Awakening

It was a normal Tuesday morning for Maria. She was getting ready for another boring day at her high school. Being a senior in her second semester means that she doesn't have any academic worries.

But somethings have been bugging her for the past few days. Recently, Maria had finally done the deed with her boyfriend of 3 years after finding out they won't be going to the same college after graduation. But he seemed to be getting more and more distant from her since then.

Ding! Her phone vibrated on the dresser.

"Sorry babe, I forgot to finish my writing assignment. I'm gonna try and finish it this morning so I can't drive you to school today." Maria read the text from my boyfriend with a slight frown forming.

Looking in the mirror, her slightly pale but fair complexion reflected back at her. Wavy red hair messily perched above a pair of hazel eyes. The imperfection that disrupted this image was a frown which Maria finds she has been having a lot more of.

Ever since college application results came out he has been acting weird. She was super happy for him as he got into his dream school, Princeton University.

But she couldn't help but feel inadequate for him now since she could only go to a state university. Having insecurities for the first time in her life, since looks were never a concern, Maria started having doubts.

Putting those thoughts to the back of her mind, she gets in her car and drives for the first time in a few months towards her school.

She couldn't stop thinking about her boyfriend and as if by magic, she spots a car that looked like his parked in the parking lot of a restaurant along the street. Shaking her head, Maria thinks that she's been thinking too much and is now seeing things.

Still, it couldn't be his car right?

Looking down at her watch, and seeing that she still has plenty of time before school started, she quickly turns the car around the next red light. Her heart is starting to race as she drives back towards the place where she thought she saw her boyfriend's car.

Maria's heart is now pounding, she didn't know what to expect. She hoped that she was just being paranoid.

Turning pale, as all the blood drained from her face, Maria witnessed the worst-case scenario. Her boyfriend of 3 years was making out with another girl.

A suffocating rage engulfed her as she madly rushed out and ran towards their car. In a moment of rage, she directly kicked towards the driver's side door.

Even more surprisingly, both Maria and the two people busy kissing inside, the car door deformed before giving out. It flew off its hinges right into the cheating boyfriend's back.

-

Such paranormal activities started happening all over the world as certain people found out they have special abilities.

From an old professor being able to jump tens of feet, to a firefighter summoning water out of thin air.

The news quickly spread as videos of people performing abnormal abilities surfaced online.

The governments around the world scrambled to restore public order as people with abilities became more and more arrogant and normal people panicked.

It has been a week since the crash of the mysterious creature.

-

"Have you seen the videos online?" A student excitedly chatted with a few of their friends.

"I think they are probably all fake, maybe a new editing software came out or something." The guy beside him responded rather nonchalantly.

"No way man, yesterday my mom got an ability to grow plants. She showed it to me, it was totally wild! She threw some seeds into the ground and touched the dirt before they started to sprout and grow." One of the students excitedly rattles on as if he had been waiting to brag about it, "Now we fully grow any organic produce we need!"

A rather normal man walked by these chatty friends. He has shoulder-length messy black hair and black eyes. While he wasn't exactly good-looking, his chiseled and well-defined features made him memorable.

Kairo just woke up from a late-night gaming session, the game just released a marathon mission for a rather risqué skin for his main. Now on his way to the cafeteria, he quietly listened to the chatter about the new abilities people are awaking.

Every guy has dreamed about being a superhero, getting superpowers, and getting all the girls. But sadly, even when people are finally able to get awesome powers, Kairo didn't.

He remembered the first time he found out about people awakening different powers and abilities. Kairo was exhilarated, trying to find out what abilities he had, but after an entire day of messing around, the sad truth was revealed. He wasn't some kind of special main character from an online web novel.

Therefore, going back to being a depressed college student, Kairo went about his old schedule of attending important classes, skipping others, and playing games.

He grabbed a burger and drink before finding a secluded area to eat.

"This just in, governments around the world have formed a new regulatory agency to oversee the Awakened. We urge all those that have gained powers or abilities to please register with the Office of Awakened Affairs (OAA) at your nearest police or government building." A reporter announced from a corner TV playing the news.

"In other news, the Supreme Court has trouble ruling over how to judge accidents and incidents involving Awakened. With people awakening at seemingly random times and intervals, many have caused huge damage discovering they in fact have an ability."

As the news constantly covered this new phenomenon, Kairo ate his burger in pitiful silence, the news is a constant reminder that he, along with over 70% of other humans, has not discovered any abilities.

It was late afternoon when Kairo started to make his way back to his apartment a good half-mile from the campus. He did not spend all this time eating, he woke up at around 2 pm and attended a rather boring chemistry lecture.

As the sun started to touch the western horizon, it created a beautiful vivid orange-gold to bask over everything. Kairo was looking down reading news regarding his game on his phone, completely oblivious of his surroundings.

Crack!

A sudden force hit his side and Kairo was sent flying into the nearby alley.