AN: So, I was working on this chapter earlier this afternoon when the power went out and I lost what I had. So, I went to Wal-Mart and bought the Sky High soundtrack, which I recommend. Besides having fabu punk covers of 80's classics, it also includes a song sung by Steven Strait, Warren Peace himself. So, for any other Warren lovers out there, buy it and enjoy!
And as for the story, I plan on updating chapters everyday, so please stick with me, dear readers, your wonderful reviews are what's keeping me going!
Sirens and Other Warnings
Layla couldn't stop smiling.
The cafeteria was buzzing with students and the smell of fresh canned peaches. Freshmen were grouping off into heroes and sidekicks and explaining their powers to upperclassmen. Will was busy stuffing his face with a hero sub, stray bits of lettuce dropping down onto his unsuspecting jeans- so busy he didn't see Warren slide onto the bench opposite the junior couple, swinging his bag off and tossing it next to him with a noisy crash.
It wasn't unusual for Warren to eat with them, every once in a while he craved company. Albeit it was once in a blue moon and usually when he wanted something, but Will rather liked having him around. What was unusual was his bringing a girl along with him- anywhere, let alone to join Stronghold's crew for a public lunch. But, there she was, slamming onto the bench next to Warren, her bag slumping to the floor and sending a bunch of fresh ink pens rolling about Layla's sandaled feet. Warren looked at her apologetically while Margaret ducked under the table, noisily collecting her things.
Layla just smiled.
"She's a nightmare." Maj droned, pushing peaches about her tray with her fork, staring at the space Margaret used to occupy before her deep-under table dive. Layla put a finger to her lips and shushed the sardonic girl, who rolled her eyes and continued torturing her peaches.
"Margaret, right?" Layla asked rather chipperly once the girl resurfaced, most of her hair pulled messily out of her braids. Warren rolled his eyes and pulled a copy of Titus Andronicus out of his back, flipped open to a dog eared page and hoped the bell would ring sooner rather than later.
"She's my new best friend. Principle Powers' orders."
"Not really," She said throwing him a cautious look. "I've just been power replaced and-"
"Power replaced?" Will asked now interested. The crusted remains of his sub lay before him on his otherwise empty tray. With no more food available he was ready to be social.
"Yea. I'm a hero now. I guess. Or a heroine? I'm not too sure-"
"Sound familiar?" Layla asked, playfully elbowing Will in the ribs. He shouldered her back and the two started a cute shoving match. Margaret looked at the pair not really knowing what to make of it.
"They'll be done in a minute." Warren droned from behind his book. Margaret looked at the cover of his book and scrunched her face in confusion.
"You read? I mean, you read Shakespeare?" She quickly added as Warren angrily put the book down.
"Yes I read. Listen sidekick you're walking a thin line-"
"Hero." She corrected him, her voice cracking a bit as she did. She recognized that look in his eyes, it was the same she'd seen in the gym before he lit up and attacked her. Well, almost attacked her. After all, she'd stopped him, hadn't she? Not many students could boast that, only her and Will Stronghold. She looked over at the young hero who had stopped playing cutesy-push in lieu of letting Layla rest her head on his rather broad shoulder. Oh, how quickly they grow.
"So why'd they change you up? Did you save a school bus or something?" Will asked, his arm suavely snaking around Layla's shoulder.
"No. I froze Warren."
Will and Layla both snapped to attention. Even Maj stopped playing with her food long enough to stare at her, wide-eyed.
"Wow." Maj said, honestly shocked. "I guess there's more to you than meets the eye."
"You froze Warren?" Layla repeated, giving the dark young man a disbelieving look. He shrugged and picked up his copy of Titus once more, brushing some stray lettuce off the cover. "What is it about you," Layla continued, sitting up straight and popping a grape into her mouth, "That makes the powerless suddenly powerful?"
"Just lucky, I guess." He answered and turned a page.
"So, how exactly did you freeze him?" Will asked, his own arm back by his side and busy with cleaning up his mess of lettuce. "Does it shoot out of your hands, like Anna?" He looked over Margaret's shoulder at a tall blonde girl with horn rimmed glasses who was lazily making an ice sculpture of the sphinx on her lunch tray.
"No. I did it with my voice."
"Really? Like Boomer?"
"No, I'm nothing like Uncle Boomer-" She stopped and took in a huge gasp, her eyes grown as wide as saucers and clapped her hands over her mouth. Maj dropped her fork with a clink and a small spray of peach juice. Layla started choking on her grape and Will hastily patted her back, her breath slowly returning. Warren slowly lowered his book and stared at her, though she couldn't make out his expression.
"Coach Boomer's your Uncle?" He asked, his tone becoming sharp. Margaret swallowed and nodded, finishing with a sheepish little laugh.
"Please don't say anything. I wasn't supposed to, but it slipped."
"Why is it such a secret?" Maj asked, then her eyes widened. "You're not a surprise lovechild, are you? Born of a sudden night of passion and a desperate family secret?" Maj's eyes were sparkling and there was a strangely teeny-bopper smile on her face.
"No. My mom married an accountant."
"Oh." Maj looked terribly disappointed and everyone else looked thoroughly confused.
"So, vocal manipulation runs in your family? Grape?"
"Yea, I guess. Uncle Boomer, mom's the Siren-"
"You're mom's the Siren?" Will all but exploded. "She's so hot!" Which earned a prompt and sincere smack from Layla. "What, she is! She can make anyone do what she wants just by speaking to them, right?"
"Just like the monsters from Greek mythology, how charming." Warren turned another page.
"At least her father's not a super villain." Maj added. Warren looked at her and Margaret saw his fingers start to grow blurry with an increase of heat and the paperback in his hands start to curl and smolder. She reached out and placed her hand on his forearm, whispering thickly, "Don't." Immediately his fingers calmed and the heat haze about them faded away. He jerked his arm from her touch and bolted off the bench.
He quickly grabbed his satchel and leaned over her shoulder. She could feel his hair tickling her cheek and realized how warm she was. She wondered if it was because he was so near? "Good thing you're not manipulative like your mom." He whispered harshly. She could feel his breath, hot against her ear. She shuddered, goose bumps springing up all over her arms and she almost choked on the smell of him, leather and sweat.
Then he was gone. She could feel the cold swoop of air conditioning hit her flushed face and neck as he disappeared, lumbering out of the lunch room. So far, her first day as a hero was going terribly well.
Layla looked at Margaret sympathetically and patted her hand in a maternal way that annoyed the unsung heroine. "He's testy. Give him some space and he'll calm down. Trust me."
The bell rang and the entire cafeteria rose to it's feet, sluggishly repacking bags and finishing last minute sandwiches. Margaret rose and carefully grabbed her bag, making sure that everything was closed and zipped. Her new schedule indicated a final elective period with Mr. Hammer, the hard as nails English teach who was responsible for some of the most famous hero taglines in Maxville's history. The last thing she wanted was to wipe out, in her typical fashion, at her first official hero class.
Then she spotted it, Warren's abandoned copy of Titus. She quickly grabbed it and placed it in her bag, making sure the old, yellowed copy was safe in between "Mad Biology and You!" and her discarded gym clothes.
"Hey," Layla's kind ring pulled Margaret's attention from the inside of her bag and back to the perfect couple across the table. "Do you wanna have dinner at my place some time this week? How does Friday sound?"
"Are you serious?" Margaret almost stopped breathing. Never, in her entire high school career, had anyone asked her over. She'd also never eaten lunch with anyone, and Margaret was having trouble believing her luck.
"Yea, it'd be fun."
"I hope you like tofu." Will sing-songed warningly. Layla elbowed him again then flashed Margaret her winning smile. "I'll see you Friday then. Good luck with the flame thrower." Layla offered her a small wink then hustled out, hand in hand, with Will. Margaret watched them leave, dumbfounded, then trotted off to English, her whole body feeling a bit numb and her head spinning with the day that didn't look like it was ending anytime soon.
