Chapter 21 : The longest day of my life (Chit-chat)

 

Midtown High parking, Midtown High, Queens, New York, 25th of January, 16:12

 

After a quick detour by the administration of the school, Gwen and I finally reach the parking lot where Jessica and Cindy are waiting for us.

 

I already had done what I had to do earlier when I came back with Cindy, but I wanted to double check that the suggestions I had placed onto the administrative personnel and varied teachers were holding, and that my friend the school’s network had entered me in its database and gave me my hard earned grades.

 

Flashy had new ones too, roughly similar to those he already had prior to his imprisonment. As an extra incentive for him to put in some work in school, of course.

 

I hope that it’ll be the last time I ever have to do something like that, it doesn’t really sit well with me to have to temper with a boatload of strangers’ mind like this just because it is accomodating, but as a an “outsider”, as the cosmic prick of Life and Destruction called me, it is either that or living anonymously for the foreseeable future.

 

And… I don’t really want to. I could, if push comes to shove, but the thing is, this is as close a chance for a normal adolescence I will ever have in two lifetimes.

 

I’m reluctant to squander it.

 

Badly reluctant.

 

My shift in mood prompts my blood-sister to give me a mental hug, something I’m grateful for and promptly reciprocate.

 

Now, it is done. For the normal folks I’ll interact with until I graduate, I was always part of their life. A little distant, more of an ice queen than my more exuberant ‘twin’, the smarts to his brawns, and ‘his recent accident made me open to others’.

 

As long as no one digs too deep, that should do a good enough job to hide the discrepancies.

 

Or so I hope.

 

With a soft smile curling up the corner of my lips and a light wave of the hand, I inject ourselves in Jessica and Cindy’s conversation as Gwen, still riveted to my side, and I take the last few steps.

 

“Girls.” I say with a peppy tone.

 

“[Amusement].”

 

While I’m busy giving a mental stink-eye to my symbiotic half, Jessica starts to speak while Cindy is throwing Gwen a look, puzzlement written all over her face about the fact that the blond is clinging to me.

 

“Right back at you,” Jessica drawls with a little smirk, and the good humored jib makes my stomach do a little flip-flop of happiness because I’m an accounted member of the girl squad to her.

 

It’s always the little things that make you the happiest.

 

“Say,” She carries on, not caring for the little happy blush gracing my cheeks, “We were wondering when you wanted to hold your club-thingy. I’m available whenever, but Cindy still has her hockey team.”

 

Cindy wordlessly nods while in the corner of my eyes, I see that Gwen sports an interrogative look.

 

I mull over my words for a second.

 

“How about tomorrow's afternoon for a start, if everyone’s available ? Cindy, Gwen ?” I ask, eyes roaming over the ‘team’.

 

I can’t believe I’m going to do this.

 

“The team doesn’t have anything scheduled this Saturday.” Cindy answers.

 

“It’s fine with me.” Gwen adds, trying very hard to hide her enthusiasm betrayed splendidly by the flash of happy smile.

 

I nod, my curls dancing around me.

 

“Two PM, my house ?” I offer.

 

I’m graced with two slightly interrogative looks.

 

Right, Cindy and Jessica do not know.

 

I smirk a little.

 

“You wouldn’t know because I never explicitly said it, but I’ve been sort of adopted by the Thompsons.” I explain, “That was like Flashy’s first and only demand to them when we talked about what happened to him this morning to his family.”

 

Jessica is a little googly eyed at that while Cindy just hmm to herself in understanding.

 

Gwen has a little smug smile on her face, one that screams ‘I obviously already knew because she told me first ahah’, while looking at Cindy, who actually doesn’t give a crap about it.

 

I want to sigh audibly but my self-control prevails.

 

“Why though ?” Jessica wonders aloud, “You basically acted like a poor man's doppelganger for a bit over three months with them, it doesn’t make sense.”

 

I mull over my thoughts for a second.

 

“Basically because I’ve been upfront with them as soon as I could, I saved their son and brought him back and Jessie loves me lots.” I enumerate.

 

I’m not going to explain the Harrison incident, this is neither my story to tell nor the place to speak about it.

 

“I’m also paying rent, and I imagine that I am as close as a twin to Flashy than it can be possible.” I add thoughtfully.

 

That part of the explanation actually makes the number of relatively astonished looks jump from two to three.

 

“Actually Iris, how close are our two life-codes ? I’m curious.” I ask mentally.

 

“[Amusement, confidence] : Rougly 83% percent similar, but that doesn’t really mean anything.” She answers easily.

 

“Wait, are you saying that you’re technically his fake twin ?” Finally blurts out Jessica.

 

“Aria and Flash have the same eyes.” Points out Gwen, who quickly got back her cool… “And I’m talking about her gorge… True form ! Her true form has the same eyes !” …To promptly stammer afterwards due to a lapsus, her ears burning red.

 

I don’t really know if I should be preening or sighing at that.

 

On the one hand, I want to squeal because she finds my white and golden majesty ‘gorgeous’, on the other hand my little display from earlier has now been classified as a dud in my deterrence campaign.

 

My cheeks apparently decide for me because I can feel them growing a little hotter.

 

Betrayers !

 

“[Amusement].”

 

Ignoring my sassy sister, I collect myself to answer.

 

“Correct on all counts.” I confirm, “You wouldn’t know because I purposely excluded the three of you from the mass suggestion I’ve been broadcasting all day to the others, but everybody now considers me as his twin and thought I’ve always been there in their life.”

 

Gwen actually roughly knew since this morning and asked for confirmations when we did our detour together earlier.

 

I sigh lightly.

 

“Let’s just pray that I won’t have to do something in the same vein anytime soon because it doesn’t sit well with me.” I say in a monotone.

 

Cindy gulps a little while Jessica shakily nods.

 

“That’s actually a little scary…” Cindy admits.

 

“Ditto.” Jessica says instantaneously.

 

“Telepathy is scary.” Gwen confirms with a side-eye in my direction.

 

That doesn’t seem to deter you from clinging to my arm like a possessive squirrel does to his tree, girl.

 

“[Amusement, mirth].” Iris laughs on our mind-link.

 

A mental swat promptly followed by a sisterly hug from her part later, I continue seemingly undeterred.

 

“Which is sort of why I won’t out myself publicly as being one.” I explain.

 

“But how would you become a heroine if you do not ?” Ponders Jessica aloud.

 

I smirk a little and so does Cindy, shaking her head lightly, which prompts a raised eyebrow from Gwen.

 

“My power kit is… Let’s say extensive.” I admit, the corner of my lips curling up a little, “We will talk about it at length tomorrow.”

 

“Why not now ?” Asks Gwen while tugging on my arm a little, eyes narrowed.

 

“Because I can feel a psy-shielded person coming in our direction and I do not want to talk about it anymore than necessary while Raven is nearby.” I answer easily.

 

My sentence is rewarded by three jolts and swiveling heads looking for ‘Sandra’.

 

“I seriously doubt she’ll look the same as before.” I calmly point out to them.

 

That makes them pause.

 

“Alright, I think I find her scarier now.” Jessica says aloud, and is promptly rewarded by two nods from the others.

 

“She is, was, I don’t know anymore, a plague to every intelligence service around the globe.” I add thoughtfully.

“I cannot imagine why.” Drawls Cindy, which makes the three of us chuckle.

 

“By the way, I know that you love hockey Cindy,” I start tactfully as her attention comes back to me, “But I need to warn you : playing human sports risks being a little dull from now on.”

 

She narrows her eyes a tad, looking at me in the eyes, her face serious.

 

“Why ?” She clips.

 

As Gwen gives her the stink eye for her abruptness, I answer calmly.

 

“You’re potentially the best player they will ever have for a long time and you are innately good at calculating trajectory. Nobody’s going to be able to get a jump on you on the field anymore but you’re going to see their mistakes, like, all of them, even those that shouldn’t be obvious.” I carry on.

 

I pause, letting her digest that.

 

“The slow motion thing you’re experiencing right now ? It isn’t going away, ever. Having all the time to see your teammates commit mistakes without being able to prevent them is going to be an exercise in patience for you. Or you’re going to snap at some point and try to mother-hen them, except they are just humans and cannot immediately rectify how they move as efficiently as someone who is seeing every trajectory like they were written in a children’s book can.” I continue, my smile compassionate and apologetic.

 

Her eyes deem a little at that.

 

“I’m sorry, Cindy. I know it meant a lot to you, and I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but I thought you should know.” I end softly.

 

“But, what am I supposed to do ?” She lamely asks.

 

I do not have all the answers, I’m just pretending I do !

 

“Like I said to Gwen earlier while valiantly enduring Ms. Prattson’s mathematical assault,” I start, which makes Jessica snickers, “You are going to find yourself quickly starved for intellectual challenges. You maybe didn’t notice, but you’re ‘mathing’ good now, like, real good.”

 

“I wouldn’t know, I was supposed to endure that bore this morning.” She drawls.

 

Gwen and I chuckle as Jessica guffaws.

 

“You two are in the same class ?” I ask archingly.

 

“Yup.” Cindy answers easily.

 

“Condoleances.” I reply flatly.

 

No one deserves to endure that teacher.

 

No. One.

 

“Anyway, you’re ‘mathing’ good, everything can sort of be reduced to math, so you’re globally smarter than you were.” I explain.

 

Cindy groans, pinching her nose.

 

“My mother was already on my case because I had a good memory and it’s only going to get worse.” She whines under her breath.

 

“About that,” I say with an awkward smile, my free hand scratching my cheek, “I may have sent your mother on a spiritual journey to become less of a control freak because I was annoyed this morning.”

 

Her head snaps in my direction, eyes bulging.

 

“Really ?” She blurts out.

 

“Yes, I’m sorry.” I answer, wincing, “It’s totally safe, trust me.”

 

“No, no,” she starts, eyes shining, “You don’t understand, this is, like, the best news I’ve heard today !”

 

“[Amusement].”

 

Cindy looks like she’s almost vibrating with excitement.

 

“It makes almost all of this worth it.” She adds, wincing a little as she probably remembers her capture.

 

I laugh awkwardly as Gwen and Jessica try to hide their mirth at her reactions.

 

“Anyway, what I was trying to say is, while it looks to me that your case is not as pronounced as Gwennie, you’re going to get drawn towards more challenging classes or hobbies. Go with your guts about it, be it science, engineering or whatever, but you’ll have to find yourself something to occupy your brain. Or risk going barmy because you have too much free-time to yourself.” I explain to her plainly.

 

As Cindy, a little startled by my no-nonsense tone, wordlessly nods, Jessica looks at me, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

 

“By the way, I have to ask.” Jessica begins.

 

“Yes ?” I ask politely, turning my attention back to her.

 

“Not you. Gwen,” She answers as the interested person perks up, “Why are you clinging to her like a monkey to its tree ?”

 

“You know, I was wondering about that too.” Adds a thoughtful Cindy, still as oblivious as before.

 

The corner of my lips curls up as Gwen finally computes the meaning of their questions.

 

As she finally lets go of my arm, cheeks burning and starting a campaign of stuttering denial, I realize a simple truth while Iris is laughing in the mental background.

 

It feels good to be young. Again.

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