Your Heart on My Sleeve

Young

          I am drawn to people. Not the loud, obnoxious people. I'm drawn to the quiet people. I feel them everywhere I go. It's like I can sense that they're around me, but I can't feel anyone else. I hardly notice the loud. I know those people are there, but I don't feel them. They have it all worked out. They know what they're doing. I don't. The other people like me don't. I don't know what it is, but I find myself becoming friends with the weirdos, and the outsiders, even though I'm not all that different from the cool people. Some people think it's strange, but for me, it's normal. 

        Everyone thinks of me as odd, and I guess in a way I am. I don't really like social events. I need to have time alone to recharge my emotional side. I can never fall asleep at sleepovers. I hate it when I have so many plans that are suddenly just yanked out from under my feet when my family decides to do things or go somewhere. I have a super high metabolism so I could be insanely thin, but I never bother trying because sweet food is just too good. I leave people without answers when they text me because I usually don't know how to respond. People like me because they know I'm nice. If only they knew the baggage that I had with me. 

      I've never had a bad childhood. I'm not kind because I have to be. I'm kind because I don't want to be the one who could've changed something, but didn't. I don't want to have to watch people suffer when I could've done something. I like to make people smile. Both my parents are very kind and selfless. My older brother, Chris, is too and as a bonus for him, he's very comfortable with people. I wish I could be like him. Jaxon, my younger brother is a mix between me and my older brother. My older sister is already moved out. 

      There is only one thing strange about my family. Everyday, my parents and my older brother disappear down to the basement, but when I go and look for them, they're not down there. This used to scare Jaxon and me, but we soon got used to it. Mom, Dad and Chris were never gone for very long. Sometimes I would try follow them down, but I got in trouble. The only thing I knew was that Chris wore this funny suit when he went down there. Jaxon thought they were secret superheroes. I laughed at him, but couldn't help wondering if he was right. So, one day at breakfast, I asked.

      "Mom?" I asked, moving my fork around in my eggs.

     "Yes, Kassidy?" She raised her eyes to look at me.

     "Are you and Daddy and Chris superheroes? Is that why you go downstairs all the time?" I looked at Chris as I said this, but he was ignoring me.

      Mom glanced at Dad before answering. "Yes, Kassy, I suppose we are." 

      I was pretty shocked to hear her say this out loud like it didn't matter. Superheroes were supposed to keep their identity a secret. No one was supposed to hear. 

      "Shhhh, Mom! The bad guys could be listening right now!" I whispered.

      Mom laughed. "Don't worry, hon. I'll be ready for them."

      Jaxon and I shared a wide-eyed glance and he was giggling in our chair. It was amazing to have superheroes for parents. I skipped off to the bus stop that day, humming loudly. Chris tried to shush me, but I wouldn't stop. Only when he said that I might compromise his identity did I stop. I didn't want any villain to get a hold of my brother. Instead, I just sat quietly, almost bursting with happiness. I knew I couldn't tell anyone, but I just wanted to shout it out. Keeping quiet wasn't going to be that hard though. I didn't really have anyone to tell it to. 

      When I got home, I didn't say anything until Mom put me to bed. She'd just finished our evening prayer with me, and was turning off my light, but I sat up and stopped her.

     "How many bad guys have you stopped?" I asked.

     Mom hesitated, and sat down on my bed. "I'm not sure how to explain this, Kass. We don't really stop villains, we more like...help the innocent."