The Accidental Superheroes

Ben

I stared at Angie. She was good. Very good. How she had managed to work that out all on her own was beyond me. Who cared if it was true or not, it was our most likely and reasonable explanation. I couldn’t stop thinking about what she had said about second powers. I wanted to know if I had one. What might mine be? Supersight? Ironic, considering I had worn glasses for most of my life. Up until like, yesterday. Maybe the ability to breathe under water? That would be cool, although I’m not sure I’d ever use it; considering my unexplainable fear of water. Perhaps I would be able to feel colours, or instantly learn another language. Both were things that I had wished I were able to do when I was a kid.

We all stood around for a while. Angie wouldn’t say anything more until the plane got here, which according to Jack was another hour or so. The awkward silence had returned. It seemed like we had talked about everything there was to talk about. Like literally, everything.

“Ben?”

“Yeah Ange?” She looked at me, before heading off to a more private part of the little clearing, with me in tow. When we reached a place that was farther away from the others, Angie sat down on the crunchy leaf litter. She indicated with her hand for me to sit next to her.

“What’s up?” I asked her.

“I’m so confused Ben.”

“So am I, Angie. So is Claire, so is Jack, so is Alex. We’re lost in the woods, we’re hungry, we’ve just discovered that we have superpowers. We’re all frigging terrified.” Angie nodded.

“I just… I can’t sort out my feelings. I feel like a bitch for how awful I’ve been to Claire, who’s done nothing wrong, I feel stupid for being jealous of her. I feel like an idiot around you, because you seem to have it all in check. I feel guilty around Jack because I made him mad at me. And Alex… I feel strange about him. He reminds me of a volcano, like there’s something bubbling beneath the surface, like he’s just waiting to erupt.” I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from mentioning the little ‘looks’ between her and Alex. They’ve known each other for what, like two hours? Yet already you’ll look over at either one of the and find the other one staring at the one you’re looking at. It’s a little bit creepy.

“Jack isn’t mad at you, Ange.” I tell her.

“Yeah right.”

“Angie, I don’t know what is wrong with Jack, but he seems kind of off. I think that he may have experienced something horrible, and I think that is making him resentful of his power. He might act all tough to us, and to himself, but really all he’s doing is keeping a weaker, scared side of him hidden. In fact, I think that he’s hidden it so well, he doesn’t even know that he has one.”

“I still feel like it’s my fault.”

“Angie, many things are your fault. But this is not one of them.” She looks slightly offended, but she knows that I’m telling the truth. Just because I’m head over heels for the girl, doesn’t mean that I can’t see things with a rational eye.

“Can you please tell me your theory Ange?” I ask her, trying to make it seem like I’m not begging.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

I realize that’s the best I’ll get out of her, so I stand up. I brush the leaves off the back of my jeans and hold out my hand to help Angie up. She shakes her head and gets up herself.