Sweat poured down Matt’s face, as he struggled to lift the weight pushing down across his chest.
“No man, I’m done.” He breathed. Kevin grabbed the bar and lifted it up onto the rack one-handed.
“You said no powers.” Matt complained, as he regained his breath.
“I wasn’t using my powers. You’re just a wuss.” Kevin teased.
“Yet you continue to try to get me to work out.” Matt said.
“I figure eventually I’ll make a real man out of you.” Kevin replied.
“I thought you’d given up on that.” Matt said.
“No, you gave up on it.” Kevin argued.
“And you let me. So what’s this really about? Why did you want me here?”
“Straight to the point. You don’t screw around, do you?”
“Stop dodging the question.”
“See what I mean?”
“It’s about Katie, isn’t it?”
Kevin sighed. “Yeah…”
“The party?”
“Yeah. Not just that party. Every party. She gets wasted. Every time. Not just regular wasted either. Frat boy wasted.”
“It’s a party. Isn’t that what people do at parties?”
“Sure, out in the kitchen or living room or backyard, but not alone in the bathroom, with a bottle of vodka they’ve snuck in.”
“Sounds to me like she just doesn’t want any of your drunk friends taking her vodka.”
“Don’t be an idiot. Stop making excuses, you know as well as I do that she’s got a problem.”
It was Matt’s turn to sigh. “I know. Just trying to cover for my best friend. You know how it is…”
“I know you’re thinking it’s just a phase, but that’s how these things start out.”
“It’s not just at parties.”
“What do you mean?”
“I meet her in the morning, she drives me to school. She used to pick me up at my door, but lately I’ve been having to go wake her up of a morning.”
“She studies pretty late, and works really hard. Are you sure she’s been drinking?”
“Headaches, can’t stand bright lights or loud noises. Sounds like a hangover to me.”
Kevin shook his head. “It’s worse than I thought.”
Matt sighed again. “I’ve tried to talk to her about it. She just argues and storms out every time.”
“What are we gonna do?”
“What can we do? If she doesn’t want help, we can’t help her.”
“We have to do something. How long before she hurts herself? Or someone else? She can’t use her powers when she’s been drinking. How long until she makes a mistake and costs us?”
“I don’t know. And that scares the crap out of me.” Matt admitted.
<><><>
Mosley’s motorbike screeched to a halt and his passenger leaped from the back, completing a hand-spring as she dismounted.
“THAT WAS AWESOME!” Ally shouted.
“I thought you’d like it.” Mosley said, as he climbed from his seat.
“We were like zoooom, and then it was like screeeeeeech and wow!” Ally continued, her hands whirling around in front of her, as she tried to recount the motorcycle journey.
Mosley just shook his head and smiled.
“Seriously, that was sooo cool!” Ally said.
“It’s good to see you all excited again kiddo, you had us scared for a while.” Mosley said.
Ally stopped suddenly. “I kinda scared myself.”
“You totally kicked Helix’s ass last time though.”
“I had to. He was going to do the same thing he did to me to Katie. I just kinda snapped, you know? And when we beat them, I kind of faced my fears, and I guess I just realised I didn’t have to be worried about him. He’s beatable.”
“It’s good to have you back. Between me and Fisher, there’s enough brooding going on around here.”
“Yeah, I can’t pull it off like you guys can. And you saw how yucky my black hair was.” Ally ran her fingers through her hair, it was pink this week, and smiled. “Not to mention my outfits. I’m glad I got over that phase.”
Mosley rolled his eyes and ruffled Ally’s hair.
“I hate it when you guys do that.”
<><><>
“I can’t believe how much better the shopping is here!” Katie said, as she stepped out onto the street, bags from a dozen different stores in her hands.
“If there’s one thing New York can do, it’s shopping.” Hannah laughed, following her out, carrying almost as many bags herself.
“How’s the coffee here?” Katie asked, jerking her head towards the Starbucks across the street.
“It’s Starbucks, it’s the same everywhere.” Hannah replied.
“True.” Katie darted across the road, weaving between the afternoon traffic, which was, as usual, at a standstill.
“Anyone would think you were a born New Yorker, it took Matt months to get into the whole ‘crossing whenever the hell you want’ thing.” Hannah was hot on her heels.
“Matt’s never been one for breaking rules, he was probably worried about getting caught for jaywalking.” Katie laughed.
The girls ordered their coffee, and sat down at a table, their shopping in a pile around them.
“Speaking of Matt… Has he seemed… weird to you at all lately?” Hannah asked.
“No, not really. Why?” Katie replied.
“I’m not sure… He’s been kind of distant lately. I mean, he still visits, but he doesn’t call me as often. Has he been busy lately?”
“Well, we’ve been getting hit with a whole bunch of homework and stuff, and he’s got all his appearance contracts and whatever to fulfil. We’re back at the top, and there’s a lot of work that goes along with it.” ’Not to mention that skank he’s seeing on the side.’ Katie added silently.
“Tell me about it. I think I’ve been on TV more this month than all three Kardashians combined. Maybe our schedules just don’t line up like they used to…” Hannah said.
“That must be it.”
“Mmm…”
“Anyway, how’s the new job?”
Hannah brightened a little. “It’s great. It’s like everything Matt told me about you guys, only cranked up to eleven.”
“Sounds awesome. How are the others?”
“Everyone has been great. Except Jasmine of course, she’s still a bitch.”
“Yeah, that seems to be genetic. It comes with the blue eyes and water powers.”
“Really? Matt seems to like Adrienne…”