Story Time – Woven with Blue and Gold

By Bharati Krishna and Samanvi Vitta

It all started on an ordinary Tuesday when Nicholas Douglas, the infamous school bully, decided to pick on Stan Stilton, a quiet and unassuming classmate who never really bothered anyone. The atmosphere in the hallway was tense, as usual, whenever Nicholas was around, but this time something unexpected happened. Alithea, the new kid in school who had only recently transferred to Falcon Middle School, decided she couldn’t stand by and watch this injustice unfold. With surprising confidence and a determination that belied her new-student status, she stepped up to Nicholas. In a moment that seemed to defy the laws of physics, she delivered a single, swift slap that sent Nicholas Douglas flying across the hallway, much to the astonishment of everyone present.

Before I delve deeper into this extraordinary event, let me properly introduce myself. I’m Kit Cunning, and I was a close friend of Alithea—or at least, I used to be. You might be wondering why I’m speaking of our friendship in the past tense. Before you judge, please hear my story in its entirety. I first met Alithea not long after she arrived at school, as I was assigned to be her school helper. It was at Falcon Middle School where our paths crossed. Alithea was unlike anyone I had ever met. Her appearance was striking, with jet blue, wavy hair interspersed with strands of pure gold that shimmered in the sunlight. She stood taller than most of our classmates, even for an 8th grader, and there was something about her presence that drew people in.

From the moment I met her, I felt an immediate connection and an instant liking for her. We quickly became friends and, over time, our bond grew stronger until we were best friends. Those were some of the happiest days I can remember, filled with laughter and shared secrets. But, as it often happens, happiness can be fleeting. One day, without warning, everything changed. Alithea received a mysterious message on her phone, and from that moment, she became a different person. She withdrew from the world, choosing to isolate herself with her phone as her only companion. No matter how hard I tried to reach out—whether through calls, texts, or even emails—she ignored me and shut herself off from everyone.

Her transformation was baffling and painful to witness. She avoided any interaction with living beings, and it seemed like nothing could break through the barrier she had erected around herself. Until, that is, the day she witnessed Nicholas Douglas bullying Stan Stilton. I knew that Alithea had a deep-seated hatred for bullies, but Nicholas had never dared to act out around her before. However, when she saw him tormenting Stan, something snapped within her. She couldn’t stand idly by, and in a moment of righteous anger, she struck Nicholas with a slap that sent him sprawling across the hallway. The force of her action was astonishing, and the look on her face oscillated between worry and fear as she glanced from her hand to Nicholas, as if realizing for the first time the power she possessed.

Deep down, I had always suspected that Alithea was not entirely ordinary. There was an aura about her that hinted at something more, something extraordinary. And that day, her actions confirmed my suspicions. Alithea was different, and her uniqueness went beyond her striking appearance or her mysterious withdrawal. She possessed incredible power, and witnessing it firsthand left me with more questions than answers. Our friendship had changed forever, and though I no longer stood beside her as a friend, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the mystery of who she truly was.

I knew it. I knew there was something different about Alithea. I just couldn’t figure out what. There were the small signs, like her hair, which looked blue and gold almost naturally. And there was her being able to almost disappear into thin air. But basically tapping the biggest eighth grade bully, and sending him flying to the other end of the hallway, that was what proved it. And Stan isn’t even like her friend or anything. I wonder if she has a thing for him. Whatever it was, I  had to find out.

All I did that night was research. “Can people have natural blue hair?” “Can people teleport?” “Can they tap someone and send them flying?”   All of the answers were things like superhero, supernatural, monster, poltergeist, demigod, and possessed.  That’s when I started to think,” Is Alithea even human?” But how is that even possible? I know I said I wasn’t her friend anymore, but I know that she had good intentions. I decided that I was gonna confront her tomorrow.

Alithea seemed… cheerful the next morning at school. That hadn’t happened in weeks! As angry as I was,  I kinda felt happy. 

“Hey Kit! Come over here!”she called out to me. I went over, trying to ignore the bags under my eyes from staying up all night. 

“I need to talk to you. Alone.” I snapped, pulling her into the nearest girls bathroom, which thankfully was empty. “What happened yesterday?! You tapped Nick, and he slammed into the water fountain on the other side of the hall!” I exclaimed. “There’s something that you’re not telling me. I know that.”

“Ummm…” her voice said shakily. “ There is something that I wasn’t telling you.” But just then, she got a notification on her phone. She looked down at her phone and started tapping at the screen, covered in fingerprints. 

“Oh, would you get off that thing for once!” I demanded, my anger rising. What I didn’t realize was that I was too.

“Um, Kit, you might wanna look down.” Alithea said, wincing. I looked down, and my feet were at least two feet above the gritty, gray, bathroom floor.

 “How do you get down from here!” I said, panicking. 

“Just stay calm, and slowly lower yourself to the ground.” I didn’t stay calm. My feet slammed into the floor, and the floor started to crack. Alithea stared wide eyed at the air, then the floor, then me.

“Kit. You can’t tell anyone what just happened right now.” Alithea said firmly.

“Why?” I panted, still pulling myself together.

“Because those texts I’ve been getting, they revealed a truth that’s been hidden from me almost all my life.”

“Huh?” My confused brain couldn’t handle this. “ I don’t understand.”

“I’m special in a different way. And so are you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Kit, I mean that we have superpowers.” Alithea told me.