Under the Radar

This is a Public Service Announcement

Without the need of a cover, I know he would go back to him life as a superstar. My suspicions were confirmed when I turned on the TV to E! News down in the lounge. Sure enough, a clip of Matt showed up at his first concert after coming out of hiding.

"Making number one on our most shocking today, Matt Jason broke out into tears in the middle of his hit song; In My Dreams," the news reporter said. I sat up and turned up the TV in the lounge as they showed the clip. He was doing what he normally did on stage, but his smile was tight. In the middle of the song, his voice cracked and he stopped singing. A close up showed his eyes tear up and spill over. He wiped them quickly and asked the music to be cut.

"I'm sorry... I can't," he said quietly to someone offstage. Turning back to the audience, he sighed. "I'm sorry... I-I got to experience what it's like to be a... normal guy for a... well, more than a few months. No one knew who I really was, so I blended in.  It was fun, but the homework was boring." He chuckled slightly and put his hands in his front pockets. He sighed again into his head-microphone and took a step forward.

"There was also this... this amazing girl. She was funny, kind... protective... and beautiful. At first she didn't like me very much. I think she even called me a brat at once," he smiled, looking down a bit. "I pretended that I needed help with my homework, or say anything so she would stay over my house every day. I even asked her to stay once, saying that I thought there were monsters under my bed. One day, about four months or so after I met her, I decided to tell her how I felt, and how I still feel about her. Things got... complicated. It was a lot like the story of Romeo and Juliet, but the only difference is that... I never got to see her again; not even in afterlife. And I'll probably never get to see her again, but that doesn't change my feelings for her. She made everything seem... real; like my whole life has been a dream and I was asleep the whole time. She woke me up, and this song just... makes me think about her. Because after everything... I still love her, and I miss her more than anything."

The TV was suddenly turned off. I looked up to see Katy with the remote. I realized that tears of my own were spilling down my face. Katy gave me a sympathetic smile. I tried to get the remote from her, but she pulled it away in time.

"It's no use Marissa. You know Headmaster's rules. He wouldn't let you see him again anyway, so what's the point of watching his pain when you can't do anything about it," she shrugged. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I knew she was right, but the ache was stronger than ever at this moment.

I doubled up on my side and clutched my chest, trying to will the pain away. I closed my eyes tightly as the tears streamed out of them. I was suddenly picked up. I turned into the person and rested my head on their shoulder. The person walked a bit before I was set down on something soft. I opened my eyes to see Katy, Derrick, and Vy hovering over me. Derrick was probably the one who carried me. I was on my bed in my room. Vy gave me a sympathetic look and Katy looked worried. Derrick looked like I did; hurt.  I knew that was a pesky side effect of his ability. If the emotion was strong enough and he knew the person well, he would feel what they were feeling wholeheartedly. Everyone looked like they wanted to say something, but I closed my eyes and turned other on my other side. I heard them all sigh almost simultaneously.

"Thank you, Derrick," I heard Katy say quietly. The door then opened and closed. Vy and Katy left me alone, but a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.  It opened and words started spilling in my ears at once.

"Why wasn't Matt wiped of you? You know the rules. If he got feelings for you he was supposed to be wiped. Now, he's announced your presence on National television. Our whole organization could be blown because-" Headmaster started, but stopped when he actually turned the corner and saw me. I cringed at his words, but I was already in so much pain that it didn't even matter. I kept my eyes closed and stayed completely still. I heard him sigh.

"Is she asleep?" he whispered to the girls. I heard them answer no. Sighing, I turned to look at him and opened my eyes. He immediately gave me a sympathetic look. He sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed. "This... is really hurting you, isn't it?" he asked quietly. Wiping my tear streaked face, I nodded. Closing his eyes, he shook his head.

"I was afraid of this," he said softly. I closed my eyes and turned over, not wanting to hear anymore. He got up and left our room. Vy's words broke through my train of thought first.

"Iz?" she asked unsurely. I turned and looked at her. She gave me a sympathetic look. It was so different than her usual emotionless expression that it took me by surprise a bit. It also surprised me that she used Katy's nickname for me. "Did that video really make you that upset?" she asked. I sat up and nodded; putting my back against the wall behind me.

"I thought... I thought it would be okay. That I was the equivalent to a summer fling and he would forget about me over time and find someone else and eventually, I would move on and forget about it as well," I sighed and shrugged. Closing my eyes briefly, I tried to will the growing ache in my chest away again.

When it was obvious that it wouldn't go away, I opened my eyes and continued. "I was hovering on the brink, and every day, I was taking a step back. But seeing him... like that... saying what he did... it pushed me right over the edge. I know that I'm still young and I have a whole life to live and I have to focus on my job, but... I can't seem to bring myself out of it." I sighed and closed my eyes, resting my head on the wall as well now. I felt Vy and Katy's get on the bed and wrap their arms around me. I looked at them both. Katy had small tears in her eyes. I wiped some away and chuckled softly through my tears.

"Why are you crying?" I asked smiling sadly. A few more tears fell down her cheeks and she looked back at me.

"It's just so... romantic and sad," she replied. I started laughing through my tears. It had been a while since I laughed and it felt good to have something else besides work and Matt on my mind. When my laughter died down, I squeezed Katy tightly.

"Thank you," I said softly referring to her preoccupying me. Her face looked confused but she hugged me back just as tightly and didn't ask any questions. Vy laughed a bit as well and went to her vanity. That night, we watched movies all night.