► in which a boy tries not to be a villain, and a girl tries not to be innocent. ◄
In this fickle universe, you are marked from birth as either a hero, villain, or innocent.
Even the doctors don't know your result, and it doesn't sh...
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R I V E R is just as smart as I thought. Almost too smart for this operation, as there are still many secrets I must keep. It can be exhausting trying to keep so many secrets from people, but I am used to it. It is all part of being able to execute perfect control over yourself.
Strangely enough, when I am around River, my sense of control seems to disappear. Habits I thought I have eradicated resurface and expressions I thought I had learned to repress flicker across my face.
Like I said, she is dangerous. Not because she has any abilities herself, but because she adapts to be able to combat people who do have them. She has already learned how to block telepaths and how to conduct tests to determine who is an innocent and who is not, all of her own accord. I found that out yesterday when she discovered my ability.
And what if she finds out I am marked as a villain? What would she do, what would she say? She is already so close to discovering my secret...after all, if you have abilities you can only be two things: a hero or a villain. It is only a matter of time before I am forced to reveal to someone what the ink on my wrist spells out. I only hope it isn't River, for her sake.
With training and homework done, I decide to head over and "visit" my mother at work, hoping to dig something up. I pull my hair back into a man bun and grab my car keys, heading out the front door and into the brisk autumn air. Though it is only the beginning of September, the temperature has already dropped enough so that it's sweater season.
I get into my car and start the ignition, peering quickly in the mirror and flashing a smile to prep for my performance at the company. My fake smile fades suddenly when I see a familiar face running up to my car from behind. She opens the door and slides in, grinning impishly.
"River? What are you doing here?" I manage to ask, blinking in surprise.
"You gave me your address to meet tomorrow, but I wanted to come with you. I didn't know if you'd left yet, and it looks like I caught you just in time," she replies breathlessly, looking down into her lap but still smiling. Her cheeks are rosy from the weather, framing her lovely face.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea?" I ask, rubbing the back of my neck. "I mean, no one knows you there. What are we gonna say?"
"Yeah," she flips down the passenger mirror and begins fixing her wind blown hair. "We can think of something. Like what's your story? I would say that we have to work together on a research project centering on her company or something."
"Oh," I shrug, about to run my hand though my hair before I realize it's up, so I let it drop onto the steering wheel and pull out of my driveway. "That's actually not a bad idea."
