Since I Know You

Superhero

"You hate him." He giggles making her sister giggle too "And he hates you. Why?"

"Well- my relationship with Colten is complicated "

"Why?"

"Well- we don't agree all time... And I think we like to be right all the time and that can't happen you know?"

"So?"

"What you mean by so?"

"I don't like Callie all the time and I don't agree with her always, she can be a boomer sometimes, but I'll still play with her and be her friend" Toby said looking at her sister

"Well that's quite nice of you, Toby"

"Yeah I know" he laughed "But Aaron also told me -"

"Aaron doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut does he?"

"No he doesn't... He told me that you and Colten were the best of friends when you had my age"

"That's true" she smiled thinking of them back when they were little

"Does that mean that Callie and I will end up like you two?"

"No! NO! What kind of theory is that?"

"Well you were friends, best friends like we are, and then you aren't any more"

"But I'm me and you are you, Colten is Colten and Callie is Callie... We are all different so it's normal that things won't happen the same, ok?"

"Yeah ok" he said not really happy

"Whats going on in that head of yours?"

"Well if Colten really hates why did he saved you from the bad guy" her brother question, and for how much she would think in that question she hadn't a proper answer to it, it was planted in her brain and from time to time she would think about.

"Because...Colten's he's a secret superhero but can't tell anyone"

"Then why you know?"

"Because I was his bestfriend once and he told me that!"

"Really?" he asked excited and she nodded "is he more like a Batman or a Superman kind of thing"

"i guess you could say he's like Deadpool"

"Oh I love Deadpool"

"Yeah I like him too"

"Why Deadpool?"

"Well, because he's quite afraid to show his true self to people"

"You mean his face?"

"No dummy! His heart, you know? Colten as a good heart but he doesn't want people to see it so he wears a mask because he think his heart his ugly but it isn't "

"Then why do you hate him so much"

"Boy, you are talkative today, Jeez! I don't hate him I just get really mad with this mask, not with his head but the mask he uses... Do you get it?"

"Yeah I think so"

"Now go to sleep kiddo"

~*~

"oh my baby I was so worried about you" Anna said once she entered the Jones' house she hugged Alina with all the strength she had, she left kisses all over her face leaving the girl bewildered

"Ali! Don't you scare us like that again!" Thomas said hugging Alina next lifting the girl from the ground, he squeeze her so hard that she swears he almost broke her a bone. While she was being squeezed she looked over Thomas shoulder to find Colten with his hands in his pockets looking at the ground.

"Come on let's go to the kitchen" Martha said

"Hey Ali" Callie hugged Alina's legs like there was no tomorrow, the little girl started to sob quietly

"Hey princess" Ali said, she took the girl in her arms "Why you crying?" 

"Because Colten said that- that this bad boy that wanted you and I was very afraid to not see you again"she explained between sobs. Al sat down on the stairs and Colten and Toby followed them.

"It's ok now Callie, Ali is here" Toby said. Colten crouched down to be at the same level as the girls and sat Toby in his leg

"Look I'm here, princess it's ok?"

"But C told me you were crying" she whispered, Alina looked at him and raised an eyebrows

"Yeah he told you right, I was crying"

"Were you afraid of the bad boy?"

"Yes very! But you know what?"

"What?"

"Your brother showed up" she smiled at her, Colten was watching them like a howl "He saved me"

"i know but what if he-"

"Hey hey Callie look at me" the little girls clean her cheeks and looked at Ali "It doesn't matter what if ok? It matters that I'm here now, ok? All thanks to your brother, yeah?" the little girl nodded at the end of every sentence

"Ali said he was a superhero" Toby said and quickly covered his mouthed, Alina gazes her brother intensely and Colten does the same but at Alina

"You're a superhero?" Callie questioned her brother

"no-"

"Yes, he is. He saved me from that really bad boy and I'm here now, because of him! So don't need to cry okay? Don't need to be afraid! He protects you... C'mon go play with Toby, now!"

"Let's play superheroes" Toby grabbed Callie's hand and they went outside. Colten sat next to her in the same step of the stair.

Award silence.

"So..." Colten started " you told your brother?"

" I did because he was as scared as Callie "

Awkward silence.

"I'm sorry, ok? I know that was our thing not ours but from the little kids that played together 8 years ago, but he was just scared"

"and you?" he questioned looking at the front door

"I was terrified, I was afraid " she told him honestly "I felt so vulnerable, so powerless, I don't want to pass for that experience NEVER AGAIN"

" you won't, I'll make sure of it"

" you won't! Because I don't want to be a burden to you anymore... I'll talk with my parents and I'll say that you can't protect me you have your life"

" So who'll protect you? Who will you tell your parents that will do my job? Because I'm sure it ain't your friends! I'm sure it's not your boyfriend either" He spat

"Don't put Jake in this!"

"Don't put Jake in this? He should be a part of this! Yesterday and today and right now!Where is he?"

"He's been busy! I called him a hundred of times and he didn't pick up he probably let his phone at Travis' "

"Your problem is that you're too naive "

"His girlfriend was almost raped and he's not with her? You know what that translates to? Fucking idiot!" he said leaving the stair and walking to the yard outside where everyone was

"Who are you to judge?"

"Who am I? I am the guy that stopped you from being raped!"

"Yes, I know! But you can't judge him for being a boyfriend when you don't know what that is " she said looking at his eyes and leaving him

"I'm afraid he can't do that job too" he whispered

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