A Harsh Realization -Part 2
Later that evening, Jesse met up with the rest of Stargirl's team — Rick, Yolanda, Beth, and Pat — hoping to salvage whatever was left of her relationships. But as soon as she arrived, the room grew tense.
Rick, sitting on a couch with his arms crossed, glared at her. "So, what's this about? You've been acting weird lately, Jesse. And now that suit... it doesn't seem like you."
Yolanda stood off to the side, arms folded across her chest, watching her with suspicion. "We've been hearing things. That you're getting... too violent. People are afraid."
Jesse's throat tightened, and she looked from face to face, seeing the doubt in their eyes. "I can explain. The suit—it's alive. It's some kind of alien symbiote, but I'm still in control!"
Pat, standing next to Courtney, exchanged a worried glance with his stepdaughter before addressing Jesse. "Really? Because from what we've seen so far... you don't seem like yourself anymore. That thing might be controlling you more than you think."
Jesse shook her head, frustration boiling inside her. "I'm FINE! I told you, I've got this under control!"
But even as she said it, the symbiote whispered in her mind, its presence growing stronger. "They're turning against you. They don't trust you anymore. You don't need them."
Beth, always the voice of reason, spoke up, her voice gentle but concerned. "Jesse, we're your friends. We just want to help. But you have to let us."
The symbiote surged, feeding off Jesse's growing panic and anger. "You don't need their help. They'll hold you back. You're stronger now. Faster. They're afraid of you, as they should be."
Jesse's emotions spiralled out of control. "I SAID I'M FINE!" she shouted, her voice laced with an edge of aggression she hadn't intended.
Tendrils of black goo rippled across her suit, as if responding to her outburst. The team took a collective step back, their unease palpable.
Courtney's voice broke the silence, her tone soft but tinged with fear. "Jesse... this isn't you."
That was the final straw. Jesse felt something inside her break — the weight of her friends' fear crashing down on her like a tidal wave. She didn't need to hear any more.
"It's better this way," the symbiote cooed. "You don't need them. We're all you need."
Jesse sped out of the room without another word, leaving behind the only people who had ever truly cared for her. The wind whipped past her face, tears stung her eyes, but she didn't stop running.