I sat in the front seat of my mother’s car, observing with tight focus as the vehicle rolled closer to its destination. Valerie was in the back, watching the winter scenery scroll by out the window like an old roll-a-book. My nerves were completely shot, but I held it in. I’d gotten pretty good at that over the past couple months.
    “I really don’t want to nag you Derek, but have you gotten started on your college applications yet?” Mom asked, breaking the tired silence in the car.
    “No,” I admitted, too distracted to conjure up an excuse.
    Mom sighed. “The sooner you get it done the sooner you can stop worrying about it. I can tell it’s stressing you out.”
That wasn’t why I was stressed, not by a longshot.
    “I will. Thanks, Mom,” I lied. I hated how insincere my gratitude had become, but sometimes a simple “thank you” was enough to get people off my back.
    “They’re not that bad, you know,” Valerie interjected from behind us. I gave an affirmative grunt and she went back to staring out the window.
    As the school came into view on the horizon, I felt a cold, familiar panic settle into my chest. I was going back. I’d barely gotten through the first half of the year, how was I going to manage another four months?
    After mom dropped me and Valerie at the entrance and drove off, Valerie spoke up again.
    “Four more months, dude. I still don’t know what your whole deal is with this place, but you’re almost done. And seriously, the applications aren’t anything to stress over,” she reassured.
    I offered a halfhearted smile. “Thanks for the encouragement, Val. Good luck fending off the senioritis.”
    “You too,” she remarked before merging with the crowd flowing into the building.
    I lingered at the entrance, still reluctant to re-enter the site of my incidental torment. Every day I spent at home was stunning in its normalcy. There was no sudden stripping, no need to adjust my entire personality on the fly, I could just… exist. It sounds so simple, but it was the first time I had truly been able to rest in months. As the days crept closer to the start of the winter term I gave serious consideration to just dropping out and getting my GED. Anything if it meant avoiding another four months of Henry. In the end, however, there was one thing that kept me going…
    “Hey, I know you!” Emily smirked, spotting me among the crowd. She tried to play it off, but I could see authentic joy hidden in her soft blue eyes.
    “Damn, really? I was hoping I wouldn’t be recognized,” I responded. If she had just barely been able to hide her excitement, there was no doubt I was grinning like an idiot.
    “Too late. It seems-”
    “Emily!” a voice called out. Neither of us could react before Mai ran up and wrapped her arms around Emily from behind. 
    “Mai! It’s so great to… Not see you,” Emily greeted, giving an awkward attempt to reciprocate the hug as she tried to bend her arms around her back.
    “Oh, sorry,” Mai said, loosening her grip and swiveling around, hugging her again from the front.
    “Hey, Mai,” I greeted, waiting a few courteous moments to let the two enjoy their reunion.
    “Hey, Derek. Ready for the last term?” she asked politely.
    “As much as I can be,” I shrugged, “It looks like I only have one class with you guys, the rest I’m on my own for.”
    “Oh, really? Bummer,” Mai said flatly, though I couldn’t help but notice an opportunistic smile breaking through the corners of her mouth. 
    “We have a few classes together, right Mai?” Emily asked.
    Mai’s poorly-hidden smile burst into an ear-to-ear grin. “That’s right! We’ll practically be spending the whole day together!”
    I rolled my eyes. I’d expected Mai to be over her crush by this point, but evidently the new term had reinvigorated her passion.
    Our conversation was cut short by the harsh buzz of the morning bell, signalling everyone to make their way to their first classes of the new term.
    “All day except first period, if I’m not mistaken,” Emily noted.
    Mai sighed. “Yep. Except first period. Catch you at lunch?”
    “Sure thing!” Emily smiled.
    “Great, see you then!” Mai exclaimed before practically skipping down the far hallway. I watched as she rounded the corner, a mild concern lingering in the back of my mind that this wasn’t over.
    “You’re heading to history now, yeah?” I asked, returning my attention to Emily.
    “Sure am.”
    “Cool. With Ms. Bailey or…?”
    “Nah, Mr. Han.”
    “Oh thank God,” I blurted out, relief apparent in my voice.
    Emily seemed taken aback. “Seriously? I never heard you complain about Ms. Bailey.”
    Only then did I realize how disproportionate my reaction must have seemed. Ms. Bailey was a fine teacher, she just happened to be a frequent target of Henry’s scenarios. Emily being in old Mr. Han’s class meant she was a lot less likely to get an unwanted visit from our resident teenage deity, or whatever he was. Unfortunately, I couldn’t exactly explain that to her.
    “Yeah, sorry, her class was, uh, tough,” I explained. It wasn’t a complete lie, Henry’s constant interventions did ensure I learned next to nothing in class. It’s hard to retain any information about the Renaissance when your history teacher is whipping herself in the nude while she discusses it. I had to bust my ass to pass the final exam essentially from the textbook alone.
    “Really? I always heard Mr. Han was the tough grader” Emily noted, leaning in close, “You sure you weren’t distracted by her tits?”
    “I- No, it’s- It’s not- That class was really hard! The way she-” I babbled, choking on my garbled words. It wasn’t until I saw the mischievous smirk on Emily’s adorable face that I realized she was just messing with me.
    “Very funny. Look, if you really want to know why I had so much trouble in that class, I can tell you sometime in private.”
    “Ooh, in private, must be juicy! And where exactly do you intend to find privacy in a place this crowded?” she posited.
    I noticed we were walking past an old custodial closet and, after a quick glance to make sure nobody was looking, reached over and tested the handle. Unlocked.
    “Maybe somewhere like this,” I answered, swinging the door open with an inviting flourish. Emily gave me a curious look, but didn’t ask any more questions before stepping inside the dark closet. I followed her in, carefully shutting the door behind me.
    “So, the thing with Ms. Bailey-” was all I could get out before she threw her arms around me, planting a soft kiss on my nose before quickly correcting herself. 
    “Sorry, it’s a bit dark,” she remarked before moving in again, this time reaching my lips.
    I leaned in in response, embracing her. This, this was why I willed myself back for another term. Not just to protect Emily, but to be with her.
    Obviously we couldn’t just let things be after our first kiss at the recital. We talked over the phone several times, sorting out our feelings and expectations. We were both nervous as hell, but slowly we acclimated to the romantic shift our relationship was taking. By the time the break was nearing its end, we had even met up a few times. Those initial micro-dates we went on barely felt real. Not only did Emily genuinely return my affections, but there was nobody around to interrupt us. For once, life moved at a pace I could keep up with.
    I broke the kiss, pulling back. “Not that I’m complaining, but shouldn’t we be getting to class?”
    Emily scoffed. “So now you’re the responsible one? Come on, the first day is always just boring introductions. Plus the second bell hasn’t even rung yet.”
    “Fine by me,” I responded, meeting her lips again, “I just don’t want to be a bad influence, you know?”
    Emily laughed. It was unlike her normal laugh, a bit more intense, bordering on sarcastic. “Oh yeah, you’re a real *bad influence* on me, Derek. Please, I know what I’m doing.”
    “Really, now?” I remarked, sliding my hand toward the small of her back, “You sure you’re not the dedicated school girl anymore?”
    Emily chuckled, a hint of anticipation in her voice, “Like I said, the second bell hasn’t rung yet.”
    As if on cue, the piercing buzz filled our ears, only slightly muffled through the wooden door. I looked at Emily expectantly, my eyes having adjusted to the darkness.
    “I… Might even be willing to ignore that. For a little bit,” she whispered, closing her eyes and leaning in once more. I responded by wrapping my hands around her waist, gently pulling her up as if to lift her closer towards me. I could feel her body heat even through her thick cotton sweater, like a warm blanket on a cold night. The taste of her lips and the sensation of holding her were enough to create a cocktail of joy that I couldn’t compare to anything else I’d felt before. I really was crazy about this girl.
    I was snapped from my lovestruck stupor by the harsh buzz of an announcement over the loudspeaker.
    *ATTENTION, THERE IS A MANDATORY MEETING RIGHT NOW IN THE GYMNASIUM. ALL STUDENTS AND FACULTY ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND.*
    We broke from our embrace to listen to the announcement, then looked back at each other.
    “Well, I guess we should go…” I commented.
    “Don’t you remember what I just said about the first day back? Boring introductions, long, meaningless speeches” Emily countered, “If there’s something important, Mai will tell me later. The way I see it…” she said, cupping my cheeks in her hands, “...We just got given a bit more time to catch up.”
    “Who are you and what have you done with Emily?” I half-joked.
    Emily simply shrugged. “Maybe you’re just seeing a new side of me. Who knows, maybe you’ll get to see a few more if you keep it up.”
    Just like that I was convinced. I pulled her in close, and we didn’t share any more words for a while.
    It was some time later, I’m not sure exactly how long, that I finally mustered the conscious thought to ask a lingering question.
    “Have you told Mai about us yet?”
    Emily paused, her palms resting on my chest. “I… No. Not yet.”
    “You probably should,” I added, remembering Mai’s renewed infatuation.
    “I know, I just don’t want it to be awkward…” Emily admitted. I understood where she was coming from. I didn’t know if Henry had erased her memories of her fight with Mai on the day Henry gave everyone superpowers, but the sentiment of that argument must have lingered. She had been worried about endangering our friendship when we started going out, and I’m sure the same feelings applied to Mai in a whole different way.
    “It probably will be, but if you know how she feels and you know it’s not gonna happen…” I prompted.
    “I know. I don’t want to lead her on. Want to tell her at lunch? Together?” she asked.
    “Sounds like a plan,” I said, holding her tightly. Before long our lips were locked again. Maybe making out in an empty closet wasn’t the pinnacle of romance, but in that moment we felt like royalty. Gradually, I allowed my hand to slip a bit further down her waist, just past her beltline. 
    She froze. Her hands stopped exploring my back and all pressure from her lips ceased. Realizing what happened, I quickly pulled back. “Emily? Sorry, that might’ve been a bit too much. Are you okay?”
    I was met with silence. Shit, had I taken things too far?
    “Em?” I asked, again being met with nothing. It was still too dark to get a clear look at her. I fumbled for the light switch for a moment, finally locating it on a bare stretch of wall adjacent to the door. Clumsily, I flipped it on.
    “Em, look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” I began, but felt the hasty words die on my lips. Emily hadn’t just frozen up, she was completely, unnaturally immobile. Her hands were still cupping the empty space where my head had been, her lips still puckered as if she was kissing a ghost. Her whole body tilted forward, as if leaning on me despite the fact that I had long since moved from that spot.
    “E-Emily?” I called out, gently poking her face. No reaction. Only then did my faculties kick in, once again reminding me about the reality of my situation.
    “Henry…” I growled. I felt the old frustration bubble up as I looked at my immobilized girlfriend. I felt even more protective of her than before.
    I leaned against the wall as I weighed my options. I could stay in the closet with Emily. All things considered we were in a fairly safe space from whatever Henry was doing. That said, not knowing what he was up to meant I risked being caught off guard later on. I made my decision.
    “I’ll be back soon,” I whispered, leaning in and pecking Emily’s frozen form on the cheek. As I made my way out of the closet, I found myself admiring the curve of her ass in her tight jeans. I’d never shied away from my sexual attraction to Emily, but I was noticing it a lot more now that we were official. To think that one day we might actually…
    Nope. Distraction. I shut the door and began making my way towards the gymnasium

I peered around the corner, carefully observing the assembly. The students were sat on the bleachers, with faculty standing alongside the far wall. Every one of them was immobilized just like Emily. Facing them all at the front, microphone in hand, was Henry, flanked by the assistant principal Ms. Robinson. 
    “Okay, well, you all sure look like you’re not moving, so let’s try this,” he said before snapping his fingers. From observing him over the past few months, I’d come to learn the finger snapping was entirely optional. I guess he just liked to have an action to ascribe to his otherworldly power.
    In an instant, the room returned to life. Chatter filled the air as conversations that had been cut off ten minutes prior continued seamlessly, as if nothing had happened at all.
    “Alright everyone, listen up!” Henry announced into the mic. The chatter died immediately.
    “Okay, so, I was gonna make you all stop moving and inspect you one by one. Unfortunately, that was a lot easier said than done, since all of you appeared properly frozen and it was taking ages. So instead we’re gonna try something different," With that, Henry snapped his fingers once more.
    "Simon says stand up!” he ordered.
    Immediately, everybody in the room jumped to their feet. Even the teachers, who were already standing, shot to attention, straightening their posture. I spotted Ms. Shae and Ms. Bailey in the back, though I didn’t have much time to linger on them.
    “Simon says sit down!” he ordered. Just as quickly, everyone dropped back down. The teachers, having already been standing, dropped onto the ground. Henry glanced over at them, giving me just enough time to scurry beneath the bleachers where I was less likely to be seen. What on Earth was he doing? This felt nothing like his usual shenanigans.
    “Simon says clap!” he commanded. A single, unified clap echoed through the room like a thunderbolt, so perfectly coordinated that it was practically one sound.
    “Jump!” he ordered. This time, not a single person moved. 
    Clearly he was doing some sort of Simon Says thing, but why?
    “Okay, so either you’re all the same as always or my straggler is really good at Simon Says…” Henry muttered. 
    Straggler?
    “Do you have any ideas, teach?” he asked, directing his question to Ms. Robinson, who was seated on the ground next to him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
    “Well, it could be that the person you’re looking for isn’t at school today,” she explained.
    “Hmm… Could be. Why don’t you get me a list of the absentee students?” Henry requested.
    “On it!” Ms. Robinson said cheerfully, jumping to her feet and leaving the gymnasium,  presumably making her way towards the front office.
    I’d gone from unsettled to outright concerned. First he makes everyone do a seemingly pointless game of Simon Says, then he’s looking for attendance lists? Why would he be so insistent on having everyone present for whatever this was?
    “Oh, shit!” Henry exclaimed out of nowhere, “I bet there’s some people who tried to skip the assembly. Well, not on my watch!”
    He then snapped his fingers, causing an assortment of students to materialize in the centre of the room. There were a handful of people who had clearly been smoking outside, a few people who had been in the washroom, and…
    Emily.
    To my horror, she had been magicked away from the safety of the closet and directly into the centre of the room. Even worse, she was in a wildly compromising position. My eyes widened as I took in the sight of her with her eyes fluttering and her head leaned back, her right hand buried in her jeans as she made subtle but unmistakable motions beneath her pants. 
    “Woah, caught you at an awkward moment, huh?” Henry remarked.
    Emily yelped in surprise, joining a chorus of the teleported students expressing shock at their sudden change in surroundings. I watched as her eyes darted across the room, frantically taking in her sudden shift in surroundings. Seeing her alone in such a humiliating position was just heartbreaking enough to make me momentarily forget that she had been touching herself in the closet.
    “S-Sorry!” she blurted out, frantically freeing her hand and making her way towards the exit of the gymnasium, her face bright red.
    “No need to be sorry. In fact, why don’t you continue what you were doing?” Henry suggested.
    As the words left his mouth, Emily’s demeanor softened. “Oh, okay,” she said casually, sliding her hand back beneath her pants.
    I watched intently from beneath the bleachers, hoping and praying that Henry would limit his manipulation of Emily to this. It was uncomfortable, but nobody would be allowed to remember this by the end of the day anyways. As long as he didn’t touch her I could live with it.
    Right?
    “You know, your pants are probably getting in the way,” Henry advised, barely suppressing a shit-eating grin.
    “Oh yeah, thanks!” Emily responded, as if he’d offered her a piece of genuine, helpful advice. I felt my blood turn hot as she began stripping off her jeans, exposing every inch of her legs to the crowd. Seeing Henry treat Emily like another one of his toys was beyond enraging. I’d wondered many times over the break if I’d made the right choice sparing him at the recital, and at that moment I hated myself for my decision.
    Emily’s legs quivered as the motions of her hand intensified, a small damp patch forming on her pale blue panties. I looked to Henry, hoping he’d finally get bored of her and move onto somebody else, but to my dismay he was openly admiring her thighs. If anything, he was gaining interest as she rubbed her clit.
    I felt paralyzed in my hiding spot under the bleachers. The students and faculty were sitting in silence, watching the scene in front of them unfold with completely neutral expressions. Trying to blend in with them would be useless, even if I did work my way into the crowd I wouldn’t be able to do anything. At the same time, taking any action among the mindless drones would expose me as soon as I was seen, and I’d be spotted immediately if I left my hiding spot. 
    “You know, you’ve got a pretty nice ass…” Henry remarked, taking a step closer. 
    “Excuse me?!!” Emily snapped, momentarily distracted from pleasuring herself.
    “Relax, it’s a compliment,” Henry lied, holding his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender. The excuse itself was bad enough, but what made it worse was just how quick Emily was to accept it.
    “Oh, okay. Thanks!” she smiled, all the while furiously rubbing her clit. 
    My seething rage grew. Emily was intelligent, confident, and nowhere near gullible enough to believe such a stupid lie. She only believed him because he wanted her to.
    “Alright, you’ve convinced me. Wanna fuck?” Henry asked, no doubt already knowing the answer.
    I balled my fists, my fingernails digging sharply into my skin. I’d shared a damn near transcendent experience with Emily less than an hour ago making out in a fucking janitor’s closet, and somehow this asshole was completely comfortable asking for something as intimate as sex like it was a spare pencil. Even worse…
    “Sure!” Emily beamed. No resistance, no hesitation. 
    I knew it was because of Henry, of course I knew, but that didn’t mean a part of me didn’t die a little hearing her accept so causally.
    “Perfect. Simon says strip!” Henry ordered. Emily pulled her sweater off, revealing her beautiful chest as if they were something everyone was allowed to see. A moment later her bra also fell to the ground, leaving her sizable tits fully exposed. Could I really not protect her for a single day? Not one day of being officially together before Henry took her from me?! I scanned my surroundings, praying I’d find something - anything - I could use to prevent what was about to happen. To my dismay, all I could see were rows upon rows of students. 
    Wait… Of course!
    As Emily stripped her panties off and bent over, I leaned in near a cluster of students as they watched on in silence.
    “Simon says strip!” I whispered sharply, hoping against hope that it would work. To my relief, I watched as the small group within earshot suddenly stood up, shedding their clothes without an ounce of hesitation. Just as Henry was about to drop his pants, the shuffling drew his attention to the bleachers.
    “What the-” he stammered, but I kept going.
    “Simon says strip!” I ordered another group. That cluster too started throwing their shirts off. I continued this as much as I could, getting as many people as possible to start getting naked. Shirts, pants, bras, and underwear began flying off the bleachers, littering the floor and obscuring my vision of the scene in front of me.
    “Woah, woah, hey! I just meant her! Stop!” Henry called out, but that didn’t put an end the mass disrobing.
I pushed aside a stray bra to clear a line of sight. Henry was making his way towards the bleachers, clearly annoyed by the uncharacteristic disobedience of the crowd. Where he was waiting, Emily stood patiently, completely naked. Her thick thighs outlined her wide hips, which curved inward just slightly around her belly before blossoming outward again around her chest. Above that beautiful body was her, Emily. My longtime friend and, as of recently, girlfriend. I felt a sting of guilt as I admired her body even in a situation as dire as this, but I found it hard to look away.
    “Damn it, stop stripping! Put your clothes back on! Ugh, why aren’t you listening to me!” Henry bemoaned. I watched as his expression turned contemplative, questioning his sudden loss of authority before he gasped as the realization finally dawned on him.
    “Simon says! Fuck me!” he exclaimed, smacking himself on the forehead. 
    He probably would have smacked himself a little harder if he realized what he’d just done. As soon as the words left his mouth, every single person in the gymnasium converged on him. It was utter chaos as a maelstrom of bare skin threw themselves at Henry, each person desperate to follow the command they were unwittingly given.
    If I was ever going to get a chance, this would be it. I darted out from under the bleachers, making a beeline for Emily as she advanced on Henry’s position. I’d lost sight of him in the crowd, and I very much hoped he’d lost sight of me as well. As Emily moved single-mindedly towards him, I grabbed her arm and issued an order of my own.
    “Simon says don’t fuck Henry! Simon says hide under the bleachers!” I blurted out. Emily paused, like a machine shifting gears, before redirecting herself around the mass of students and towards her new target. Relieved, I followed closely behind her. As soon as we were sufficiently hidden, I grabbed her hands and spoke to her one more time.
    “Simon says stay hidden. Simon says cover your ears.” I directed sharply. It was strange, ordering Emily around like this, but if it was enough to get her out of harm’s way I would do it without hesitation. A moment later, I heard another voice boom out across the room. It was loud, far louder than that of any normal person.
    “SIMON SAYS GET OFF!”, Henry thundered from beneath the pile, supernaturally amplifying his own voice. In an instant, the throngs of naked students backed away, exposing him lying on his back on the floor, frantically catching his breath. His clothes had been yanked off by the crowd, leaving him completely exposed.
    “Oh… My… Fucking… God…” Henry panted, palpable terror in his voice. After what he nearly just did to Emily, I didn’t feel a lick of sympathy.
    Just then, the doors swung open as Ms. Robinson re-entered the gymnasium.
    “Alright, here’s the list of absent students for today!” she announced, holding a single sheet of paper.
    “Just… Just bring it over here,” Henry ordered, making no effort to get up off the ground. Ms. Robinson obliged, weaving through the crowd of motionless, nude students to deliver the sheet to him.
    “Need anything else?” she asked politely.
    “I'll take a blowjob, thanks, if I can avoid fucking up that order…” he groaned.
    Ms. Robinson didn’t acknowledge the latter comment, instead getting onto her hands and knees and enveloping his cock in her mouth.
    Faced with a momentary lull in the action as Henry read silently from the list of names, I glanced over at Emily. She was squatting next to me, her hands still covering her ears. She was also still completely naked, granting me a view I’d seen before, but never quite this closely or privately. My eyes lingered on her round ass, having recently admired it through her jeans. I felt my cock harden, but tried my best to ignore the unwanted arousal.
    Awkwardly, I put my arm around Emily’s waist. It was a small, possessive action that was entirely pointless given that we were both hiding and she was still under Henry’s influence, but I still felt the need to reassert that we were together. I was hers, and she was mine, and Henry wasn’t going to take that away from us. Come to think of it, why was she touching herself when Henry summoned her? Did I really get her that hot and bothered? I felt a bizarre sense of pride.
    “Interesting. So that’s twelve students missing?” Henry asked.
    “Yes, sir,” Ms. Robinson confirmed, momentarily popping off his dick to answer before returning her mouth to his member.
    “So then… Any of these could be my straggler…” Henry mused as his cock throbbed, reaching a quiet climax in the assistant principal’s mouth.
    “Potentially. Who is your straggler, sir?” Ms. Robinson asked, Henry’s cum dripping from her lips as she spoke.
    “The person who’s immune to my powers,” Henry said.
    My world stopped. 
    He knew. He knew I existed. I was doomed. I’d barely gotten away with it in the first term when he didn’t know anyone was immune to his abilities. If he was actively searching for me, there was no chance I’d be able to stay hidden. It was over. It was completely, utterly over. I may as well reveal myself right there and then. And then he’d…
    I held Emily tighter. Did he know about me specifically? No, of course not. Otherwise he wouldn’t be tracking people down. That meant I had some time. If I kept a very, *very* low profile, I might be able to slip under the radar. Was I doomed? Probably, but not immediately. Still, no amount of optimism could lighten the enormous weight that was suddenly bearing down on my mind.
    “Alright, that’s enough, I think. Simon says forget about this, put your clothes on, and get back to class!” Henry announced. As the crowds quietly got dressed and departed the gymnasium, I watched Henry snap his fingers, teleporting off to God-knows-where, leaving Ms. Robinson on the ground with a mouthful of cum. To her credit, she quietly swallowed his load, stood up, and made her way out as well.
    Only once every last person had left did I finally turn to face Emily. Carefully, I slid my hands around her wrists and pulled them off her ears.
    “We’re safe now, Em. You can get dressed again.” She didn’t respond. It was only as she stared blankly at me did I realize that I’d just made the exact same mistake as Henry.
    “Simon says take your hands off your ears,” I directed. She obliged, dropping her arms to her sides.
    I stood up and stretched, wringing out the tension I had accumulated while crouched under the bleachers. Then I looked down at Emily, finding her gazing innocently back up at me. Only once the immediate danger had passed did I realize how inappropriate the situation was. 
    “Ah! Sorry. Um, Simon says go get dressed,” I stammered. If Emily was upset, she didn’t show it. She simply walked over to the last pile of discarded clothing and began dressing herself. I won’t lie, a part of me wanted to tell her to stay nude a little longer, or at least stay in her underwear for a bit, but a much bigger part of me knew it would’ve been wrong. This wasn’t my Emily, this was a version of her that had been hijacked by Henry.
    As she pulled her sweater back on and turned to face me, it occurred to me that she hadn’t heard Henry’s command to wipe her memory. If I wanted to, I could tell her the truth - Let her remember everything Henry had done, and what I had done to protect her. I wouldn’t need to lie to her anymore. I wouldn’t be alone anymore!
    “Okay Emily, last order,” I began, my mind brimming with excitement. I could finally share my experience with someone. No more internal struggle, no more misunderstandings about why I was so dour at school. I wouldn’t be alone anymore, she’d be…
    “You’d be suffering with me…” I muttered, my spark of hope colliding with reality. 
    I sighed. “Simon says… Go back to class, and forget this assembly ever happened. You won’t remember anything strange about today,” A part of me expected Emily’s blank expression to change, even for just a moment, but instead she simply turned and walked out the door. I sat myself down on the bleachers for a few minutes, alone and exposed, before finally leaving for class myself.

“So basically we talked for a while, went on a few dates, and now we’re official!” Emily announced to the group. She was met with an unexpectedly tense silence.
    “You two are… Dating?” Mai asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice.
    “That’s what she said, sis,” Lan confirmed, his own voice carrying traces of annoyance.
    “Yep! Officially dating, right Derek?” she asked, tapping my foot.
    “Oh! Um, yeah. We’re a couple. An early couple, but a couple,” I affirmed. I’d been a lot more distracted than I originally intended to be for this conversation. Up until that point I’d basically just been staring into my bowl of soup.
    “...Congrats,” Mai said, giving us an obviously halfhearted smile before reaching for her water bottle and taking a long, deep sip, the kind you take to avoid having to say anything else.
    “Yeah, good for you guys,” Lan added, taking a massive bite of his sandwich. Emily and I exchanged a momentary glance, one that expressed just enough concern to let me know that, for all her optimism, she wasn’t completely oblivious to her friends’ unenthusiastic responses. 
    I shifted my glance to Mai, who flashed me a glare that could make a baby cry. I was only halfway through the day and Henry had already nearly taken Emily AND discovered there was someone immune to his powers, and now Mai seemed to be regressing on her one-sided crush, and that was to say nothing of Lan’s attitude. I could feel the stress accumulating in my head. The first day back was proving to be an utter disaster.
    Under the table, I reached over and grabbed Emily’s hand. She squeezed mine in response. I felt a little bit lighter.