“Come on!!” Addy groved on the dance floor, holding her red plastic cup up in celebration.

I shuffled to the dance floor, so much for fitting in. In a sudden motion, Caleb bumped into Abby, knocking her drink. It was about to fall on me. I braced for impact, expecting to p wet from whatever she was drinking, but nothing was there.

I looked up, seeing her frozen emerald eyes, shocked. I moved to the side, as time resumed again. “PALETTE!” She screamed before the juice hit the floor.

“Oh my gosh- I’m sorry.” Caleb scratched the back of his neck, “good call, Palette.”

I gave a sheepish smile, **_what the heck just happened? _**Inside, I was panicking, “yeah. I don’t know how I did it myself either.”

“That’s my friend. Best reflexes ever!” Addy claimed brightly. She has such radient energy as her brunette curls bobbed up and down.

She put her hand up to high five me, after I did, it didn’t go down. Time stopped again. Curiously, I started to walk, everyone frozen within themselves. Was it my fault? I look around, until my eyes are locked in with a man on the other side of the room. Wearing a black cloak, revealing no skin besides his dark eyes. He pointed to me, starting to charge as an red bloody orb formed in his hand. As we whipped it, I quickly ducked—hearing an explosion behind me. My ears burned, screaming for mercy as the impact boomed.

I turned around, trying to run, but could not as fire burned behind the walls. I tripped over my shoes. So much for first best party. “Got you now.” His voice echoed as he tilted his head, forming an even bigger orb but was suddenly stopped by an icy shatter.

**_ What was going on? _**“Gah-“ the mysterious man groaned, experiencing an impact from the cold. I quickly stood up, being greeted with a man, tall with brown hair. His blue eyes gleamed with encouragement. **_He just protected me.

_** “Quickly. This way, he won’t be like that for long.” He said, grabbing my wrist.

I swatted it away, “who do you think you are?! Is this a mad prank?”

He scoffed, “no. Now come on-“

“Not until you tell me who you are!!” I demanded roughly. So much for being kind.

**_Stubborn. _**A voice said to me, but it wasn’t my own, “stubborn?” I said out loud and he froze, gritting his teeth.

“I’ll explain later. Hurry up.” His voice was steadily getting more tense, grasping my wrist tighter as he started to use his other hand to take out the flames. Everyone remained frozen but the two mysterious men fighting over me.

We ran into the forest, and I halt to a stop. What was I thinking? “Tell me what is going on, NOW.” I said sharply, looking around quickly and picking up a stick in my defense.

He stood there, “no need for a stick. I’m Joshua, and the **_things_** you just saw there are Kai’s doings.”

“Who?” I slowly put down the stick, still ready to attack.

“Kai, he thinks he’s an evil master. His soldier froze time, waiting for anyone who holds any powers would reveal themselves. And roughly—you did.” He grumbled disapprovingly. A strand of his brown hair fell out of place as the wind blew more harsh.

I stared, “enough with this crap. I don’t believe you-“

He sweeped up the floor as ice shatters rose from the ground, yet there was no snow from the weather. He let his hands down as the ice fell to the ground with them. “Case and point.”

“So your telling me those who hold these powers can move during time freeze?” I asked.

He gives me a smirk, “finally, your catching on. And there’s a lot more to that, just follow me.”