Chapter 6: Proposal
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"I think the universe finally got bored of my boring life."
— Amelia
---
The scent of rosemary chicken filled the dining room as Amelia sat stiffly beside her mother, brother, and... Luca Vandoren. Her mum and Simon were completely taken by him, laughing and chatting like they'd known him for years. Amelia could barely swallow her food.
Mrs Brown:
"Amelia, you didn't tell me you had such a great friend."
Amelia gave a tight, fake smile.
Amelia:
"I didn't know either," she muttered.
Simon:
"He even won the basketball nationals for your school!" he said, fistbumping Luca.
Luca:
"Teamwork makes the dream work," he grinned.
Amelia stood up abruptly.
Amelia:
"Mum, can I talk to Luca privately?"
Luca:
"Aw, but I'm enjoying this great dinner. Mrs. Brown, your cooking is marvelous."
Mrs Brown:
"Oh my! Thank you, Luca," she blushed.
Amelia:
"Now, Luca."
Her voice was sharp—authoritative. Luca immediately stood. Amelia flashed a forced smile and led him out.
In the hallway, beneath the family staircase, she turned on him.
Amelia:
"What are you doing in my house? How do you even know my house? Heck, how do you even know me?"
Luca ignored the barrage of questions.
Luca:
"You have a beautiful home, Amelia."
He gently touched a family picture on the wall.
Amelia slapped his hand off instinctively—but froze, remembering the electric sensation when she touched him earlier today.
Amelia:
"Answer the question."
Luca (smirking):
"I have a proposal for you."
---
After their quiet, intense conversation, the two returned to the table.
Mrs. Brown:
"There you two are! Your food was getting cold."
Simon:
"You're lucky you came back, Amelia—I was about to eat your food!"
Amelia: "You wouldn't dare," she squinted at him.
After dinner, Amelia walked Luca to his car.
Luca:
"Think about my proposal, Amelia. See you around."
He drove off, leaving Amelia at the door.
---
The Next Day – Lunchtime, School Cafeteria
Sarah:
"WHAT!? No. Way."
She slammed the table, wide-eyed.
Amelia:
"Yep. You heard right."
Martin:
"Luca Vandoren was in your house... having dinner with your family?"
Sarah:
"What was he doing there?"
Amelia:
"He had a proposal for me."
Amelia flashes back to last night:
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Last Night, Amelia's house — In the hallway
Amelia:
"Huh? What are you talking about? Answer my questions first!"
Luca stepped closer, his voice serious and low.
Luca:
"What did you see when you touched me earlier today?"
Amelia's eyes widened. She couldn't speak.
"What did you feel?"
They were close now—closer than she'd ever been to any boy. Amelia couldn't help but notice how... ridiculously good-looking he was. Her thoughts swirled—until she looked away.
Amelia:
"I... I don't know. I—"
Luca:
"I felt it too."
She looked up at him.
Luca:
"Do you have powers?"
She hesitates to answer.
Amelia:
"wait... you do?"
Luca:
"Yes. But that's our secret... right?"
Amelia:
"Of course... Something happened. I think I've changed. Yesterday, there was a robbery at the store where I work... I made him stop and..."
She flashes back to the robbery at the store and she remembered that she actually wished in her mind that the thief would die—and he did.
"He obeyed me... not just my words, but my thoughts."
Luca stared at her, stunned.
Amelia:
"...And when I was walking home, I got mugged by a superhuman who shoots flames from his hands. I made him back off. Just by looking at him."
Luca:
"You controlled them... with your mind and words?"
She nodded.
Mrs Brown:
"You two! Your food is getting cold!" Mrs Brown calls out from the dining room.
Luca:
"There's a lot you need to know. But only if you accept my proposal."
Amelia:
"What is it?"
Luca:
"Do you want to become... a superhero?"
Her heart skipped.
Amelia:
"But superheroes don't exist anymore. Superhumans are going extinct."
Luca:
"That's what they want you to think. The Organization still exists. In secret. And we need people like you, Amelia. No... We need you."
He points at her, looking into her eyes.
---
Back in the cafeteria...
Sarah (snapping her fingers):
"Amelia! You blanked out!"
Martin:
"So? Why was he really at your house?"
Amelia chuckled nervously.
Amelia:
"He, um... said he felt my hand. Heh."
Sarah:
"You're a terrible liar."
Martin:
"C'mon, Lia. Spill."
Amelia lowered her voice.
Amelia: "Okay. Listen—Luca told me a huge secret. I don't even know if I believe it yet, but..."
Chad:
"Hey guys!"
The moment was cut.
Chad:
"Sarah, can I talk to you... in private?"
Sarah (nervous):
"Uh—well we're kinda in the middle of—"
Martin:
"Sure thing, Chad!"
He and Amelia smirked and shoved Sarah up.
Amelia:
"You two can even have lunch together!"
They handed her tray to her with no chance to protest.
---
With Sarah gone...
Martin:
"Okay... back to Luca's secret."
Amelia:
"Promise you won't tell anyone?"
Martin:
"Swear it."
Amelia:
"I'm... a superhuman."
Martin:
"What? No way!"
Amelia:
"Yes way. And I think Luca is too."
She told him everything—what happened at the store, the mugger, the way she felt, something unlocking inside her. Martin just stared, frozen in shock.
Sarah returned—blushing bright red.
Sarah (squealing):
"guess what guys, Chad asked me to prom!"
Amelia:
"Eeeee! I knew it!"
Martin:
"Called it!"
As they congratulated her, Amelia's phone buzzed.
Luca (text):
"Hey Amelia, meet me on the school rooftop. Fast. It's an emergency."
Amelia:
"Guys, I'll be right back."
Sarah:
"Where to?"
Amelia:
"Bathroom. Martin, please fill her in."
She rushed out, Martin's expression subtly shifting—disappointment? Worry?
She sprinted up the staircase toward the rooftop, heart racing.
Amelia arrived at the rooftop, looking around—but she couldn't find Luca.
Then, right in front of her, the air shimmered with violet sparks. Reality twisted—swirling like liquid void—as a tear split open in space itself. Within seconds, it expanded into a full-blown portal: a warping hole of nothingness, churning and alive.
Amelia stepped back, eyes wide.
Then Luca casually walked out of the portal, holding two sunglasses cases.
Luca:
"Hey Amelia."
Amelia (surprised):
"What is that!?"
Luca:
"Oh, that? Just a portal. You know, like a gateway to literally anywhere."
The portal closes behind him, warping in reverse like a rewinding film.
Luca opens one of the cases.
Luca:
"This... or this?" He switches between two pairs of sunglasses.
Amelia:
"Huh? I thought you said there was an emergency?"
Luca:
"Of course there is! A fashion emergency. I can't decide which new glasses to get."
Amelia's jaw drops.
Amelia:
"You dragged me all the way up here to help you pick sunglasses!?"
Luca nods enthusiastically, as if this is completely normal. She groans and turns to walk away.
Luca:
"C'mon! Which is better!?"
Amelia keeps walking.
Luca:
"Okay, okay! There's actually a place we need to be right now."
Amelia pauses.
Amelia:
"Where?"
Luca (grinning):
"To the answers of your questions."
He turns, and another portal warps open.
"You coming?"
Amelia follows him, she pauses and takes one deep breath before walking through the portal. Part of her feared what was waiting.
But deep inside… she felt excited.
Her dull, work-filled life is taking an interesting turn—and she might just be heading into her first real adventure.
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To be continued...
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Chapter 7 Preview:
Amelia is introduced to the Secret Society of Superhumans, where she meets the legendary Eleven—and finally glimpses the secret of the world she lives in.
Meanwhile, something ominous stirs just beyond sight.
Don't miss this pivotal chapter tomorrow: The Six.