you name it, for any sightings of you. You need to lay low. Got me?" Midnight says.
"Yeah. I got it." That's a lot easier said than done. Ever since I got these bands, trouble seems to find me rather than the other way around.
"Good. Now get to work. You're going to be late."
I pull into the parking lot for the lake with a whole minute to spare. Already, today is going about a million times better than the rest of my week. Since summer is still just starting, the lake isn't open yet, which means today is just orientation for staff. Should be nice and easy. How long can it take them to explain to me how to pick up garbage and throw it in a bin?
I lock the car and walk towards the entrance gate when I feel a hand grab my side. This is it. The Controller's found me somehow. I spin around in an instant and already have my arms out ready to summon my metabands.
"Ahhh!" Sarah screams.
Whoops. Turns out it's not a horrific monster or a meta-enhanced super villain. In fact, it's the girl I have an embarrassingly large crush on. And I've just scared the ever-loving crap out of her.
"You scared the ever-loving crap out of me!" she says.
"Oh my God. I'm so sorry," I plead.
"No, it's my fault. I was just trying to kid around. I saw you park, my car's right behind yours," she says.
"Ugh, I'm so embarrassed. I'm sorry again. I'm just on edge a little bit, you know. First day at the new job. Haven't really been sleeping all that much," I try to explain.
"Don't worry about it. I haven't been sleeping much lately either. I was absolutely glued to the news and ViewNow last night, watching all this new metahuman stuff. It's insane isn't it? I mean, we're barely old enough to remember that first wave of metas, but-"
She trails off. There's silence between us for a moment, before I realize that she's just remembered the story of my parents and how they died.
"Oh. Oh. No. It's fine. Don't worry about it. That was a long time ago. I don't really associate metas with... that. I wouldn't be able to function if that were the case. Hell, you should see my brother. He's absolutely obsessed with metas. I don't think he's slept this week," I try to reassure her.
"Whew. Okay. I thought I'd just stuck my entire foot in my mouth. I have a tendency to do that sometimes," she explains.
I already know she has a tendency to stick her foot in her mouth. It's not just sometimes, it's kinda all the time. It's also kinda adorable.
"Have you heard about this new meta that trashed downtown last night?" she asks.
There's a definite smirk on my face. Shit. Eh, whatever.
"Yeah. Yes. Yes. I have," I stutter.
We begin walking together towards the gate to the lake area.
"What's your take?" she asks.
"My take? Oh. Uh. I dunno. Seems like he's a pretty good guy. I saw some of that footage from last night, and it seems like he did a pretty good job taking out whatever that thing was," I say.
"Eh. I think he's over-rated," she nonchalantly replies.
"What do you mean?" I ask, almost choking as I begin. Over-rated? They're super powers! What are they being rated against?
"I dunno. The media's going all gaga over him just because he's got a bunch of powers. There's lots of metas that have multiple powers, what makes him so special?" she asks, and it's not a bad point.
"That's fair, but it's not like he has any control over how the media portrays him," I argue.
"Whatever. I'm sure he's feeling very pleased with himself and smug about all of this," she says. "Anyway, excited about your first day here?"
"Me? Oh yeah. Super excited. Can't wait in fact," I say.
"Awesome. You're going to love it here. I had no idea you were even a lifeguard," she says.
Dammit.
"Oh. I'm not a lifeguard actually. I'm cleanup crew," I say.
There's a few steps of silence.
"Oh. Well, that's fun too, right? You're
"Yeah. I got it." That's a lot easier said than done. Ever since I got these bands, trouble seems to find me rather than the other way around.
"Good. Now get to work. You're going to be late."
I pull into the parking lot for the lake with a whole minute to spare. Already, today is going about a million times better than the rest of my week. Since summer is still just starting, the lake isn't open yet, which means today is just orientation for staff. Should be nice and easy. How long can it take them to explain to me how to pick up garbage and throw it in a bin?
I lock the car and walk towards the entrance gate when I feel a hand grab my side. This is it. The Controller's found me somehow. I spin around in an instant and already have my arms out ready to summon my metabands.
"Ahhh!" Sarah screams.
Whoops. Turns out it's not a horrific monster or a meta-enhanced super villain. In fact, it's the girl I have an embarrassingly large crush on. And I've just scared the ever-loving crap out of her.
"You scared the ever-loving crap out of me!" she says.
"Oh my God. I'm so sorry," I plead.
"No, it's my fault. I was just trying to kid around. I saw you park, my car's right behind yours," she says.
"Ugh, I'm so embarrassed. I'm sorry again. I'm just on edge a little bit, you know. First day at the new job. Haven't really been sleeping all that much," I try to explain.
"Don't worry about it. I haven't been sleeping much lately either. I was absolutely glued to the news and ViewNow last night, watching all this new metahuman stuff. It's insane isn't it? I mean, we're barely old enough to remember that first wave of metas, but-"
She trails off. There's silence between us for a moment, before I realize that she's just remembered the story of my parents and how they died.
"Oh. Oh. No. It's fine. Don't worry about it. That was a long time ago. I don't really associate metas with... that. I wouldn't be able to function if that were the case. Hell, you should see my brother. He's absolutely obsessed with metas. I don't think he's slept this week," I try to reassure her.
"Whew. Okay. I thought I'd just stuck my entire foot in my mouth. I have a tendency to do that sometimes," she explains.
I already know she has a tendency to stick her foot in her mouth. It's not just sometimes, it's kinda all the time. It's also kinda adorable.
"Have you heard about this new meta that trashed downtown last night?" she asks.
There's a definite smirk on my face. Shit. Eh, whatever.
"Yeah. Yes. Yes. I have," I stutter.
We begin walking together towards the gate to the lake area.
"What's your take?" she asks.
"My take? Oh. Uh. I dunno. Seems like he's a pretty good guy. I saw some of that footage from last night, and it seems like he did a pretty good job taking out whatever that thing was," I say.
"Eh. I think he's over-rated," she nonchalantly replies.
"What do you mean?" I ask, almost choking as I begin. Over-rated? They're super powers! What are they being rated against?
"I dunno. The media's going all gaga over him just because he's got a bunch of powers. There's lots of metas that have multiple powers, what makes him so special?" she asks, and it's not a bad point.
"That's fair, but it's not like he has any control over how the media portrays him," I argue.
"Whatever. I'm sure he's feeling very pleased with himself and smug about all of this," she says. "Anyway, excited about your first day here?"
"Me? Oh yeah. Super excited. Can't wait in fact," I say.
"Awesome. You're going to love it here. I had no idea you were even a lifeguard," she says.
Dammit.
"Oh. I'm not a lifeguard actually. I'm cleanup crew," I say.
There's a few steps of silence.
"Oh. Well, that's fun too, right? You're
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