The Girl All The Bad Boys Want
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Warren Peace held the two books loosely in his arms as students milled past him, chattering excitedly at the holidays. The freshman year at Sky High was coming to an end and all of the students were signing each other's yearbooks.
He stopped at his locker and removed his leather jacket because of the heat. The girl who controlled ice sent a vapour towards him, instantly dispersing on him. She grinned at him and went up to him.
"Hey, Warren. Sign my yearbook?" Beth Frost handed hers over and Warren gave his. He and Beth had danced at Homecoming but were only friends. Despite being on the Hero track, she hung with the Sidekicks.
Beth finished her little piece on the page and pulled a sky blue Sharpie from her jeans pocket and signed it. Warren scrawled his black signature and sketched little flames around it.
"Thanks." Beth waved him goodbye, having spotted someone nearby. Warren opened the locker and removed everything from his locker and put them in his shoulder-bag. He only had one class left and then twelve weeks of freedom.
He smoothed out his other book, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and with his leather jacket in his free hand, made his way to class just as the bell rang.
Warren slid into his seat and a few moments later, Will Stronghold entered. He grinned at Warren and the pyrokinetic responded with a smile of his own, albeit not as big.
Then Layla entered. She and Warren were sat next to each other and it was Layla that kept Warren from being sent to detention nearly every day.
"Hi, Warren!" She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. This has been a regular thing ever since they had bonded at the Homecoming incident. Layla, after her display of power with the Pennies, had been transferred to the Hero track. Unlike Will had been, she had stayed friends with the "Sidekicks". Warren had been secretly thrilled to have her in the same classes. Warren entwined his fingers with hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. She went over to her desk, leaving the scent of honeysuckle in the air behind them.
"So, will you sign my yearbook?"
"Oh yeah, but not right now. We'll be meeting each other over the summer, won't we?"
"I guess." Layla momentarily looked crestfallen before smiling broadly at him. The teacher entered the room and the class began.
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The bell ringing at the end of the day caused an earthquake of cheering and within twenty seconds, students flooded out of the classrooms and halls into the yards where they talked and laughed and ran around with ecstacy. Layla waved goobye to Warren as she boarded the bus. Warren waited a few moments until Beth caught up with him.
"Ready?" He asked and she nodded. The two of them got onto the yellow school bus and intrigue surrounded them.
"Hey. What are you guys doing here?" Magenta asked, slightly distracted by the feel of Zach's hands around her waist.
"Thought we'd join you." Beth took a seat next to Ethan and kissed him on the cheek. Warren slid down on the seat next to Layla and handed her his yearbook as the straps wound themselves around the students and the bus propelled into the sky.
Layla got out a leaf green felt tip marker and started writing. Warren found a clean page and started writing. He very nearly lost the leaflet tucked inside Layla's yearbook when the bus hit a bank of cloud and a sharp gust of wind burst through the open windows. It was bright orange and professionally printed on a computer.
"What's this?" He enquired and Layla turned to look at the paper.
"Oh, there's a new diner opening up and the owner's a friend of my mom's. They asked me to come."
"Cool. Can I come?"
"Of course."
Inspiration hit Layla and she poked her head over the top of the seats in front to come face to face with Zach and Magenta.
"Hey you guys wanna come to this new diner that's opening today?"
"Sure."
"Sounds like fun."
Ethan and Will and Beth agreed to come. Warren finished his message and sketched his name on the space beneath his message before writing it again in a bright red that matched his tee shirt, creating a shadow.
About ten minutes later, the bus stopped on the corner of Ninth and Figaroa. The seven of them got off the bus and spent the five minutes walking to the diner talking and laughing and teasing each other.
The diner was silver and blue with a light blue and gold interior. The giant sign in the shape of a globe proclaimed its name; The Planet Diner.
They entered it and found only a few customers, but as the owner Max Rogers said, it would perk up in the evening. The menus consisted of mainly meat but Max knew that Layla was a vegetarian and added a veggie menu to the Planet's culinary delights.
They all ordered burgers of some description and soon they were sipping their Cokes and Diet Cokes in a booth that reminded them of a 1950s diner. The music was the latest Britney Spears and Layla could see by the way Warren scrunched up his forehad that it wasn't exactly his musical taste. Thankfully, the music turned darker with some rock venturing into the palate.
The heat was sweltering and most of them who had layers above skin level stripped them off, leaving Magenta in a purple tank top and Ethan in an orange vest. Sweat tricfkled down their brows and when the second round of drinks came, their primary use was for the temperature. As soon as the glasses touched their skin, they leeched the excess heat from them and an all-round aah was heard. Beth would have used her icy powers but she needed cool drinks in her first.
The burgers were good quality so Will and Zach ordered another one each while the others declined. The TV showed another superhero-related incident in which the Commander and Jetstream saved the day.
Afterwards, Max came over and asked if they wanted anything. They all ordered the dessert special of the day; an ice cream sundae in various flavours. Will went for a chocolate, Layla peppermint, Warren strawberry, Zach lemon meringue pie, Magenta forest fruits, Beth bubblegum and Ethan went for a vanilla with sprinkles.
Soon, the diner started filling up and the seven teenagers left. The sun was still up so all of them agreed to go a field at the back of Magenta's house. The sun cast a golden glow on them and Warren found himself gazing at Layla who looked serene and sunny as usual.
The field contained a tree which Layla had grown before and a sturdy set of three swings which they had built. Warren and Layla retreated to the knee high deep fields of grass where Layla lay her head on Warren's shoulder whilst he re-read The Bell Jar.
"How come you got into Hero class even when you don't like the stereotypes and everything?"
"Hm? If I had a choice I would go back to my friends but they won't let me."
"They?"
"The system, the whole stupid dichotomy. It's everywhere you go."
Warren propped himself up on one elbow and Layla did the same, their eyes meeting despite their height difference. Warren put the bookmark in his place and placed it next to him before turning back to her.
"For example?"
"The movies."
"The movies?"
"Yeah. The heroine always ends up falling for the hero, even though they might be completely different. She might be better off with the sidekick or the...the villain."
"So, Hollywood is to blame." Layla swatted at him.
"Shut up. You know what I mean. Name one film where the heroine doesn't fall in love with the hero. And she has to fall in love with someone else."
"X-Men."
Layla cocked an eyebrow at him. "X-Men?"
"Yeah, Jean Grey doesn't fall in love with Cyclops. She falls for Wolverine."
"She was going to marry Scott. It's a love triangle she was involved in with Logan."
"But Logan isn't the hero."
"No, he's the anti-hero."
"He's the what?"
"The anti-hero. You know, someone who supposedly doesn't give a damn about what's happening - like Wolverine in the first one - but ends up turning up to save the day."
"Huh. I've never heard of an anti-hero before."
"I'm surprised. You're an anti-hero." This made Warren's head snap up.
"No, I'm not."
"You are."
"Since when?"
"The Paper Lantern. You were there for me."
The sultry-enfused air made look at Warren as she sat up. Her hair was free and loose and her eyes were half-open. Her skin was flushed pink against the earthy green of her top and Warren couldn't help but lean forward and brush his lips against hers.
Layla stiffened momentarily before leaning into the kiss. Warren tentatively deepened the kiss and felt Layla's hand entwine in his hair. The long, dreamy kisses which followed enfused their souls until they separated. The heated breath blew on flushed on skin and Warren opened his eyes to see kiss-swollen lips.
Silently, they stood up and Warren slid the book into his pants pocket. He took Layla's hand and slowly they made their way up to the slow hill towards the tree where the others were playing.
Towards their lives and the future.
Fin