Peer Pressure [S.Barber]

[10] YOU HAVE POWERS

On her way to class the next morning, Lana decides to make a pit stop at the bathroom. Waiting just outside the door, was the one and only Stanley Barber.

She stops in her tracks, unsure of whether she should take a detour to another bathroom, or just go through with it.

She takes in a deep breath, then keeps her head down, hoping he wouldn't notice. "Lana?" It didn't work.

"Stan, hi." She looks up at him, sighing. "Sydney's in there. I think she's mad at me." He explains. "For what?" She furrows her eyebrows.

"I don't think I can say." He shakes his head. "Okay, Um, Well. You're blocking my way into the bathroom." She nods her head over to the side. "Oh! Right, sorry." He moves to the side. Before she goes inside, she notices a small cut above his eye.

"Hey, how'd that happen?" She points up at it. "Nothing. I just— I fell." He lies. "Okay. But... just so you know, there's always my number to 'share your problems.'" She says, then walks into the bathroom.

Stanley stands there for a moment, frozen in place.

"Lana, hi." Sydney says with wide eyes, looking over at the shattered mirror. "Syd..." Lana nods.

"Did you— did you break a mirror?" Lana questions. "Okay, I did it with my mind!" Sydney confesses, though that was the last thing Lana has expected to hear.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asks in shock. "Shit, why the fuck did I say that? I might as well let the entire world know at this point. First Stanley, now you. Who's next? Fucking— Bradley Lewis?" She shouts.

"Well, if you scream that loud, then yes. Jesus, quiet down. Is this why you're mad at Stanley?" Lana lowers her voice. "Sort of— I don't know." Sydney shrugs.

"So, you're saying, that you have... superpowers?" Lana raises her eyebrows. "I made Bradley's nose bleed, too. And I could have sworn that Stan would just be flung halfway across the room when I was at his house." She adds.

"You were at Stan's house?" Lana asks. Sydney simply nods, pursing her lips. "You had sex, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Sydney sighs, leaning up against the tiled wall. Lana sighs, nodding, understanding. "You don't have to believe me, but I'm so scared. I killed my brother's fucking hedgehog." Sydney adds, her eyes wide.

"Okay, okay. I believe you, Syd." Lana assures. Suddenly, the bell rings. "We've got science. Come on." Lana takes the redhead's hand. "With Stan." Sydney rolls her eyes.

***

"As the temperature increases, if an atom loses one or more electrons, it becomes oxidized." Mr. File exclaims to the class while they sit in front of colorful test tubes.

Lana sits across from Sydney, glancing at Stanley , who was behind Syd, every few moments. "Goggles up." Mr. File instructs.

"Bunsen burners on, and please, please, please, nobody burn down the school." He adds. Suddenly, Stanley turns back around, sharing a glance with Lana, until he speaks to Sydney.

"Look, I know we said that that thing is a secret, and it is, totally safe with me, but we have to talk about it." Stanley whispers, constantly looking towards Lana.

"I know about it, Stanley." Lana explains. "Oh. Okay." Stanley sighs. Suddenly, Sydney walks over to stand beside Lana, wanting to be further away from him.

Soon enough, Stanley only comes to where Sydney was standing before. "Okay, can you say something? Please?"

"Alright, I feel like I'm intruding something here, so.. I'm just gonna.." Lana tries to find another seat, but Sydney pulls her back.

"Stanley, why don't you just shut up?" She whispers angrily. "Look, I—I've been doing some research, and I think... Syd, I think we should test your powers." He says.

"What are you talking about?" She questions. "Just hear me out, okay? There's this thing in ancient Mayan culture where they would... they would build, like, a pyramid, for the sun god. And basically, they would use it for a whole multitude of th—"

"You wanna build a pyramid for the sun god?" Lana cuts him off, furrowing her eyebrows. Before Stanley could answer, the test tubes next to Sydney begin to shake and sizzle.

"No, that's not what I meant." Stanley argues, not even noticing what was happening. "Then what do you wanna do, Stan?" She crosses her arms.

All of a sudden, Sydney begins walking away in a hurry. "Hey! Where are you—" Mr. File begins.

"Bathroom!" She calls, running out of the classroom.

Lana notices Dina running out to follow her. "I'm gonna go." She nods to Stanley. "Okay, just w—" before Stanley finishes his sentence, she's already gone.

"Dina! Dina, hey!" Lana stops her from going into the bathroom in any case she'd see something.

"Lana, I just— I need to give this to Syd." Dina explains, holding up a tampon. "Let me give it to her. Don't waste your time for class." Lana chuckles anxiously.

"No, I really don't mind giving it to her." Dina responds. "Okay, I will!" Lana quickly snatches it from the curly headed girl's hands, and runs off into the bathroom, leaving her confused.

"Syd! Syd, are you alright?" She asks, standing outside the stall. "No." She replies honestly.

"Yeah, I stopped Dina from coming, if that's any help. She wanted me to give you this." She slips a tampon under the stall. "I know you don't need it, but... always good to have extras, right?" Lana comments.