There's something sinister in the left hand

"Um… Hey, Savannah." I softly say, my body language made me look awkward and small.

Savannah started smiling again, she punched me in the arm, "There you are private Ryan, I though you got sent to the shadow realm for a second."

"What the hell is she even saying?"

"I think she's referencing old movies or something, will you stop interrupting Henderson."

"Was the sword really necessary? I could have deescalated the situation."

"Oh, so now you know how it feels when someone assumes you need protection."

I shyly look down, "Sorry."

"That's no way to apologize, if you want to apologize properly, you can start by buying me a treat with that coffee you already promised."

"You're actually coming?"

"I'm a woman of my word."

"Hey, you're not doing this because you feel sorry for me, right?"

"What?! Why would I feel sorry for you?"

"Because I got pummeled? Because I become a laughingstock? Because my friends abandoned me, causing me to almost get beating with in an inch of my life?"

"You got pummeled? I hardly noticed."

"You know, you don't sound very convincing."

"Jesus, I already said I'll go. What else do you want?"

"Are you sure? A date? With me?"

"Woah, slow down. It's not a date; you're just buying coffee."

"I guess that's a relief."

"You're happy about being rejected? Are you perhaps some sort of pervert?"

"What?! No." 

She giggled, actually it was more of a cackle, "Hey give me your number, to make sure you don't flake on me."

"Ah, okay."

I took out my button, she tapped hers against it. We swapped numbers. That means I had Savannah Hartwick's number on my phone. I started to blush a bit. I would probably brag to my friends if I wasn't mad at them still.

"You're not thinking of anything weird, are you?"

I shake my head, "No."

"Okay see you tomorrow.", she leaves.

As she steps away, I felt a huge weight off my shoulders. 

Class wasn't over yet so I went to the computer lab. Incidentally I found out why no one was in class. See, tomorrow was Reignition day, I had completely forgotten. Usually, they only gave a half day off in this situation, to give us time to prepare.

But since we so close to graduating, none of our teachers actually gave a damn about showing up to class. So, they just didn't come to any of our morning classes, essentially giving us a full day off.

I mean, I wasn't complaining. Except that meant I could have just stayed home, I humiliated myself for nothing.

I booted up an old game I loved playing as a kid. It's a twenty-year-old game, it hasn't been updated in twelve; the servers are pretty dead.

The situation was so bad I had to instant message other players on various chat apps just to fill up a lobby. It took twenty minutes, but it worked, and it was worth it, the game was legendary.

And I needed the lab computers too. The mouse and keyboard was way better than what my button could offer. I guess that's the compromise of an all-in-one shape changing device.

I heard footsteps, I thought it was Thaddeus again, my heart started pounding. Luckily it was just Mr. Simmons, my homeroom teacher, and the computer lab administrator. He stood behind me. I don't turn to face him.

He sighed, "So how did you get past our filter this time?"

"Where's the fun if I just told you?"

"We went to the trouble off buying brand new software, just to keep you out, it's the least you could do."

I chuckled, "You forgot to set up the administrator access, I was able to find the default login online."

He sighed once more, "For what it's worth, my lab assistant was the one in charge of that.", he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I would never make such a simple mistake."

"Good, for a second, I thought you were losing your edge. Our little game would be a lot less fun if that were the case."

"This isn't a game, you're being a menace."

Finally, I spun in my chair to face him, "You're only annoyed because you keep losing."

"Just go home already."

I did as Mr. S said. He's a good sport about the firewall so I try my best to keep him amicable.

I decided to catch a taxi. They're usually nice enough to give school kids a discount, a very small one. I arrived home just as my dad was ready to leave.

"It's only fifteen past ten, why are you here?", his voice and demeanor were as dry and monotone as ever.

"It's a half day."

"A half day means half of the day."

"I know, the teachers couldn't be bothered to do only half a day of work, I basically got kicked out."

He walked away, "Well my phone will be on in case you need me, also I'm making pasta tonight, I know It's your favorite."

"Thanks dad."

…

That night all I could think about was that girl with the red mist.

I spent ages going over every forum I could. The mentalist that appeared after reignition can perform what used to be known as "magic", but really these are cheap parlor tricks, it isn't like what I've seen. It was real magic.

I finally got sick of it and decided to go into the backyard and do some experimenting.

I took out my hand and started waving it around, nothing worked. Of course I wasn't excited to learn real magic, I wasn't a child. I wanted to prove to myself I wasn't crazy. Because this wasn't the first time in my life I saw the unseen.

No one believed me, said I was just a kid with an overactive imagination. I cry a little when I think back to those days.

I thought of everything. I reviewed my extremely rudimentary understanding of eastern spiritualism. I thought about focusing on my bodies chi or ki or whatever. I felt a tingle but nothing happened. 

I felt so close but so far, it was infuriating.

I brought snacks with me, I started eating the snacks while continuing to practice. I lost hope of succeeding so I became nonchalant. But then it happened, my hand was engulfed in green flames, it was my first enchantment.

I screamed in excitement. But I was also confused.

"What happened, what had changed.", I whisper to myself.

I looked down at both my hands, one engulfed by flame the other normal. That made me realized. I'm right-handed, so I was using my right hand until then.

"So those ancient superstitions were right, there really is something sinister in the left hand."

It looked cool enough but wondered what it did.

And if it did nothing, is it even real. I might still be crazy. At that moment, I heard a squirrel chirping. I made a lackluster attempt to grab it with my left hand, but obviously it was too quick. I decided to grab a nearby tree instead, my hand was pushed back as the bark exploded off the tree trunk.

"Wow, thank god that squirrel escaped.", I looked down at my hand and it was bloody, "Ouch, this was a mistake."