The grill was running, and the steaks were sizzling. The smells of both wetting everyone’s mouths. Chris’ was, that was for sure.

  The gang was out back goofing around with their powers. Elle was pying with the water in the pool, making water people and re-enacting scenes from movies. She makes the Terminator from T2, melting in the water. She was getting better with her power, that was for sure.

  “I’m melting! I’m melting! Why did I lower myself into the steel? What a world! What a world!!” Elle mock two movies at once.

  “That’s not nice, Elle.” Jerry pouts. “That was a beautiful scene. And that's not how it went.”

  The gang ugh. Jerry had cried when the Terminator lowered himself into the hot molten metal.

  Elle forms a pair of figures. It was the Terminator and…Robocop? They turn to face each other, then begin to punch each other. Rock’m Sock’m robot style.

  Everyone busts up ughing. The water bots keep going for a few moments until the Terminator’s head springs up. The water Robocop does a victory dance.

  Jerry grumbles at Elle, who looks like nothings wrong.

  Simon comes up. “So Elle. I was talking with your mother a little bit ago and since we’re having a party now. We could just forgo your birthday in a couple of days. Maybe just have a little extra dessert today instead.”

  Jerry ughs, pointing at her.

  Chris could tell her dad was joking, though it sounded convincing.

  Elle nearly bounces out of her seat despite her back. “No, no, no, no! I like my birthday. Please, please, please.”

  Chris has to hold her down by the shoulders.

  Simon ughs. “I’m just joking, sweetie. This is a different party anyway. We’ll have a proper birthday party then.”

  “Thanks dad.” Elle hugs him as Simon leans down and kisses her cheek.

  Though she was still bouncy after he lets go. “Goof, you’re gonna bounce out of your seat.”

  Elle looks up at him with a big smile. Then her look changes to curiosity. “So. What’d you get me? Huh?” She reaches up and pokes Chris in the chest.

  “Hmm. I don’t know.” Chris says, returning the tone of voice. And pokes her back in the shoulders.

  “Hey, kids!” Ariel gets their attention from the door. “Ivy and Paul are on their way. And their bringing…Faith? You guys know her?”

  Paul’s girlfriend, or at least that’s what the rest of the gang has been saying. Paul said they haven’t decided yet. But the way the two of them go on, Chris believes it’s only a matter of time. Paul’s always talking about her. Course, he wasn’t the only one.

  “Yeah, she’s a new friend of ours.” Chris tells her to avoid any possible embarrassment ter for Paul.

  “Great, the more the merrier.”

  “Cool.” Elle responds. “Maybe we can finally get them to admit they’re a couple.”

  “Oh yeah. Mom!”

  Ariel turns.

  “Faith is a vegetarian. We have anything in the veggie department?”

  “Oh, I’m gd you told me. I have some veggies in the fridge I could make shish-kabobs or something. I’ll put those on next.”

  “Thanks mom.”

  Faith was pretty cool, too. Her parents ran the local new age shop across town. They were all Wiccan, no surprise. Which, back on his old world, was almost entirely elementalist based. It made Chris and Elle wonder if she might have some power. Thankfully, when it came to telling her about their powers, she was excited and awed. And she was more than okay with keeping it a secret. The gang didn’t need another incident like st year.

  “Now, if Paul asks Faith out officially, Jackson has to ask Ivy out.” Elle tells Chris.

  Chris looks over at Jackson, who was joking with Jerry, and just as he thought, the look on his face says it all. He was happy that Ivy is coming over.

  Their friends arrive, and they welcome everyone into the house.

  “You must be Faith. Pleasure to meet you.” Chris’ dad holds out his hand for Faith, who shakes it shyly.

  “Pleased to meet you to.” Faith says in a soft voice. Even though she was a little nervous at the moment. She was a shy girl, but once she opened up, one couldn’t help but admire her golden heart. “I brought this, if that’s all right.”

  Mrs. Thomas hands over a rge baking dish with pstic wrap covering it.

  Chris’ mom takes it. “What do we have here?”

  “It’s a vegetarian casserole.” Faith says. “I hope everyone likes it.” She shyly asks.

  “I’m sure we’ll love it. It’ll go nicely with the vegetable shish-kabobs I put on the grill.”

  Faith perks up a bit.

  “I told her you were a vegetarian, Faith.” Chris tells her.

  “Thanks.” She smiles.

  The party gets underway. Simon sets up a badminton set. Though after a while, those with powers began using them in unique ways. Chris thinning the air so the shuttlecock went far too high or too fast. Jackson doing simir by changing the heat in the air. Jerry used his new ability to sink into the earth to catch low shots. Elle even pyed in her wheelchair using a water paddle to hit the shuttlecock where she wanted it to go.

  As the day wears on into evening, Elle leads Chris to one of the first floor bedrooms. Chris knows what she wants. He gdly follows her in. He helps her up to sit on the edge of the bed, then sits down next to her. They immediately lock lips. Their hands moving from their sides to their backs. Chris caresses her back while his tongue pys with hers. Their bodies rubbing up against each other. Their powers sparking smooth and strong. They break for a moment to gaze into each other’s eyes. Then return their lips to each other, kissing more slowly and smoothly.

  Knock, knock.

  They pull apart. Busted.

  “Chris? Elle? You guys in there?” His dad calls.

  He just looks at Elle with unease. “Y-Yeah?”

  “Okay, come on. We got dessert ready.”

  “Uh, okay. Be right there.” Chris sighs with Elle and helps her back into the chair.

  “If you guys are making out, that’s fine, and I apologize for bothering you. But, if you're doing anything else, we’re gonna have to have a serious talk. Hurry up, you two.” The st part sounding a bit like a ugh.

  Chris and Elle just look at each other and ugh.

  “Your dad’s pretty cool.”

  “Yeah, he is. Your dad’s cool, too.”

  “Yep, we got the best dads ever.”

  No argument there.