The Last Hero (Villains & Monsters #2)

Chapter 11

Abuse mention here. Also, sorry for the late update. I've been spending time with my family lately.

- Mid May, 2045 (12 months ago) -

Jamie squeezed his favorite stress ball as a way to fidget. He was about ten seconds from deciding that the silence was bugging him.

"A small part of me wants to think that he kind of still cares," he finally said.

Lionel, his therapist with dark skin, deep brown eyes and dark hair that was neatly twisted, furrowed his brows in interest. "What do you mean?"

"There was this argument," he worked quickly to find a way to water the heroes' situation down to him. Lionel didn't know that he was a part of the heroes, so he had to make up situations that closely fit his actual problems in order to get the advice he needed.

"The group apologized with donuts, and he got me a jelly-filled one. He said that he knew I liked them, though I stopped eating them a long time ago. When I brought that up, there was this look in his eyes. I can't explain it."

That was one of the many things that was bugging him.

After the heroes started working with the Mayor, she helped him get a job at the coffee shop near Kunross University. He met Devin, the manager who loves great conversations, and Hazel, a woman who loves a good competition. Jamie found her blushing and lingering stares adorable. Her nervousness presented itself in her body language. Lastly, he also met Violet, a friend that Daija loved dearly. He was happy to have people to chat with who weren't the heroes.

His first week of work went well, though Daija was a little crabby. When she couldn't peel a sticker off of a package of coffee grounds, Jamie was certain that she was going to throw it at the wall. They all eventually laughed about it, but he couldn't help but think that things were off about her lately.

Plus, she had been texting someone a lot lately. Whenever she caught a break in her day, she'd excitedly pull out her phone to check her messages, then return some of her own. Someone had all of her attention, and though he hated to admit it, it was bugging him.

Most of the city had already caught on that the heroes were more active when it came to Simon and his supporters more than any other problem, and they would be asking them about it during an upcoming press conference. Maybe a good kick in the ass from the public would wake them up.

One thing he was looking forward to was a party. Violet had gotten her internship at OpalSpace Corp. He was a little jealous. He wanted to apply for that kind of opportunity, but he more than likely wouldn't have gotten accepted -- even with his intelligence -- because he didn't go to college and he didn't have a portfolio of projects and achievements. Not to mention, the application process is a hassle he didn't have much time for.

"Maybe he's feeling really bad, and he wanted to give you something he knew you liked when you two were younger. Do you think his own treatment is helping him?" Lionel asked, and Jamie did some thinking.

"I wish I knew. I don't like speaking to him longer than I need to."

"Which is valid."

As much as Jamie hated his brother, a part of him will always miss him.

-----

"Sit there and don't move," Gianna said to Justin as she gestured towards the bed in her and Evie's bedroom.

Justin angrily grumbled something and sat down, glaring at Jamie in the process. Jamie on the other hand, thought he would faint from fear.