Chapter Ten
You're Going On a Blind Date

Graeme and I both share looks of awe and amazement as Static brings us back to reality.

"Come on," he waves us over to follow him down the steep and dark stairs.

Taking a deep breath, I follow after him, descending into darkness with Graeme right behind me.

Once we reach the bottom, I hear a click and lights flicker on.

In front of us lays a wide room, with weapons and tables scattered all around. There's a desk in one corner and a training dummy in another. The idea of Static hanging out in this mysterious room is hard for me to wrap around my head.

"Whoa," Graeme gasps but Static doesn't wait for us, he gets straight to business.

He heads in the direction of the office and we both chase after him. I sneak a peek at Graeme and I can tell that he has questions forming in his mouth but he's smart enough not to speak them.

"How do know everything that you do? Have you tested on Supers before?" Static asks, his question obviously directed at Graeme.

He seems to shift uncomfortably on his feet. Static doesn't notice but I do.

"My parents were Supers..." He trails off and I immediately feel bad even though I wasn't the one who asked him.

"They loved their job," his frown lights up a bit and I can see the joy in his eyes of speaking of them. "And they were incredibly curious as to what's behind everything Super related, so they tested on themselves." His frown returns.

I gasp, my eyes widening in realization. Static seems to pick up because he speaks.

"They were Mystique and Hallow, weren't they?" Static asks softly and Graeme nods.

"They were curious, they had no wrong intentions. But you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat," he lets out a humourless laugh.

This isn't the happy, funny and upbeat Graeme. This is the Graeme who wishes things could have played out differently. The Graeme most Supers can relate to.

None of use dared finish Graeme's sentence. All Supers know what happened to Mystique and Hallow. Most humans know what happened too, since Supers have a great impact on all of their lives.

The Super couple were found dead in their lab one day, due to a said gas spill polluting the air around. They traced it back to them and that's where the found them.

No one knows what happened for sure. Doctors predict that they had been injecting unverified serums into their systems. They were making their own.

Their identities were kept hidden from the public for obvious privacy reasons, although I'm sure if someone looked hard enough to hey could find out their names because the hospital must have them on file.

But now I just imagine seven-year-old Graeme, being told that his parents were gone.

"As I got older I got more curious," Graeme's voice broke me from my thoughts, "so one time when I was twelve, I was wandering around the house. Long story short, I found their hidden lab which had been locked away for years. I went through everything, every discovery, every theory. I found everything." He met my eyes and smiled a bit, "thus my passion for Supers sparked."

It made sense now, why he was so fascinated, how he knew so much. I could feel my eyes start to water.

"Oh," was all Static said. I know he's not used to things like this so he must not know how to act, but I subtly stomp on his foot.

"Oh," he says again, but just but a little more emotion and I mentally face palm.

"Thank you for sharing that with us Graeme," I tell him and he shrugs.

"You guys are basically my heroes, I trust you both," my heart swells with happiness at how sweet he is. I can emphasize with him losing his parents - I lost mine too when I was little.

We spent a few more hours in Static's lair. I dont know if Graeme was getting tired but if he was he didn't say anything.

Static showed us around and explained what certain objects around the room did. He told us the main reason for bringing us here - to see if Graeme could share his information with us. Graeme kindly and willingly agreed.

Now I sit alone in Static's office, or as close to an office as it could be, at two-thirty in the morning while I wait for static to return from dropping Graeme off at home. I know Drew will give me shit for being gone the whole night but tonight was fun, so I won't mind.

I jump when I hear his footsteps running down the stairs. He walks into the light and spots me and I yawn.

"Do you want me to take you home?" He asks but I nod and close my eyes.

"Or you could sleep here, I don't mind," he suggest but I don't answer, too tired to get up. The great thing about being Super is that your body doesn't need as much sleep as the average human, so that is maybe a power all Supers have in common.

I don't hear anything else. I just feel his arms wrap around me and pick me up from out of his chair and placing me on something more soft and comfortable.

***

I wake up to find myself in a small, dark and dingy room. I immediately sit up in the bed that I just woke up on and look around the room, my first though being that I was kidnapped.

But then the memories of last night come rushing back and I relax. I'm probably still at Static's.

I check the clock on the bedside table and it reads six-thirty-two, so I have time to get ready.

I hesitantly grab the knob and open the door, revealing the open room of Static's lair.

The smell of coffee fills my nose, and I walk out into the big open space.

I spot Static near a kitchen-y counter, with cupboards, a fridge and sink.

Static spots me and waves me over. He's still dressed in his suit, and I look down to see that I am too.

"Want some?" He points to his coffee and I nod. He grabs a mug for the cupboard and pours me some coffee, which I take with a thanks.

"Graeme was great help last night," I remark and he nods.

"I had a n idea," Static says slowly, "that maybe, even though he's not a Super, maybe Graeme could be our sidekick?"

I love how he says 'our' since we're basically partners in crime. I mean partners in good, if that's even a thing.

"Really?" I ask excitedly. Graeme would be the perfect sidekick.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "I mean Graeme would be great at it."

I nod in agreement. It would be awesome to see what Graeme can do.

***

Static had dropped me off back at home. I was frantic to get ready, taking a shower and packing my lunch as my brother waited for my impatiently by the door, counting me by the seconds.

Eventually I was ready and Drew drive me to school which unfortunately came with a long lecture about coming home at night and blah blah blah and he was so worried and blah blah blah.

As soon as I reach my locker, Audrey spots me and approaches me with an evil grin.

"Uh oh," I say, putting in my locker combination and placing my bag inside my locker. "What did you do?"

"Since you're single..." She trails off and I nod, thankful she only mentioned my single-ness, not the whole break up.

"You're going on a blind date," she tells me and I start choking on air.

"Excuse me?" I ask her and smal my locker shut.

"You're going on a blind date," she repeats.

"I heard you the first time!" I roll my eyes at her.

"Then why did you say-"

"Who is it?" She shakes her head at me.

"It's a blind date. I can't tell you." I roll my eyes again.

"Keep rolling your eyes, maybe you'll find your brain back there," she smirks at me and I roll my eyes once more.

"That come back is used like everyday," I tell her and she shrugs.

"Not the point," she says, "you're going on a blind date!" She scurries off just as the bell rings, and I drag myself to my first class.

I enter art and take my spot. The boys soon after, sitting down on either side of me.

"We're going to continue our projects and o think we're at the time where some of you might be ready to start. Your stencils are on my desk and just let me know if you're group will be looking for a spot to paint, you can spray anywhere on the outside of the school just not the doors or windows." Mrs. Jeffrey smiles. She seems to be more excited about this project than the students.

"Ill go get the stencils and spray paint," Owen tells us and no one stops him because we're ready.

"Remember!" Mrs. Jeffrey calls, "these are anonymous. You're group can't tell anyone of your art," she adds.

"No one has told anyone what we're doing right?" I ask them and they all shake their heads. "Owen, have you told anyone about our piece?"

"No," he reassured me as he approaches us. "And I think we're good to go."

"We're starting Mrs. Jeffrey!" Sam tells Mrs. Jeffrey and she gives us a thumbs up as we exit the class.

"Where to?" Noah asks us.

"The front of the school," Sam says.

"I want to do it on the football field," Owen whines.

"Sanctuary," I say and walk past the boys, grabbing the stencils and spray pain as I walk.

I smirk as I hear their shouts and footsteps run after me as I rush towards the other end of the school.

I make my way past other students who scowl at my rude behaviour but just because I'm a Super doesn't mean I have to care.

I push open the doors to the sanctuary and run to the open wall beside my favourite tree. I place paint on the ground just as the boys reach me.

"We're doing it on the football field!" Owen argues as he exits the door and into the sanctuary, tripping on his own feet.

"Stop acting so immature," Noah scolds him with a whack on the head.

"I never claimed to be mature," Owen sticks his tongue out at Noah but for some reason Sam reaches out to grab his tongue.

"Your tongue is so short," Sam forces Owen's mouth open to inspect his short tongue.

"Fuck off," Owen says teasingly and pushes him back and they both laugh.

"But seriously dude," Sam says, "doesn't a short tongue make it harder to make out?"

"Why don't you find out?" Noah suggest before forcing their heads together and they both squirm under his touch.

"For Cranberry's sake!" I let out an exasperated sigh, stopping the two heterosexuals from making out.

"I like cranberries," Owen laughs and walks over to me.

"You three just have to hold up the stencil as I spray. Easy enough alright?" Owen smirks at me but is smart enough not to say anything. Instead he holds one side of the stencil against the wall and I push Noah and Sam to hold the other side.

"I wanted to spray!" Noah argues but I send him a glare shutting him up.

"I am surrounded by idiots," I mutter as I shake the paint bottle.

"I just said I wanted to spray. I didn't say anything dumb," Noah defends himself.

"You're dumb for speaking up," Owen snickers and I spray his shirt.

"Hey! That's permanent!" He exclaims, looking down at the black spray paint on his already black shirt. I roll my eyes at his idiocy.

"Exactly," I say, finally getting my chance to spray over the stencil.

I go over it multiple times to make sure I fill every space so that our creative and silly quote is bold and presentable.

The boys drop the stencil and we all take a moment to stare at our apprehensive yet amusing work of art.

"It's badass," Sam says to no one in particular.

YOU CAN PAINT OVER ME BUT I'LL STILL BE HERE