To Know

Chapter 14

Walking down the stairs, Sera kept her head down to cover her face with her bangs.

"Getting kicked off the roof by a kid I don't even know. Pretty pathetic," she stated to John, glancing down to the floor. "So this is what I have to live with now, huh?"

John cocked his head. "Hey Sera. I know it's tough, but try to stay strong okay?"

That's right. He's had to deal with this for the past year with no end planned. How does he make it look so easy? How does he not break?

He smiled at her awkwardly; it did not reach his eyes.

He's been such a good sport and here I am, just complaining non-stop. What good will complaining do?

"I guess I'll just head to class for now since the roof is now off limits," she audibly decided.

"Hm, that's uncharacteristic of you," John commented.

"Better to be in a safe zone, under supervision, than to roam the halls all defenceless," she explained. "It's been a while since I've been to a lecture anyway. Maybe they've gotten more interesting."

John looked away from her and his eyes trailed down the hall.

"John, you coming?" she asked him. He snapped out of his thoughts. "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, uh. I was thinking of stopping by the infirmary first," he replied. He displayed his hands up. "Haven't had a chance to heal my hands yet. They're feeling a bit stiff after the practice."

"Honestly, how do you manage to get yourself into so many fights?" she questioned, squinting at him.

"Ehh, at least I got out okay!" he responded. He waved his hands before turning it into a thumbs up. "You should've seen the other guy though."

"Yeah, alright," she replied. "I'm gonna head over before I'm late. You be careful, okay?"

"Yeah sure! You too!"

She turned around the corner as John waved goodbye. She gave him one last weary look before heading off.

Seraphina laid against her bed – one hand resting on her stomach and the other on her forehead. She wore a black sweatshirt that hung off one of her shoulders and had the writing 'UNO' printed in bright green on her chest. She also wore a pair of light blue shorts.

John could be so strong without using his ability and I couldn't. Could he even use it? But still, he tolerated all of this daily without falling apart.

She sighed.

She pushed herself up to sitting, her legs handing off the edge of the bed.

He has the strength to do it, so why can't I?

She stood up and grabbed onto the black desk chair, her feet hip width apart.

All this whining, all this moping – that's not like me. I'll mow through this, just like I do with everything else!

She slid one foot back and raised her arm into the stance John had shown her.

Hundreds of reps...

She imagined John standing in front of her and then him throwing a fist at her. She moved forward to catch his arm and threw her fist to him.

Even if it takes me a million, I'll do it!

After a while, there was a knock at her bedroom door.

"Uh, excuse me, Seraphina?" Elaine asked from the other side of the door. "Is everything okay in there? You don't sound very well-."

She swung her door open in her sweaty tank top (she had taken off her sweatshirt in the heat).

"Elaine." She grabbed her wrist. "You can fight pretty well too, right? Practice with me!"

"Why?" Blood rushed to Elaine's cheeks.

"Punch me as hard as you can!"

"WAIT, WHAT?!" she explained. "Uh."

"Eh, I barely got any sleep last night," Seraphina told John as they walked down the corridor the morning of the next day.

"Again?!" John responded. "You need to take more care of yourself! Don't let this whole ability thing eat you up."

"Oh, no no, I was doing reps with Elaine," she explained. "The combo you taught me yesterday: I have it down. I'm ready for more."

"Woah, impressive!" She looked up at him, tilting her head. "See? I knew you had it in you!"

"Yeah, but the workout ruined my outfit." She held her arm out in front of her with an almost flat palm facing the ceiling.

"Oh, what a bumper."

"I'm gonna stop by the mall later to grab better clothes," she continued. "You're coming too, right?"

"Huhh." John jumped. "I actually have some stuff to do."

"Wooow." She stared at him. Blue eyes never ending. "You're really gonna make me go all alone, huh?"

John stared at her: mouth straight, eyes squinted.

"So that's a yes?" she asked.

"That Juni girl, did you see her?"

"No, but what's all the fuss about?"

"She was lying in the middle of the hallway yesterday! They even had to hospitalise her!"

"What? Did she get caught in the crossfire?"

"No, some people saw her freaking out in the cafeteria over somebody chasing after her. She was definitely being targeted."

"Eww, so creepy."

"Yeah I know, first Zeke and now this mid-tier."

"Sure, hope that's the end of it."

"Hey Sera." John snapped her out of it. "Don't bother listening to that crap."

"Hm?" There was some high-tier going around hospitalising people anonymously. Why shouldn't I listen?

"No point in scaring yourself with all these crazy rumours," he explained. He waved his hand about as he talked. Why was he so confident? "We already have enough to deal with as it is."

"Yeah, but what if the guy comes for one of us?" she questioned. "Or more likely, me. I just lost my ability. That makes me the perfect target."

"Nah, he wouldn't."

How did he know they were a he?

"Oh, and how can you be sure?" she asked.

"Eh, just a feeling."

He looked away from her.

How can he just say that?

"Come on." He started walking ahead of her. "Let's head to class before we're late!"

She stared at him.

Why? What is your ability?

She smiled. "Hey, wait up!"

A/N: Sera first hearing about Joker. How will this evolve?

This is a shorter chapter, but this seems to be a good point to end it with those lines.

I'll only include part of the mall scene from the next episode.