9 Ecstasy

Jaden's eyes flickered open to the sound of his mother's voice.

"Hey honey," Lilian greeted him with a smile as she entered his room.

Jaden blinked a few times, trying to shake off his drowsiness. He had fallen asleep at his desk.

"Good morning, Mom," Jaden replied, stretching his arms.

Lilian's eyes wandered around the cluttered room. "Looks like you've been busy."

Jaden gave a noncommittal shrug as he reached for his towel.

"I've got good news," Lilian announced, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Jaden paused, intrigued. "What is it?"

"I've made an appointment with the lab to help you awaken," Lilian said, beaming.

Jaden's eyes widened in shock. "How? That procedure is expensive."

"Don't worry about it, Jaden. I was able to pull some strings," Lilian replied, trying to reassure him.

Jaden hesitated, unsure. "I appreciate the offer, Mom, but I don't want you to go through all that trouble. I'll be fine."

Lilian frowned, her face etched with concern. "Jaden, I know how much this means to you. You've been struggling, let me help you."

Jaden looked away, feeling conflicted. He knew how expensive the procedure was and didn't want to burden his mother.

Finally, he let out a deep sigh. "Alright, Mom. Let's do it."

Lilian's face lit up with joy. "That's great news, Jaden! The appointment is tomorrow."

Jaden nodded, feeling both nervous and excited at the prospect of finally awakening his core.

As his mother left the room, Jaden got up from his chair and headed to the bathroom to get ready for school.

___

The classroom was bustling with charter and laughter with everyone busy with their own thing.

Miss Thompson walked into the class with graceful strides commanding the attention of the class. The class descended into silence.

She stood in front of her students, her eyes roamed around the classroom for a while her eyes made contact with Jaden's, staring at him for a while before looking away.

"The school has organized an expedition to Africa for the final year students it's coming up two weeks from now. I'm giving you this information so y'all can prepare yourselves" The class broke into loud whispers as Miss Thompson conveyed this information to them .

She went ahead to treat her topic for the day with the class

It was break period, the dining hall was bustling with activities. Jaden and Alex were seated at their usual position as they would chat with each other.

"They are also recruiting people?" Alex voice cut through in suprise.

"Not just anyone, they're specifically targeting people with low or no ability at all. These are people that have been literally ignored by the military and society " Jaden explained

"I see, it's more easier getting this set of people because of how much they have been ignored in the society" Alex stated in understanding.

"But what I don't understand is how they plan to grant this people power to fight the military." Alex added scratching his head.

"The military must have seen something giving them reason to act the way they're acting now" Jaden said making his speculation.

"Something's up, and I feel like everything the military is doing, their just trying to prepare everyone for what is coming." Jaden added

A phone notification sound was heard interrupting their discussion. Jaden brought out his phone looking at his screen, he could see a message from a contact saying - MEET ME AT THE DINERS TONIGHT -

A broad smile crept on Jaden's face as he read the message.

"Do you have a girlfriend now? Bro we said we were gonna wait till after high school" Alex said with furrowed brows.

"Relax bro it's not that" Jaden said trying ease Alex of his worries.

"Who's message was that?" Alex asked

"It's my mum's" Jaden lied not wanting to bring Alex into his own troubles.

"Oh okay" Alex responded still finding it difficult to believe but decided not to push the matter.

It was nighttime, and people bustled in and out of The Diners. Jaden sat at a table near the window, peering through it every few seconds. He watched videos on his phone, trying to pass the time, but kept looking up to scan the street outside.

Unbeknownst to Jaden, a tall, muscular man had been standing before him for a while. Eventually, the man took a seat opposite Jaden, who jumped back in surprise. He had been waiting for this man to show up, yet he didn't even notice him sit.

"Relax, boy," the man said, with a mocking smile on his face.

Jaden asked, "How long have you been seated for?"

"Well, that would be exactly thirty-five seconds. You only noticed me because I let a little of my energy out," the man replied, still smirking.

Jaden rolled his eyes, thinking, 'Is this how you go around creeping everyone out?'

This man was the same person who had delivered the news of his father's passing. Jaden had found his contact information in a record book in his father's study. The man was a close friend of his father, and Jaden felt that if there was anyone who had an idea of what actually happened to his father, it would be him.

The man, Major Philip, was a Major in the military and a rank just above Jaden's father. He had promised to speak with Jaden when he was less busy and outside the military setting.

As Major Philip scanned the area, he looked at Jaden with a smile. "I see you carefully chose this table. This spot is out of range from the street cameras, and you'll be able to notice anyone walking through the entrance door early. Although you missed me, I doubt anyone as powerful as I would access this place," Major Philip stated.

Jaden nodded, feeling good about himself.

"But you seem to have forgotten the camera behind you," Major Philip pointed

"Oh, that. A few minutes before I got here, I was able to load a fake image to its channel, so at the moment, it's currently on a loop," Jaden explained.

Major Philip stared at Jaden in awe, thinking, 'Oh Jack, what have you given birth to?'

"Jaden, you have to understand that I cannot release classified informations to you. It's only open to high-ranking officers in the military, like me. If you really want to find out the truth about your father's death, the level at which you are right now won't do you any good. In a few months, all final year high school students will be going through military school accessment, including you. So you have to go up the ranks and become powerful enough for me to release this information to you because the forces at play here are beyond your imagination," Major Philip explained.

Jaden shook his head, hanging low.

Major Philip let out a deep sigh before he continued, "I understand how much you miss him. I do too. He was more of a brother than a friend to me. So I understand if you wish to do this for him, which is why I'm going to support you, but you have to find a way to get stronger."

"I can't even awaken," Jaden lamented.

"There was a time when aura users were seen as weak because they couldn't produce any element. But with time, they found a way to use it differently. No one is useless unless they stop using their brain, and with everything I have seen tonight, you're very smart," Major Philip explained.

He finally stood to his feet and got ready to leave The Diners before finally looking at Jaden.

"I can still sense an energy from you so it's not lost yet." Major Philip said before walking out.

Jaden stared at his back as he walked out of The Diners.

Jaden sat there, his mind still racing with thoughts and trying to process what the Major had told him. He rubbed his temples, feeling a dull ache begin to throb behind his eyes. This case was getting more complicated by the day, and he wasn't sure if he was equipped to handle it.

Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly felt a presence nearby. Looking up, he saw a girl with short red hair smiling down at him. He couldn't help but feel captivated by her presence. She had a kind and open expression that instantly put him at ease.

"Can I sit?" she asked, her voice soft and pleasant.

"Su... Sure," Jaden stammered, feeling a little flustered.

She sat across from him, her smile still bright and welcoming. Jaden couldn't help but notice how stunning she looked in her white jacket, crop top, jeans, and white sneakers. He struggled to regain his composure, trying to think rationally and focus on the task at hand.

"My name's Sonia," she said, extending her hand for a handshake.

Jaden took her hand, feeling a jolt of electricity run through his body at the touch of her skin. He was momentarily stunned by the warmth of her hand and the softness of her touch. He could feel his heart racing as he tried to keep his cool.

They spoke for what felt like hours, laughing and joking with each other. They ordered drinks and snacks, lost in each other's company. Jaden felt a deep connection with Sonia, as if he had known her for years instead of just a few moments.

As they talked, Jaden couldn't help but feel drawn to Sonia's energy. She had an aura of warmth and compassion that made him feel safe and secure. He felt like he could tell her anything and she would listen with an open heart.

"So, do you stay around?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, my place isn't far from here," Sonia replied.

Jaden felt a pang of disappointment that the night would eventually come to an end, but he tried to push the feeling aside. They decided to walk home together since Sonia's place was on the same route as Jaden's. They continued their discussion as they walked, lost in their own world.

"So, what ability did you awaken?" Jaden asked, curious to know more about her.

"Fire, but my affinity with it is very low," Sonia replied, her tone sad.

"At least you're a lot better than me, I couldn't awaken," Jaden said, trying to cheer her up.

"What difference does it make? I can't use my ability to do anything; the least I can do is light a candle, maybe." she responded, her voice full of frustration.

"People like us get neglected in society, with no chance of making it up the ranks, or doing anything at all" she lamented.

Jaden listened to her words, feeling a sense of empathy for her struggles. He wished he could do more to help her.

Finally, they arrived at Sonia's house. She gestured toward a house, and Jaden nodded in acknowledgment.

"Alright," he replied, his heart sinking a little as he realized their night together was coming to an end.

Sonia stood there, looking at him with a gentle smile on her face. The streetlights cast a soft glow around them, and Jaden could feel his heart racing in his chest. Suddenly, without warning, Sonia stepped close to him and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

Jaden was taken aback by her boldness, but he couldn't deny the warmth and tenderness of her touch. He could smell her fragrance, a sweet and delicate scent that made his head spin. For a while, she stared at him before waving him goodbye. She walked into the house, closing the door behind her.

***