The Worst Superpower

Carson adjusted his backpack strap before speaking again. "So, do you want those notes now?"

"Sure, thanks! I'll give them back at the beginning of APUSH," Ivy said as cheerfully as she could muster. He was doing her a favor, after all.

He was disappointed but hid it well. 'I was hoping to get them back at lunch so I could eat with her. I totally blew it! That's two days in a row that I've failed now. Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

"That works," he said calmly. "Guess I'll see you in AP Bio."

Ivy blinked at his retreating back as he continued to mentally berate himself. She hadn't even had the chance to try and turn the conversation around. She did still want an answer from yesterday. Maybe she could corner him after their next class together; it was right before lunch.

Her next three classes dragged by uneventfully as she tried to think of the best way to bring it up. Maybe if she offered to treat him to something in exchange for the notes?

It would definitely have to be in the library rather than the cafeteria. She had learned her lesson yesterday. There were a few scattered vending machines on campus outside of the cafeteria. Offering to get him something out of one of them could work.

The bell rang at the end of AP Bio and she called out to him as he gathered his things. "Carson! Hang on!"

His head swiveled around for the source of the noise. 'Did someone just call my name or am I losing it? Oh. Ivy. She doesn't normally talk to me this much in one day…is something wrong with the notes?'

"What's up?" he asked when she made it over to his desk.

"I was planning on copying your notes during lunch but realized I should repay you for helping me out. Want to come to the library with me? I'll buy you a soda," Ivy wheedled.

She wanted to make him feel better because of his kindness earlier and also wanted to see if she could get the answer he hadn't been able to say yesterday. It was a win-win. Carson's thoughts weren't unpleasant so she didn't mind spending time with him.

He brightened instantly. "I would love a soda. Thanks!"

'Ohmygosh ohmygosh she invited me to lunch. What does this mean? What do I say? I can't make a fool of myself before we even make it to a dance floor or I'd never be able to look her in the eye again.'

Once again, his ability to look completely calm on the outside while internally freaking out was apparent. He was definitely funny. Being Carson's friend wouldn't be too bad. Having more than Lydia to hang out with might be nice.

They headed to a vending machine not far from the library and he chose a Dr. Pepper. They found an empty hallway to eat lunch in before heading in because of the no food rule.

"Do you normally eat here?" he asked conversationally.

'Ivy seems familiar with this hallway but none of her classes would be here since this is where the freshmen have English and history…no wonder I've never seen her at lunch. I usually eat outside if I don't have a club meeting.'

She nodded. "The cafeteria is too crowded. I eat here then spend the rest of lunch working on homework in the library. It helps minimize what I have to do at home."

'That's really smart. Maybe I should start doing that! I have way too much work to do at home and I usually sit alone anyway,' Carson mused before replying to her. "Mind if I join you sometime? I could use the extra homework time too."

Ivy shook her head. She didn't mind one bit if he ended up doing any of the homework they shared nearby. That would save her a lot of time better spent on something else.

"Feel free."

He smiled at her and dug into his sandwich, satisfied. 'Awesome! If I get my homework done earlier I'll have more time to watch anime. I can't remember the last time I was able to binge a show properly. All of these AP classes are killing me.'

Ivy nearly snorted. So the highly studious Carson Summers actually had a hobby. A nerdy one. Somehow it was both surprising and fit him perfectly at the same time.

When they finished eating they headed inside the library and Ivy diligently copied down all of the notes he had written yesterday. As she went, her companion's thoughts were going crazy.

'She isn't having a hard time reading my handwriting, is she? Mom is always going on about how she can't read a thing I write…Should I say something? She is concentrating pretty hard so I guess not. Come to think of it, we didn't finish our conversation from yesterday. What was it we were talking about again? I think it had something to do with superheroes…'

Nobody's thoughts were quite as frenzied as her brother's but when Carson panicked his came a little close. Did he think like this around other people?

Ivy might have to pay attention the next time she saw him and he wasn't doing schoolwork. That was what he was best at so he was always cool, calm, and collected in the middle of it.

As she finished she closed his notebook and smiled at him. "Do you remember what I asked you yesterday?"

Carson began wracking his brains. 'Ah, I was just thinking about this…what was it exactly? Superheroes, superheroes…superpowers? It was definitely something about superpowers because she was reading those comics. Oh! I remember!'

"You asked me what I thought the worst superpower to have would be, right? The hardest one to deal with."

Ivy nodded. "Yep. You tell me yours first then I'll say mine."

'The worst one…super strength would be hard to hide. Or something like in the Y-Men where people have tails and things. But she said a power not a deformity associated with a power…Hang on, the Y-Men. Doctor Y's powers would be pretty tricky to deal with,' Carson thought.

Her heart pounded. Was he going to say what she suspected? Did someone truly realize the burden of her power?