Chapter Fifteen: The Pack
"So, do you do that every Monday, or…?" I trail off.
It was lunchtime and no-one else had arrived yet, so it was just me and Layla. We sat on the cold asphalt opposite each other, using the walls as backrests. I'd already eaten, and Layla never seemed to eat at school unless someone offered her something.
"Yeah, though we usually go on Sunday evenings as well." She replied, quickly typing something out on her phone before stowing it in her bag. She turned her full attention to me, "What are you thinking?"
"Ah, well," I hedged, collecting my thoughts, "I don't know. I mean, it's horrible that they don't feel comfortable going to a shelter, and that there isn't a better place for them to go."
"I'll be honest. I think they'll need to fight for a better life, because it's not like anyone's going to hand it to them." Layla said passionately.
Meanwhile, the others had arrived, dropping their bags on the ground and completing a closed circle. Jinn yawned, rubbed his eyes and slumped against Dee, who pushed him off with a smirk.
"Don't you dare go to sleep on me, Jinn." She grumbled, "If you can't handle a late night, that's your business."
"It's hardly my fault!" Jinn exclaimed, "And what does it cost you to be an honorary pillow?"
Dee snorted, "It costs me a line of drool dripping down my shirt, don't it? No way."
"Heartless! That's what you are." Jinn grumbled, but settled down, resting his head against his bag.
I smiled a little at their antics but was drawn right back into the thick of it when Layla continued, "If nobody's going to give you what you need, you should take it. That's what my Dad always said anyhow, hypocrite that he is, but he wasn't wrong when he said it."
"How would they take it?" I ask, feeling slightly unsure, "It's not like they could force everyone to change their attitude towards metas."
"Why not? They are metas after all. They already have more power than the government, they just need to learn to use it." Jinn said, eyes still closed and head still resting on his school bag.
"Jules." Layla says seriously, and I turned to look at her. "Don't you think things should change?"
"Well yeah, but-" I start to say, but she cuts me off.
"Don't you believe that those teens deserve better?" I stay silent, waiting for her to continue. She already knows my answer. "How do you think that's going to happen unless someone steps up?" She says, softening her tone.
"Are you that someone?" I ask quietly, making eye contact.
"If not us, who else?"
And I have to admit, it makes sense.
It's not like anyone else was stepping up. It's not as if the Flash advocates for us or anything. And you can't really blame him – his job is to save the city from villains, not to set up homeless shelters. Layla was so genuine and passionate, and I couldn't find anything against it except for a little worming feeling I couldn't put my finger on.
No one has spoken. We just sit there, staring at each other seriously and I can hear the drip, drip, drip, from a drain out near the end of the little alley.
"She was going to find out eventually," Dee says after that moment of dead silence, "May as well tell her now."
"You know 'The Pack'?" Oliver says, setting his scribble book aside.
"Mmm," I mumble, a little unnerved by all the attention, but unable to look away from any of them.
"We're it." Jinn says, pulling himself into a sitting position against the wall, though his eyes are still shut.
Wait what? But the news said they broke into Jitters! I mean, it also said they didn't steal anything. And that Jitters barista was a bigot – but still!
Layla's voice broke into my thoughts.
"I know you've probably heard stuff on the news, and you probably think what we're doing is wrong-" I start to protest that the issue is complicated, but she kept going, "but we're having a meeting on Friday night at ten, and if you come, I think you'll understand."
I hesitate.
The last time you went out on a Friday night, Juliet, you got tipsy, broke curfew and Cara had to come and take you home. Oh, sweet petunias, what about Cara! She said to tell her if I was going out, but what would I tell her about – I cut myself off. This is important, Jules. Whether there's something wrong with it, or it's truly a way to get the government to pay attention to metas, you'll never find out if you don't go.
"Uh, okay." I say slowly, "I'll try and come. Can you pick me up?"
Layla seemed to relax, and a frown I hadn't notice smoothed in relief. "Sure, we can definitely do that. Thank you so much for trusting us."
Those words seemed to light a little warm fire beneath my heart. I felt special, because it seemed I had been trusted with this secret. I wasn't going to break their trust.
At least until I was sure what was going on.
I was walking towards the school gate when Oliver and Jinn approach me. They're wearing their usual, but with an added leather jacket and motorcycle helmets under their arms.
"Are you free now?" Oliver asks, straight up and serious.
"Let me rephrase that," Jinn began, giving Oliver a sideways look, "Oliver and I are artists, and we were going to decorate the graffiti wall in the city this afternoon with pro-meta messages. Unfortunately, despite being a legal graffiti wall some people might dislike our message, so we need a lookout. Dee and Layla said they were busy, so I thought we should ask you."
"Uh, okay?" I say, confused, but it wasn't like I had anything better to do this afternoon. Apart from some math homework, but I could do that later. It didn't sound like something I'd normally do, but if I wanted to be brave and go out of my comfort zone, I'd have to try new things. I must've sounded unsure though, because Jinn added, "We'll buy you a drink afterwards if you do it!"
"Sounds good," I smiled, trying to be surer of myself.
The city was close to Central City High School, and I thought I knew the wall they were talking about. But I should probably check how far it was – I still remembered the pain of that long walk the other day and I didn't think my leg could take that much strain. I hated to ask though.
"Um, just how far is this wall?" I asked, trying to be casual.
"Not too far, especially if we take the bikes." Oliver says, striding purposely towards the carpark.
"You have a spare helmet, don't you, Oli?" Jinn asks, raising an eyebrow at his more serious counterpart.
"Yeah, in my side bag."
I'm getting nervous again. I've never ridden a motorbike before and I'd always been told they were dangerous, but if these two did it, it couldn't be too bad. Right?
Stop being so chicken, Jules! Have some courage! They obviously know what they're doing, so why don't you give it a try?
We reach the bikes. The bright green one was almost a dirt bike with lots of suspension and ridged tires. The other was black and didn't look too expensive either, but it looked like it had more room for two on the back.
Jinn makes a beeline for the electric green and Oliver reaches into one of the bags hanging on the black. He produces a simple black helmet and hands it to me.
"Do you know how to do the strap?" Jinn asks from beside the other bike. He has already put on his helmet, a vivid green, just like his bike.
"Um, probably not. I – uh, haven't ridden a motorbike before." I admit, turning the plastic encased thing over in my hands.
"Here-" Jinn walks over and takes the helmet from me, turning it around before pushing it onto my head. Bending down, he adjusts the straps under my chin, "-that should do it."
"Thanks," I say, glad for the helmet because I'm a bit embarrassed for needing help and I don't want him to mistake my red cheeks for blushing.
I ride the short distance into the city with Oliver on the black motorcycle and it's only when we get there that I feel like I can breathe properly. What a terrifying, exhilarating rush! But I'm glad I don't have to ride a motorcycle all the time.
Once the bikes have been parked, Oliver grabs a mini crate of spray cans out of the other side bag and we start walking towards the wall. Jinn turns to me as Oliver begins to set up.
"Okay, so all you need to do is stand here and watch both directions. 'Kay?" He says, indicating where to stand.
"Um, okay, but what am I watching for?" I ask. Now that I'm here, I wonder if I'll actually be able to do the job. How am I going to tell an anti-meta from anybody else?
"You know, police, official looking people, anyone over the age of twenty?" Jinn grinned, showing off his lip piercing.
I snort with surprise, "Do you actually want anybody seeing what you guys are doing?"
"Pretty much!" He says, patting me on the shoulder, "Now, I better help Oli, or this is gonna take forever."
He leaves me to stand awkwardly on the sidewalk, my hands in my pockets and probably a bemused expression on my face.
A couple of hours later, I was discovering how to use my mobile data to download games off the app store. I'd only had to warn Jinn and Oliver a couple of times since this wasn't the busiest time of day in the city.
I'd remembered to text Aunty after about half an hour of playing lookout and had gotten a bit of flack for leaving it so long, but it hadn't been too bad. I think she's been happy lately because I'm 'coming out of my shell' or something. I wasn't going to argue, and it did feel nice to be out with friends, even if I wasn't close enough to talk to them.
I had just completed level 51 of Big Belly Bust (a burger crushing game from the popular fast food restaurant), when Jinn came over.
"We're done!" He announced, and I noticed some smatterings of spray paint had made it onto his jeans. Some had obviously made it onto his hands too, because when he rubbed his face, smudged black paint appeared on his cheek.
"Can I see?" I asked, putting my phone away.
"Sure, then we can get drinks." He smiled tiredly, and I gave a small smile back. It was kind of fun to be 'in cahoots', even if it was just about perfectly legal graffiti.
The art was amazing.
3D block letters spelt out "METAHUMAN IS JUST ANOTHER TYPE OF HUMAN" in black and purple and there were bold yellow and white lightning strikes around the edges. It was big, bold, and stunning. In the corner beside the main message it was tagged 'The Pack' with a small sketch of a white pawprint. The whole thing wasn't too big, it had only been a few hours after all, but it was amazing.
"That's incredible," I say, feeling way more moved than I expected. I was a nice thing to see after all the mess with school last year and the things people said like the barista at Jitters.
"Thanks." Oliver says and he packs up the last of the spray cans.
"I didn't do a lot," Jinn admits, "I mostly do the colours, but Oli here came up with the design and did all the shading and highlights."
"Still," I tell him, "It's beautiful. And it means a lot." I consider revealing my metahuman status, but then decide against it. If they asked, sure, maybe I'd tell them. But it would be weird just announcing it here.
We go to a nearby coffee shop named The Urban Grind and Oliver orders a Flat White, a Cappuccino and a Chai Latte. *
We ask for them in takeaway cups and drink as we walk back to the bikes. It's getting late, but not late enough for me to miss dinner or anything, and I suddenly struck by how nice it is to just, I don't know, hang out with friends. No pressure, no worries, just going along and doing something fun. When I think back to the loneliness of last year, I honestly don't think I could've done it now. Once you've tasted friendship, it's hard to be without.
Before I know it, Oliver has dropped me off a block from my house. I told him not to go right up on the off-chance Aunty or Cara saw and disapproved.
"Thanks for letting me come along, that was fun." I say, smiling uncertainly. Oliver is exceptionally hard to read sometimes.
"No worries," He says and flashes me a quick smile, though it's hard to see under the helmet.
"See you later then." I say and start walking towards home. I hear the motorbike start up again behind me and see it take off down the street before he turns the corner and disappears.
*So, can you guys guess who ordered which drink? I'm pretty sure I've mentioned Juliet's preferences, but I wonder if you lot can guess Oliver and Jinn's.
Author's Note:
HA! I did it! I uploaded on Saturday and who cares about workloads! I knew if I did it a little bit at a time I'd be able to! no promises about next week though - I'm still pretty busy...just...ya know...using fanfiction to procrastinate. But who hasn't done that once in a while?!
Yeah, well, I probably should get back to what I SHOULD be doing, so hopefully I'll see you next week...or is that I hope I don't see you next week? Because then I would be doing the work I'm supposed to be doing? Right? Eh. Whatever, who cares. I assume you guys would rather I write fanfiction anyway, so there's no point asking you lot.
Stay safe and silly! (it alliterated, okay? and I'm sick of people using just the 'stay safe'...oh nuts I just punned, I've been infected with punning! Oh no I - yeah I'm just gonna give up now. See you guys next week. Maybe.)
Trix