Omega Kid
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Kick-Ass comic or film written by Mark Millar, or any guest characters from other Kick-Ass fanfic's they are owned by their own writers and creators. However, original characters in Omega Kid belong to me.
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Chapter 9: A Big Fan
Monday 31st May 2010
Since the news report covering the gang attack, the only real crime I've come across is the price for the school lunches. I think that gives you a rough idea of how humdrum things have been lately, and a part of me was glad.
After what happened with the burnt down gang-hideout, there was a fear that most gangs across the city would retaliate and fight against one another for more land. But none of these possible gang-wars happened, which was both very good and very strange. Surely there would be some activity, right? It's not like London is a hotspot for gang violence anyway, but with the widely reported executions of the gangs that had been killed and burnt to the ground, there had to be something going on. It made me uneasy to think that this time of peace was going to disappear any day now…and just in time for the World Cup.
Anyways, today was going pretty normally so far, so there couldn't be any complaints from me. I had some spare time in the morning before school to help Jenna at Comic-City. I helped her stack and move any loose comic books that were out of place, and cleaned the desks of any rubbish that had been left behind.
As I helped Jenna move a box of new comics, I couldn't help but ask. ''How have things been with Rachael?''
''She's a good worker, and the rest of the staff seem to like her.''
''That's good,'' I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. I was glad that she was doing well here, and that she seemed to be liked by the safe, but now I can't help but think about her mysterious disappearances and early leaves that happened from time to time.
Jenna must have picked up on my concerns because she prodded on. ''You don't sound that encouraged. What's wrong?''
''It's just…I'm a little worried about her…''
''What about?''
I hesitated to go on with the subject any further as the back of mind kept telling me it was none of my business to ask, but the worry overpowered that voice. ''It's about her absences. She does it a lot in school, and she's been doing it here. I was just wondering if she was okay.''
Jenna opened her mouth to say something but stopped. After a moment, she turned away from me and talked with a distant tone. ''Thomas, I know she's your friend, but she's an employee here, even if just part-time! I can't give personal information like that. She told me up front that there would be times when she would have to leave early. She has other things to attend to.''
Although it wasn't a very clear answer, I took it with a grain of salt and kept my mouth shut. It looked like I would have to wait for the day when Rachael trusted me enough to tell me why she's absent a lot.
Noticing my concern, a sly smirk formed on Jenna's face. ''It's almost adorable to see you like this.''
''Shut up,'' I muttered to her, whilst pulling a few comics out of a box so I could stack them on shelves.
''I'm being serious!'' Jenna continued. ''I knew you were gushy over Rachael, but I didn't realise it was this bad.''
''I'm not gushy!''
''Sure,'' She said with an unconvinced tone, before pinching my cheeks. ''These little rosy things don't lie, little brother.''
''Knock it off!'' I barked and pulled myself away from her. She chuckled before going back to sort out more comics while carried away the pile in my hands. It was bad enough I had Alex and Steph going on non-stop over this Rachael thing, I didn't need Jenna to add more meat to the fire…if that's the right expression?
''Just stack those ones anywhere!'' Jenna called out to me.
''I thought I had to do them in alphabetical?''
Jenna scoffed loudly. ''Thomas, you should know by now that Mr Grusht doesn't give a frog's ass about what comic book goes where.''
''True,'' I mumbled to myself.
For those of you wondering, Mr Grusht was basically the boss of this particular Comic-City store. The chain would have different bosses for each store to sort out employees and what comics were being stocked, and unfortunately, our one had the one boss who I hated with an absolute passion. A dirty, disgusting and lazy piece of dirt who can't be bothered to show up most of the time, maybe once every few months if he felt like it. I suppose that was sort of a good thing, as then he wouldn't be around to berate his workers or intimidate customers, particularly the younger ones as he really hates kids.
Just thinking about that guy made my blood sizzle. I need a good comic to get me in the mood for today. I glanced up at the clock in the corner of the shop, noting that I still had a good half-an-hour before school starts. ''You mind if I read a comic before heading to school?'' I asked Jenna from across the store.
''Go ahead,'' She responded. ''I can handle the rest of stocks.''
I flipped through the pages of the first comic I picked up, trying to get past the adverts and promotions that littered the book. There were probably more pages detailing what prizes could be won on different websites than pages dedicated to the story. However, one page stood out to me, showing off a bright blue Omega symbol. I quickly flicked back to the page with the symbol, and my heart nearly stopped when I saw what was being advertised.
''No way!'' I nearly shouted in excitement.
''What?'' Jenna called out.
''An Omega Kid TV series? They're making an Omega Kid TV series!'' I couldn't believe it even though the words were leaving my own mouth. According to this advert, a TV show inspired by the real-life superhero was in the works. It had already been green-lit and was going to start filming soon. ''Did you know about this?''
''I heard someone mention it yesterday, but I didn't pay much attention. I thought you would have known about it first.''
''Hey, I'm not perfect. I can't learn about every little bit of superhero news before everyone else!'' I told her.
''With the way you go on about everything superhero-related, you make it seem so,'' She teased. ''So what's going to happen with the show? Who's in it?''
I looked back down at the comic, quickly scanning through all the behind-the-scenes details and interviews from the producers, hoping to find any juicy details about the series…my series! This was insanely cool! Oh, as if Alex and Steph weren't jealous enough of me being Omega Kid, they would flip when they hear about this. Eventually, I found the name of the actor playing me, I mean Omega Kid and the excitement inside me somehow grew. ''Logan Lerman! They got Percy Jackson to play Omega Kid!''
''You're sounding pretty excited!'' She said.
''Of course, I am!'' I gasped out. Now that she mentioned it, I was making a bit of a show over this. I needed to save this excitement for Alex and Steph, who would know the real reason I'd be this thrilled. I cleared my throat, calming myself and placed the comic back on the shelf behind me. ''I mean, you know, from a superhero fan perspective.''
''Okay then.'' She said bemusedly.
''What about you?'' I asked curiously.
''What about me?''
''I've never heard your opinion about Omega Kid. You're real, honest opinion.'' It was true. Despite Alex and Steph going on and on about the subject and smiling like a lovesick puppy-dog whenever I heard Rachael compliment my superhero alter-ego, I've never heard what Jenna thought.
She seemed taken back by my question at first, before giving it some real thought and answered me. ''I'm not too sure. It's good to help, but he's putting himself in a dangerous position.''
''But you think he's doing good?''
She shrugged her shoulders at me. ''For the most part, yeah.'' After that, she turned and looked at me attentively. ''You seem very interested in this Omega Kid thing.''
''Haven't we already established I love superheroes, so whenever there's a real one, that love is going to increase ten times over.''
Hearing my praises she started laughing out loud. ''Maybe I was wrong, it's not Rachael you have the crush on.''
If I could choke on my own spit, I probably did so as soon as she uttered that theory. ''What?''
The laughter from her only increased. ''Hey, it's fine, I'll never judge you for who you find attractive.''
''I don't find Omega Kid…'' I stopped with that defence, thinking it over, would that be me accusing myself of being ugly? Okay, I'm not exactly a heartthrob, but I at least have adorableness about me. However, that hesitation from me was enough to have Jenna believe in her theory, as she continued to giggle at my expense. I frowned at her and stared up at the clock, hoping that I would have the time to leave and make it to school without arriving too early. I stared at it in confusion as somehow, the arms on the clock had moved forty minutes in the space of five. ''Jenna, is that clock broken?''
Finding the time to stop laughing, she turned to gaze at the clock. Her laughs came to a halt, replaced by a look of frustration. ''Damn it, I thought Jacob fixed that.''
I could literally feel my breakfast plummet into the pit of my stomach, as I dreaded to pull out my watch and check the actual time.
9:09?
Crap, I was almost an hour late for school already!
''I need to go!'' I said as I rushed around the store to find my rucksack. ''Why didn't you tell me I was late?'' I shouted out in anger.
Jenna looked at me accusingly as she pulled up my rucksack that was lying on the floor. ''Excuse me? First, I didn't know the clock was broken. And second, you're the one with the issue of being late. You're old enough and responsible enough to know when to get to school!''
''Yeah,'' I grunted and took the rucksack from her. ''But that responsible part can also go to the older sister who could tell the little brother that he's running late!''
I sprinted out of the store and flipped my rucksack over my back, praying that I wouldn't miss the entire first lesson of the day. Although Jenna was usually serious about my attendance, I couldn't help but feel she was still cackling inside from the crush on Omega Kid theory she had about me. Well, that's better than her suspecting me of being Omega Kid…and at least it's not her that has the crush on Omega Kid. I shuddered at the thought.
This had to be the first time I was late as Thomas Lanks and not because of crime fighting as Omega Kid. Time seemed to fly by before I finally made it to school grounds and had to sign in through the office.
9:33
That's what my watch said when I burst through the entrance past the office and ran to my science class, hoping to at least get a copy of today's work from the teacher.
After finally making it, I opened the door, only to be greeted by an empty classroom, with my science teacher, Mr Davis, the only person here, giving me a stern look. I couldn't tell if he was disappointed, or that he was expecting this from me…probably a mixture of both.
''Mr Davis, I'm really sorry!'' I apologised and walked over to him.
''You say that every time, so much so that it doesn't mean anything anymore.''
''I know, I know. I just lost track of time, I was busy helping my sister and the clock was broken, but I didn't know so I didn't check my watch and…''
He raised his hands to silence my excuses. ''Thomas, you're old enough and responsible enough to know when to get to school!''
I stared blankly at him for a second after hearing the way he structured that sentence. ''Is that saying some new fad now?''
He ignored my comment, not being one to have a sense of humour. He wasn't a teacher I hated, in fact, he was higher up the likeable table, but he would never hesitate to put a student down if they weren't up to the task. ''Thomas, you missed an entire assignment! And from what I hear from your other teachers, this isn't the only subject this has happened in. What's going on with you?''
''I…I just…'' I desperately wanted to give some kind of answer. Anything that would tell him that I didn't want to constantly be late for class, or miss them all together, but nothing came out of me.
He took my silence as another example of not trying and gave a hefty sigh. ''The class has been given a new assignment to complete for biology. You will work with a partner, and the marks you get at the end of this will be essential to your end of year grade.''
My spirits were instantly lifted at the opportunity of a second chance. I wasn't going to miss out on this assignment. Though, I would also have to rely on a partner for this one. ''Who's my partner?'' I asked.
''Everyone in class picked a partner. Luckily for your, there was one student left, so she's automatically yours. Lea Karee!''
And my spirits were instantly sent crashing back down to Earth after hearing that name. I'm not one to generally criticise people, and I hate to say this about Lea…but she was, without a doubt, the most dim-witted person in this school. She was harmless and sweet, and I don't mind her as a person at all, but as a work partner for a science project, I couldn't have gotten worse. I can't recall her ever getting more than a grade 'F' in any of her assignments, tests or exam papers. Whenever asked a question in class, there hasn't been a single occasion where she got the right answer.
''Sir, are you sure there's no one else?'' I asked, almost begged.
''Ten minutes ago, you might have gotten someone else who hadn't been partnered up. Twenty minutes ago, you could have found someone to pick. Thirty minutes ago, you would have had a different partner. Now, there's nothing I can do.'' He looked up towards the clock at the back of the classroom. ''You best hurry to your next class! And that clock is working fine, so you'll know if you're late.'' He said monotonically, though I think that was his attempt at sarcastic humour. At my expense, I didn't find it funny at all.
I sulked out of the classroom and headed down the corridor to my next class. That is until someone skipped out of nowhere right in front of me, nearly making me jump out of my skin. ''You are late quite a lot, aren't you?'' Lea Karee said cheerfully with a hint of a tease in her voice.
''Yeah, sorry about that.'' I panted whilst trying to slow my heart down after that little jump scare she gave me.
With her big cheesy smile, I could see the braces fenced over her teeth. Her blonde hair had two ponytails going down both shoulders and wore fat glasses that were almost as big as her own head. Definitely not in the same looks department as Rachael or her friends, though I guess she was cute in a shy, geeky girl kind of way…just without the shy part. She was an endless bound of energy and enthusiasm despite her not being the brightest bulb in the workshop. ''Did Mr Davis tell you we're work partners for our next science project?''
I nodded. ''Yeah, I just spoke with him. So…are we supposed to think of our own project?''
''Oh no, Mr Davis gave us a subject to work on.''
''And what's ours?''
She scrunched her nose and her eyes looked upwards as if she was looking in her brain for the answer. ''I'm not too sure! I was lost after the first sentence. I think it was something to do with water.''
I'm doomed. I'm doomed. I'm doomed. Those two words echoed in my head endlessly. I didn't want to make a rude comment towards her, so I merely nodded my head and forced a smile at her. ''Well, that narrows it down.''
''It does, doesn't it? See, we're great work-partners already!'' She said happily and loudly.
I feel like I'm dying inside. I gulped and tried to continue our conversation, hoping to hear something worthwhile from her. ''When does this project have to be handed in?''
''At the end of this week. So we still have seven days left to do it!''
''Uh, but the end of this week is Friday!''
Her face became perplexed for a second before the gears clicked together for her, and she burst out giggling. ''Oh yeah, duh! School-week!''
On the one hand, I couldn't hate her. She was just innocent and a bit slow at times, but that wasn't going to cut it if we didn't have a good project submitted for this assignment. After missing the last one, I needed to do well with this, and Lea might not be up to scratch. Even if I have to do everything myself, I need to pass this project. ''So, how do you want to do this?''
''Oh, you could come over to my house if you want, we can work there! Here are my phone number and home address!'' She reached into her pocket and pulled out a ripped sheet of paper with a number and address written in elegant handwriting, it was like she had prepared this already, just in case I did show up and we worked together.
''Okay,'' I mumbled.
''Great! This'll be fun. See you later!'' She then skipped off merrily without a care in the world. As for me, all I could do was smash my head against the wall and hope that I go into a coma for about twenty years.
As I continued to bang my head against the wall, not too hard to do any serious damage but hard enough to demolish the worry plaguing me, I failed to notice someone walk up to me. ''Are you okay?'' I heard a timid voice ask.
I turned to see Megan looking at me with a concerned expression dotted over her face. I rubbed my head, soothing the pain from getting all the frustration out of me. ''Yeah, I'm good. Just a little pissed with myself.''
''Is it about the assignment?'' I nodded, and she prodded on trying to encourage me. ''But, I think he's giving you another chance, and you'll have time for this new project to…''
''My partner is Lea Karee!'' I interjected.
''Oh…'' She stopped instantly, now understanding the dilemma I was in. But she didn't stay mute for too long. ''You never know, maybe she's like you? She could lead a double-life! At school, she's unassuming and innocent, but out in the world she's really a super-genius!''
''I highly doubt that!'' I said, cursing my luck with an inner-voice. Just when I felt like slamming my head against the wall again, I realised what Megan had said. ''What do you mean she leads a double life like me?''
She seemed hesitant to elaborate further, probably fearful that she would offend me. Her feet shuffled along the floor, and her hands fiddled nervously. ''It's just that, with you always being late, and the cuts and bruises you get…''
''You don't still think I'm Omega Kid, do you?'' I questioned. I knew she was still persistent over the matter, and although I couldn't tell her, she was right, I am Omega Kid.
''That's not what I'm saying! Other kids are starting rumours about you. They think…'' She looked away, unsure whether or not she should continue. I stared at her strongly, wanting to know what she had heard. Eventually, after a worrying sigh, she finished. ''People think you might be part of that new gang that's been attacking lately!''
''What? How can people think I'm a gang member?'' I gasped.
''For the reasons I just said.'' She pointed out. For the first time, I could see a fire lit in her eyes that I had never seen before. ''I don't believe that rumour for a second. But I'm worried about what other people will do. They might start fights with you, you could get in trouble with the teachers…they might even call the police on you!''
Megan wasn't one to joke around often, especially with a look of determination like that. ''Jesus, I didn't think me being late would start a rumour like that. Then again, this school has a habit of starting up rumours!''
''Just…'' Megan hushed. ''Be careful, okay?''
''I will,'' I said confidently, trying to reassure that I would be okay. If anyone does start a fight with me, I would be able to take care of myself. Though the snitching to teachers or even police would be the problematic part. She still looked closed off from me and nervous, so I decided to switch the subject back to the science project. ''So, who's your partner for the assignment?''
''Stella Diana!'' She said with a smile.
''Wow, you got the smartest person in biology?''
''I'm pretty lucky.'' She said bubbly.
At least I knew they were going to pass this assignment with flying colours. As for me, I was going to have to put in double the effort and postpone any Omega Kid activity for this week. I took another look at the paper Lea had given me, reading it over again and groaning loudly when I spotted something else she wrote.
Megan looked at me, curious about what was wrong. I handed her the sheet of paper and she looked it over, finding the part that I had come across. ''She gave you the number for a phone repair, just in case your phone broke when calling her! But if your phone broke, how would you be able to call the phone repair?'' She asked me like it was one of the silliest things she's read.
''I'm doomed,'' I muttered. That 'F' grade was practically in the palm of my hands already.
After school, I made my way to Lea's house, praying that she at least got the address right. I hated thinking like that and making it sound like she can't get anything right, but the fear of failing this assignment was making me doubtful. It was my fault for being absent for the last assignment, forcing me to make sure I got this one right, but because of my partner, my chance was in the middle of slim to zilch.
I reached the house and knocked on the door. Barely a few seconds passed before the door was flung open and an arm reached out to pull me inside. Lea slammed the door shut and turned to me with an excitable grin. ''You made it!''
''Yeah,'' I panted after having the wind nearly knocked out of me because of Lea's grab. ''I tried to call you earlier, but you weren't answering.''
''Really?'' She huffed in disappointment. ''Ever since I got my new phone, no one seems to be able to call me.''
''Wait, this is the number for your old phone?''
''Yeah! Wait, doesn't your new phone carry the number with it after a change?''
''That depends, did you take the SIM card from the old phone?''
''Oh, of course!'' She exclaimed and forced herself to nod at me. After a silent spell, she seemed to become bewildered and leant in closer to me. ''Remind me, what's the SIM card again?''
I tried to stop my head from exploding, and my hand clenched in my pocket, scrunching up the paper with her address and phone number. Despite it looking like my frustration and annoyance was seeping through, she remained as cute and innocent as ever, with that cheesy grin never leaving her face. ''So, you want to get started on this project?'' I said through gritted teeth, trying to remain positive.
''Totally! This is going to be so much fun! I haven't had someone visit my house in so long…actually, I don't think I've ever had someone visit.''
''Well, I'm here. Are your parents home?''
''No, they're at work. It's just you and me. Do you want a glass of water?''
''I'm fine, tha…''
''I'll be right back!'' She dashed off before I could finish my sentence, leaving me alone for the moment. I found myself in the living room. Not too big, but there was enough space for a sofa, a cabinet in front of it, and a small TV sitting in the corner. The walls and shelves were decorated with all kinds of musical ornaments lined up like a stack of trophies.
Lea galloped back into the room, holding a glass of water in her hand and offering it to me eagerly. ''Here you go.''
''Thanks,'' I said and took the glass from her.
''Those are father's!'' She said, knowing that I was staring at the ornaments. ''He's collected them since before I was even born.''
''I guess everyone's got to have a hobby or two.''
She giggled and looked at me. ''No silly, they're collectables.''
Now it was my turn to look at her as I tried to figure out what she meant by that. ''No, I meant his hobby was to collect…'' I stopped, figuring it was pointless to carry on with this conversation. We did have an assignment we needed to get started on anyway. ''Forget it.''
With the topic dropped, Lea walked over to the sofa and sat down. I followed her and sank into the leather material, lucky not to spill my glass over it. As I tried to sit comfortably, Lea turned to me. ''So, how come you were late to school today?''
''I was helping my sister out at the store she works, and I lost track of the time.''
''What store does your sister work at?''
''You've probably never heard of it. It's a comic-book store called Comic-City.''
''Oh neat, do they sell comics there?''
At first, my mind told me to respond with a sarcastic comment, but then I remembered whom I was talking with. I nodded. ''Yeah, comics. Especially superhero ones, those tend to be the best-sellers.''
Her eyes seem to light up at the mere mention of the word superhero. She took a step closer to me until she was almost uncomfortably too close. ''Do you like superheroes?''
''Uh…yeah?''
''How much?''
My eyes glanced all around the room like I was looking for the camera in case this was all an elaborate prank. ''How much do you consider much? Wait, that didn't make any sense…''
''What do you think of Omega Kid?''
''Omega Kid? Uh…yeah, he's…he seems cool. And he helps a lot of people…''
''He's amazing! Isn't he?'' She leant closer to me and clasped her hands together, stopping herself from shaking with excitement as she continued. ''I've never met him, but I would give anything to meet him for real. He's so dreamy and heroic!'' I'd never seen a wider grin plastered on a human face before. It was scary, but at the same time, kind of cool to hear someone gush about me like this. Other than my closest friends, I've never stopped to get any thoughts from other people about Omega Kid, so this was a completely new experience, and it felt good.
''So, I take it you like him?'' I asked nervously.
''Like him?'' She practically screamed. ''I adore him! He's just…'' Instantly, she stopped fangirling and her smile faltered into a frown. She backed away from me and looked away. ''Sorry, you probably don't want to hear about all this. We've got a project to work on anyway…''
I wanted to…no, not really…I needed to get back to work on the project with Lea. But hearing her go on about Omega Kid, hearing those good things about me was something I wasn't used to at all, and she clearly had more to say. ''I…I don't mind hearing more about what you think of Omega Kid.''
She looked back towards me with a hopeful expression. ''You won't make fun of me?''
There was a hint of worry in her tone of voice. I guess she has talked about her love of Omega Kid to other people and they've probably laughed at her for it. I offered her a kind smile. ''I promise I won't make fun of you.''
She squealed with delight and jumped up and down twice, clapping her hands together ferociously. Once she stopped, she seemed to take a moment to pause like she was letting her thoughts catch up with her. ''I want to show you something in my room!'' She didn't even give me time to react before pulling my arm and literally dragged me out of the living room, up the flight of stairs to the second floor and towards her bedroom door.
''Geez, you're like an energizer bunny!'' I joked. Suddenly, as I was standing outside of her door, she slammed her hand against the wall just over my shoulder and moved closer to me, staring me down like she was an army officer.
''There are two rules! One, don't touch anything in my room! Two, don't touch anything in my room! Got it?'' She questioned in a threatening manner.
''Okay, okay, I got it!''
Her expression switched from seriously pissed off to sweet and bubbly before I could even blink. ''Yay!'' She squeaked before brushing past me and walking into her room, leaving the door open for me to enter. I gradually stepped inside, afraid of what was going to happen since her emotions seemed to be all over the place at the moment. Before I could even make it past the door, I stood motionlessly, and my breath stilled as I took in the sight of her bedroom.
''What the hell?''
Everything was Omega Kid! The walls of her room were hidden behind a thick layer of multiple Omega Kid pictures, either hand-drawn artwork or cuts outs from newspapers. On a desk in the corner of her room, she had some ornaments of her own, clay models of Omega Kid in numerous poses. Towering over the models was a fair-sized lamp with an Omega Kid shade over it. Even the blanket on her bed had my superhero alter ego on it. This was all too weird for me. Firstly because it's not every day you find someone harbouring an obsession like this over you, and secondly…I don't recall ever hearing about this kind of Omega Kid merchandising behind made.
''Are you okay?'' She asked me.
I walked into the room, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the bed and blanket. ''How is there a…'' I pointed towards it.
Her smile somehow grew wider, as she bounced onto the bed. ''I made it myself! They haven't actually made any Omega Kid merchandise, so I decided to put my skills to use and make my own shrine. Just need the right material to stitch it together. I came up with the design myself. Funnily enough, this was easier to make than the models and toys I crafted. It took me forever and plenty of research to get them looking as authentic as possible, and I still had to…''
''Whoa, whoa, whoa!'' I had to cut her off just to give me a moment to let this all sink in. ''All of this,'' I gestured my hands towards everything in the room. ''You made yourself?''
''Yeah, I already said that. I thought you were paying attention.''
''I am, it's just…a lot to take in.'' I mumbled and continued to gaze around the room, seeing if I missed anything upon my first inspection. Littered across the floor were sketches and unfinished drawings of Omega Kid in more poses and alternative costumes…had to admit, some of them looked cool.
''What can I say?'' She said with a bubbly attitude. ''Omega Kid brings out the best in me.''
''I'll say,'' I whispered so that she couldn't hear. I guess Megan was right about her leading a double life after all. She's a better judge of character than I already gave her credit for. ''It's pretty…uh…creative.'' I stuttered.
It took me by surprise when she didn't burst out in another happy note, but instead merely nodded affirmatively. ''It's felt like forever and ever since I drew or sculpted or wrote anything.''
''You wrote something?''
''Yep!''
''Oh boy,'' I stressed before stopping myself. I wasn't thinking about what was coming out of my mouth after this shock to my system. It was like stumbling into a fangirl's wet dream…I'm still dreading that might actually be what this was.
Picking up on my distress, she moved closer to me and forced a happy smile. ''I thought you'd like this! It's like a shrine for us Omega Kid lovers to gather together and talk about our hero!''
''A shrine, huh?'' I was just one movement away from bolting out of the door. ''I take it you're a pretty big fan?''
''A fan?'' She screamed, making me jump. ''I'm more than a fan! I am his missing link! I am the other part of his soul! I am the pack of biscuits to his tea…'' Her temper disappeared instantly as she seemed to ponder her statement. ''Or was it milk to his tea? Because you can't have tea without milk, well some people do, but…''
''I'm just weirded out by all this!'' I blurted, earning her attention once again. ''I never expected this from you of all people.''
''How come?'' She asked innocently.
Way to open my big mouth. My head was still in a spin by all this so I wasn't exactly thinking about my choice of words. ''Well…in Design Technology class, how come you don't do this kind of thing more often?''
''I did,'' She admitted. She looked downwards, away from me and began twiddling with her fingers. ''You know those little maze games where you try to move the ball into the middle?''
I nodded. ''Yeah, I had to make one of those for my class as well.'' I didn't mention how mine fell apart the moment I thought I finished it.
''I made one at the start of the last term. It was obviously Omega Kid inspired. I shaped the maze into an omega symbol and drew a picture of him as the background. When I finished it, Onder grabbed it. At first, he was going to pass it off as his project to get out of the lesson. But when he saw what I made, he started making fun of me, as did everyone else. They called me…names.'' She walked over to the desk beside her bed, opening the top drawer and reaching for something inside. ''I never got to hand this in. So I failed the grade.''
In her hands was her small, wooden maze. The plastic dome on top was missing, as was the ball inside. But the omega-shaped maze was still in tact as she handed it to me. Like she said, the background showed off a nicely detailed picture of Omega Kid, striking an awesome pose. I couldn't stop myself from smiling a little.
''I'm not stupid!'' She said firmly but quietly. ''I know people think I am, even some of the teachers. But I soon found out that I don't get picked on as much if I pretend to be dumb then act as whom I really am. At least with Omega Kid, I can just be me around him and know that he won't treat me like all the others.''
While I haven't actually said a bad thing about her…actually, scratch that I've definitely been thinking negative things regarding her intelligence and awkwardness. I may not have said anything to her face, but that doesn't make me any better. All throughout her story, and even when she handed me her project, she didn't look me in the eye as if she was afraid I was going to make some snide comment. If she really thinks that Omega Kid won't judge her and treat her like a proper human being, then I should start acting like it.
''Well, I think you would definitely have gotten a pass for this,'' I gestured towards her D.T project. She finally looked up, staring at me with curious eyes as I continued. ''And…I'm not Omega Kid, but any stretch of the imagination! But if I was, I think that he would think this is really cool.''
It was like she was working on a delay. Expressionless and unreadable at first, until she slowly broke out into a wide, open-mouthed smile…so wide, I thought that her braces might snap clean off. I got the shock of my life once again as she leapt forward and wrapped her arms around me tightly, clinging to me as if her life depended on it. ''That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me! Thank you!''
''Choking, choking, choking…'' I wheezed out feeling myself go lightheaded. For such a scrawny person, she had a fierce headlock. Thankfully, she freed me from her grasp. At this point, I'm pretty sure I was redder in the face than she was. Her arms waved about happily and her smile wouldn't lessen at all, even as I stood there trying to regain my breath. ''So, should we get started on this science project or…''
''Hold on!'' She screamed, making me jump. ''There's one more thing I want to show you.''
Before I could respond, she dashed over to her wardrobe and swung the double doors open, revealing row upon row of different clothing, both traditionally girly and tomboyish. From the looks of it, we were moving on from anything Omega Kid related. Suddenly a thought crossed my mind as to what she was about to do, and my face went red for another reason. I sharply turned towards the other direction.
''What are you doing?'' I heard her ask.
I turned around to see her gazing at me with a bewildered but amused look. ''Aren't you getting changed?''
''No, silly.''
''Oh, sorry. I thought you were going to, um…when people go to their wardrobes, there are clothes so I thought you were going to wear different…uh…you were going to get un…'' Maybe if I mentally slapped myself enough times that would get me to shut up.
''You've never been to another girls house, have you?''
''Is it that obvious?''
''That's okay, I've never been to another boy's house either.'' She reassured me, which I appreciated.
She poked her arms through the hanging clothes and spread them apart, revealing another row behind, though this line of clothing caught my attention for a completely different reason. ''Those are…''
''Omega Kid costumes!'' She squealed, picking out one and showing it off. ''This was the very first one I made. At first, I wanted to leave it at just one, but then it got out of hand and I made a whole bunch.''
I should be focused on the fact that she had gone through the trouble of making at least a dozen Omega Kid costumes and stacked them all in the back of her wardrobe, but all I could think was that her designs and stitching were better than my own. Okay, my costume has gotten a bit of wear and tear in the few months I've had it. However, hers still looked professionally made and were even made with accurate size…and with that said, I hope she doesn't start comparing sizes to me otherwise that's going to be a bit of an awkward conversation.
As she began to ramble on and on about the backstory of each costume, my eyes were drawn to another one at the far end, mostly because this was unlike all the other costumes as it glinted with a golden shine.
She noticed my staring and turned to see what I was staring at. ''Ah, that's what I really wanted to show you! It's not quite finished yet, but it'll only take me a few hours to get the last few details.''
After hooking the traditional blue and silver costume back inside the wardrobe, she brought out the golden one. Instead of silver streaks, they were black, and there didn't appear to be a mask to go with it. Unlike the other costumes, which were clearly made to shape me, this one looked fit for a womanly body. ''It's good, but why is this costume different from the others?''
''Cause it's not an Omega Kid costume, it's mine!'' She said excitedly.
''What?''
''It's my superhero costume.''
Ooh, I didn't like where this was going. I really hoped that she was not suggesting what I think she was suggesting. ''Er…I…I think that will be a great Halloween costume, you…''
''It's not for Halloween!'' She said, clearly offended by my comment. ''This is the costume I will be wearing when I fight by Omega Kid's side.''
Oh no.
''For real?''
''For real!''
No, no, no, no. I guess the shrine-like room was a clear enough warning sign that I should have been prepared for this. But being a fan and having some collectables was one thing, Lea was actually proposing going out to fight crime. Alex and Steph may be serious about the partner thing, but they wouldn't actually go to the lengths of dressing up and stopping thugs. ''B-but why?''
''Because it's destiny!''
''Not a good enough answer.''
''I want to be Omega Kid's partner. To fight evil together, to be treated like heroes, and to have a loving and cherished relationship with my hero! It's written in the stars.''
''Written in the stars is not a better answer than destiny.'' I wasn't going to get anywhere with her by arguing like this or even asking why she was doing this, it seemed like she had already reached this decision a long time ago. ''Are you even properly prepared for what you could face? You could get hurt or…''
She stepped closer, not taking into account personal boundaries. ''I won't get hurt. Omega Kid shall watch over me, just as I over him.''
''But what if there're times where Omega Kid isn't watching over you?''
''Then I have this.'' She reached into her wardrobe once again, whilst still leant in close to me. I gulped, afraid of what she was going to pull out next. Even my worst thoughts couldn't come up with what she revealed next. I practically screamed and jumped away from her when out of her wardrobe came a gleaming, sharp katana.
''That's a sword! You have a sword in your bedroom! How the hell can you even fit all this stuff in there?''
''I knocked down and expanded the interior myself. As for the katana, her name's Michonne by the way, I folded the metal…'' She rattled on happily unaware of the seriousness of this situation.
I couldn't dance around the issue anymore, she could get in trouble for just having a weapon like this, let alone using it out on the streets, and that's even if she gets lucky and doesn't have someone fight back against her. I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at me while staying as far from Michonne as possible. ''Lea, this isn't a game. Being a superhero is a dangerous thing. I don't think you've properly thought this whole partner thing through. This is not a good idea. It can get you killed if you're not careful, and I don't want you to get hurt.''
She looked completely and utterly defeated by my comments. I hated being like this to her, especially seeing how happy she was a moment ago, but if telling her this would keep her safe and alive, then it had to be done. I may sound like a massive hypocrite at the moment, and I probably am, but at least I had a decent bit of training before I became Omega Kid. Just holding up a sword wasn't going to do much if she was outnumbered and alone, or if she came across someone with a gun.
''Omega Kid would believe in me.'' She finally said. I wanted to punch a wall at that statement. If I told her what she wanted to hear, I would be lying. But if I told her what Omega Kid would really think it would destroy her inside and she might not even believe me anyway. Not to mention there's a small part of me that's afraid she might use Michonne on me. ''I think you should go.''
''Wh…but we still have the science project?''
''I don't feel like it,'' She stated in a deflated manner. She wriggled free from me and wandered over to her bed, sitting down on the edge. ''Can we do it tomorrow?''
I didn't want to leave her alone, especially after going off on her like that. But I figured that maybe me going away might actually make her feel better. ''Okay.''
I walked over to the bedroom door, glancing back at her once last time before leaving.
Tuesday 1st June 2010
KNOCK! KNOCK!
I must have been standing outside her door for a full five minutes now, and unlike yesterday I wasn't dragged in faster than I could blink. I knew something was wrong when I found out that she didn't come into school today. Her parents were most likely out, so she was home alone for the whole day. I'm probably the last person she wants to see after yesterday, but the least I can do was check to see if she was all right.
A few more minutes passed by, and after some more knocking at her door with no answer, I figured she must either be out or still preparing to throw molten lava at me from the second-floor window.
Sluggishly I left, hoping that by taking my time she would answer the door, but she didn't.
I didn't tell Alex or Steph about what happened with Lea yesterday. This would be more fuel for them to use against me about being my superhero partners. And even if they didn't, I know they would make some kind of comment regarding Lea's bedroom or shrine.
I decided to take a walk back home rather than hop on a bus. It's rare to have a non-cloudy day like this with the sun shining brightly above, so might as well enjoy it and some time to myself.
''Help! Somebody!'' A woman suddenly called out. I turned around just in time to see some guy peddling at great speeds on his bike, with a white purse in his hand. I jumped to the side to avoid making any collision. The women who yelled was being helped onto her feet by a few people passing by, clearly dazed and shocked by what just happened. Now there was something to take my mind off of this whole Lea thing.
The biker made a turn around the corner of a street. Glancing towards a turning alleyway next to me, I sprinted in that direction. I may not be able to give chase, but I know this area and can find a way to cut him off. He'll be turning down a narrow one-way street leading to a car park, and that's where I can catch him before he even knows what hit him. As I ran, I reached around to grab my rucksack. This wasn't going to be easy, but I had to get changed before I reached the car park, otherwise, he was going to zoom past before I could even fit the mask on.
I made it to car park first, and I hoped that he hadn't already got here before I did. As predicted, though, he was coming this way. I hid behind a car to stay out of his sight. There was no way I was going to get my costume on before he was long gone, so I had to just wing it in my normal clothes.
Then…the weird happened.
Peeking around the corner of the car, I saw something dart out of the shadow and cut off the biker's path…literally. It was too late for him to stop, and his front wheel was practically sliced apart, causing him to crash and tumble on the hard ground. He was definitely going to feel that in the morning. From out of the shadows, a golden, feminine figure stepped forward, brandishing a long katana.
My heart sank immediately. I already know who it was, despite how different she looked in the costume. Although she wasn't wearing a mask, she might as well have been because I could hardly recognise her at first glance. She wasn't wearing her glasses anymore. Her hair was no longer in twin ponytails instead it was long and flowing with black tips, matching the black and gold of her costume quite well. Upon closer inspection, I could still make out her braces.
She strode along confidently towards the wounded thief and picked up the purse.
Keeping my rucksack hanging over one shoulder, I emerged from my hiding spot and approached her. Soon enough, she spotted me and her bubbly smiled appeared as usual. ''Oh my Gosh, Thomas? Hi!''
''Hey,'' I replied awkwardly.
''How are you? What are you doing here?''
''Um…I was actually coming to see you, but you weren't home.''
She looked apologetic as she covered her mouth with her hand. ''Oh, you're right. I'm so sorry.''
''D-don't worry about it,'' I mumbled. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to go about with this whole situation. Here she was, standing before me after knocking a thief right off his back with a katana whilst wearing a badass-looking, golden superhero costume, and acting as perfectly normal as ever. Well, normal by Lea standards. A part of me wanted to feel scared, another part angry, but I was just in awe right now. I have to admit, she looked the part, and she handled herself pretty well despite my initial fears yesterday. ''You look…um…''
Unable to get the words out quickly enough, Lea looked down at herself and her bright smile returned. ''Yeah, I wanted to take this out for a test run. See how durable it is. If I want to become Omega Kid's partner, I have to make sure everything is perfect.''
My stomach did a small flip at the mention of my hero identity, but not in a good way. ''You still want to be his partner?''
''Of course,'' She replied confidently. ''I am the Moon to his Sun and the Angelina Jolie to his Brad Pitt. If he is Omega, then I am Alpha…Alpha Girl!'' She proclaimed proudly.
At this point, I didn't know what to say, or if there was anything that I even could say. I had a feeling yesterday that she was determined to go through with this superhero partner thing, but this was taking it a step further than what I had imagined. I don't even know if this idea of hers is because she actually wants to do it, or just so that she can have the title of being my partner. ''I…I don't…''
''Wait,'' She stopped me, holding out her hand. At least it wasn't the hand holding Michonne. ''Can I say something first?''
I nodded and allowed her to speak.
''I don't want you to think I hate you.'' She told me. A bewildered look ran across my face at the statement, giving her reason to explain herself. ''I know you may not understand me. Not a lot of people do, not even my parents. I haven't told a single soul about this dream of mine. You seem so trustworthy that I wanted to show you. I could tell you were scared yesterday, but you still seemed like you genuinely cared about me. You may not agree with what I want to do, you may think that I can't do this. But I know that I can. I will show people what I can do. And when Omega Kid makes me his partner, everyone will know that I actually have worth.''
The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. I probably could have handled my reaction better yesterday. No, I definitely should have handled it better. I don't know how to deal with this or what to say. She's so convinced and determined to go through with this, I don't know if I can stop her. ''You…you don't have to prove anything. I've seen that you can be smart and worth something without having to resort to…''
''Not everyone sees things like you do. You may tell people that I'm smart, but no one will believe you. But if Omega Kid tells people, then I won't have to pretend to be something I'm not to get people to stop hating me. I don't want people to hate me.'' With every word she spoke, I could hear her voice begin to crack. She may have remained strong and composed on the outside, but on the inside, I could tell she was probably reliving every moment someone judged her.
I'm one of those people, even if she doesn't want to say it.
''I'm sorry…'' I began to apologise until I noticed something behind her. The bike thief that she had knocked down was now back on his feet and running towards her with his arm outstretched. ''Watch out!'' I called out.
It was too late. The guy grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her backwards. I rushed over to help her before she got hurt, however, it took me a moment to realise that maybe it was the other guy I should have been worried about getting hurt. The moment Lea was grabbed, she shrieked and panicked, flaying her arm out to try and push him off. In doing so, Michonne was swung about wildly without any thought.
SLASH!
I stopped dead in my tracks as the bike thief's horrifying scream echoed throughout the car park as he dropped to the ground, and his severed hand flew off in the other direction. My hands flew to my mouth as a silent gasp escaped me. For a split-second, I thought that either Lea or I was going to be sick, or perhaps both. But instead, both of us were in shock, watching the guy holding his bloody wrist and screaming his head off. He lay on the ground, rolling onto his side and I got a better view of the damage. He was clenching the sleeve of his jacket, trying to suppress the bleeding.
Finally, realisation kicked back in and I knew that I had to act. I rushed past Lea, who remained rooted to the spot and holding Michonne out to the side, with blood still coating the blade. I kneeled down next to the guy, who was frantically rolling from side to side and shouting at the top of his lungs. ''Get away from me! Get away!''
''Hold still, I'm trying to help,'' I reassured him, not that he was in any mood to listen or even comply. I could see the pain in his face. It must have felt excruciating. I reached forward, unsure of what I could even do to help. My heart was thundering in my chest, and I was almost afraid of fainting before the thief did. I haven't dealt with anything like this in my short superhero career. I'm in way out of my depth. If I had someone like Stella with me right now, then things would be more hopeful. ''We need to call an ambulance and help him before he bleeds out. Help me stop the bleeding.'' I turned back around to Lean, and that's when I saw her face.
Her eyes were so big and wide I could practically stare into her terrified soul. She was standing up straight and tense, with her katana reaching outwards and trembling. I'm starting to think she might actually have been sick without me noticing because her face was pale white. The words wouldn't leave her mouth as her lips quivered and her breathing increased at a frantic rate. Maybe she was going to be the one to faint?
Before I could say something to break her out of her state, the thief starting screaming from behind. ''You bitch, you cut off my hand!''
I turned around sharply to face him. ''Shut up and stop moving. You're making it worse.''
He didn't stop. In fact, he looked like he was just getting started as he continued to rant at Lea. ''I'm going to get you for this! You're going to get locked up! Dumb bitch.''
''Shut up! You're not helping!'' I yelled out. I don't care if I'm giving this guy terrible bedside manner, he was only making his situation worse. I reached into my pocket for my phone, forgetting which one it was in because I was panicking so much. The thief soon started rolling around more frantically and screeching incoherently. ''I'm trying to help you.''
At first, I thought he was trying to drag himself away from me, but when I saw the petrified look in his eyes as he gazed behind me, I realised it wasn't me he was trying to get away from. I turned around and flinched when I saw Lea had moved closer in our direction and was now pointing Michonne towards the guy. ''Get out of the way.'' She told me with a shaky voice.
This cannot be happening.
''Lea…''
''I don't want to get in trouble.'' She wept, now on the verge of tears.
''You're not going to get in trouble…'' I asserted.
Behind me, the thief shouted at the top of his lungs. ''She cut off my hand. You're going to get done for this…''
With quivering lips and teary eyes, she focused on him. ''I-I'm sorry…''
''Sorry? You cut my hand off, you sadistic…''
I swiftly turned around and shadowed over him. ''Seriously, you are not doing yourself any favours right now!''
By the time I twisted my body around to face Lea, she had taken another step closer, her sword still extended in my direction. Any nearer, and she could scalpel my eye out if she felt like it. She still seemed apprehensive of what to do next, however, the longer she glared at the bleeding man I was protecting, the more intense her expression became. ''N-no one has to know. If we kill him, I won't get in trouble.''
''No, that's the complete opposite of what would happen.''
''He's just a purse-snatcher. He's not going to be missed.''
''That doesn't matter.''
''Yes it does! Then no one will find out what I did. I won't get in trouble.''
''You're not going to get in trouble, I promise…''
''Yes, you are!'' The thief hissed.
I wanted to punch this guy so badly right now. ''Shut up! Do you have a death wish?''
Finally, the guy had shut his mouth, and that's when I heard Lea's sobs more clearly. Michonne was shaking in her hands and her eyes were shifting all over the place as if looking for someone to help her. ''If Omega Kid finds out…he won't let me be his partner.''
My words were stuck in my throat. At this point, I don't know what else I can say to her to stop her from panicking. By this time this argument ends, the thief will have bled out. I looked back at him, realising he had stayed quiet for longer than expected, and I could see why. Now his face was the palest of all of us, and he looked like he was going to lose consciousness at any second. ''Lea…'' I was talking before thinking. ''We can sort this out later. But first I need to call an ambulance for this guy.''
''No!'' She bellowed, making me jump again. Unable to control her emotions any longer, it all came crashing down upon her at once. Fear. Anger. Confusion. ''Omega Kid will never accept me. I won't be his partner. I won't be a hero. But if he doesn't find out, then I can do better next time, and…''
''Lea, this man is dying!'' I couldn't be civil anymore. I rose up and stood taller than her. ''You can't just sweep something like this under the carpet. It doesn't matter what this guy did, or if all of this was an accident. It's happened and we have to deal with it. If you kill him, then you don't deserve to be Omega Kid's partner.''
SLASH!
I stumbled to the side. My heart froze and my hand quickly clutched my stinging, bleeding cheek. The intense burning only lasted a moment, but the pain didn't subside, and I could see blood drip through the gaps of my fingers and onto the ground. Lea had just attacked me. Two thoughts crossed my mind one after the other. The first was appreciating how lucky I was that Lea didn't cut off my head. The second was realising that the thief was now defenceless because I stepped away.
I turned around quickly, still grasping my cheek tightly to suppress the pain of my cut. Lea's free hand covered her mouth, and her eyes were wider than ever. It's as if she just understood how close she was to killing me. After a while, though, something in her eyes changed. She was no longer in shock and her face relaxed. Her hand moved away from her mouth and grasped the handle of her sword, whilst still facing me. ''I'm not going to get in trouble. No one is going to find out. You can't tell anyone.''
There was no verbal response from me. I don't know what to say or do. I'm still shaken up by the fact she attacked me.
She approached me slowly. ''I like you. I didn't mean to hurt you. But if you're going to stop me from becoming someone better, then…then…'' She snivelled before breathing in deeply and raising Michonne above her head in an attack-minded stance. ''If Omega Kid can be a superhero, then why not me?''
This was beyond freaky. Those were my words! I was staring at myself in a broken mirror. She just wanted to prove to others, and to herself as well, that she could be a superhero. How is that any different from how I went about becoming Omega Kid? Briefly, I ignored my still bloody and sore cut and tried to plead with her once more. ''Lea, believe me, I know what you're trying to say. But you're doing this the wrong…''
''No, you don't!'' She screamed and swung Michonne viciously, almost hitting me. ''Stop pretending that you care about me, and stop pretending like you know what's best for me! You can't tell me what to do! You're not Omega Kid!''
Once she charged at me, I knew that the time for talk was over.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! I bobbed my head and stepped backwards every time she attacked. I didn't want to fight back…I don't think I could fight back. She was swinging crazily, and I knew that I could avoid her attacks forever. She wasn't as quick as I feared, so as long as I kept my distance, I was safe. However, time wasn't on my side with the thief still lying and bleeding out on the ground away from us.
She raised Michonne high into the air and sliced downwards. I stepped to the side, dodging the sword, but I failed to notice her throwing a punch towards me. BAM! She connects on my other cheek, causing me to stumble backwards. Compared to some of the other punches I've taken before, she was quite weak. She wouldn't last ten seconds against some of the thugs I've faced. If she continued to pursue this life, she would end up dead.
Now it was no longer about me stopping her to protect the thief and myself, but also to protect her from the danger she would put herself in as Alpha Girl.
She charged again. I didn't want to do this, but I can't think of any other plan. I dash towards her, and before she can even draw her sword back to attack, I punched her in the face. BAM!
She falls backwards, collapsing onto the ground and dropping Michonne. She was clearly dazed by my surprise attack, as she rolled about to try and pick herself up. Blood started to drip from her nose. I hesitated, worrying that I might have really hurt her. Once she was on her hands and knees, she scurried over to Michonne. I run over and kick the sword away from her. BAM! She kicked me on the back of my knee, causing me to fall to the ground.
Lea got back up quicker and hurried over to pick up her weapon. By the time she retrieved it, I was on my feet and attempted to run towards a car. But I could only limp because of her strike on my wounded knee. She hunted me down, and catching up quickly and swung her sword towards me. I slide across the bonnet of the car, just about avoiding her attack as I fell on the ground behind the now dented vehicle. Instead of running around it, Lea jumped on the bonnet to get to me. She'd left herself wide open. I swung my arm, hitting her legs and tripping her up. First, she crashed on top of the car before rolling off and landing on the hard ground with a heavy thud.
Once again, she'd lost her grip on Michonne and it skidded away. After a few failed attempts to get back up, I thought that was it. She whimpered and groaned in pain. I hated seeing her like this. It hurt more than the cut she'd given me on my cheek. ''Just stay down,'' I begged.
She shook her head rowdily and leapt towards me. I easily avoided her punch, shifted my body and stuck out my leg, causing her to trip and fall back down. This wasn't a fight anymore. If she'd taken on someone like Jason…oh God, I shudder to think what would happen to her.
I took a step closer and saw her clutching her arm tightly. She must have landed on it awkwardly. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the pain. There was no longer any danger. She couldn't even get up or crawl away, let alone continue the fight.
Things were finally quiet, and I had a moment to breath and take everything in. But then I remembered the thief. I glanced over to see he was out and unmoving. I hurried over to him and checked for a pulse. Thankfully, he was still alive, but it was going to stay that way, I needed to call for help now. As for Lea, she was pretty beaten too, so she was going to need help. However, I knew that once the questions were going to be asked, Lea would have the police on her for this. Not to mention I was going to be involved in this whole mess as well.
''999 Emergency…''
I was so numb that I had forgotten I'd made the call. Coming to my senses, I placed my phone to my ear. ''H-hello, I need help. There's a man hurt. He's bleeding and needs help. He's in the car park on the back of London Hall Street. There…there's also someone else hurt too. Please hurry.'' I hung up quickly, unable to think of what else to say.
''Please…'' I heard Lea's faint voice. I looked over and saw her still lying on the ground, staring at me and crying. ''I-I didn't mean it. Don't let me go to prison. I don't want mother and father to get mad at me.''
I'm torn. My mind was thinking of how else I could handle this situation. I've called for an ambulance, and this thief will hopefully get the help he needs. However, he's going to report this without a doubt, and it'll only be a matter of time before they track it down to Lea. Not to mention the possibility of something like this happening again if Lea is so adamant at being a hero. Except next time, it might result in a death, either whomever Lea is fighting…or Lea herself.
I stood up and stared at her. ''I think…I think Omega Kid might have been like you in some way.''
''H-how do you know?'' She questioned doubtfully.
''I don't know. He might also have wanted people to take notice and believe in him. You and him…you're probably not that different.''
''Then why do I have to get in trouble? I promise I'll be better next time. I can still be special. I can still be his partner.'' She implored, her voice cracking more frequently. ''I want to help people. Please...don't let me go to jail...''
My body was betraying my mind, as I found myself about to talk over to help her. But she's just given me confirmation that she was going to keep at this. If there was going to be a next time, she might not be so lucky. Lucky in the department that she'd still be alive. I can't let her do this. She can't be my partner…even if a small part of me liked the idea.
I walked away, and she started screaming even louder. ''Please, no! I don't want to go to prison! Please!''
Wednesday 2nd June 2010
At school the following day, there was only one thing on everyone's lips. I wanted to avoid the subject, but that was impossible. Thankfully, no one brought me into the subject or asked for my opinion on the discovery of Lea being arrested.
Yesterday, after returning home, I shrugged off Jenna's concerns regarding the gash on my cheek by saying it happened by getting caught against a piece of glass from a broken window. It took some convincing, and I honestly felt so down at that point, I couldn't remember what she had said to me afterwards. Once I had been left alone, I followed the news attentively. It wasn't until late in the evening when I found the first piece of information to come through.
Lea and the thief had been taken to the hospital promptly, and while the thief was in intensive care, there was a chance he would pull through. However, once Lea was patched up, the questions about what happened came thick and fast. Even if she wanted to deny it, she couldn't. The evidence was stacked up against her overwhelmingly. I couldn't imagine how broken she must have felt at the time, especially when her parents were called in. I don't know how long she was going to be locked away for, but considering the weapon and the state she'd left the thief in, it's not looking good.
Yet, the thing that puzzled me the most about all this was the fact I was never called in. She didn't snitch on me. The police knew someone must have taken her down. From what I heard, she told them that the thief had fought her off despite having his hand cut off. Obviously, that would be difficult to accept, but until the thief fully recovered, that's the story they had to go with.
I felt worse despite being safe for now. Even though I essentially helped lock her away, she didn't tell on me. A part of me hopes that it's because that weird and bubbly girl still considered me a friend, even if I didn't deserve it.
This wasn't what I had in mind when I decided to become Omega Kid.
It didn't help that science was going to be my first class of the day. I waited by the door with the class about to start any minute now. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rachael and Megan approach me. Rachael quickly glanced to my cheek. ''What happened?''
I'd almost forgotten about my small scar. It would heal over time, and it only stung when I touched it. ''It…I, um…Rachael, I don't really fell like talking right now.''
Rachael seemed concerned but didn't say anything else. Megan eventually spoke up. ''Mr Davis might not have you do the science project because of Lea…''
''Megan, Lea is the reason I don't feel like talking right now! So just don't!'' I said harsher than I attended to sound. She immediately froze and quickly dashed into the classroom with her head down before I could apologise.
Rachael stared at me coldly. ''That was uncalled for. She was just trying to help.''
''I know, I'm sorry…''
''I'm not the one you should apologising to!'' She replied and tilted her head towards the classroom. I looked inside to see Megan sitting by her desk, waiting for her partner Stella, and rubbing her fingers together nervously.
I sighed and rested against the door. I just seem to be o a roll with hurting people. ''I didn't mean to upset her.''
''It doesn't matter if you meant to, what matters is that you did. That's not the type of person you are.''
''I know,'' I mumbled.
I almost jumped when I felt Rachael rub her hand on my shoulder, grabbing my attention and forcing me to look back at her. ''I know you're probably thinking that what happened to Lea was your fault. But it's not. I don't know how well you knew Lea, but you must have to be acting this way, and I know this must be a shock but please don't take it out on others. If we all drag each other down, everyone drowns.''
It's amazing how just a few seconds with Rachael can lift my spirits, even when I'm in the darkest of moods. I smiled and nodded. ''Thanks. Class is starting in a minute, so I can apologise to Megan. You know, you could probably start up counselling sessions in this school, you're pretty wise.''
She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. ''Already been thinking about it. I've got to get to my class now, see you around, Wonder-Boy.''
Ha, I don't feel too wonderful about myself, but the least I could do right now was not make Megan feel un-wonderful.
Rachael left for her class, and I hurried over towards Megan. When she saw me she started to coil up a bit. I hate it seeing her like this...it's worse knowing that I'm the one she's scared of.
''Megan, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you.''
She started to uncoil slowly and forced a little smile ''It's okay. I'm sorry that I talked about...''
''No, it's not okay. You shouldn't apologise when you've done nothing wrong. You were concerned for me and wanted to ask how I was doing. I appreciate that and thank you for that. It was wrong of me to yell back at you when you were trying to be a good friend.''
Another voice spoke up from behind me. ''Is everything okay?''
I turned around to see Stella standing there looking confused as her gaze shifted between Megan and me. ''Yeah, no, I mean…'' I stuttered.
Before I could stumble over my own words any further, Megan's timid voice soothed over mine. ''It's okay. Thomas just wanted to say sorry about something.''
If I could hug her I would. But literally as she finished her sentence, the school bell rang for the lesson to start, and Mr Davis was not accepting of tardiness, as I have come to learn. I smiled at Megan and started to walk to my seat.
The moment I sat down, my head was slouched upon my desk. Mr Davis entered, but before he took a seat, he stood by the front wall and folded his arms, waiting for everyone to keep quiet. Silence came about pretty quickly, but only because we all knew what he was going to talk about. ''As I'm sure many of you are aware, there was an incident regarding one of our students. Now, I don't normally like to involve myself in any affairs going on, be it inside or outside of school, especially since I know rumours travel quickly around here. However, I want to make it clear that if I hear one mention of Lea, then I will be sure to keep you after class for a stern telling. It's unfortunate what has happened, but there's nothing any of us could have done.''
I wanted to feel happy knowing that at least I can get through science without any more mention of Lea, but that last statement by our teacher caused my heart to sink further into my stomach. I could have done something. I should have handled the situation so much better.
''Thomas,'' I heard my name faintly whispered to me, and I looked up to see Mr Davis standing over me. ''For the time being, you can join another pair and work with them on a project.''
''Okay, um…'' I looked around the class, but there was only one real choice for me. ''I'll work with Megan and Stella.''
With the teacher's permission, I got up from my desk and approached the girls. They looked up at me curiously. ''Uh…do you mind if I join you?''
Stella answered by reaching over for a spare chair by one of the empty desks and pulling it over for me. My heart skipped a beat and I felt pretty good for the second time today. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after. But at least for today, I know I still have people willing to put up with me.
To Be Continued...
If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.