A.N: I will generally combined short chapters if they go together as one so not every chapter will be uploaded here as soon as possible. In case any of you were wondering why this hasn't updated yet again.
"Sorry..." I muttered, feeling a bit embarrassed about the situation. "I was just thinking about something."
"About what?" He asked with a hint of worry lacing his tone, though he seemed relieved now that there seemed to be nothing wrong with me. Given how his shoulders sagged from being tensed.
'The fact that I might have powers, or might be going crazy or being mastered?' I thought to myself and blurted out. "A science project that I'll need to do!"
I shuffled a bit in my chair, feeling a bit awkward as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow at my outburst. But it was the best excuse I could come up with a short notice. After staring at each other for a couple of minutes he returned to his seat and then we continued to eat in the now awkward silence. This time I didn't space out... much.
As I ate my breakfast, I toyed with the idea to show him my magical math powers, maybe even breaching the topic to join the Wards; as it would be easy to get the resources I need then. But what if I was just imagining it? Sure I could probably cast a low rank spell, but if I tried and nothing happens, it would be rather embarrassing and disheartening... or I might have ended up overloading the spell; which I don't know what would happen if I did, but it probably would be bad. Exploding the house bad.
I held off a wince at the thought of accidentally blowing up my own house somehow by overloading a low rank utility spell.
Though... building, a device would lessen the chances of that happening by a great deal, even if it's not fully intelligent. I could probably build a crude device from parts bought at an electronics store. Depending on things it might even be cheap, but the crystal and tools would be the real killer. Though we should have most of the tools needed here at home... even though dad didn't use them. I'll have to check online later for cheap prices for a crystal.
"Do you need help?" My father asked with a bit of hesitation. He sat his fork on the plat as he finished eating his meal.
"Maybe." I stated absentmindedly and then started chewing on a piece of bacon. "I might need to visit an electronic store for some parts... and see about getting a cheap crystal I could use." I started mumbling that last part, which dad didn't hear. Thankfully, since I don't think there are many science projects that require crystals and electronics at the same time.
"Would used electronics be alright?" He asked and I turned to him with a look of surprise. He chuckled. "I know a couple of places to get cheap, used electronic devices from."
'That...that could work.' I thought. 'But... the science project is a lie.' The thought of using the lie to get what I want from dad put a sick feeling in my stomach. Luckily, it didn't show on my face otherwise dad would be worried again.
"That should be okay." I said quietly, the need to prove to myself that I actually could build what has been hovering in my thoughts won out over my feelings on the matter. I started feeling ashamed of myself for using my father like this.
'I'll be able to show him my powers better with the device.' I rationalized. 'It would be safer too...'
"So, what do you need, kiddo?" He asked curiously, unaware of my feelings on the matter.
I froze, the gears in my head started working in overdrive.
'Listing everything I need would probably make him suspicious, but it would save me a trip to the scrap yard; as that is the only other place I could realistically get what I need. Or I could list only some parts I need and brave the scrapyard, which would more than likely be watched by various groups for new "Tinkers" that just got their power. But then again, buying a lot of electronics would people suspicious about that as well, so their might not be a way around that yet. Or... or I could go with dad to the used electronic place he mentioned after he gets back from work. He would probably be suspicious with all the stuff I pick out, but at least I would spend sometime with him. Which going by what the T.V. in my dream showed, we don't nearly spend as much time around each other anymore.' I thought and started to feel sweat on my brow.
After weighing the pros and cons I turned back to my father with my mind made up.
"Can we go to the store together?" I asked him feeling hesitant. He blinked in surprise before faintly smiling.
"Sure, I should be done with work early today; so we could head out after you finish school." He said before adding. "Maybe even eat out for dinner for once. I know a good place for pasta."
I smiled.
"That'll be good." I agreed and saw that dad looked a little less tired now and his eyes brightened a bit instead of the usual dullness they showed.
'I know dad would probably suspect that I'm a parahuman when I start choosing what parts I need...' I thought, finishing another piece of bacon and watching dad pick up his dishes to put them in the sink. 'But maybe spending some time with dad wouldn't be such a bad thing.'
I finished eating breakfast soon after and then went to brush my teeth and get my backpack from my room. It's an old backpack that's rather stuffed, as I generally don't like using my locker after the last few times the trio managed to break in it... even when I changed locks but, it works. It's not like I could get even less popular at school anyway using it.
So, after grabbing my backpack, checking if I forgot anything, and bidding dad a good day; I left the house with my head held high, and a smile on my face.
I could tell things are only going to be looking up from here.
The bus was packed from the early morning rush, and always had this strange smell that never quite goes away. It's like a mix of sweat, drugs, and other things... I hated taking the bus. I was thankful that the ride to Winslow was rather short from my house because of this. But I hated my school as well.
It's old and looks like it's decaying. It's filled with wannabe and actual gang members, as well as people that have the bright future prospects of being a super villain's minion when they grow up. The teachers are either apathetic or dead inside, and the principal is an unhelpful bitch.
Still as I wade through the crowd in order to get inside the deteriorating school, I didn't let any of that ruin my good mood. Even when I noticed a few people staring at me as I walked by, like they are all a part of a joke at my expense, or the fact that I started smelling something in the air that was being drowned out by perfume. It was faint but still rather distinct. The stench grew the closer I made my way through the crowd and towards my locker.
'What is that?' I thought, my face scrunching up in disgust. It's bad enough that the hallway was peppered with a too much perfume smell but as I got closer to my locker, it literally smelled like something died. And judging my the looks I have been getting... the trio probably did something to my locker.
I heard some snickering in the crowd that started to gather and I started feeling paranoid. I could tell the smell was coming from my locker now that I was near it. I felt some tears build in my eyes because the rotten, putrid, stench started to become stronger.
It was with horrid fascination that I reached down to open my locker, wondering what the hell the Trio managed to stuff in there.
A dead raccoon?
