I came to from my lucid dreams and blinked against the harsh glow emitting from the tv screen. A quick glance to my left provided relief as my eyes adjusted to the low light.
My two best friends were fast asleep on the couch beside me. Empty glasses were strewn across the table in front of them. Small snores tumbled from Lillian’s lips while Layla propped up against her.
I glanced to my right to find Clark staring at me with a soft smile on his lips.
“How long was I asleep?” I yawned as I stretched out.
“Maybe ten minutes,” he shrugged. “Guess I should’ve picked a more interesting movie.”
I laughed as I shifted in his direction. “No it was a good movie. You know drinking always makes me sleepy.”
He nodded thoughtfully as he glanced towards our other friends. “How do you feel?” He kept his tone low so he didn’t disturb his slumbering guests.
“Alright,” I shrugged as I took inventory of my body. I didn’t feel any different than I had earlier in the night. Sigils now lay smudged against my skin as the homemade paint ran from my sweat. It didn’t feel as though any powers had ignited inside me.
I shifted my focus towards a glass of water beside me as I attempted to move the still liquid. I could hear Clark’s slowed breathing in the back of my mind as I struggled to achieve a task I still wasn’t equipped for. Their spell had failed.
“It’s not working, Clark,” I whispered as I broke my focus and turned my sorrow in his direction.
“You definitely would’ve felt something change if your powers had awoken,” Clark ran his fingers through his hair as he leaned back into the couch. “We can try something else.”
I slunk back as sleep threatened to overtake me again. “You know what? Let’s not.”
I glanced up hesitantly to meet Clark’s eyes as they became unreadable. “What do you mean? There are still plenty of things we can try.”
“Clark,” I sighed as I struggled to phrase the thoughts swirling around my skull. “I’m done trying. I’m twenty now. I’ve accepted that my powers aren’t going to activate. They would’ve done so long before now. And I’m fine. You need to drop it so I can accept it and move on.”
His dark brown eyes hardened as he thought over my words. I knew he wouldn’t like it. My friends’ powers had awoken years before mine. They always assured me that I must just be a late bloomer, but I was sick of hearing it. I needed to accept that something must’ve gone wrong in my DNA. My parents were magical but somehow I wasn’t. And that would have to be okay.
I sunk further into the couch and closed my eyes as sleepiness continued to invade my mind.
“I’ll drop it for now,” Clark spoke softly as I was dragged back to reality.
“Thank you,” I whispered as the corners of my lips rose.
We lapsed back into silence as my heartbeat dropped and my breathing slowed. I could feel sleep coming for me, and I was ready for some rest.
“Marry me, Blue,” Clark whispered.
“What’s that?” I slurred as I tried to peer up at my best friend through my drooping eyelids.
“I mean later. If we haven’t found anyone else. I think we could find happiness together.”
“Like a backup?” I opened my eyes to watch him nod. “So we’ll be each other’s second best?”
“Something like that.” His voice had slowed down.
“Where is this coming from?”
His dark eyes pierced into me as he paused. Knowing my best friend, he was trying to phrase his words carefully. “You’ll never have to be without magic as long as I’m around.”
The sincerity in his tone quickened my pulse. His face was obscured in shadow as his words echoed in my thoughts. I closed my eyes to escape his scrutiny. There was no way it would ever come to this but it was a sweet offer. Having such thoughtful friends brought me so much peace.
“Okay,” I whispered as I drifted back into darkness.
