show it off by doing that?”

Sam ceased the airflow from his hands, catching the ball and returning it to his pockets.

“I don’t wanna hurt anybody.” He said, simply. “I just wanted to show off what I can do now. If I have to deal with feeling every time someone takes a breath, I should at least be able to do cool stuff.”

“Can you really do that?” Nisha asked. “Feel when we breathe?”

Sam nodded. “That and any changes in air pressure or wind. Thankfully I’ve been in this place a couple of days, when I first got my powers I was so sensitive I could hardly sit up without having a headache.”

‘A couple of days?’ How long had Nisha been out?

“Well I’m glad you’re well adjusted now.” Alex said diplomatically. Nisha saw black plait woman roll her eyes, and apparently Alex saw too because he put his hands on his hips, giving the woman an unimpressed expression.

“Oh? Are you interested Carolyne? Would you like to go next?”

Carolyne rolled her eyes again but signed the sigh of defeat. “Fine” I’ll introduce myself next or whatever.”