I glance around the civics classroom. Its heavy concrete walls, plain construction, and spartan design make the room feel more claustrophobic than I remember. My enhanced sight lets me see the little globs of white paint that had dripped down and were now frozen in time. Tiny imperfections from when they plastered paint haphazardly across the room. A pale off-white designed to evoke comfort and understanding, but only making me think of how clinical it all is.
My eyes turn toward the teacher, Mr. Berk, droning on and on about the Super Hero Registration Act of '94. SHRA had intended to prevent vigilantes from ruining everything, but would also put our faces in the government database. Most heroes rejected it. I certainly did. If anyone knew White Gold was some useless miserable little bitch like me...
I coil my arms around my face, blocking out the light and the world. If only I was like Teru. Teru would register, follow the law. Or even convince the Senate not to pass SHRA! Why didn't I try that?
I'm laying there, mind a mess with how I'm failing civics, how I'm failing as a hero, how I'm failing Teru as her little sister. I might just be an idiot only good for my body, but at least… At least I can save people, right?
My mind swirls with thoughts of Teru, of being strong and brave and powerful, and so I only notice the bell ring when it hammers in my head. My super senses make it sound like a gunshot going off near my ear. I jerk up, my seat screeches on the floor with an awful sound, and I go red in the face. People turn, the look of disdain on their face obvious, and I can hear several of them mutter things like "God she's so weird" and "Loser" under their breath.
Shame fills me, and I go to grab my backpack. Just in time to catch my classmate in the chin with my shoulder, purely by accident.
"O-Oh g-god I'm so… I'm so stupid!" I stammer out, my face twisting into a mix of concern and fear. I kick myself inside, thinking of how I'm such a stupid fuck up who can't even move properly! It's the only thing I'm supposed to be good at!
"A-Are you sorry?" I say, mixing up 'are you okay' and 'I'm so sorry' together in a rush. God why am I weird? That's when I hear a gunshot, my super senses detecting it from downtown. Guilt wraps itself around my heart, and I grit my teeth. I need to go. Quickly!