Superhero

Chapter 51

"Jeff..." Addison said as soon as she walked into the shop.
"Oh, hey," Jeff greeted with a small wave. "What's up?"
"I met the Superhero last night."
Jeff sighed. "At this point, I'm not even surprised."
"Yeah and neither was him. Picture this. I turned around and he was shaking his head at me, the definition of 'I'm so done with you'."
Jeff burst into laughter. "Really? That must've been quite the sight. Also, what did he rescue you from?"
"Was walking home and I-"
"Hold up," Jeff cut in. "Doesn't Jake pick you up or something?"
"He was stuck in traffic last night," Addison explained. "Anyway, as I was walking home last night, there was this psycho swinging a freaking machete in the bus stop at the front there."
Jeff stared at her, gaping. "A what? Machete?! Dude, are you serious? Wha- What happened? How did you get away? Did you tell the police? Did he get caught? Please don't tell me he's still on the loose!"
Addison shrugged. "Well, a police car slowed down towards him but Superhero teleported me home by that time. And yeah, I appeared home and stuff and he looked annoyed."
Jeff shook his head, still gaping. "Well, I'm just hoping he got caught. Shudder to think of a machete-swinging maniac loitering around Spring Valley..."
"I know right... but I think they caught him. Scary, right?"
"Yeah..." Jeff agreed. "Also, next time you meet this Superhero, please get his autograph for me? I've never seen him. Not once."
Addison snorted. "So long as he doesn't run away. Also, he left me a souvenir."
"What is it?" Jeff asked eagerly. "Figurine? Phone charm? Bookmark?"
"No, it's an Itchy-Bun wrapper," Addison smirked. "Must've dropped out of his pocket. Cheese flavour too."
Jeff pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Cheese-flavoured Itchy-Bun, huh? What does that bring to mind?"
"Jacob Kennedy..." they both said together.
"Yeah, I think it's him too," Addison sighed. "He came in pretty tired yesterday, almost drunk though he was sober. Fell asleep right away."
Jeff smacked a hand on the counter. "See what I mean? He is the Superhero! It all points to him. Itchy-Bun wrapper, reserved, doesn't talk much, tired. It's him. I'm telling you, it's him!"
Addison sighed and went to the shelf to grab a bun to eat. The yellow-wrapped cheese buns almost taunted her as she stared at the shelf. She resorted to taking a pizza-flavoured one instead. Jeff smirked, knowing the reason for her change of choice.
"Pizza?" Jeff snorted. "I thought you liked cheese?"
"Don't feel like cheese..." Addison sighed, putting a five-dollar note on the counter. "After all the cheese bun stuff..."
"I still think it's Jake," Jeff smirked, putting the money in the cash register. "He just seems like the one, acting sus, doesn't even smile. What more evidence do you need?"
"Seeing him under the mask," Addison calmly stuffed her change into her purse and ripped open her bun to eat. "Jeff, for all I know, it might even be Crawfish under that mask. It could even be you."
Jeff furrowed his brows in confusion. "Me? Dude. What? Why me?"
Addison shrugged. "Just saying. It could be anyone under that mask. How are we to know?"
"Well, I guess you're right," Jeff shrugged, sitting down on his stool. "Maybe I'll try to rip his mask off when I meet him."
"Dude, that's harassment," Addison pointed out. "Superhero would teleport you straight to the police if you do that. You know how they arrest anyone the Superhero brings in without questions, right?"
"As far as I know, the criminals beg to be arrested or something."
"Why's that?"
Jeff shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they're scared that the Superhero is out to get them?"
"Or maybe the policemen force the truth out of them so they confess?"
"That might be true too. After all, if the Superhero brings them in, there must be a valid reason, right?"
"Yep," Addison nodded. "Anyway, my shift's about to start."
"Yeah you get ready first," Jeff pointed out. "I can only clock out once you're ready."
Addison nodded, stuffed the rest of the bun into her mouth, and made her way to the room to change into her uniform for her shift.

"Fio..." Addison called as soon as Fiolina walked in.
"Why the long face?" Fiolina asked, slightly concerned. "Did something happen?"
"Fio, I don't know what to think now," Addison sighed. "Remember my landlady's son? Jordan's friend that always comes to pick me up?"
"Yeah?"
"Well... there's this suspicion that he's the Superhero. And there's evidence to support it..."
"Like what?" Fiolina smirked, making her way to the chips section to grab some snacks.
Addison waited until she came back to the counter before continuing. "Superhero dropped a cheese Itchy-Bun wrapper last night. Besides, Jake came in really tired last night and conked out on the couch straight away."
Fiolina shrugged. "Who knows?"
"He knows. That's who knows."
"True..." Fiolina agreed. "But hey, if he really is the Superhero, respect to him."
Addison agreed and somehow the subject changed into something way more casual.

Jake shuffled in very close to the end of Addison's shift and got himself a bunch of Itchy-Buns.
And then he waited.
"My boss let me off a little earlier today," Jake grinned. "So I came here to pick you up."
Addison smiled and waited for the last few minutes of her shift to end. Fiolina quietly sat, reading a manga on her phone. Addison snorted, knowing full well why.
She was afraid that he might snitch to her boyfriend if she does anything stupid.

"So... have you ever met the Superhero?" Addison asked as Jake drove.
Jake nodded slightly. "Only once."
"What happened?"
"He saved me from a collision and teleported me a few hundred metres away. Nothing much."
"When was this?" Addison couldn't help but ask. "I don't think I saw this on the news?"
"Well, then I guess it's one of the ones that just didn't make it," Jake simply shrugged. "Anyway, that girl just now. That's Jordan's girlfriend, isn't it?"
"Yeah? What about her?"
"I dunno... she seems a little... weird?"
"Why's that?"
"I have no idea. Just think so."
Addison snorted. "She's a little scared that you'll tell Jordan if she does anything stupid, especially since her face was covered in chocolate the first time you came in."
"Oh... I didn't even notice that."
"Good thing too."
They arrived home and saw Jordan standing in the living room with a brown package in his hands, looking nervous.
"What are you doing?" Jake sighed, knowing full well he was planning something. "Hope it isn't something stupid."
"Jake, your mother has been greatly pissed at me for some unknown reason since the first day I'm staying here," Jordan frowned. "Why's that?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Jake shrugged. "Anyway, what are you planning?"
Jordan just shook the package he was holding.
"What is that?" Addison asked, amused. "You got her a gift?"
"Yep!" Jordan grinned. "I painted a picture of her. Got it done the other day but forgot to give it to her."
"You painted a picture of Mom?" Jake asked in surprise. "Why?"
"Peace offering," Jordan shrugged. "For something even I have no clue about. Addie, you noticed, right? She said she would evict me if I tracked mud into the house but let the new tenant scot-free?"
"Yeah, I remember," Addison nodded. "She just silently started mopping the mess up. Jake, did she say anything to you that night? You dragged mud in too."
Jake frowned, shaking his head. "No... she didn't. She was just complaining about the new tenant."
"See what I mean?!" Jordan blurted out. "She hates me, dude! I don't know why, but she hates me!"
Jake sighed. "Actually, she hated you since day one."
"Why?!" Jordan demanded desperately.
Jake nervously scratched the back of his head, then sighed in defeat. "She thinks you're a bad influence on me."
"What?!" Jordan gasped. "But... but I didn't even do anything!"
"She doesn't like the fact that you go drinking sometimes," Jake shrugged. "And when I came in drunk once, she assumed it was because of you."
Jordan started arguing that he never once thought about spoiling Jake too. Addison eventually stepped in and pushed the redhead into the dining hall.