She and her ghostly friend had always known each other for as long as they could remember. Neither of them had their fathers around for reasons their own mothers wouldn’t explain to them. The two always shared their secrets and thoughts with each other and were basically inseparable. Their mothers had requested to the school that they be put in the same classes, saying that the friendship is necessary for them. There was only one thing the two kept from each other and that was what they discovered they could do.

Her name was Alexandria, but her friend called her Alex. She was about average height, tanned skin, long hair the color of melted chocolate, and the most beautiful of eyes. They were a glorious shade of green with contrasting bits of amber flashing in them. She was a pretty average 14 year old. That was true until she discovered her talent.

The first time it happened, she nearly destroyed her homework. It occurred when she was around 8 years old; she had gotten extremely frustrated with her math work and felt herself heating up. She always knew she had a higher than normal body temperature, but this heat was different, burning even. She looked down at her hands and saw a bluish flame flickering across her fingertips. Shocked, she let out a yelp and dropped the paper. Her mother heard this and rushed into her room, immediately concerned. Alex put the flames out quickly and gave her mother a shy smile. She told her that she was alright a couple of times then her mother, finally convinced, left her room.

Amazed with her new ability, she tried to make it happen again. Within seconds, the bluish flames flickered to life again, but they didn’t burn her. She started playing around with what she called her “settings” of her flames, changing their brightness and consistency. Alex also found she can shift the color of her flames to a goldish orange. She would’ve shown her friend, but she wasn’t sure if he would respond in a good way to her newfound ability. She did realize she was young, but she could keep the flames down. Alex knew what flames could do if not controlled. She shivered at the memory and pushed it away.

Throughout the years, she kept her ability a secret. She practiced on the concrete roof of her apartment building, improving her abilities. Sometimes, when it was a new moon, she’d go out and dance with her flames. Alex would pad out on the roof without shoes and slowly start going into the movements. She’d let the tips of her toes and her fingertips spark to life with her blue and gold fire, then dance, leaving a trail of sparks following her. Beforehand, she’d always make sure nobody was watching; this was her big secret.

What she didn’t know was that her best friend was also hiding a similar secret.