Her life had become her bedroom walls. Every day they greeted her and every day they said goodbye. Her house which once gave her refuge now made her feel trapped. It became her prison. Her tower and she was black Rapunzel.
She had nothing to do here but spend all day on her phone and laptop. That's if she didn't zap it and need a new one. Guess that's one of the downsides of being pure energy. She laughs at that thought. There were only downsides to being pure energy.
To having powers. Powers no one could know about because the world couldn't accept people like her. Her mom always tried to put it in a nicer way, tell her they just didn't understand her abilities. And because of her and her dad, she's now a shut-in. Cause the world's afraid. Cause her parents are afraid. Afraid of who she'll hurt. Afraid of her.
Jennifer was tired of the fear. Tired of having to be hidden from the world because she was different. So she snuck out when her parents and her sister, Anissa was sleeping. It started out with just walks. It was easier for her to walk around at night. No one was around. So there was no one to see her. No one to run away from her in fear.
But just walking alone was so boring. So she steals her dad's keys and sneaks into school. Her old school. The one her best friend, Kiesha went to. The one where even when she was bullied she felt normal. Not like a freak. Not like now.
She goes to her old homeroom and sits at her old desk. Months ago, she walked in this very classroom unaware it'd be her last day. That hours later Khalil would kill her dad. That she'd bring her father back to life. That her family would have to run.
Her life hadn't been the same for a while before then. She wishes she could go back. Back to before she knew she had powers. That her dad was Black Lightning. Jennifer takes a deep breath and crosses her arms over her chest. She starts to imagine a full room. She sees a student filling every desk. Kiesha leaning over hers as they discuss the latest gossip.
She's just Jennifer. Normal powerless Jennifer. The lights flicker, a reminder from the world that she's anything but normal. Her fingers have sparks, and she gets up in a panic, dropping the desk she was sitting at in the process.
What did her therapist say? Something about a box. Jennifer imagines the box. She pushes her hands together and imagines shoving every ounce of energy burning inside of her in that box. It was too powerful.
She could feel the energy seeping out. See her hands becoming pure light. No. She controlled the box. She controlled the energy. She uses every ounce of her will to stay focus. And the energy in her body fizzles out, but she notices her veins flashing like lightning under her skin. It wasn't normal but she could hide it.
She stuffs her hands inside her pockets and walks out of the classroom. It's a process locking up the school with your fingertips sparking up. But she manages to do it, manages to get away with coming here. As she walks home, she still feels free. No eyes judging her. No one here to know she's a freak.
Her life may have become her bedroom walls, but at night, at night she can come out and be Jennifer once again.
A.N. I got inspired to write this after seeing this weeks preview of black lightning. And was really motivated to finish by my friend. This is my first black lightning fic, so I'm a little nervous. Anyway, Thanks for reading!