Chapter 10 – Five Powers and a Funeral

After that night, the gang had the whole weekend to process what had happened. Grace made it up to her parents for going missing for a whole day without contacting them, Liv split her time between Mini's house and her own. Rich spent the whole weekend at Alo's, talking about how daft Nick had been and naming a spliff after him. Mini spent her time lazing around her house and sometimes sitting in a comfortable silence with Liv. Of course she had to go to the police and a statement that was mostly false. She had to say he had been shot with a gun and that of course she had taken him to the hospital as soon as it happened.

"It was a power, you know." Mini said slowly, not moving from her position on the bed; they had been drifting in and out of sleep all day.

"Huh?" She asked, raising her head slightly from Mini's shoulder and tightening the embrace she currently had Mini in.

"That guy… He shot a bullet from his finger." She said, shifting her body around to look at Liv.

"I know," Liv said, trying to sound consoling. "You already told me."

Silence resumed.

Monday came too soon for some and others had actually been eager to start again. Mini and Liv had walked in together and found Grace sitting on a stool in the main hall. She was focusing on the probation officer's window and Liv glanced in that direction to see Alo and Rich talking with him.

"What's going on?" She asked, as Mini took a seat next to Grace. She didn't stop staring at the window, but gave a sad smile.

"They're asking if we can leave early today… It's Nick's funeral." Liv's shoulders slumped forward and Mini turned her attention to the fraying edges on her sleeves.

The probation worker exited the office first followed by the other two. He still kept his signature expression, which was a stony cold look, but at least now he wasn't angry with them.

"Right…" He started, before giving a small cough. "You all have permission to leave at 12 for the uhmm… Let's just get this space ready for the yoga class then, alright?"

Mini immediately stomped off to the lockers, whilst Grace and Liv went to fetch the yoga mats from the storage cupboard.

"Should I go, Gracie? I didn't even know him." Liv asked and Grace gave a simple shrug of her shoulders.

"I don't know, I think it's the right thing to do." She said, pulling on one of the mats. Rich appeared in the cupboard too.

"Hi Grace," He started, taking the mat from her. Grace could feel her cheeks turning pinker, as she turned to get another mat. He still stood in the doorway and looked like he was waiting for her to reply.

"Hi," She smiled, but when he still stood there she tried to maneuver around him. "Uhm… Rich? I should go take this back to the hall."

"Smooth." Liv stated, as she followed Grace.

"Shit," He groaned, moving to grab another mat.

"Mins," Alo quietly said, appearing behind her at her locker. She didn't turn around and pretended to be searching for something inside the locker.

"Are you alright?" He asked, walking closer to where she stood. When he asked her the question, her shoulders seemed to slump as if she was giving in.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She mumbled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand before turning around to finally face him. "He was your friend…"

"Yeah, but it's you." He said starting to smile, as she let out a short laugh. He walked nearer still and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a sort of pat. He looked unsure of whether he was crossing the line or not, but Mini didn't seem to care. She in fact seemed to like the comfort, even though it was just his hand over her overalls. "You should come to the funeral."

He left her alone then and Mini felt tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. She winced as she went to wipe them away, because it was strangely painful. For a second she thought an eyelash had gone into her eye and that would explain the pain, but when she brought her hand away the pain was still there. She glanced down at her hand and saw what looked like dirt on her finger. When she looked at it more closely it looked like tiny cuts of granite. She ran to the bathroom and examined her eyes in the mirror. The corners of both her eyes had gone red with irritation. She wiped at them again and more bits fell into the sink; she managed to collect a pile after she continued to rub until the pain had gone. She couldn't explain it at all, but she didn't feel like crying anymore.

It was a good turnout for a funeral. His Dad and Mum although divorced had both seemed civil enough and Rider had been there looking somber (and sober) for once. Grandparents, college friends and distant relatives had all shown up and of course Rich, Alo, Grace, Liv and Mini had been sitting at the back of the service.

When everything was over and they were standing over his grave, his Dad had given a significant nod in their direction to acknowledge the fact that they had brought him to the hospital. Rider lingered behind along with them and he looked like he had been crying a lot. His Mum had a protective arm wrapped around him.

"Dudes, why didn't you come get me when you went to the hospital?" He asked. Liv chewed on her bottom lip and glanced at Mini, but she looked liked she wasn't even paying attention.

"Rider, you were…" Alo was about to say he was on coke, but Liv punched him on the arm. She didn't want to get him in trouble with his Mum in case she didn't know about what he gets up to. So Alo just groaned out, "Fuck."

"Sorry, we kind of just rushed there." Liv said, feeling actually sorry for Rider. He wiped at his snotty nose and pointed angrily at them.

"Not cool, guys. He was my best friend." His Mum pulled on his arm and looked apologetically at the gang.

"Let's go, Paul."

"Paul? Paul. Paul." Alo said wonderingly, as the gang began to trail after the others, not really sure where they were going next.

"Paul." Rich said in agreement and pushed Alo in front.

Liv and Alo lead the way in silence until Liv became aware of somebody staring at them. She stared back, raising an eyebrow at them, almost testing them to keep looking and he did. He looked nearly the same age as them and was wearing dark, baggy clothes. He was under a tree just behind Nick's grave, but after a few minutes he shook his head at Liv and walked off in the direction. Liv shrugged off the whole thing as nothing important, but it still bugged her. She tried to go with the theory that she had brought attention with her black printed dip hem dress.

"Mini, are you okay?" Grace asked, as she noticed Mini's eyes were dark and red. Mini scratched at one of her eyes and then pulled down on her tight, black laced bodycon dress. Grace had gone for something simpler in her black shoulder wrap dress.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Grace began tentatively, trying to reach out for part of Mini's covered arm. "You seem-"

"Fucking hell, Grace! I'm fine." Mini said, before shaking off Grace's arm and stomping forward to Liv. Rich caught up with Grace then.

"What was all that about?" Grace shook her head with slightly widened eyes.

"I have no idea." She sighed. There was an awkward silence as they continued to walk along the path.

"Look Grace, I know this is all fucked up -"

"Richhhhh" Grace interrupted, elongating his name so it was as if she begging him not to talk about this now.

"What?" Rich said with a defeated sigh.

"I really like you and I didn't even know you liked me in that way until…" Grace began to blush, so she looked down and cleared her throat. She stopped walking and threw her arms about in an attempt to explain her frustration.

"Things have changed so fast in a week. We have powers now," She finished in a whisper. "And Franky tried to be me, Nick just died and I feel like I'm losing my two best friends."

Rich nodded; he reluctantly understood what she was trying to say. He didn't know if they would ever work out, but he had wanted to try… Obviously Grace wasn't sure if she wanted to try with them.

"I just can't right now… I do like you though, Richard." She finished quietly.

"I understand." He said somberly. She gave him a small smile and began to walk off.

It had been exactly a week since their community service and things had gotten crazier by the second. He didn't want to imagine what else could happen in the next three weeks.

A/N: EXCUSE ME FOR THE CRAPPY ENDING. Okay next chapter is the penultimate one so yay. I haven't really come up with reasoning for why Mini's eyes did that, so let's just say it's because she had kissed Nick or because of her power she can't show emotion so she's beginning to turn into stone herself. Whatever you're happy with that will be the reason.