Heroes wear Capes

Chapter 12 - How to save a Damsel

"I . . . I just found out about my powers and you expect me to be a sidekick? Don't you think I'm a bit underqualified?"

~ Aden Dashner (Kratos)

John had to know that something was off about his best friend that Monday. He wasn't talking nonstop about the latest superhero activity and he wasn't even staring longingly at Mera Deauxma like usual. But, John attributed it to the fact that Trevor's father had just died. John may have hated that man, but Xander was still friends with Trevor and probably felt horrible for him.

But, in fact, Xander wasn't only just preoccupied with that thought. He was a super. Apparently he became a super because of messing around in that warehouse, watching whatever Trevor was up to. He was the one who panicked the man in the suit who then, in turn, shot Paul Rossi. Even if he didn't mean to, his powers were the reason that Paul was in the hospital, and he probably wouldn't have had that heart attack or whatever it was if he hadn't been sent to the hospital in the first place.

But, even if his powers were cursed, the point was that he had them. He could become a superhero, like the ones he read about in the news all the time. He could defeat villains like Artic Frost and Black Knight. Maybe he could even get his own arch nemesis.

"So," John started, "Did you hear the rumor about Mera?"

Of course he would try and get his friend talking by mentioning one of his favorite subjects. Luckily for John, Xander would always be willing to abandon his train of thought to talk about the girl he'd been in love with since she first moved to their school.

"What rumor?"

John smiled and twirled his pencil in his hand. "Rumor is that Mera is dating a guy from Kingdom Hills High."

Xander scrunched up his nose. "No way. I mean – didn't she just break up with Todd?"

"Yep," John nodded.

Xander groaned. "The one chance I had with her and now it's gone."

"Dude, you've never even talked to her before."

Xander narrowed his eyes, "Hey, I was randomly partnered with her for a history project a week ago. She was very nice to me."

John scoffed. "Nice doesn't equal affection."

Xander pouted. "You don't have to crush my dreams, man."

They were currently in their psychology class, where the sub had given up and put in headphones to block out the noise of all the students yelling and screaming. They hadn't had a real assignment in weeks. The class was a blow off.

John sighed and looked down at his phone. "Well, it's only a rumor."

He was right, but that still wasn't great for Xander. He didn't even know why he was so in love with a girl he barely spoke to. Maybe it was because Mera was exactly what any guy could want in a girl. She was a dream, and she definitely didn't disappoint. She was nice despite her popular status and no one was mean to her because of it. The only person who she was never nice to was her ex-BFF, who she coldly ignored in the halls. No one knew why they stopped talking, but it was enough of a reason for the rest of the student body to ignore her as well. Taylor Hale hadn't actually done anything to the students at Oakland, but she was exactly trying to fight her reputation either.

She used to be popular until the fallout. Now she was a loner who hung at the edge of the crowd. She quit cheerleading and quit speaking to anyone really. Taylor Hale was a curious person, but Xander was never going to ask what had happened between the two girls. Maybe it would damage his chances if he spoke to a girl his crush hated.