Still busy with school and stuff, but I have this for you guys. Sorry they aren't the longest, I'm getting to the good parts, they just need to be finished. Read and Review guys, I'm really appreciating the positive feedback. I love all of you!
-Gabs
I stepped into the cafeteria the next day. It was hard to believe that I was actually doing this. Was I insane? Bridget and Blaire watched stunned as I passed our usual table. I guess I was. But this was my choice; I might as well suck it up and follow through with it. The table I was looking for was one I had passed before. It was the druggie's and smoker's table, but as I took a seat next to one of the dark haired boys, he didn't seem to notice. That's probably why they chose this table.
Boomer rounded the corner of the cafeteria and froze at the foot of his table, the one I was seated at. "B-Brooke, why are you...at my table?" He whispered urgently as he glanced around the cafeteria. A lot of the students were, not so secretly I might add, watching us curiously. "Shouldn't we—you know—not be hanging out in public?" He added just loud enough for me to hear. I shrugged and went to take a bite of my sandwich.
"I was thinking the same thing—and then I realized fuck it." I replied slowly. Boomer's eyebrows rose, but he let me continue. "I'm tired of keeping this a secret, I'm 16, and I can be friends with whoever I want." I added as I gestured to the seat in front of me. "Care to be a rebel with me?" The smile on Boomer's face lit up the room as he hurriedly took a seat across from me.
With the brief exhilaration that had been running through me subsiding I was now able to clearly take in the sharp glares I was receiving from a couple girls around the room. Had the Rowdy's been that popular? But what really got me squirming were the gazes I was receiving from my sisters. "You alright Brooke?" Boomer asked as he took a bite of his pizza. "Or are the consequences of your decision finally settling in?"
"Sometimes I hate the way you do that?" I noted, quickly flicking my gaze back to him. He smiled cheekily and cradled his cheek in the palm of his hand. "This is my choice though. I think it's time that I actually think for myself."
"Well, your mind is your best—" The cell phone in my back pocket began to beep loudly and I jumped. Quickly, I pulled it out and held it to me ear.
"Sorry to interrupt your little date traitor, but we've got a break in at the Jewelry Shop." Blaire growled through the other end of the phone. I winced at her acidic words and pulled away from the receiver. My gaze shifted to my sisters, but they were already rushing out of the cafeteria. I cast Boomer an apologetic glance before I too stood up and hurried outside.
The faint blur of pink and green still hung in the air when I shot in the sky, keen on catching up with the pair. They wouldn't say anything about it right now. Well, Bridget wouldn't. You could never tell what could get Blaire worked up. We were on a mission though; maybe I could be saved from the heated slander until after we were done. I noted the outline of my sisters faintly in the distance, so I sped up. It was obvious that I wasn't nearly as fast as my sisters, but I caught up to them and eased myself to Bridget's right.
"There you are." Bridget stated. "Good, Ms. Lenoir's Jewelry Department was hijacked sometime during the day. She called the Mayor near tears, and demanded we get there as soon as possible. Blaire and I are going to patrol the area; I want you to go and try to calm Ms. Lenoir down. You are the most fluent in French." Bridget ordered as she angled toward the ground. I grimaced, it's not that I minded talking to Ms. Lenoir, and dealing with the citizens, I was the friendliest of my sisters, but it's like they didn't trust me.
"Alright," I replied quietly as I followed her lead and angled toward the ground. An older woman sat scrabbling at the rubble that was once the Magnifique Boutique. I landed at the base of the disaster while my sisters carried on patrolling the surrounding area. "Mademoiselle Lenoir, Qu'est qui ce passé ici?" I asked curiously as I knelt beside the woman. She was well dressed with thick curled brown hair laced with silver. Despite her age, she sifted through the pieces of glass with a determined valor and youth. Her english wasn't the best, and in her state of mind, I highly doubted she'd be able to even attempt english.
"C'est ma boutique, je ne sais pas, quand je suis arrivée aujour d'hui, elle est détruit," She explained, completely grief stricken. I frowned and offered her my hand. Her eyes met mine and I winced at the tears that lined hers. Ms. Lenoir was a sweet old woman, probably one of the most liked in Townsville. I could never imagine making her feel so much grief.
"Suivis-moi, Les Filles de Powerpuff vous aideraient, mais je veut que tu ne sois pas ici. Je ne veut pas voir tu te fais mal." I stated as I helped her up. I turned to lead her towards a small restaurant at the end of the block, when I sensed a pair of eyes on me. Quickly, I turned back toward what was once the boutique and glared at the rubble, my grip tightening around Ms. Lenoir's small wrists. There was nothing from what I could see. "Un moment sil vous plait."
I let go of Ms. Lenoir and floated back to the rubble, just at the shops base and peered into the darkness. Still I saw nothing. Even after I scanned my X-ray vision I came up empty. But I had felt someone was watching me. There had to be someone. I hurried back to the frail old woman without so much as a side glance back to the Boutique. I should get her to safety first. But just as I pulled away, despite how faint it was, my hearing picked it up easily. It was just a whisper and I would have missed it if it didn't sound so eerily familiar. But what it said froze my blood.
"You're next."
"The voice sounded so familiar Bridget. I'm telling the truth. I heard it." I insisted as we flew home from the Boutique. Our search had proved useless. They didn't find anything and they weren't really listening to me.
"It might have been something else Brooke. You used your X ray vision and didn't find anything and both Blaire and I searched the surrounding area. There was no sign of the thief." Bridget reasoned as she landed gracefully on our front yard. "I mean think about it, a thief is just that, someone who steals, I don't think they're targeting you."
"Yeah, don't be so self centered." Blaire stated with a snicker. "Don't hog all of the Bad Guys for yourself; you already have the Rowdy's after all." I frowned at my sisters. What ever happened to us? The Powerpuff Girls. We were inseparable and we worked together and trusted each other. Had they forgotten it all? I guess that's what happens when you get older? You forget.
"Y-yeah, I guess it could have just been my imagination," I mumbled quietly to myself. "I guess."
"Why are you so quiet Brooke?" Boomer asked curiously as he watched my carefully. In his hand was a charcoal pencil as he drew the arc of my chin. We sat in our usual place, the bench in the back of the park. "You look really sad, which is making my sketch really somber looking." He stuck out his tongue jokingly, but for once I didn't smile. "Seriously Brooke, what's up?"
"It's nothing really. I'm just kind of disappointed that's all." I mumbled as I drew my knees under my chin. Boomer rolled his eyes and placed his sketchpad on the ground. His lines were smooth, but he was right, I looked really sad.
"What are you disappointed in? Was it something I did?" Boomer asked tenderly. I shook my head. He probably wouldn't understand. There was no point in burdening him with my thoughts anymore. But he likes your thoughts, he said so. "Well—whatever it is—I'm sorry." I smiled halfheartedly and looked at him. He had a charming smile across his face. "I don't like when you're sad. You're Bubbles, the cute carefree one, remember?"
"You can't be cute and carefree forever Boomer, one day reality is going to—" Boomer pecked me softly on the cheek and I froze. "What?"
"Sorry, I couldn't—I didn't mean—" Boomer began hurriedly as he pulled himself away from me. I brushed my fingers against where his lips had met, a small smile crossing my face. Boomer stood up quickly and fumbled to grab his sketchbook. "I—I should probably go. I'm sorry." He mumbled to himself. So many thoughts rushed through my head at once. Should I stop him? Should I say something? Should I kiss him? But, I didn't say anything as I watched him bolt into the sky leaving a faint trail of indigo behind him. Even if I wanted to say something, I wouldn't have been able to. My mouth was stuck in a smile. I had almost forgotten what bliss felt like. But that's what happens when you get older. You forget.