SuperVillain

15

The next day, I worked up the courage to go back to City Hall. Not because of Mason and Sunshine, though. The only way the newspaper could've known I was Lightinga is if they had told them. So I was going to see Mr. Madison, because he's the only one I wasn't really mad at.

Despite all the stuff that happened with Mason last night, I wasn't sure if I really could trust him.

I was about to set my hand on the door, but I hesitated, inhaled, and then pushed it open. "Mr. Madison?"

"Leila? Is that you?" I walked over to Mr. Madison's office and he hugged me, something he'd never done before. I thought it was strange everyone was nicer to me after I nearly died, but oh well.

"Sorry I've been gone for a few days," I said as he sat in his chair and I sat across the desk from him.

"It's okay," he said. "I understand things have been tough for you this last week."

I nodded, leaned back in my chair and sighed. "The only way the press could've known my secret is if Mason and Sunny told them about it."

Mr. Madison grabbed my hand. "It wasn't them, Leila. I walked in and saw you in your suit, so I called Dash Boy." I remembered hearing something before I fell asleep. "Meanwhile, I waited on the porch, and Ms. Bunter followed them. Dash Boy and Super Sun went into the building, and Ms. Bunter interviewed me outside. If I'd known it was you, I wouldn't have..."

I looked at the wall behind him. "It's okay. I'm the bad guy. You can stop acting like you like me."

"Ms. Bunter only got the picture because she was right there. And I don't believe you're the bad guy. At least, you don't have to be. Your friends would never betray you."

"They.... didn't talk to the newspaper?"

"No. After you left, Bunter tried getting them to talk, but they wouldn't say a word. She pieced it together herself."

At that, something inside me was really happy. They really did want to be my friends.

Then, I had an idea.

"Mr. Madison, the elections are coming up, and I was thinking that maybe..."

Sunny and Mason came by that afternoon, to no surprise. Actually, I think they were more surprised to see me than I was to see them.

"How're you doing?" Mason asked as they sat down.

"Great. Actually, I had an idea, but I'll need help from you guys."

I told them my idea, and we spent all afternoon working it out. We planned to meet at Sunny's apartment the next day to work on some posters. "I'll get some supplies on my lunch break and meet you guys at 4:00."

The next day, I walked into Sunny's apartment to find two boxes of pizza, the chairs and tables pushed back, and music blasting from the TV. Mason was already there, eating pizza.

"Hey, Leila!" He exclaimed, getting up and grabbing one of the shopping bags full of supplies from my hands.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"Want some pizza?" Sunny was dancing to the music.

We worked on the posters, and we were, if only for a little while, just normal teenagers. Not good, not evil, just... us.

At one point, Mason asked, "So, do you live here alone?"

"No," Sunny said, taking a drink of coke. "I have seven siblings, but I moved here, since... you know, I'm a super and everything... cause we have a lot of supers here... this is my cousin's apartment, but she's usually at her college, so I'm alone most of the time." Mason and I nodded.

"I live alone right now," Mason said. "My aunt just passed earlier this week. They're going to figure out my livings arrangements soon."

"I'm sorry," I grabbed Mason's hand.

"It's alright," he responded. "I still have you guys."

"I live with my dad, still," I commented. "He's not really too fond of me anymore, but I don't have anywhere else to go."

"You can stay here anytime," Sunny smiled.

"I'd offer you could stay with me, but... I don't wanna make it awkward or anything," Mason turned the color of a strawberry.

I smiled. "I'll be okay, guys. It's getting better every day."

We were up almost all night working on the posters. It was still a school night, but nobody cared. We were having fun. It was past 10:00 when I left, and I promised hang the posters tomorrow.

VOTE CLOVER MADISON FOR MAYOR