The Pain Thief

Chapter 9

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Jack walked home alone that day, pondering a few things. Zoe and him had fought a haze earlier, and the only reason he had been able to defeat it was because of Zoe. It wasn't that he didn't like her fighting, it was that he wanted to protect her, and as of late, had found that he couldn't. 

These new haze were tough. They were something neither of them could defeat on their own. 

Jack sighed. He had always loved having Zoe fight by his side, but hated that she was in so much pain. Taking pain was her power, she always said that, but he knew it still hurt her. 

She had told him a long time ago that she thought her hair was white because of the strain she endured with her healing. All he knew was that it had been white for as long as he'd known her. 

Jack had met Zoe when they were only kids. It was a rainy night and he wanted to go run around in the rain, but his mother wouldn't let him. When she had gotten a phone call, he slipped out. His dad was watching Sarah and Jana, so he didn't see either. 

He ran around in the rain for a little while, feeling happy and uplifted. He was laughing when he saw something in the road in front of him. 

His happy mood faded as he approached cautiously. Jack was surprised to see a girl there who was probably his age. She was dressed in a thin dress that was completely soaked through. What surprised him the most though was her shockingly white hair that shone in sharp contrast to the dark pavement. 

She wasn't moving, so he went over and spoke to her, shaking her a little. By that time, he was also soaked through, but he wanted to help her. 

She started mumbling about not being able to help someone and he decided he would take her home, so he did. 

From that day on, the two of them had been very close. There was something about Zoe that Jack just felt himself drawn to, but could never quite put his finger on it. He never expected her to have powers like he did, but was pleasantly surprised. 

He'd noticed his power when he was only about seven, a year before he met Zoe. If he thought about it, sword appeared in his hands, but he never told anyone about it. He loved his family so much and didn't want them to think he didn't belong. They had never given him any indication they'd think that, but this wasn't about his dark hair, this was about his superhuman powers. 

That's why it was such a relief to share that part of his life with Zoe, and Mr. Z as well. The both of them made things interesting, that was for sure. 

Jack smiled, remembered when Zoe had tried getting back in through the bathroom window. They had a lot of good times together, but he noticed that his heart started skipping beats when he was near her sometimes or that his face would get red or that he'd mix up his words. It had never happened to him before then with Zoe, so he wondered why it was happening now. 

He sighed again, almost at his home. Jack definitely worried about Zoe sometimes. He knew that when she got really quiet, she would be thinking of her parents, like that morning. He'd never met them, but assumed they had to be good people if Zoe got that sad look in her eyes every time she thought about them. 

Jack was happy she had gotten to feeling better, but didn't think it was absolutely necessary for her to get punched in the face. 

Even with her ability to heal, he still worried about her, knowing that with every wound she healed, she felt the same amount of pain. Sure, it was her burden, but he didn't want to do anything to make it harder to bear. 

Jack took out his key and opened the front door, locking it behind him and walking into the kitchen to grab an apple to eat. He knew Zoe had a point in making sure he went home, but he wanted to make sure she didn't get sad like that again. She was strong though, and would tell him when she was ready. 

He went up to his room and collapsed on his bed, sighing as he got out some books and began doing some homework. Another haze could appear at any moment, so he might as well get some things done. 

Some time later, he looked up, seeing his mom enter the room. Jack sat up, giving her a smile. He loved his family more than anything and didn't like to argue with them a lot. Until he met Zoe, he didn't know how lonely it could get without a mom and a dad. She had Mr. Z, but a seventy year old man isn't exactly the same. He knew if he hadn't been adopted right away, he could've been living in a much worse situation and appreciated it. 

"Hey mom," he said. 

She stepped in, closing the door behind her, and sat next to him on his bed. "Where's Zoe, Jack? She didn't come over today?"

He shook his head. "She said it'd be a good idea if I got home quick today."

His mother smiled and chuckled lightly before getting up to straighten things up, like every mother does. "Was she lonely over the weekend?"

Jack shrugged. "Yeah. You know how it gets for her sometimes."

His mom nodded sadly and turned to him. "I'm happy nonetheless that you both obeyed my rules this weekend. You two are always together, so I'm sure it was good to have some time apart."

Jack shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips. His mom always hinted that they should be together, but he never said anything about it. 

She gave him a small smile before closing the door behind her and leaving him alone once again. 

***

It was quiet that night at the Browns' house. All of Sarah's friends had gone home and Zoe hadn't come over either. Jack wanted her to stay home since he knew she was tired from the shields she had to put up to protect him from the haze. He actually liked having her there for him when they fought instead of hanging back. He felt safer. 

"So Jack." Jack looked up at the sound of his father's voice. "We got a call today saying you missed your sixth hour and most of your seventh hour. What happened?"

Jack swallowed at the firm tone in his dad's voice. He looked to his mom, who shrugged, saying, "I was going to ask you about it earlier, but your father wanted to be here."

"Wow is Jack missing classes?" said Sarah teasingly. 

He sighed. Everyone else knew about the punch and Sarah would find out eventually anyway, so he might as well tell them. "Well," he started, "you know how people make fun of Zoe right?"

His mother sighed. "You didn't get in another fight, did you?"

"Er, not me this time..."

"Zoe got in a fight?" said Sarah surprised. "But that girl never fights!"

Jack had to hold back a laugh at the comment. Zoe was actually a really good fighter, but she never fought anyone who she didn't have to. 

"Zoe actually... kind of started this one," Jack said, much to the surprise of his family. 

"Why?" asked Jana. Jana looked up to Zoe and Jack didn't have a hard time understanding why. He even looked up to her sometimes, especially with the way she could control her temperament. 

"One of the girls was making fun of her again. I missed class because that girl punched her in the mouth and we had to go to the nurse."

Sarah looked at him quizzically. "How would that take two class periods?"

"Uh," he rubbed the back of his neck. "We uh had to sit down for some time because she was a little light-headed."

Thankfully his family accepted that excuse, but he had a sinking feeling that the principal wouldn't be so lenient with Zoe, especially since she really did start the fight this time.