Superheroes, Super Problems

*5* Not Sorry

Wednesday before school, I sat against my locker with Leighton stressed out about what was going to happen to Declan. I was biting my nails and watching the clock tick each second passing when Declan wasn't in the school.

"Hey," Leighton tapped my arm. I looked over to see her nodding her head to the side. I wasn't the only one looking at the boy who entered school and his betraying girlfriend trying to keep up with his strides.

"Declan, let me explain—"

"I don't need your explanation," he suddenly spun around to her when they stood in front of me and Leighton. Emma reached for his hand with one of hers and up to his face, but he looked away, refusing her touch.

"I love you—"

"I know," he hissed and then glanced around to people who began watching them. He looked down at her as I noticed Sutter start to near them. Declan sighed at Emma. "If you love me, you will leave me alone."

"But that's not—"

"Hey," Sutter breathed and nodded to the side.

"Babe," Emma whined when Declan turned his head. She pulled him back to her by his hand. "I love you and you're supposed to love me and even though I made a mistake, we're still supposed to be together—I love you—"

"Fine. Love me," he allowed and I saw his jaw clench and tick in anger. "But don't think that we're supposed to be together because we are not supposed to be together, Emma."

"You don't mean that," she whimpered.

"I do," Declan nodded. "After three years, I know for a fact that I mean this right now."

"Three years should make you want to be with me, not turn your back on me—"

"Turn my back on you?" he asked, poorly covering up an incredulous laugh. "Do you realize what you did last night? You tweeted my secret and—you know what? Screw it. If you want to talk about time, then fine. A year ago, I changed. We changed. I'm not going to pretend like it's a rough patch anymore. It doesn't matter if you love me or not because even if I did still love you, I wouldn't want to be with you. That's how dangerous this situation is, Emma."

"Hey, don't do this here," Sutter whispered moments too late. Even though I was sure Leighton and I had the clearest hearing range, what Declan said made sense. Sutter tried pulling at Declan, but he still loitered in front of a crying Emma as if he would twist the knife. "Dude. It's done. Let's go."

"It's not done," Declan muttered to him and then glanced down at me. "It just started."

***

After school and my detention, Leighton came home with me. I don't know why she was being a better friend to me than anyone else at the moment, but I appreciated it. But maybe I was showing her the same courtesy because she mentioned how her mom was out of town and I doubt anyone would want to be alone when the city was threatened this morning.

"So you think it's Declan," she said eating a handful of popcorn while I flipped through TV channels.

"I know it's Declan," I sighed. "How could I be so stupid? He had a girlfriend!"

"Hey, things change, okay," Leighton replied. "Sure, Declan had a girlfriend, but the Cavalier was the one sneaking into your room at night. You said there was something between you guys but never did anything so is it even cheating?"

"Um yes, falling for someone else other than your girlfriend would qualify as cheating," I nodded.

"But on these circumstances?" Leighton asked and I sighed stressfully. "Look, the couple I saw fighting today didn't exactly scream high school sweethearts. He said it himself that things changed between them. It could've been the Explosion or you, but they still changed and if their relationship was strong enough, Emma would've picked up on it in the beginning because I'm pretty sure every girl's first worry is that her boyfriend will cheat on her."