Night in the City of Paper

Super

We walked home from school together, my stride slower and calmer than her antsy, irregular ones. I watched the way her feet hopped easily over cracks, with a larger or smaller one every now and then to compensate for the space lost. She spun on her heel and started to walk backward. He hair curly brown hair bounced along with her steps

"It's cold out here." She laughed, pulling her tan field jacket tighter around her. Her breath smelt like peppermint.

"Oh no, you are talking about the weather. What is it this time?" I joked. She spun back, forgetting her stepping ritual.

"Just noticing, I notice a lot of things." She said. Did she know? No way.

"Like what?" I mocked. How could she know? She was taking forensic classes as her elective. She said it was either to be a professional investigator or the worlds best serial killer.  But what could she find?

"I noticed that you were late to school, three days in a row." She said.

"Wow, great job Sherlock. I'm sorry that my house is more chaotic than a battlefield." I replied sarcastically.

"Coincidently, three different stores were robbed at gunpoint, before you made it to school. It was unsuccessful." She stated, looking at me knowingly.

"Are you suggesting that I robbed a store at gunpoint," I responded. I felt my shoulders slack.

"Quite the opposite actually. You have much higher-" She paused, "- moral standards than I do. Even I wouldn't rob a bank. Well, not yet, I'm working on that bit. Sorry, focus. I-I know who you are." She murmured. 

"What? Me, no. You're crazy ." I stuttered.

She breathed a laugh. "Oh cut that bull. It's so obvious. Even the fact that you responded in such a way proves my point." She said with the wave of her hand. "I won't tell anyone. But I want to make a deal."

A...Deal?" I asked, my brow creasing.

"Yes. I get to be your supervillain." I stopped walking. I probably stopped breathing. I just looked at her. What the? Was she serious?

"Well, the worst thing you can do is stare." She laughed nervously. I opened my mouth and closed it again.

"Do you think this is a game?" She opened her mouth. I cut her off. "No seriously. I risk my life every day for the good of this city and you just want to fight me for it?" I asked.

"Essentially, yes." She responded.

"Rather nice, the weather." A familiar voice whispered. I turned. There was a girl hovering in mid-air outside the rail of the water tower. Her dark hair fell past her shoulders in curls. A cloak hooded her eyes and most of her body.

"Yes. Very windy wouldn't you say. " I twirled my finger. A breeze caught and lightly blew into the girls face.

"Simply childish Anemoi. Beautiful view though." She said. The view from the water tower was breathtaking. The sun was nearly set over the city, highlighting the grooves and edges of the buildings.

"Oh no. What is it?" I laughed. She lowered herself inside the rail and sat next to me. She laughed and shook her head.

"I guess you will have to notice start noticing." She smiled.

"Noticing what? Crap, Jaden, you finally did it. You killed someone. Oh god. Crap. What do-" Jaden grabbed my hand.

"No, I didn't kill anyone." She smiled.

"What is it?" I asked, blushing.

"You're hopeless you know." Jaden stood and grabbed my hand. She pulled me up and slowly lowered her cloak's hood, revealing her face.

She held my hands in hers. The water tower grew darker as the sun lowered. She leaned forward and grabbed my shirt's collar. I inhaled sharply. Her breath smelt like peppermint.

"I'm your supervillain. You will survive the fall." She murmured. The smile faded from my face. She extended her arms and pushed my back. Time slowed. My unbalanced body fell right through the flimsy rail. 

She waved at me and popped her hood over her face. I was still falling. I relaxed my body. All I could think of was how dead I was going to be if mom found out. I hit the ground and like a light, I was out.

But she was right, I didn't die. I suffered catastrophic body damage, but luckily no major organs were damaged. She went on to cause destruction in the city as everyone wondered "What happened to Anemoi of the winds?" The truth is.... only Jaden knows.