Chapter Text
And She'll be Surprised
Why, Angela?
March 20, 1986
11:03 A.M.
"And that is why I have chosen Helen Keller as my hero," Angela's smooth voice rang out in the dim classroom, her eyes crinkling as the class clapped for her.
“That was wonderful, Angela, truly wonderful, what an inspiring story," praised the teacher as she turned on the light switch, returning to her desk as the claps died down. "Ok, now let's see who has to follow that," She said in a tone that indicated she didn't think the next would live up to Angela's. She put on her glasses, quickly grabbing a piece of paper from the fishbowl full of student's names. "Jane," called Mrs. Gracy's voice, looking over at Jane with a small smile.
Jane felt her throat constrict slightly as she looked over at her might-as-well-be brother for reassurance, breathing deeply as she grabbed her diorama and walked to the front of the class, not noticing the almost lingering look that Angela gave her. But of course it was just a fake one, right?
Jane shuffled her feet as she held her project, looking at the blank and bored faces of her classmates. Okay, no big deal. She could do this.
"Hi," She said in that sotto voice of hers, her brown eyes flickering across the classroom, as if she wanted to look at everyone to make them feel included. "For my hero, I...I chose my dad." She focused on turning around her project for the class to see, again not noticing the looks that some of her classmates shared with each other. "And for my visual aid,I made a di-rey-ma of our cabin."
"More like diarrhea," insulted Jake, making the class laugh. Jane moved her lips to a smile, pretending that the joke didn't hurt, and that she could laugh along with everyone else.
"Quiet, everyone. Let's be respectful,"says Mrs.Gracey, and the laughter subsides momentarily.
Jane holds up a model figure of Hopper, displaying it to the class. "This is my dad. His name is Hopper. He made the best eggos, and...we liked to watch Miami Vice on Fridays," she chuckled softly. She put down the figure, and picked up another. A gray squirrel. "This is Mr.Fibbly," she said, her lips quavering a bit as she looked at her classmates, too nervous to hold their gaze for more than a second. "He is a squirrel," she announced, as if the fact wasn't obvious. Snorts and snickers sounded from around the classroom.. Jane gulped, looking at Will for reassurance once again, and he nodded.
"And this is the alarm that my dad made," Jane began, this time noticing how Angela's hand went up, a nice smile on her porcelain face. "I...I was never scared because..." Her eyes flicked to Angela, who snuggled her head into her arm, as if trying to look like a friend. "Beca-Because.." she stuttered, not sure if she should let Angela state her question or not, so she turned to the teacher.
"Angela, let's save questions until the end of Jane's presentation." The teacher nodded, her deep set eyes looking at Angela.
"Yeah, sorry. I'm just like–confused. I thought this was a presentation about a historical figure," Angela said saccharinely.
"My dad was in the newspaper," said Jane almost immediately, blinking rapidly.
"Your local paper?" Angela sniggers in that mocking tone, making the whole class laugh with her. Jane feels her throat contracting, her lips barely quivering. "I just don't think that's what Mrs.Gracey meant by ‘historical’. This is supposed to be about famous people."
"My dad is famous," responded Jane, and everyone could see the tears in her eyes paired with the redness on her nose. "He..he saved lots of lives. In a mall fire. He was a hero for people," she said, deeply serious, but all Angela could do was pucker her lips, looking off to the side like this was just a boring lecture to her. Maybe it was. "And he was my hero too," Jane declared, looking around to really convey the message.
"That's not what I'm saying at all, but it's okay," Angela ‘reassured’ in that honeyed voice of hers, the quick shake of her head bringing attention to those salmon pink earrings she wore. "I am so sorry Mrs. Gracey. I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted clarity on the rules of the assignment," she smirked.
The teacher cleared her throat, moving stiffly. "Well, technically, you are correct—but Jane has decided to do her father. So, please continue with your presentation, Jane," Mrs.Gracey allowed, and a tear left Jane's eye,meeting with the soft skin of her cheek.
The second that the bell had rung, Jane was swiftly out of the classroom, Will hot on her trail.
"El, it wasn't that bad," he said, holding his own project in hand as he looked at the back of her head, the slightly frizzy chocolate brown hair running to her shoulder blades.
"Friends don't lie!" She exclaimed back raucously, her breath heaving as she walked through the bustling hallways. All she could do was gaze at the next person, her mind spiraling as she replayed the scene in her head. Why, Angela? Why?
"El, come on." But Jane couldn't be bothered, too absorbed in her feelings of embarrassment as she continued onwards.
Jane moved with purpose through the outside area of her school, her blue reeboks box in her hands as she didn’t bother looking around at her surroundings. Unluckily for her, right in front of her was Angela, sticking out her foot—and poor Jane didn’t notice until she was falling.
As she met with the ground she grunted, the diorama falling out her hands and people gasping and oo-ing.
“Oh my god!” Exclaimed that sickly sweet voice, leaning down to look at Jane, as if she were a puppy.
Angela thought she kind of looked like one.
“I’m so sorry,” Angela apologized sarcastically, her three friends giggling beside her. “I hope Mr. Fibbly’s okay,” She said, laughing when sharing a look with Stacy.
They walked away, but not before Chad did a sidekick to Jane’s project, right in the way of Jake, who didn’t hesitate to stomp on it. This made the crowd gasp again—amused faces on some, others concerned. But this made Jane exasperated, her eyes narrowing as she got up on her feet, wiggling her fingers.
“Angela!” she yelled at the blonde’s backside, her chest heaving as she knew exactly what she was about to do. Breathing heavily she walked forth, her arm raising as she screamed—screamed—like a total maniac.
The onlookers went quiet, an amused grin coming to Angela’s face–a surprised frown of worry coming to Jane’s. Angela wasn’t thrown backwards, Jane didn’t feel that surge of power, nor a nosebleed.
”Holy shit!” said Angela, piercing the silence.
”What the hell was that?” scoffed Stacy, the entire crowd erupting in laughter. Jane could do nothing but stand there and hold back her tears. What was wrong? Where were her powers? This couldn't be happening.
”Hey, hey—what’s going on here?!” squawked Mrs.Gracey, shuffling through the crowd of teens to meet Jane.”Jane? Jane. Did someone do this?” she questioned.
Jane looked down, but the glance towards Angela and her posse didn’t go unnoticed. “I tripped. It was just an accident,” she said, trying to not get anyone in trouble as she sniffled.
Mrs. Gracey simply shook her head, not for the bullshit. ”All right, Angela, you come with me,” the teacher ordered sternly, her heels clicking as she walked to Angela, pulling her by the elbow.
“What, why?” she retorted, the crowd oo-ing once more, always excited at the prospect of someone getting in trouble. “I didn’t do anything. Tell her, Jane. Tell her!” she demanded of Jane as she got pulled away, glaring at the brunette as the crowd parted way for them, her eyes not leaving the girl's frame until she was out of view.
Jane knelt down when the crowd eventually got its satisfaction, returning back to normal. Her face contorted into one of sorrow, scraping up her figures and box off the ground. She could hear someone run up behind her, and since there was only one person who cared about her here, she deduced it down to Will immediately.
”Shit. El, El. El..it’s gonna be okay,” Will told her, his green eyes flickering to assess what had happened , frantically picking up the broken pieces of her project, offering to fix it together. His voice quavered at the end, as if he had been the one whose project was stomped on.
As if he had been the one embarrassed in front of the massive crowd of people.
As if he had been the one to realize his powers were gone.
But those words didn’t register to Jane, tears streaming down her cheeks as she lowered her head in defeat, clutching the broken cabin that she was so proud of earlier.
Why, Angela? Why?