NO SUCH THING AS CHANCE – Prequel to PHENOMENAL GIRL 5



The darkness of the closet was like a tomb. I gulped the stale air and tried not to cry, to deny them the satisfaction.

I had tried my best to blend into the crowd and not be noticed, a lesson ingrained on me since childhood. It’s how I had survived foster care, but not only did having powers make me a freak among my foster families, my high IQ and shyness made me a freak even among those who didn’t find flying and the occasional bouts of super strength out of the ordinary.

Not that I wouldn’t love a dose of super strength right about now. I shook the door handle hard, knowing one day I’d be able to control my abilities, but wishing so hard that day was now.

From the day I arrived at the School, the students had seen the perfect opportunity to torment the younger, chubby bookworm. The only one who didn’t see fit to join in their games was Selena.

I should have known better not to trust James Evan.

James was the most popular boy in school and the most handsome. Every girl wanted to be his girlfriend, and I was shocked when, with a small smile, he had offered to walk with me to the assembly. Some heroes from one of the bigger teams had shown up ‘talent scouting’ and I was excited to see a real live hero in person, not the retired or the wannabes our teachers were. I had been telling Selena this as James walked by and he casually mentioned since he was class president, he’d be sitting up front and maybe he could get me a seat nearby. I had been too excited to notice the look of pity in Selena’s eyes.

I never made it to the assembly. Instead, Alexis DeBauche, James’s girlfriend, had opened the closet door and James had shoved me inside. The last thing I saw before the door closed was the two of them laughing.

Tears burned in my eyes as I pounded on the door. “Help! Let me out!”

No answer. I remembered the assembly. Everyone would be in the gymnasium.

I was all alone.

I was starting to get claustrophobic. I sank to my knees, fixating on the little crack of light between the floor and the door, as if it was the gateway to more air, and breathed deeply. 

I hated this place and these people. These were the kids they were training to be heroes and save people? All they ever did was prey on people weaker than them. If that was being a hero, I wanted no part of it. 

I hit the door with all the pain and fury inside me. It made a cracking sound. Another hit and this time a crack of light joined me in the dark. Pressing on the crack hard, I heard a muffled noise, and then the door exploded, throwing me to the hallway floor and to the feet of a strange man.

He took a step back. “Are you all right, young lady?” He reached down to help me.

“I think so.” I felt my face flush. I hated being embarrassed in front of strange adults. “Did you do that?” At his nod, I flushed harder. “Thanks.”

“You are welcome. I know I hate these drawn out affairs, but I have never known anyone to lock themselves in a closet to get out of a school assembly,” he said. He had a friendly smile, and his warm brown eyes twinkled at me. He dressed like our principal, in a gray suit and tie, but seemed younger. I couldn’t place who he was. Maybe a substitute teacher? 

“How did you end up in there?”

“I tripped and fell,” I mumbled, knowing from experience no good comes out of tattling.

He raised an eyebrow. “And locked the door behind yourself?”

I nodded.

 “You must have some interesting powers, Miss…”

“Livingston,” I provided. “Lainey Livingston.”

“Well, Miss Livingston, what other magic tricks can you do?” He clasped his hands behind his back, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. 

“I don’t have magic. Someone thought it would be a funny practical joke, that’s all.”

“It was not.”

“No.”

“Well, why do we not go get you something to drink? I do not know how long you were stuck in there, but I am burning up in this suit. Why does this school not have air-conditioning?”

“The principal’s office does,” I said, falling into step with him, toward the cafeteria. “The rest of us have to suffer.” Too late I remembered an adult probably wouldn’t like me bad mouthing the principal.

He didn’t seem to mind. “That is something we will have to fix,” he said, and continued at a brisk pace.

At the cafeteria, he bought me a soft drink and sat across me on the small bench tables. “Is that better?”

“Yes, thank you,” I said, sipping my drink.

“You are quite welcome,” he said with a smile. “So, other than the closets, how do you like the School?”

I shrugged. “I don’t think I belong here.”

“You have powers, do you not?”

“Flying and heightened strength. But I’m younger than the rest of the kids and don’t fit in. I thought coming here would be learning about my powers and helping people, not…” I trailed off.

He seemed to understand. “I think you are where you are meant to be. Everything happens for a reason.”

“Oh, yeah?” I shot back. “So I missed the chance to see some real heroes and got locked in the closet for a reason other than those kids being mean?”

He smiled at my sarcasm. “Yes, I think so.”

“So, what was it?”

He shrugged. “I do not know. You may never completely know. But trust me, kid, when you get to be my age, you find the universe is not random.”

 I frowned. I hated it when people barely older than me acted so senior. “You’re not that old.”

He laughed. “Thank you for saying so. My point is the universe puts what it needs to in our path. Maybe your being in that closet was a test of strength or character. Or maybe you were just not meant to go to that assembly.”

“Yeah, so those kids get a chance at becoming heroes.”

His expression darkened. “The kids that did this will never be real heroes. You can grow stronger from this, whereas they will only be weaker.”

 “Miss Livingston, what are you doing in here?”

I whirled in my seat to see the principal standing there, a frown on his face.

“I’m sorry, Mister Drennen, I was just…”

“She was just showing me to the cafeteria,” my new friend interrupted. “I am afraid I got all turned around in the building. She was nice enough to help.”

The principal’s expression softened. “Well, thank you for helping our visitor, but it’s really time for you to get back to class.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, standing up. “Thank you for the drink,” I said to my friend.

“You are welcome,” he said. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Livingston. I will look forward to seeing a real hero.” He gave me a conspirator’s wink, and I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I wanted to be a hero like him.