VOID

Origin Stories

The next morning I dragged myself out of bed. I really wanted to sleep in since I had stayed up until three in the morning making notes, doing research and trying to practice my superhero speech that I would give to Dave when I met up with him as Kick-Ass. It was important to the integrity of my article that he did not know who I was in my super identity, to keep the information he would give me unbiased. It was also important to win his trust, but a part of me felt guilty for using him like that. He had truly tried to be nice both times we had interacted, but I didn't have time for friends. I needed to get my degree and establish myself. But still I was excited at the prospect of seeing him at school. After I showered I threw on blue jeans, my favorite spider-man shirt, my chuck Taylor's, and my glasses. On my way out of the door my landlord stopped me, "Next time your friend hangs outside the complex late at night I'm calling the cops." Mr. Lewis  was a skinny middle aged man with creepy long fingers that he pointed in your face when he spoke. "I would make sure to tell my friend that if I had any Mr. Lewis," I rolled my eyes and tried to walk past him. "I'm serious young lady-" he started back at me, "he is gonna give people the wrong idea out there with his mask and costume." I froze. "Mr.lewis, was the costume green?" I asked. "So you do know the kid, tell him he can either come up to your room or see you in the morning. I don't want to be any part of that nonsense." I was dumbfounded. Until I remembered Dave saying, ‘Just promise me you'll go home and stay safe.’ "Won't happen again Mr. Lewis," I said pushing myself out the door. Did Dave really care about me enough to make sure I made it home okay and why did it make me feel happy?

  I finally made my way over to the tech building for my first class. Dave was standing up against the wall just at the top of the stairs with headphones on and a coffee in his hands. He hadn't seen me yet but I could feel my heart race the same way it did when I knew I was in trouble as a kid. Why did he have this effect on me? I tried to walk past him without speaking, because frankly I didn't know what I would say to him. How are you? Great, last night I followed you to the alley and watched you change into your Kick-Ass costume, because haha I know you’re Kick-Ass.

  "Oh hey, what's up partner?" His voice had a way of drawing me in though. I would like to think it was the hard hitting journalist in me that was so captivated by my story that made Dave so interesting to me. But I was open to ideas of something else. "HI!" What. An. Idiot. I'm sure the whole department heard me shriek. "You're very chipper this morning," he smiled. "Yeah well don't get used to it," I said, trying to get a grip on myself. Dave smiled, "Oh trust me I wasn't it honestly kinda freaked me out, nice doesn't fit you well." I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I um, I got this for you," he said, handing me the coffee cup. "What is it?" I asked skeptical of the drink. "Well yesterday I realized you're not much of a morning person, and at the shop you didn't drink coffee, you were drinking hot chocolate, so I thought we could drink coffee together in the mornings, but I kinda got thirsty on the way over here." Wow. I had to admit at that moment I felt my eyes watering. It was pretty stupid to cry over hot chocolate that wasn't even spilled, but not even my parents took the time to learn things like that about me. 

 He looked at my face and suddenly his expression began to drop, "Oh geez I'm so stupid I probably should have asked first what you wanted, you totally don't have to drink it." The next thing I did was completely out character for me but I couldn't help it. I grabbed the hot chocolate and hugged Dave. I could tell it caught him off guard but he slowly wrapped his arms around me too. "This is really thoughtful of you," I said, letting a few tears fall to my cheeks. "No problem," he said, slightly rubbing my back. 

 Dave was nice and warm. A comfort I had longed for my whole life. Part of me wished I could have stayed in his arms forever. But he was the subject of my story and I had already gotten too close. I pulled away to see Dave smiling at me, but analytically, as if he was trying to figure out the deepest parts of me. I took a deep breath, and swallowed my emotions, "Next time you could get marshmallows though." He laughed and we told each other we'd link up later.