Chapter 50 : Tempus fugit (I’m done/You’re comfy)

 

Midtown High hallway, Midtown High, Queens, New York, 14th of February, 12:08, in Jessica Jones’ mind.

 

Jessica was tense up like a coil.

 

She was still waiting for Peter to leave his classroom but he was apparently caught in a discussion with their biology teacher, a rather strict woman by the name of Michaela Flitz.

 

Unwilling to interrupt the both of them, Jessica waited, idly wondering when she would have her opportunity.

 

A commotion apparently occurring farther in the hallway suddenly pulled her off her thoughts.

 

Stepping on the tip of her toes, she caught a glimpse of Liz’ and Flash standing awkwardly next to each other and she smirked.

 

About time.

 

The two had been circling around each other for the better part of two weeks. It had even been a little endearing to watch the previously prideful and boisterous Flash not really know what to do when it had been blatantly obvious that the cheerleader’s desire was that he swept her off her feet to kiss her silly.

 

Jessica gave it a solid nine out of ten chances that she had actually been the one to take the initiative this time, if the humiliated expression on Millie Pattinson’s face was anything to go by.

 

You go girl, show ‘em how it’s done!

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Snorting to herself at her own silliness, Jessica’s expression rapidly cooled when she remembered that she was waiting here for a reason.

 

She had decided that since Peter was remaining oblivious to her most subtle advances, then she had no other choice than to bluntly tell him to his face how she felt.

 

Jessica would have probably been prouder of her decision if it hadn’t been prompted in part by her newfound friends needling her about it each in their own way.

 

She had been a bit discomfited that her tough girl act had melted like snow under the sun when subjected to Aria’s antics on a daily basis and even more when she realized that she had started to feel a sense of belonging within their little group.

 

They were all unique in their own way, blurring the lines between humankind and what will inevitably come next.

 

They were also all determined to learn more about themselves and their respectives capacities.

 

Jessica’s own looked to grow appropriately with each session. It was becoming easier to maintain her flight as she kept going and she was able to exert more strength with each day passed pushing herself.

 

The dark haired girl wasn’t really keen to learn if she could increase her tolerance to injuries by getting repetitively hurt though.

 

Blessedly their slave driver, Aria to her friends, hadn’t pushed her to try.

 

And so, Jessica’s horizon had definitely started to become less bleak.

 

She, who had pictured herself as a gloomy loner for a long time, was waiting excitedly for the day when the team would be cleared to go outside and right some wrongs.

 

If she could only prevent even one stranger from suffering a fate like her own, it would have been all worth it.

 

She was perfectly aware that she wasn’t as smart as Aria or Gwen, neither ridiculously overpowered like Flash 2.0, or even as obviously thrill-seeking as Cindy was.

 

No, Jessica just wanted to do her part and to use her powers to do some good, like the Fantastic Four were doing.

 

Throwing a side look inside the classroom, Jessica’s heart did a little hiccup as she saw Peter walking in her direction after wrapping up his discussion.

 

She exhaled slowly, trying to banish away the last dregs of her hesitation.

 

The last few feet the teenage boy had to cross seemingly stretched across space and time, for it gave Jessica the impression hours had come to pass when he finally crossed the threshold.

 

“Hey Peter,” She hailed him as soon as he got out, a shy smile blooming on her lips, “Can we talk for a bit? In private?”

 

Wow, really smooth girl.

 

As Jessica berated herself for her total lack of subtlety, Peter stopped to look at her in the corner of his eyes.

 

To Jessica’s dismay, his expression got cold and guarded.

 

“What is it Jess’?” He asked drily, voice flat.

 

Jessica’s heart wrung itself a little at his tone.

 

She started shuffling awkwardly in place, putting one of her bangs back behind her ears.

 

“Well,” She started, eyes shifting before focusing on his own, “I was wondering if you’d like… To hang out sometimes… Just the two of us.” She ended a bit lamely.

 

Suddenly feeling like hiding in a hole, Jessica thought that the whole situation couldn’t get more awkward.

 

Peter blinked, puzzlement clear on his face for a beat.

 

Until he snorted.

 

“Wait, you’re asking me out?” He blurted out.

 

“Yes, I am.” Jessica answered, cringing a little.

 

“Who put you up to it?” Peter asked archly as he folded his arms contemptuously.

 

As her heart fell in her chest, Jessica’s bewilderment, shame and, surprisingly, anger warred for dominance inside her chest.

 

“What are you prattling about?” She asked, her astonishment temporarily winning the battle.

 

“Well, considering who you’re hanging out with these days, I can only wonder if it’s not an elaborate prank, see?” He answered with a little sneer, “Especially considering it’s the first time you've shown a smidgen of interest in me.”

 

Jessica’s expression turned very flat under the harsh retort.

 

Needless to say, her anger easily won the second round.

 

“Firstly, Midtown High as a whole knows that I have the hots for you since our first year,” Jessica answered coldly, “The only one being oblivious enough not to notice is you, Peter.”

 

As the teenager started to get red in the face, gearing himself for a retort, Jessica carried on.

 

“Secondly, the only thing my friends said to me was to be honest with you about my feelings instead of waiting for you to notice them since you appear to wear, quote, ‘titanium based blinders’, unquote.” She continued more hotly, “Nothing more than you should expect from friends, really.”

 

While he was busy sputtering after being put on the spot, Jessica kept going.

 

“Finally, are you really thinking so little about me that I’d be easily manipulated by a harebrained and stupidly convoluted scheme to apparently hurt you?” She exclaimed, barely refraining herself from screaming as her arms went akimbo, “What the fuck, Parker? Are you seriously telling that to a girl’s face on Valentine's day? Are you mental?”

 

Jessica sighed loudly while pinching her nose.

 

“You know what? I’m done, Parker.” She concluded with a dismissive gesture, “I’m done trying for you to notice me by always being here for you when you feel down. I’m done being the nice girl unsuccessfully pinning after a self-centered nerd who constantly bemoans his own failings with the feminine gent. And above all else, I’m done with your self-pity. My own is already enough to deal with.”

 

Jessica made an about turn as her heart shattered.

 

“You’re such a prat, Parker. And you don’t even realize it.” She ended up over her shoulder, faking all the disdain she could muster.

 

As Jessica made her way toward the girl’s bathroom, heartbroken and teary eyed, she barely registered Peter’s final words.

 

“See? I was right! You’re just like them!” He exclaimed triumphantly.

 

Jessica sobbed.

 

***

Midtown High’s cafeteria, Midtown High, Queens, New York, the same day, 12:20

 

As I seat myself at one of the cafeteria’s table, I suddenly realize something.

 

My head on a swivel, I start to look around.

 

“Who’re you looking for?” Quizzically asks Cindy as her and Hector join us.

 

“Jessica.” I explain, “I only noticed now that she wasn’t with us when we went to the cafeteria.”

 

Gwen and Flash throw me a perplexed look.

 

“What ?” I ask distractively when I see the looks they’re giving me.

 

“[Amusement] : They’re probably going to discreetly suggest you to look for her with your telepathy, blood-sister.” Iris lazily points out in our merged-mind.

 

“Duh!” I answer back, feeling like slapping myself.

 

I focus on my mind-eye in a jiffy, looking for the last burgeoning psy-shield that isn’t seated with me.

 

It doesn’t take me long to pinpoint her location.

 

Uh.

 

That should be the girl’s bathroom.

 

I feel her shield buckle for a second, letting me see a glimpse of her mental state.

 

It isn’t very pretty.

 

I already know where this is going.

 

I should’ve paid more attention to her.

 

Sighing softly as I raise myself, mentally bemoaning the loss of a meal because I’m not on my game today, I address the others.

 

“I think I know where she is.” I say with enough emphasis on the word to convey that I know for sure to my fellow supers in training.

 

Gwen starts to rise too but I motion to her to stop.

 

“I’m going to check on her.” I tell the table, “Don’t wait for us, ok?”

 

After obtaining their general assent, I make my way out of the cafeteria.

 

It doesn’t take me long before I reach the girl’s bathroom.

 

Small mercies, it is blessedgly empty.

 

The silence of the place does make Jessica’s sniffling quite obvious though.

 

What a day.

 

Despite myself, I sigh softly under my breath.

 

“A…Aria?” Jessica croaks, probably alerted of my presence because of my mishaps.

 

“Yes, that’s me Jess’.” I answer softly as I beeline toward her hiding spot.

 

A beat pass.

 

“What are you doing here?” She asks, badly hiding another sniffle.

 

“I got worried when you didn’t show up in the cafeteria.” I answer honestly as I lay my back against the door of her water closet with a soft ‘thump’, “I did a sweep of the schoolground with my telepathy and…”

 

I hesitate but decide that she deserves the truth.

 

“...I caught a glimpse because you were distraught and your shielding got loose.” I finally admit.

 

Another beat pass.

 

“You’ve read me?” Jessica asks a little hotly.

 

“It was unintentional, but yes I did.” I confirm, “For what it’s worth, I apologize.”

 

Another beat, another sniffle.

 

“S’fine, today can’t get any worse anyway…” Jessica answers lamely.

 

I simultaneously want to agree with and berate the girl for tempting Fate like that.

 

“Again, why are you here anyway?” She asks once more.

 

I hit the back of my head lightly against the door while mulling over my thoughts in my overclocked mind.

 

“Because I have a good idea of what happened and while you may not want to talk about it, I think you definitely could use a hug.” I answer softly.

 

Another beat passes.

 

“...I don’t know.” Jessica answers awkwardly.

 

“I’m a pretty good hugger.” I offer once more.

 

“...Fine.” She finally agrees.

 

I immediately pull on the teleporting cord that links us and appear in front of her.

 

She barely has the time to ‘eep’ before I levitate her from her sitting position in my waiting arms.

 

My TK running at full blaze, I subtract the both of us from earth’s gravity while simultaneously isolating us from any sounds and less than pleasant odors, some handy tricks I’ve worked on these past few days while I wasn’t training myself or the others.

 

She hesitates for a beat when she finds herself laying next to me on solid air, before quickly latching onto me.

 

I stay silent as she starts sobbing again on my shoulder, only doing little rubbing motions on the high of her back.

 

Jessica and I are a little startled when Iris blooms over my back and another pair of arms oozes out of me to join mine, but she quickly and wordlessly accepts Iris’ offered support.

 

We stay there for a while, none of us saying anything as Jessica vents her sadness, removed from the world in a little cocoon of isolation.

 

“It was awful.” She finally confesses, her voice slightly muffled under my locks, “...He was horrible.”

 

I make a little noise of agreement to indicate that I’m listening and I feel Iris tightening her grip just a bit.

 

“...I just wanted to tell him how I felt, but…” She chokes, “He didn’t even acknowledge the possibility that it could be true.”

 

What?

 

“What?” I blurt out despite myself.

 

I knew that the guy had some solid blinders on, but come on!

 

She laughs-chokes on my shoulder.

 

“Yeah, I apparently amount to so little in his eyes that he thought I was setting him up for some kind of honeytrap or something…” She explains, her voice low and defeated.

 

“What the hell?” I exclaim.

 

“Because, quote, ‘I never gave him any signals’, unquote.” She laughs a little hysterically, “I carried a torch for the guy for years and everybody knows it, but he is so much of a self-centered prick that he didn’t even notice.”

 

Jessica shuffles awkwardly to dry her eyes with her hand.

 

“So, the most obvious conclusion to him was that, since I started to hang out with you guys, I was trying to prank him.” She finishes with a last sniffle.

 

The silence stretches as I digest that.

 

“Do you blame us for it?” I gently ask after a while.

 

Jessica chuckles.

 

“Nah, I don’t blame you.” She answers coldly, “I blame the guy I regularly picked up with a little spoon for the better part of two years and a half for being an asshole.”

 

I wince a bit at her biting tone because I recognize the mark of someone who’s going to hold a grudge when I meet one.

 

I sigh under my breath.

 

“Alright, I definitely get why you’re upset now.” I concede as my little rubbing motions intensifies a bit.

 

“Yeah…” She answers back, “Worst part is that I’m somehow also mad at myself. I can’t help but ask myself if he’d have reacted differently if I’d asked earlier.”

 

She sniffles once more.

 

“And it hurts.” She admits with a very tiny voice, “I know it’s stupid because he definitely showed that he wasn’t even worth it, yet it hurt.”

 

“From what I heard, heartbreaks are like that.” I answer soothingly.

 

She shuffles a bit to look at me.

 

Her eyes are red and her mascara has run, making her sad panda eyes and my heart feel for the girl.

 

She dries her eyes once more with the palm of her hand.

 

Her look is interrogative.

 

I sigh as I close my eyes.

 

“I only knew Marie, Jess’.” I explain softly, opening my eyes once more to look at her “I met her at the university when I still was an emotional wreck that couldn’t assume herself. She was the one to ask me out and we never got into an argument for anything more important than whose turn it was to do the laundry.”

 

Her eyes narrows.

 

“I think I’m jealous.” She answers aloud.

 

I snort.

 

“No, you’re not.” I quip back as I boop her nose which makes her frown and bat at my hand, “You’re just hurting.”

 

“Whatever.” Jessica answers while rolling her eyes as she buries her head back in my shoulder.

 

Teenagers.

 

A beat passes.

 

“You’re comfy.” She says after a while.

 

“Does it mean that you want us to stay like that a while longer?” I asks softly.

 

“...Yeah, I think I’d like that.” She hesitates.

 

“Alright.” I concede lightly.

 

We only left our little bubble when the bell for the first afternoon period rang.

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