Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
The rain thudded against my bedroom window, a constant gray downpour. I glanced out of it just once during my mad packing job of my bare essentials. A few changes of clothes, my debit card, toiletries... No one was here to see me off; Mom and Dad were at work and the tweebs had school. I couldn't afford to play hooky besides missions, so I didn't, but attendance didn't matter anymore.
I was leaving Middleton. Maybe forever.
It still didn't seem real, but with my suitcase almost full, it was pretty much a done deal. I had to fill up gas in my car before I drove as far as I could away from here, but besides that, I was ready. Actually, more than ready. I craved a change from the same old same old, longed for a new life. Change was the cure…wasn't it?
I scribbled a note on and set it next to Pandaroo. Looked like I had finally outgrown him.
The note apologized for my sudden departure and assured them that it wasn't their fault. And it really wasn't. My parents were the best a girl could have and had supported me, even with my unusual after-school hobby. My mom was always there with advice and a helping hand. Dad…well, he was still getting used to the idea that his "Kimmikub" was almost a woman. But he was trying, and his lab was always open to me. Even the tweebs weren't horrible, as far as younger brothers went. Even with the techno experiments.
I didn't mean to look, but I saw it anyway. The picture that had been on my dresser forever, the one I hadn't truly looked at for a while. Ron was making some goofy face at the camera, making me laugh before the flash caught this moment forever. Ron…
I couldn't tell him that I was leaving. I didn't have the guts. After all this time, nearly our whole lives being BFFs, I couldn't bring myself to tell him I was leaving. He would want to go with me, but he couldn't. This was something I had to do for myself. He wouldn't get it.
He was…different, which was a kinder word than most would use. But he was always there for me, even if he was screaming the entire way. A girl couldn't ask for a better sidekick than her best friend. I can't imagine life without him. But I guess I kind of had to now. I walked over to my dresser and picked up the picture. I tossed it onto my duffel bag. Something fell off the dresser when I took the picture off and I stooped to pick it up. I nearly strangled it when I realized it was the Kimmunicator.
This…this was the reason I was leaving.
It had been too much. Cheerleading captain, honor roll, heroine… I couldn't be perfect, no matter what people thought. It was like they couldn't recognize that I was human too. It was all major pressure, not to mention volunteering and what semblance of a social life I had. And Bonnie, just waiting in the shadows, praying for me to slip up. Testing was coming up, and eventually I'd drop the ball on something. I couldn't afford to, not with state championships and SATs and endless take-over-the-world schemes. Especially not the take-over-the-world-schemes.
My nails dug into the Kimmunicator's screen. If I had to stop one more of Drakken's idiotic plots one more time, I'd explode! But if I didn't stop him, who would? So I dragged myself out of bed, stopped Drakken, went to school acting like everything was fine, on a good day managed to get through all of my classes without having to leave to stop someone else, work my tail off at cheer practice, go fight some other supervillain (Drakken if he was feeling especially productive), did my homework somewhere in between all that, and go to bed for a few hours. Not much of a life if you ask me.
If I was going to drop a ball, I might as well drop them all and stop trying to juggle. I was done putting my life in danger for minimal reward. I would go on with my life and leave the past behind me. I was not going to be the one to play Supergirl.
I packed the picture of Ron and me and zipped up my suitcase. No more pressure to be perfect. I grabbed my coat and put it on. No more responsibility. I gave my room one last look over. No more anything.
Did anyone understand what it was like to live this way? Could anyone sympathize with my decision, give me advice about how to start the rest of my life after doing it all?
I realized I was still holding the Kimmunicator. I shrugged and grabbed my suitcase with my free hand, making my way down the stairs. I opened the door. The rain was coming down harder and heavier now. It was almost like it was copying my feelings. I looked over my shoulder for a glance of the only life I had ever known. I had never lived anywhere but here and, honestly, a little part of me was scared. But I had to do this, before it was too late to escape the trap I'd fallen into since I made my website.
I took my time going to my car, tossing my suitcase in the backseat and started walking towards the driver's seat. A familiar beeping sound came from my hand and on instinct I almost answered to my master. But not this time. I set it down gently on the driveway pavement and got in my seat, starting the car.
There was a crunch as the car drove over the Kimmunicator as I backed up. I put it in drive, ran it over, then backed up over it again just to make sure it broke. It had a bad habit of only being able to break when I actually needed it.
Good-bye, Wade.
I turned the radio up as I pulled out of my driveway. Bon Jovi… A little retro, but still good, and oddly fitting. I glanced to my left just in time to see Ron's house.
I could still turn around.
I didn't have to start over.
No, I wasn't going back.
No matter what.
I was leaving Middleton; I knew that much for certain. But as far as what was happening next, I had no clue.
