Sparks Fly [Book Two in the "Fire And Lighting" Series]

Chapter Thirty-Six- Regrets and Second Thoughts

April 9, 2016. 13:36.
Star City, Queen Mansion.
~~Willow~~

You should have told her, you should have told her.

I should have told her.

I slammed the front door shut, only wanting to go be alone in my room.

"Why didn't you tell her?"

Dinah stood on the stairs, waiting for me.

I rolled my eyes, already on the verge of exploding.

"Alright, I should have told her!" I growled. "Nightwing made me promise that I wouldn't tell!"

"Why didn't you tell us?" She asked. She sounded hurt. Deeply hurt. She had trusted me, and she was wondering why I didn't entrust her, in return, with this secret.

For a moment, my vision flashed red, but I barely caught it.

"What? You don't think I'm suffering from this too? I don't have to tell you everything that goes on in my life!"

"You should, Willow," Dinah begged, "I'm your mother!"

I glared at her, and she took a step back. "You are not my mother. You're just the woman who trained me and smothered me. My real mother is dead, and I am tired of you, and everyone else who thinks I need help!"

I ran up the rest of the stairs, leaving her slack-jawed at my outburst.

Alone in my room, with only Scarlett for comfort, I leaned against the door and cried.

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May 26, 2016. 21:21.
Blüdhaven.

I was flipping through channels on the TV. Home was too awkward a place to be, and this was the first time in days that Connor, Emma, and Richard were all not there. I couldn't face any of them right now.

"Hey, Will." I looked up, then scooted over on the couch to make room for Mal. He was Karen-less, as usual. It's strange, when we were in high school, the two were inseparable. But now...it seems the only time I ever saw the two of them together was at mission briefings.

"Hey." I replied quietly. "How are things going being the new Guardian?"

During the little incident where we lost the Hall of Justice, Mal found the suit that Roy's cousin used to wear, and used it to fool the alien attacking everyone. Nightwing and Captain Atom both thought that earned him an official spot on the team, fighting besides all of us.

"Well, good, I guess. I haven't really been on a mission yet, just been practicing the standard training that your mom taught me." I flinched, but he missed it.

"So, I-uh, wanted to ask you. How are things goin' with you and Connor, lately?"

There was the slightest pause in my channel-surfing, and I hoped Mal didn't catch it. "Why do you ask?"

Mal shrugged, "Well, I asked him where you've been these past few days and he said "I don't know," like he usually does, but in a slightly grumpier tone."

I sighed, stopping on the latest episode of "My Little Pony," the only thing I had the barest interest in that was playing at the moment. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Mal chuckled, and I elbowed him.

"I could ask the same about you and Karen. Where has she been, lately?"

It was Mal's turn to be quiet. "I don't wanna talk about it."

I laughed long and loud. It felt good to laugh. He shoved my shoulder and I shoved him back.