"Well if our professional detective promises to crack the case, I guess we are in good hands," Jax wiggled his toes in the water. Winter splashed him, "Hey don't mock. I'll be the one to thank when we start getting answers." Jax eyed Winter, "Is there anything else I should know?" Winter shrugged, "Nope. Nothing." Jax stood up, "In that case, you did actually interrupt." Winter giggled, "I noticed something when I went to your classroom earlier." Jax tilted his head questioningly. "Everything was centered around Sam Tudor. Just like the entire school seems to be. Why is that?" Jax nodded, "I used to be the same way. Sam and I used to be best friends." Winter twisted the ring on her finger. silently noting that he avoided her question, "What happened?" Jax shook his legs to get the water off before contracting his hand into a fist, causing the water to evaporate, "We got into a big fight that we couldn't come back from." Winter moved her legs in the water where she sat, "And now you've removed yourself from Sam Tudor's world, creating your own. With Lucas." Jax snapped, his socks and shoes appeared neatly on his feet, "Yeah but I think I'd like to join your world." Winter raised her eyebrows as Jax continued, "It just seems more fun that way." Winter leaned her head back, "Saying things like that, I might get the impression you genuinely enjoy my company." Jax returned the sarcasm, "Oh no. Don't let your ego inflate." They both laughed and Jax said, "I'm going to get back to class. Don't skip anymore, troublemaker."
Alone again with her thoughts, Winter tossed her head back and sighed. The magic, an ever-growing whisper inside her core, hummed. Winter stood up shaking her legs off. She said darkly, "My world? It's full of secrets and lies." Her frown morphed into a smile, as she thought of her mother and friends, "and light." When the words came out of her mouth, a dim glow rose from her hand. Winter stared and shook her hands around, but the light did not go out. She put her hand in the water, the glow still shining through. She shut her eyes and opened them again. It was gone without a trace. "Did I imagine it?" This time, instead of saying 'light' out loud, she thought it. Again, the light appeared in her hand. Winter smiled, putting it out with a thought. "Okay so I guess I can... do stuff with light?" She pointed her hand towards the water and the water moved. "Don't tell me. It's like a video game and I have to unlock different levels of my powers?" She shook her head, "No. Get a grip. You just have to figure out what you're capable of." Winter thought back to the kids in her class and all the different powers they had. She levitated the water and turned it into ice with a flick of her wrist. The magic seemed to hum louder the more she reached out to it. She glanced at her bracelet and remembered the tests they took while she was in the dungeon. Would it hinder her attempt to tap into her abilities? Her stomach rumbled and she put on her shoes, resolving to practice more after eating.
The bell rang a few minutes later and Winter headed to the cafeteria in time for lunch. Distracted by the enormous layout of food, she ran into a tall, sturdy figure. Sam Tudor stood at the head of the lunch line. He did not acknowledge Winter as she reluctantly mumbled an apology. Sam's indifferent attitude shone through when his crimson eyes settled on the head of the school's team of gourmet chefs. The woman rushed to the kitchen and pulled out a ridiculously fancy meal, handing the tray to him. He grabbed it and walked off. Winter scoffed, glancing at the head chef, "I didn't see that on the menu." The woman smiled apologetically, "You won't find it there. That's a meal that is specially made for young master Tudor." Winter nodded, "I'll have whatever is on the menu for today, Head Chef." The woman motioned to the mounds of food that were beautifully presented on several tables, "Help yourself." Winter didn't hesitate as she rushed over to a brilliant plate of sandwiches and picked off a couple. She sat down at the nearest table and elegantly began stuffing her face. Winter felt more than heard Mandy and Layla approaching. They sat down across from her. Mandy's light brown eyes did not waver from Winter's, "Any luck?" Winter held up her hand and demonstrated what she discovered of her powers to her friends. The soft glow emanating from her hand continued to get brighter. They turned their heads away from the blinding light. Layla's golden waves cascaded over her shoulder as Winter put it out, "So you can control light?" Winter wagged her finger and clicked her tongue at Layla. She turned her hand over to the cup of water in front of them before moving every last drop out of the cup and over their heads. Winter made several shapes: a lily, a tree, a snowflake, and a symbol. She flicked her wrist, freezing the water in midair. Winter watched her friends' faces, bemused. "Water and light?" Mandy tapped on an ice droplet. Winter snapped and the water was back in the cup, "I haven't really tested it out yet." Layla studied her, "Why?" Winter grabbed another sandwich off of her plate and shrugged, "I got hungry." They giggled. "I've got to be honest," Layla grazed her fingers over the bracelet around Winter's wrist, "I'm a little nervous to see the full extent of your powers." Mandy nodded in agreement. The hum of magic kept growing inside of Winter as she looked at her friends solemnly, "Me too."