Absurdity: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion
"Get in the car."
That was all her brother said as they entered the parking lot and made their way to his car, the only thing he'd uttered to her since he arrived to retrieve her. He was using that low, rough voice that made him sound like their father, he only used it she was in trouble. She tore her gaze from his and sighed and she got into the passenger seat, knowing that this would be a long drive home. Greg slid into the drivers seat and started up the car before turning to look at her.
"Are you going to explain yourself? Or am I just to assume that this was one of your normal acts of defiance against a school you dislike?"
Misha turned and looked at her brother, really looked at him. He looked tired, like he wasn't sleeping well. It made him look older than his twenty-two years. "What would you like me to explain, Gregory?"
The annoyed look in his eyes intensified and glanced between her and the road, "Don't give me attitude, Misha Marie. Don't even start." She watched as his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed. "Let's start with the fact that you were skipping class and smoking in school. Then we can move onto you using your powers." His voice was low, but loud nevertheless.
Misha just sighed, "I didn't use my powers."
"Well, your principal said you came pretty damn close." That had her shaking her head and rolling her eyes. Please, if she had had came close to using her powers, Warren and Powers would've known. "And, what is this about you being down in the basement with a boy?"
Sometimes she didn't understand Greg and his double standards. He was her brother, not her father, and while he may have been her legal guardian, he wasn't her fucking babysitter.
"Please." She rolled her eyes. "Push those thoughts from your mind, brother. We're just... friends."
It was awkward to say that word. Were they friends? She supposed they must be, to at least some extent, with her still being new and all. She assumed that he believed so, that Layla and Will insisted on it. But, she wasn't exactly a peppy go-getter like Layla, and she'd much rather be left alone. She realized after that her statement had probably just made Greg more suspicious.
"Friends, huh?" She could see some of the anger fade as he churned the idea over in his mind. His face looked a bit worried, a bit sour. "I knew putting you back in school was going to try my patience." He added grumpily.
He arrived at the school a little late, but in his defense his mother had him cleaning the grills late last night and he'd slightly overslept. He parked his piece of shit black car in the student parking and jogged up to the main doors of the building. He casually walked inside and straight into the White Room where he knew Principal Powers and Misha sat waiting for him.
"Ah, Mr. Peace, how kind of you to finally show." Her voice didn't take on the same disappointed tone as it had yesterday, but she didn't seem any less annoyed. "Take the seat and we'll get started."
It wasn't a question, more of a direct demand. He just sighed and sat himself down a few rows from Misha, it certainly wasn't the first time he was stuck in the White Room for detention, he knew the drill.
"It's eight a.m., you have five hours to sit and think about not ditching class to smoke in the basement again." Powers looked between the both of them. "You may do homework if you feel so inclined, I know you have more than enough to catch up on, Ms. Evans, and Mr. Peace – you're not in advanced classes for nothing, don't let that go to waste. Do I make myself clear?" She asked the both of them.
"Crystal." Warren replied without really thinking, pushing the jacket from his shoulders. It was when he felt Powers' strong gaze on him that he looked up and added, "Ma'am."
Misha sat leaning back in her chair, a lock of hair between her fingers, examining it with an expressionless face. For a whole moment she looked eerily similar to Katelyn, frightening him to some degree. How could it even be possible for two polar opposites to have the similar mannerisms? Of course, he'd never admit that if freaked him out to anyone. But, he couldn't help but stare at her from the corner of his dark eyes.
Principal Powers glanced down at her watch, then to Misha and Warren. "I'll be back to bring you to the cafeteria for lunch, use this time wisely." And with that, she left.
Misha and Warren eyed each other for a singular moment before going back to steadfastly ignoring each other's existence.
She watched him some time later, once it was safe to look at him without the fear of him staring back at her. She wasn't entirely sure why it unnerved her when he gazed at her, but it did. And she didn't like it.
He really was a stunning creature though, from his dark, lanky hair with that odd, annoying, red streak in it. His eyes were a warm amber brown that held hues of dark green in certain light, it was strange but beautiful. Kind of like him. He was tall and lean, with strong arms and even stronger body language. He was broad without being bulky, and had a dangerous vibe to him. She was intrigued by him, and she hated that she was.
She wondered how a darkling like him ended up in advanced Hero placement, how he'd ever dated a yuppie like that girl. Warren and Katelyn just seemed to be polar opposites in every way. She didn't really understand it, but if she was being honest, she hadn't really tried that hard.
As attractive and interesting Warren was, she wasn't sure how she felt about this situation, or what he wanted. Or, what she wanted. She wasn't really sure of anything these days.
Sometimes she liked to think what being a normal, annoying girl like Layla would be like. What being a Hero would be like, sometimes even a Villain. It wasn't hard to picture, she would smile, be boisterous and loud, laugh at jokes and make quips of her own. She wouldn't keep to herself, she'd have actual friends and relationships, she wouldn't be so stuck inside her own head.
But, that wasn't who she was. And, that wasn't her situation.
A sneeze from somewhere beside her registered her back into reality, pulling her from her thoughts and back into the real world. What was this place doing to her? Making her think these thoughts of being normal, making her think about things she'd buried. She pushed those thoughts from her mind, sitting up a bit straighter and reigning to try and act a bit more like herself instead of some wonton, stargazer she had momentarily become.
There was a smile. A smile that she remembered and recalled fondly. Two smile, actually. Both brilliant and bright and beautiful.
They tugged at her heart in a way she hadn't felt in a while, in a long while.
She felt at peace, she knew they did too. She knew they were happy to see her, that they were happy even though they stood beside one another. At one time that wouldn't have happened, she was glad to see that time changed things.
She reached out to them, to the third smile that had appeared alongside them. It was a small smile, but it held no less brightness and warmth. She recalled that one too.
They stood together, smiling over at her from where she sat at her school desk, just standing and smiling. She knew that she should feel something other than the potent warmth that was washing over her, that she should feel elated, sad even. But she didn't, she didn't feel anything.
She was glad for that. Glad that she could stand in the face of those smiles and just look, not bogged down by emotion. They didn't seem to mind.
She wanted to ask them how they were, how things would play out, any of the numerous questions she'd thought on before. But, she couldn't get the words to come out of her mouth.
They seemed content though, and with that, she was happy.
The sound of a book hitting the floor woke both of the sleeping teens out of their slumber, causing Warren to fall out of his precarious and awkward position on the chair, and on to the floor. Misha bolted up from where she had laid her head down on the desk in front of her, her heart beating erratically in her chest.
Had she... Had she dreamt?
Principal Powers stood before them with piercing, unbelieving eyes and a quirked brow. She had walked down the halls, ran a few errands around the school, and stopped by the break room to grab a coffee, before returning to check on the two of them. The last thing she'd expected to find was the two of them asleep. Honestly, she'd thought she'd walk in to find them either fighting or in a provocative position.
But, of all the horrible, mischievous, inappropriate things they could've been doing while in here alone, they chose to... nap. Clearly they weren't as much of the bad kid-troublemakers that everyone thought them to be.
With a shake of her head, she grabbed the dropped textbook and placed it back in its former position on the desk in front of her. And with a small smile on her face at the wide-eyed teens in front of her, she told the pair they had thirty minutes for lunch.