Ezra's head pounded as he stepped into the crowded hallway, the sound of shuffling feet and overlapping conversations pressing in on him. Everything felt... heightened. His ears caught snippets of conversations from far down the hall, his eyes picking up on minute details he would have normally ignored—the twitch of a girl's fingers as she anxiously checked her phone, the way a jock's muscles tensed before shoving his way through a group of freshmen.
Was this another effect of whatever just happened to him?
He took a deep breath and pressed forward, trying to act normal as Noah and Liam followed.
"Alright, dude, what's up?" Noah asked. "You looked like you saw a ghost back there."
"More like he became one," Liam added. "You went pale as hell for a second."
Ezra hesitated. He wanted to tell them, but how was he supposed to explain something he barely understood himself?
"It's nothing," he muttered. "Just a headache."
Noah didn't look convinced, but he let it go as they reached their lockers. Ezra focused on switching out his books, trying to shake off the lingering dizziness.
Then, it happened again.
The world slowed—not as intensely as before, but enough for him to notice. His eyes locked onto a commotion at the far end of the hallway. Two guys—seniors, by the looks of them—were shoving a smaller kid against the lockers. A textbook fell to the ground, papers scattering.
Ezra knew he shouldn't get involved. He wasn't the kind of guy to play hero. But before he could talk himself out of it, his body moved on its own.
He stepped forward. And in that instant, time slowed even more.
Every detail of the fight unfolded before him like a high-definition movie. The first senior's punch was already in motion, his muscles tightening. The second guy was smirking, expecting no resistance. The victim had his hands up, bracing for impact.
Ezra felt something inside him click. An instinct he didn't recognize took over.
With barely a thought, he dodged. His body shifted, moving at a speed he'd never experienced before. He barely felt the air rush past as he placed himself between the bullies and their target. His hand shot out, catching the first senior's wrist before the punch could land.
The hallway snapped back to normal speed.
A stunned silence fell over the crowd as Ezra stood there, gripping the senior's wrist. The bully's eyes widened, confusion and anger flickering across his face.
"What the hell?" the senior growled, trying to yank his arm free.
Ezra released his grip, stepping back. His heart was racing, his mind scrambling to process what just happened.
"Did you just—" Liam's voice trailed off behind him, disbelief written all over his face.
The second senior sneered. "You've got guts, kid. But you're gonna regret sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
Ezra swallowed hard. He had no idea what just awakened inside him, but one thing was clear—this was only the beginning.