Peace and Grace

11. Maybe I Was Wrong

On Monday my friends are stuck working on an assignment for one of their sidekick classes over lunch, so that leaves me alone over the lunch break.

While I miss my friends and our lunch sessions, one of the only times I get to see them throughout the school day, it's okay cause I have some work myself that I could start on. I'm just planning on sitting at our usual table to work on that when I notice Warren's table, which had been empty for the past few days, suddenly occupied again. He's back.

Smiling, I make my way over. I'd rather not sit alone, and I'd rather not spend my lunch break doing my homework. He doesn't look up until I'm pulling out the chair across from him and sitting down, and he appears slightly startled. "Hey, how are you doing? Much better I'm guessing if you're back at school." I set my books down beside me and begin to unpack my lunch. "So, you got through the homework okay? I mean you didn't text or call or email me so I assumed-" The look he shoots me over his book is enough for me to go quiet.

I pull out an apple from my bag and begin eating it. I nod to his arm, still in a sling. "How's your shoulder?"

"Did I do or say something the other night to make you think this is okay?" he demands, a cold edge to his voice.

I'm taken aback, to say the least. "Um..."

"I don't want your pity," he spits, and turns back to his book.

I stare back at him for a moment before I swiftly gather my things and stand. "You know, I felt kind of bad, watching you, always alone, that people always avoid you. Well now I see why." And with that I storm off to the library. Looks like I'm sitting alone and doing that homework after all.

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I didn't get much work done. I was too angry to focus. Jerk. All I was was nice to him. He didn't have to push me out of the way of the falling ceiling. But he did. I have no idea why.

My first class after lunch is Heroes and Politics with Mr. Sparks. I've actually come to rather enjoy the class, despite my initial uncertainties, and all thanks to the teacher's enthusiasm. It's also a class I have with Warren.

When I arrive after the first bell rings I notice that Warren's sitting in his usual spot, scribbling away in his notebook like he always seems to be doing in class. I usually sit next to him but today I plop myself down in a front row seat. I just catch him look up at me, but I keep my back turned.

I have trouble focusing all through class too. At one point I look down at my hand sitting on the desk and watch as red energy swirls around my fingers. Red - yup, I'm angry.

I'm one of the last to leave in an attempt to avoid Warren again. This is pretty easy to do though, for he's always one of the first out of the door when the bell rings.

When I go to hand my homework in, Mr. Sparks says, "Thanks Nadia." I'm about to leave until he calls again, "Nadia, you said before that you're related to Jenna Grace, right?"

I grin, as I always do when talking about Aunt Jen. "Yeah, she's my Aunt Jen."

"Huh, a small world." He smiles, a warm smile. "We were in school together."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. Tell her hi from me."

I'm definitely sensing something, the way he smiles as he talks about her. I smile. "I will." Now I'm awfully curious.

So when I get home I make a point of 'casually' bringing it up.

"Hey Aunt Jen?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know a guy named Sparks?"

She takes no time to answer. "Johnny Sparks? Shocker?"

"Yeah. He's my Heroes and Politics teacher."

Her jaw drops. "He's that Mr. Sparks?! Really?!"

"Yeah. He asked me if we were related, cause he recognized our last name. Then he told me today that you went to school together."

Now she's smiling, and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear - this is just getting better and better. "Yeah, we were. He was a year ahead of me."

"Ooo Jen, liking the older guys!"

"One year! And hey, what did I say about liking him?" Though she's still smiling, and blushing now too.

"Jenna Grace, I don't need your power of reading people's emotions to tell how you're feeling right now! He spoke very fondly of you, and now you're speaking fondly of him, so..." I trail off, hoping this will prompt her to say something. She only grins and raises her eyebrows. "Jen!"

"So he's a teacher, huh? He was always really good at explaining things when he helped me with my homework..."

"Tell me! The suspense is killing me!"

She laughs. Then she disappears for a few minutes upstairs, returning with her high school yearbooks. "Okay, 'Sparks', last name beginning with 'S'..." She flips through the class photos until she finds his.

"So, you and Mr. Sparks..." I urge.

"Kind of. Maybe..."

"Jen!"

We spend the rest of the evening flipping through her yearbooks, laughing and chatting.

(I know, it's been FOREVER and I'm sorry! Fear not though, for I will finish this story eventually, I promise, no matter how long it takes! :) Question for you guys: I want Nadia to be a positive and happy character, just a little shy and nervous when it comes to her powers - is that coming across? I wasn't sure, so I thought I would check! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed - so sorry again for such a delay!)