Inside (Patreon)

Patrick was skimming the library shelves for the specific book he needed when he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Steffy, his long time best friend.

“Hey Pat, what’s up!” she asked with a bright smile. She was far too perky for Patrick’s liking right now.

“Don't talk so loud, we're in the library,” Pat said. He pulled his glasses off to clean them on his shirt before returning them to their home on his face. "I'm looking for this book on thermodynamics. I need it to study for the big exam next week.”

"That exam is still a week away, silly. Why are you worrying about it now?”

"Because I’d prefer not to pull an all nighter the day before the exam, and I want to make sure I get a good grade.”

Steffy crossed her arms as if she were offended. “Oof. Yeah, I should probably stop doing that.”

"You know I’ll help you study whenever you want, right? I’ve offered to help you before every exam, but you never take me up on it.”

“Fineeee,” Steffy said, dropping her arms like she was completely defeated. “Come over to my house tonight and we’ll study. But first I need you to see this.” She pointed to the hat on her head.

“It's a hat, Steffy. I have seen many hats in my life,” Patrick said dryly.

“I don't mean the hat, but what's under it,” she said before pulling it off in dramatic fashion revealing a second set of eyes on her forehead. They were a beautiful golden amber color, unlike the pink of Steffy’s original eyes.

“Holy crap!” Pat said louder than he intended. “You mutated? I mean, I thought you have the gene because of your hair and eye color but didn’t know for sure!”

"Yeah, just this morning! I wanted you to be the first to see.”

Patrick blushed the same shade as Steffy’s pink eyes. “W-what is it like to see with four eyes?”

Steffy thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. "It's a bit weird. I still can't focus my new eyes well,” Steffy said. Her amber eyes roamed all over the library as if trying to focus but being unable to. It was a little disorienting, she had to admit.

"I’ve read that sometimes the newly mutated parts don't adjust automatically, and they may take a while to get used to."

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Steffy said. “No matter. They’ll focus soon enough and then I’ll have super vision!”

Pat couldn’t take his eyes away from Steffy’s golden amber ones. They were so beautiful and sometimes when the light hit them, they almost looked like honey. Steffy caught him staring and used one of her new eyes to wink at him. It sent a shiver running up his spine.

“Wow, that was a little disturbing,” Pat said.

"My four eyes?"

"No. Just the way you’re able to control them independently enough to wink at me with only one."

"I didn’t wink at you," Steffy said, surprised.

“I assure you, you did,” Pat said. His eyes hadn’t left Steffy’s new ones. “There it is again!” He pointed to the eye that winked again.

“Hmm, maybe it's the thing about the new parts taking a while to integrate well,” Steffy shrugged.

“Have you called mutant support services? Or at least, have you gone for a checkup?”

“No, of course not. I told you I just mutated this morning,” said Steffy. “Don’t worry though. I plan to go soon.”

"Ok, but make sure you do it very soon. Like today even. You don't know if you could mutate again, or if you might need any kind of treatment.”

“Don't worry, I feel perfectly fine! I just need them to hurry up and adjust already. And then when I do, I’m going to kick your butt in Street Fighter.”

“Just promise me you’ll get checked out. Who knows what else happened that you just can’t see."

“Ugh. You’re worse than my mother. Fine, I’ll go tomorrow."

“Speaking of your mom. Does she know?” Pat asked.

“No, she's on a business trip. So, the house is all mine for a while,” Steffy said before leaning into Pat's ear. “But don’t get any funny ideas tonight, ok?” Pat swore he felt her tongue lick along his ear as she spoke. “Ok see you at my place after school today! Don’t forget to grab a pizza on your way over.” Steffy said as she all but skipped out of the library.

“I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this,” Pat said before resuming his search for the thermodynamics book.