SuperVillain

11

"Leila! Leila!" I woke up at my desk. Ugh. I feel asleep again. Mason and Sunny were staring at me. "Leila! Thank goodness you're okay!" Sunshine ran over to my chair and hugged me.

"What happened?" Mason sat across from me, and Sunshine sat next to him.

I tried to remember what they were talking about, because I had no idea.

Oh, wait. I'd been "captured" by Lightinga and The Evil Lightning Lord.

"Oh, it was horrid!" I cried, lying once more. At this point, it wasn't difficult at all. "They locked me up, and it was so dark I couldn't see at all. Then, the door opened, and this girl... she might as well have been my twin, but she was so covered it was too hard to tell what she looked like. Then she just threw me into the street, saying she didn't need me anymore."

I felt the warm arms of Mason and Sunny around me. It was nice, but... I was still empty on the inside.

Completely empty, knowing none of it was real. Their friend Leila isn't real.

I'm not real.

So neither is their friendship.

Sooner or later, I knew I'd have to toss them aside, as they were worthless. My only real friend was the darkness.

"So vote for Lester Rostov!" There were cheers when I turned the TV off. My dad and I were watching the news, where I had been reported on to get my opinion of the upcoming election.

"Perfect!" My dad grinned. "Maybe people are more likely to vote for who their current mayor admires."

I grinned. "Well, I do admire you."

I was hoping my dad would say something about how he loved me back, but all I got was "I know." Oh, well. I was used to it.

"Hey, I had an idea," I told my dad. "I think I'll update my suit for when we're in power."

He grinned. "Good idea. New look for the powerful. And his daughter."

I smiled. "Great! I think I know a few things about style," I said, remembering my favorite outfit, and how much work I put into it. "Maybe I could design something for you? I mean, I'm not great... but I could try to find something!"

"Sure, you do that," my dad said, then he walked right past the TV to the Lightning Lair.

When Mason and Sunny walked in City Hall the next day, Thursday, I was sketching the new designs for the villain outfits. But I couldn't let them see it! That would give away the fact I was Lightinga. So I shoved the sketches under a stack of papers. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Well, we were just talking about how you were on the news last night!" Sunny exclaimed as the sat down.

I shrugged it off. "I'm on the news all the time. I am the mayor, after all."

"But why Lester Rostov?" Mason asked, leaning back. "I've never even heard of him before yesterday."

"Yeah, he's my dad. Turns out he's gonna stick around awhile."

"Ohh," they said in unison. "Y'know, I'd love to meet him sometime." added Mason.

You already have! I thought.

"Yeah, that would be cool," I said.

"Wait... your last name is Jackson, and his is Rostov?"

"Oh, yeah... my parents got divorced, but I lived with my mom, so I changed my name back to her maiden name, just like she did." Lies. So many lies I was drowning in.

"Well, I'll be sure to vote for him!" Sunshine exclaimed, and Mason agreed.

Oh my gosh. They were so gullible.

But I saw the way Mason was looking at me. He was smiling, be he knew something was up. He was starting to make me really nervous. 

The three of us just hung around at City Hall all day. So when Sunny went to the bathroom, that left me and Mason alone again. At first, we were silent, just listening to the sound of Mr. Madison typing and printing papers. When Mason was sure Mr. Madison was busy, he said, "Sorry about happened the other day. I mean, since you were kidnapped, we couldn't..." I knew when it came to this, he'd probably never say it directly. "So, like... I was thinking maybe we could go tonight? Or tomorrow?"

I wanted to say yes, but my father's words rang inside my head.

"Um... I'm sorry, Mason, but with the election coming up and all that, the paparazzi might crowd us. I don't think we should." If anyone ever found out how many lies I'd told, I would never be trusted again.

Mason was disappointed, but he said. "I understand." No, Mason! You don't understand! And you never will! I thought. But then there was that look in his eye, the one that sent shivers down my spine. I was worried... worried that he knew.