Super

Chapter 12

[Matt]

        Noah was gone when I woke up, which was to be expected, seeing as I woke up at one in the afternoon. I couldn't go to sleep the whole night, completely distracted by the thoughts plaguing me that I just couldn't push away.

        I had a major fucking crush on Noah.

        I had noticed it while we ice skated, with his hand in mine. His palm was sweaty, but I didn't mind. The contact sent sparks dancing down my spine and left me feeling empty when we finally stopped touching. And then, at the theater, I barely looked away from him. (Granted, this also may have been because of how terrified I was of the movie he had picked. But I digress.) Whenever he caught me staring, I would jerk my gaze away and try to hide the blush forming on my cheeks.

        It was like I had known how I felt for years, but just wouldn't let myself form it into a complete thought. And yet, there it was: I liked Noah.

        Not that anything was going to change. Me realizing it didn't mean I was going to act on it. After all, we had been so close since high school and I wasn't sure if I could live with myself if I ruined that. But still, I couldn't help but feel like the night before had been a date, even if Noah clearly didn't think the same. So, I did what I did best: ignored the issue and continued life in my perfect state of denial.

        So what if I had to resist the pressing urge to grab his hand whenever we were together? So what if I had to actively try not to kiss him whenever he started ranting about whatever was on his mind that day? I could do that. Easy.

        Besides, I couldn't focus on a relationship at the moment. I had an entire region to conquer.

        I was pushing the Noah thing out of my mind, at least until we had finally succeeded at our mission to take over the League of Heroes. Which wouldn't be long at all; I had been alerted that a team of heroes would be searching for The Champion to subdue him before he could steal anyone else's powers. Their effort was cute, but they had lost what they needed most: the element of surprise. Without that, it would be all too easy to stop them in their tracks. In fact, them being in a group would make it even more effortless to take them out.

        After that, there were only five left. And if all went according to plan, it would be all too easy to remove them from the picture, too. I hoped Talpa was one of the heroes remaining behind. I wanted to be there when he was finally shot down. And I wanted to be the one to pull the trigger.

         Metaphorically, of course. I didn't want to literally kill him. I wasn't a monster. But when I was through with him, he'll probably wish he was dead. Imperium had that effect on people.

         I wondered what Noah would think of this sadistic side of me. He would probably be disgusted by it. Who wouldn't? I was planning on hurting someone on the brink of death...who wouldn't be repulsed by that? If I was honest, even I felt nauseous at the thought of torturing someone so badly. But my resentment for Talpa overpowered any sympathy I would normally feel. Noah would probably think that made me insane.

         I shook my head. Noah would never find out. Not that it mattered, anyway. I didn't need his approval. Even if my heart was screaming that I did.

         I glanced down at my phone. Five o'clock. Noah had been gone for four hours, but I wasn't worried. He had texted me a couple of hours after I woke up saying that he had to go to the library for something and wouldn't be back at the dorm until later that evening. I had been watching The Office the whole day since I wasn't in the mood to spend time with any of my other friends. I had briefly considered going to my friend Nora's apartment, but the thought of any kind of human interaction made me feel sick. So I lost myself in season six, which I was watching for what had to be the thousandth time.