Origins

2:26 p.m.

I paced outside the restaurant angrily. I can't leave Alessandra for long because I still have my job to protect her and to make sure she doesn't blab about the superhero world. But that won't stop me from angrily pacing for a while.

I thought about the argument. I meant what I said about quitting being a detective. Who needs me anyways? She can find another assistant who is more like her. An uncaring airhead.
Did I really mean that?
This is the first real argument we've really had. I mean we've had arguments about the giant filing cabinet if she can keep a jar of eyeballs on the desk, and things like that. But never an argument so personal.
Well, maybe that's because she didn't really care until now. Great.
You know what, this is stupid. I'm just gonna go in there and put this argument in the past. The important thing is Alessandra becomes the hero she's meant to be and blah blah blah.
I walked to the door and pulled it opened. The cashier looked excited like he expected more entertainment (was he always holding that bag of popcorn?) and the two teens gave me an unpleasant look as I walked back over to the table where Alessandra sat. Our food had arrived since I'd been outside. I sat down and looked at Alessandra. She was picking at her fries unhappily.
She looked up, her gray eyes glinting.
"Look, we have more important things to worry about. You need to decide if you want powers, after that we can go back to disliking each other." I said trying to be business-like. "My job is to protect and help you. I didn't mean to make you feel betrayed when you found out what I was. I was not, and would never betray your trust for information, please believe me when I say that."
"I believe you," she said, her voice hard. "and," she looked like she was trying to swallow a fat frog. "I'm sorry," she muttered.
"I know and- Wait for what?" I must've miss heard. Alessandra said she's sorry? But, she's never- to anyone. What?
She read my confused look and explained.
"I'm apologizing for not trying harder to be your friend, you have been a great friend to me Seth and I took you for granted. I didn't realize that I thought of you that way until you walked out the door and I didn't know if you would come back. When you asked me about myself I didn't think much of it until I found out what you were today. Then I thought you only asked those things because you were getting information. I'm sorry." I looked at her in disbelief. She did look sorry.
"Um . . ." I didn't really know what to say. This was the first time she'd ever said sorry to me. Well to anyone that I've ever heard. "I-it's ok. It's behind us now. Let's move on."
We were silent for a while as we ate our food. The cashier had gotten bored waiting for us to argue and was now sitting in a chair he pulled behind the counter, snoozing. I finally broke the silence.
"I want to tell you about my powers," I said, uncertainly.
"Seth you don't have to-" she started.
"No, it's ok," I said, this time more certain. I wasn't quite sure why I was so eager to share, but I was.
"Ok," she said uneasily. "Then I want to know about your history with the Council. Really know."

Do try and hurry Seth," she demanded. "She is dying after all and we don't have all day."