INT. LABORATORY — DAY

YOUNG JAMES KNIGHT, a dark-blonde-haired and blue-eyed six-year-old, runs off as white sneakers crash along a dark, ash-gray tile floor.
The room widens, resembling clean, white structures and loads of experimental test tubes in a decent-sized laboratory. James runs. His eyes wander off to the many vials of neon liquids sitting in the middle of the room.

SAMUAL KNIGHT, early 20s, James's uncle, scientist, neurotic genius, brown eyes, dark blonde hair, stubble, sits beyond a computer screen, typing and adding to a mound of papers.

James stops in the middle of the path. Then, Samual huffs, leveling his eyes with James.

SAMUAL: James Everett Knight, you better be careful!

James thrusts his fists toward the sky. He runs off again. He stops at the table on the opposite side of the room and looks at Samual.

JAMES: Sam, I'm a superhero!

James' hips nearly bump the wide marble slab table multiple times as he hops on his toes.

Samual's eyes wander back to his computer screen. James whips around the corner, his sneakers squeaking across the floor, performing loops around the experiment table. Samual still cannot focus on James.

We hear a faint pulse of a heartbeat pounding in James's chest. James's fun-sized hand CLASPS one flask tight in his palm. A dark shadow lurks beyond the right corner of the room and recedes into view. The child's dark glare fades into focus.

YOUNG MAXIMUS KNIGHT, a six-year-old with brunette locks and brown eyes, bounces on his toes in the corner. The boy gestures to his mouth, urging James to drink the fluorescent fluids.

James's fingers pull to his lips. The liquid hits his tongue in one quick swoop.

The boy disappears while James's ocean eyes fade under the bright lights above. He collapses and plummets to the floor. Samual catches James in his arms in one swift motion. The sound of a pulse grows louder.

SERIES OF SHOTS
- JAMES FLUTTERS HIS EYES OPEN AND SHUT.
- SAMUAL CRADLES JAMES IN HIS ARMS.
- JAMES, PANIC ON HIS FACE, STUNNED IN CONFUSION — HIS FACE
PALE, PASTY, AND BLUE.
Return to scene.

Samual's screams muffle.

SAMUAL James... (beat) James... (beat) James!

Samual pulls James to his chest. The flask falls from James' fingertips, and his eyes cease to focus on Samual. James falls deeper into sleep. His eyes flutter one last time. The pounding pulse fades, hampering to a halt almost instantaneously.

Maximus wanders back into the room, studying James in Samual's arms. Samual looks at Maximus as anger and fear flood his emotional mind.

SAMUAL: Go, Max! Get out of here!

Max watches Samual with sad eyes as he cowardly wanders into the nearby corner, sliding his knees into his chest.

SAMUAL: James... (beat) James... (beat) James... (beat) JAMES!

Samual tries to shake James awake. He watches his nephew's skin turn pale. His lips turn blue. Heavy footsteps pound nearby. Out of desperation and hope, he stands, James in his arms, and he bolts out of the room with James, still cold in his arm, straight down the hallway and busts out the doors to freedom, all in a few seconds.

EXT. CITY STREETS - BURBANK, CA - DAY

The city streets go by in a blur. Samual barely recognizes anything since the last time he left the facility. Samual zooms, going up and down the main roads. A bus nearly hits him, but he pushes on.
Samual charges into a hospital emergency room. James slumps in Samual's arms, unconscious, his skin turning a deep blue.

Bip-Bip. The heart monitor wails.

SAMUAL: He needs a doctor!

A hospital nurse walks by, noticing James' blue lips as he yanks him from his arms and rushes him to the nearest open bed.

Bip-Bip.

NURSE ONE: Code blue! Code blue!

The nurse sets James on an empty bed. A doctor and about a dozen nurses rush in as they work fast to rip off James's clothes, put him on the monitors, and feed him oxygen. The doctor turns to Samual, staring at him, flustered.

DOCTOR: How long has he been like this?

SAMUAL (Panicked): Just a few minutes. I left James unattended, and he drank something—

Bip-Bip.

DOCTOR: —What did he drink?

SAMUAL: I-I don't know.

Samual watches them WORK AN IV into James' arm as a memory flashes in his mind.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - GOVERNMENT FACILITY - DAY

Samual's eyes flutter open as his eyes adjust to the white room. Sam is strapped to a metal table. Steel bands bind his wrists and ankles, preventing Samual from moving his arms and legs freely. Samual watches an IV WITH GREEN FLUID feed into his veins.

Samual thrashes around. Sweat drips from every pore in his body, and he groans in discomfort.
He doesn't even notice GARRISON WRIGHT, his science teacher, and his naive brother, ALEXANDER KNIGHT, in the room until Alexander clears his throat in the corner. Samual shares a pleading look for help, but they both ignore him.

SAMUAL: A-Alex, stop! D-dad is going to—

Samual shifts on the table, yelling and writhing in pain. Mr. Wright studies Samual, jotting down notes on his digital notepad. Samual's vision blurs in and out, but he sustains consciousness while watching his brother, Alexander.

Garrison plucks two syringes on a floating table and jams them into Samual's upper thigh, causing him to jolt in excruciating pain, and Samual's vision slowly...

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. JAMES'S ROOM - HOSPITAL - LATER

Samual steps away from the room, taking deep breaths to prevent hyperventilating. A nurse finds him panicking in the middle of the room.

NURSE ONE: Are you okay, sir?

Samual sucks air through his teeth, trying to catch his breath.

SAMUAL: Yeah, I'm okay.

Suddenly, OFFICER JEREMY TAYLOR, 26, joins Samual's side with a notepad and a pen.

OFFICER: Samual?

SAMUAL: Yeah.

OFFICER: What happened? Matthew is going to kill you.

SAMUAL: I was babysitting him, and I wasn't watching him for a minute when he drank—

Samual STARES off into space, fear in his eyes. The cop stops Samual for a moment.

OFFICER: —Breathe. You're not in trouble, Samual. It happens more than you think. But we need to know what it was.

SAMUAL: I-I don't know. I swear.

OFFICER: It would help your case if you texted Matt. I'll talk to him too.

SAMUAL: I left my cell phone by my desk.

Samual starts breathing heavily again in panic. Suddenly, a broad Paramedic, DEXTER MARIAN, in his early 20s, stops in his tracks, staring at Samual, frozen in place.

DEXTER: Samual?!

Samual turns around to find Dexter in a paramedic uniform, wheeling an empty gurney into the hospital.

SAMUAL: Dex?!

Samual's eyebrows knit together. Suddenly, his panic subsides, replaced with confused excitement.

DEXTER: I didn't think I'd see you again. What are you doing here?

SAMUAL: My nephew—

NURSE ONE (In the background): —Code blue stabilized.

The nurses pile out of the room, each dropping their gloves in the trash. The last group of nurses walk out, ripping off his gloves, and shakes his head, glancing at Officer Taylor. The group of doctors and nurses leave.

DEXTER: Oh no.

SAMUAL: Yep.

Samual's lips melt together in frustration.

DEXTER: I hope he's okay. How is Matthew?

SAMUAL: He's good.

DEXTER: Good. How's Danielle and your, uh, daughter?

SAMUAL: Great. I have to check on—

Samual listens to Dexter tap the side of the empty gurney. Then, another paramedic wanders out of a room.

PARAMEDIC: —Dexter.

DEXTER: I, uh, have to go. I hope all is well with your nephew—

Dexter pauses for a fill-in-the-blank.

SAMUAL: —James.

DEXTER: James... Nice seeing you again, Samual.

SAMUAL: Yeah, you too.

JAMES (Screaming): Samual?! SAMUAL!

Samual rushes down the hallway and into the room, his eyes widening as they settle on James, floating halfway to the ceiling.

INT. HOSPITAL — DAY

James' eyes burst open. Beeping monitors and loud noises alarm James. James hovers over his hospital bed three feet from the ceiling in a gown two sizes too big. James reaches out. He flips in the air, and his stomach drops as he attempts to steady himself while Sam quickly closes the door behind him.

SAMUAL: How are you doing that?

Samual paces before James, occasionally chewing on his hangnails to avoid a panic attack. Red streaks flush his face.

JAMES: I-I don't know.

Samual's eyes crease, and he sighs.

SAMUAL: Shit. (beat) Can you get yourself down from there, James?

He peers out of the doorway and shuts the door.

JAMES: I can try.

James inhales and exhales. He shuts his eyes and focuses on his breathing and the wind brushing his face. James plummets to the bed without notice and slams his back against the rough bed frame. Samual moans in frustration.

A deep divot of meshed metal pokes up from the mattress. James clears a spot for Samual. Samual reluctantly joins James at his bedside and rubs James' back for comfort.

SAMUAL: You're not saying a word about this to your brother, mother, or father when we get home. Understood?

James nods. Samual hides his face in his hands and groans.

SAMUAL: Your mom and dad are going to kill me.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NOON

Matthew steps toward Samual, his hand on his gun holster.

MATTHEW: What did you do to my kid?

Samual cowardly steps back, bumping into the side of the couch.

MATTHEW (snaps): SAM! What happened?!

SAMUAL: He's okay. It happened so fast...I took my eyes off of him for one second and—

Matthew shifts, his hand slipping over his gun holster again.

MATTHEW: —And what? He could have died, Samual.

SAMUAL: Grace isn't my only child, Matt. I have eight sons and Alexander, he... he's a monster. He's kept them away from me and used Danielle, my children, and me as lab rats. I couldn't watch James meet the same fate as them...

Matthew's hand shifts from his holster. The front door swings open.

DEREK: Dad?

MATTHEW( to Sam): We'll talk about this later. Don't tell James I know about his powers.

SAMUAL (Muttering): Only if you don't tell them about my powers.

Both boys walk into the living room.

JAMES: Hey, Sam.

MATTHEW: How was school?

Derek scoffs.

DEREK: Wow, not even a "Hey, Happy Birthday, Derek."

Derek stares at Samual with a raised eyebrow.

JAMES: Mr. Kendall told me he wants to talk to you, Dad.

James leans against the staircase.

MATTHEW: Happy Birthday, bud.

Matthew smiles at Derek before his eyes shift to Sam, glaring at him.

MATTHEW: We'll celebrate later.

DEREK (Excited): Can Sam make the cake?

MATTHEW: Ooh. You have to talk to your Mom about—

DEREK: —Please?!

Derek's eyelashes bob, and he smiles.

SAMUAL: Yeah, buddy. I can make a cake for you.

DEREK: Awesome!

Beat. Derek clamps his fingers together, staring at James with a raised eyebrow and a grin. Then Derek and James race up the staircase.

INT. STAIRCASE - SAME TIME

James stands at the top steps, giggling, watching Derek race after him.

DEREK: Dad will kill Samual when he finds out you have powers.

JAMES: Quiet, Derek!

James silences Derek with giggles. SLAM! The door shuts behind their door. Samual's eyes drift from his angry brother.

INT. LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME

Samual looks up at Matthew in panic.

SAMUAL: I'll talk to them.

MATTHEW: Don't think I will hesitate to shoot you if you hurt Derek or James.

Samual scoffs, shifting his footing.

SAMUAL: I'm invincible, Matt. Bullets can't hurt me—

MATTHEW: —I know.

Matthew's lips melt into a scowl.

MATTHEW: Talk to them, and don't tell James I know about his powers.

Sam's eyes drift away from Matthew to the staircase with a hesitant, deep breath.

(Intro plays)

INT. JAMES BEDROOM - PRESENT — DAY

JAMES KNIGHT, 16, under sheets. DEREK KNIGHT, dressed in his head-to-the-feet police uniform, glares down at his brother, pushing his shoulders. James moans in annoyance.

JAMES: Don't you have work?

James rubs his groggy eyes and sits up. His hands pull through his shaggy hair, and he grins.

DEREK: Start getting ready for school. You have fifteen minutes.

James' grin widens. He pulls out of bed and shoves his brother into his sheets.

DEREK (Mumbles in pain): Damn it, James.

James laughs.

JAMES: You're such a big baby.

DEREK (defensive): No. You're super strong.

James huffs and tugs at his hoodie. He yanks it over his head, drops it on the floor, and walks to his dresser.

James grabs his clothes and dives into his closet, digging for a few sneakers. The room stills. James rushes to the bathroom at superhuman speed.

SERIES OF QUICK SHOTS -
- JAMES, BRUSHING HIS TEETH AT SUPERHUMAN SPEED.
- JAMES, BRUSHING HIS SHORT HAIR INTO CURLY WAVES.
- JAMES, STARING AT HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR.

END OF SERIES OF SHOTS.

INT.  FOYER - JAMES'S HOUSE - DAY

At the bottom of the broad staircase, MATTHEW KNIGHT, wearing his cop uniform, adjusts his badge shoulder. He looks up the stairs, yelling at James.

MATTHEW: You almost ready?

INT.  BATHROOM - DAY

James pulls his fingers through his hair, watching Derek appear in the doorway.

DEREK: Dad has a point, James. My shift will start, and I don't want to get into trouble with Mark's father any more than you want to fight him. I'm sure you can put your powers to good use.

James spits, rinses, and rushes to the staircase, sliding down the banister and landing entirely at the bottom steps.

JAMES: Was that fast enough for you?

Derek looks stunned and amused at his brother. His father enters the room from behind, adjusting the collar on his uniform.

MATTHEW: Are you driving James to school?

Matthews's eyebrow rises. Derek pulls the keys from his pocket, waving them in his father's face.

DEREK: Just to school.

Matthew raises an eyebrow in James's direction before walking off, leading James and Derek out the door.

I/E. COP CAR — DAY

James slumps against his brother's cop car in the front seat. His hood yanked far above his head. Derek is driving. He reluctantly glances over at his brother briefly and returns his eyes to the road.

DEREK: Don't feed into Mark Reignson's bullshit today. I know he's a bully and an asshole, but—

JAMES: —I know. You don't have to bring it up every time. I won't do anything stupid.

Derek's eyebrows raise as if to protest, but OFFICER GARRETT REIGNSON, the police chief's brother-in-law's husky voice, cracks through the speakers and catches both young men off guard. Derek grips the intercom tight in his fingers.

DEREK: Ten-four.

GARRETT (V.O.): Two-Eleven, about ten minutes ago. A robbery with possession of a firearm. Plate number YDS-1134, stolen vehicle, black Bentley, tinted windows. The suspects are wearing black masks, reported as inexperienced delinquents, and were last seen driving down Toronto Avenue.

Derek grips his microphone.

DEREK: Copy.

Derek's feet dig into the accelerator. He pulls into the line of automobiles and takes off, flipping on the lights and sirens. A row of cop cars flies by, following the black Bentley. Derek leads the chase, dodging ongoing traffic. The two young men toss trash from the vehicle. Derek speeds up. James is alert and watches the scene from his chair, stunned, with an eyebrow raised.

Derek hits the car's back, pinning the driver and passenger off the road and into a nearby brick wall.

DEREK: James, stay in the car and don't use your powers. I mean it.

James nods. Derek exits the car with his weapon drawn.

Derek (To the robbers): Come out of the vehicle with your hands up and slowly walk back towards my car.

One boy sticks his hands out the passenger window—a row of six cop cars lines the pathway. About a dozen officers draw their guns and pointed at the young men. The two boys exit the vehicle. One boy drops his gun from his waist. The two robbers glance at each other before taking off separate ways.
Derek grunts and takes off after one boy. James watches, adjusting his hoodie further on his head before speeding off and meeting the other boy in an alley.

EXT. ALLEY - DAY

The robbers stare at James, establishing eye contact. MAXIMUS (Max) KNIGHT, 16, disguises his deep brown eyes with a hoodie and a ski mask. His hands twitch by his side, anxiety reaching his foot as he taps. James curiously stares back at the robber, his brown eyes seeming familiar.

INT. LABORATORY - FLASHBACK - DAY

YOUNG MAXIMUS KNIGHT, 4, a superhero t-shirt and black and white sneakers, creeps into the laboratory, his eyes landing on JAMES KNIGHT, 4, playing with a superhero action figure, flying it around the room. Samual sits in the background, wearing headphones as he types on his computer. James stops when he sees Maximus standing there watching.

JAMES: Hello!

James waves enthusiastically.

JAMES: Who are you?

Max nervously stands there staring at his father, unsure whether to speak.

MAXIMUS: Maximus. What's your name?

Max curiously creeps closer to James.

JAMES: I'm James.

Max wanders up to James, studying his toy from afar.

JAMES: This is Skye. He's a superhero.

James hands Max his toy, and it softly slips out of his hands, but before it hits the ground, it floats steadily two feet above the floor.  James giggles, following Max, who glides it across the room. Samual looks up, halts his work, removes his headphones, music blaring, and jumps to his feet. Before he can say something, ALEXANDER KNIGHT, 30, Maximus's uncle, bolts around the corner.

ALEXANDER: MAX! Go to your room NOW!

Max drops the toy and his smile, his eyes pleading with James for help, then his father, Samual.

ALEXANDER: Now, Max! Hurry before I have to call security.

Max takes one last pleading look at James, tears coating his cheeks, and he's escorted away.

EXT. ALLEYWAY - PRESENT - DAY

Maximus, disguising his deep brown eyes with a hoodie and a mask, looks James up and down, assessing him with amusement.

MAXIMUS: Bloody hell! You were in the cop car.

The Australian teen establishes eye contact. James pulls up his hoodie sleeves and sighs.

JAMES: So what?

The Australian boy, Max, chuckles, subsiding with a smile, licking his straight rows of teeth. The two boys glared at each other, unsure who would make the first move. Maximus charges forward with great superhuman speed and slams James into the concrete. James wheezes, catch his breath, and pull off the ground.

JAMES: That hurt.

James shakes himself off. Maximus moves quickly, clutching James' shirt and pulling him in the air.

MAXIMUS: Where's Samual Jonathan Knight?

JAMES: I don't know.

One hand yanks on his hoodie while the other reaches for his mask. The boy pulls back, releasing James from his grip. The other robber, NOAH (Kinley) KNIGHT, 15, appears.

NOAH: Leave him, mate.

He sounds Australian, too. A gust of wind WHOOSHES past James. In the blink of an eye, the two boys disappear. James looks stunned as a fraction of the cops race around the corner, including Derek. His hoodie still conceals his features.

Derek smiles, swinging his keys as he glances at his brother. James looks at the officers, his head slightly tilted to the ground, and nods. A crowd of civilians forms with flashing camera lights. James instinctively covers his face with his arm, his head slightly tilted to the ground; he nods before taking off into the sky.

EXT. ALLEYWAY - MERCREDI MATIN CAFE — DAY

INTERCUT - ALLEYWAY AND CAR
James's phone buzzes in his pocket. Irritating, he stops in an alley halfway to school and fishes for his cell phone. His phone ripples again, and he answers. Derek drives while keeping his phone on speaker.

JAMES: What, Derek?

DEREK: Are you okay?

Derek taps his finger against his phone. James scowls.

JAMES: Besides coming across a new super who nearly kicked my ass, I think I'll manage.

James throws his hoodie over his head and lifts it into the sky, dodging finger-pointing and staring.

DEREK: So you saw him too?

Derek groans, tapping his fingers against the back of his phone.

JAMES: Yeah. There were two of them. They wanted something to do with Samual.

Derek growls, seeming frustrated. The tapping continues.

DEREK: What do you think they want?

JAMES: Whatever it is, it can't be anything good.

James lifts further into the sky, almost dropping his phone, but he catches it with telekinesis. Then he floats it back to him.

DEREK: What was that?

James sighs.

JAMES: I dropped my phone.

Derek chuckles.

DEREK: Klutz. Are you heading to school?

JAMES: I'm thinking about grabbing a latte—

Derek groans.

DEREK: —If I have to call Samual, I'm finally telling Dad your secret.

JAMES: You're dead if I even hear you mention my superhero name to Dad.

DEREK (defensive): Don't threaten me, Superboy.

JAMES (irritated): Don't call me that, Derek.

Derek chuckles. James shifts the phone at his fingertips and palm and floats higher in the sky.

DEREK: Relax, Alpha. I guess at least we can both agree that there is something Samual is not telling us. We need to get it out of him, and you need to get to school. No caffeine for you—

JAMES: —If only someone would stop calling me on my way to class—

DEREK: Don't mention it.

James chuckles.

JAMES: Good luck, Derek.

END OF INTERCUT.

James flies off toward Phoenix High School.

INT. CLASSROOM #1 - DAY

James' sneakers squeak down the hallway of Phoenix High School as he rushes to class. He nearly slips on his feet, coming to a fast halt in front of his classroom, knocking his papers and books from his arms.

MR. BRANDEN, the Early '40s, lowers his glasses and glares out the door.

Students' eyes follow James as he enters the classroom and approaches Mr. Branden's desk. Light chuckles from the opposite corner of the room, where Mark and his friends sit, filling the awkward silence.

JAMES: Morning, Mr. Branden.

James sets his notebook and papers on the empty desk in the front row.

MR. BRANDEN: Mr. Knight, unless you're looking for a detention slip, I advise you to take your seat.
James huffs.

JAMES: My brother was driving me again, and he got caught up in another morning police chase. He didn't have time to stop. I have a note—

James fumbles with his bag, pulling it open with force, and the contents explode to the ground. Mr. Branden pushes his glasses into place on his nose, annoyed by James.

MR. BRANDEN: —That is when you catch the morning bus. I'm giving you one last warning.

Students laugh and chatter. MIA REIGNSON, 16, a gorgeous dark blonde hair and blue-eyed girl sitting in front of him, speaks up. She's Mark's cousin. James doesn't mind.

Mia: I guess he's supposed to jump out of a moving car in the middle of the chase?

MARK REIGNSON, 16, a cocky jock with a bold attitude, slaps hands with one of his comrades.

Mark: I'd pay to see that.

Mr. Branden glares at Mark.

MR. BRANDEN: Knock it off, Mark. Take your seat, Mr. Knight. You're dismissed.

James reaches down, collecting his things from the floor. He finds the note and places it on Mr. Branden's desk. He kneels to order more of his items from the ground.

WHACK!

His head SLAMS into the desk in front of him, causing an eruption of laughter from his classmates.
Mr. Branden silences the class. James walks off towards an empty seat in the back row.

James stares at a pencil, watching as it ROLLS off a girl's desk and into his foot. Mia flips her long, blonde hair behind her shoulder and swivels in his direction.

MIA: Are you going to get that, James?

James melts against his desk, lost in her deep blue eyes.

JAMES: Well, uh...

James can't quite get words out. He blushes as he leans down to retrieve her pencil.

JAMES: Here's your pencil.

Handing her pencil back, he feels weak. Mia turns around in her seat. Mark curses incoherently under his breath a few desks away. James returns to his work.

Mia suddenly turns back around. Amusement flashes on her face, and she smiles.

MIA: Halloween is in a few weeks. The blood drive will be here soon, and we're looking for helpful recruits to join the team this year.

James's eyes widen, staring into the open room. A devilish smile manifests on Mia's lips.

MIA: Are you going to answer me, space cadet, or leave me hanging?

JAMES: Uh, I can't...

MIA: Can't what?

James looks confused, overloaded with questions from his crush.

JAMES: Uh, I can't wait to be there.

INT. CAFETERIA - DAY

The cafeteria is quiet besides the low chattering that echoes throughout. James is sitting alone near the exit, attempting a breathing technique. Mark is only a few tables away as James glares at him from across the room. Mark watches James from the corner of his eye, snatching an apple off a student's tray. The Student rolls his eyes and grunts but seems to avoid an argument.

Suddenly, James's phone chirps, and he reaches for it.

INTERCUT — CAFETERIA AND LABORATORY

SAMUAL: Are you okay?

James taps the table gently and thinks of a response. Samual runs on a treadmill with wires attached to his head, seeming faster than usual.

JAMES: Besides having a bruised ego, yeah.

SAMUAL: Ha, too bad your powers don't work on bruised egos.

JAMES: Not even funny, Samual.

James shuts down his phone after feeling someone standing behind him.

END INTERCUT

Mark grins behind James, looking over his shoulder with a few pals.

MARK: Who are you texting this time, Knight?

JAMES (Irritated): Go away.

Mark's eyes drive toward James's phone screen.

MARK: Was that your uncle? I can't stand that freak. He's just like—

James clutches his tray's sides, fingers digging into the plastic, and grits his teeth.

JAMES: —Shut up, Mark.

Everyone in the cafeteria has their eyes trained on Mark and James now. Mark clicks his tongue.

MARK: Was that my cousin you were talking to earlier?

Mark leans casually against the table bench. James' fists curl even more into the plastic. Mark tilts his head to the side and sucks in a sharp breath.

MARK: I don't believe she's your type, honestly.
(long beat) What's up with your father? Still, a lowlife who my father should have kicked off the force years ago? And your brother? He's a great cop but just a dog on a leash.

Irritated at Mark, James quickly gathers his backpack and forgets his phone from the table, walking towards the door.

MARK: You forgot something, freak.

James cautiously turns on his heels. Mark's grin widens, waving James's phone in the air. James paces back to the table, dropping his bag to the floor.

JAMES: What do you want from me, Mark?

MARK: To fuck around with you a little.

James grabs at his phone, but Mark pulls it above his head. He stands over him by 2 to 3 inches.

MARK (Grinning): Let's see who's texting you.

Mark touches the home button, and James's screen comes to life. The phone chirps again. He pounds his four-digit code and searches for the most recent text.

MARK: Oh, look. Daddy Knight is reminding you to take out the trash tonight. Maybe we can help him with that right now.

Mark and his buddies snicker.

MARK: You should really stop unlocking your phone in front of some of my friends.

He lowers the phone to James's height. James snatches the phone, grabbing only air as Mark raises the phone higher.

MARK: Why don't you jump, Knight?

James jumps high in the air, almost floating, and drops unsuccessfully. Mark tosses the phone between LUCAS, 17, and GARETH, 16, playing a warped hot potato and monkey in the middle as James races back and forth for his phone.

MARK: Come on, Knight. You're faster than that.

Gareth chucks the phone at Mark. James intercepts the phone, watching it slide across the cafeteria ground. Mark's friend gripped James's arms, holding him before Mark.

MARK: Are you going to fetch that, Freak?
James digs his fingernails into his palm. James and Mark glare at one another, and James pulls free from the young group of boys.

James' fist swings forward, and within a second, his knuckles dig into Mark's face. It's immediate impact, and Mark doesn't even stumble. Grabbing his jaw, Mark wipes the blood off his lips, and a smirk forms as he chuckles.

MARK (whispers): Thanks, Knight.

James collects his things and walks off to grab his phone from the other side of the cafeteria before leaving.

To be continued...