A Moment to Capture

Kyle was nice enough to go to the game with me the next day. He picked me up and now we were sitting on the crowded bleachers, among a swarm of other South Park High students and their families. Blinding white lights illuminate the whole place as little figures of football playing jocks run back and forth across the field. At the margin of the field, cheerleaders hoist each other up into the air, doing flips and dancing quite strikingly in their mid-baring uniforms. A little distance to the side of the cheerleaders, I spot Jeanine in her red Converse high tops, her eyes looking into her camera as she takes pictures of the football guys in action.

"I still don't understand why you got me into this, man," I tell Kyle without looking at him. Jeanine finishes taking pictures, caps her lens, and walks off elsewhere.

"I'm sorry, dude! It slipped. Besides, it was Wendy who really pushed the idea, not me."

"You owe me. You know what I'm gonna make you do, right?" Kyle looks at me and I look at him.

"What?" he asks.

"I'm gonna make you wear the suit, we'll take the picture, and we'll be done with it," I tell him as if it's simply fact.

"Hell no!" he yells, just as the crowd hollers in unison at the game. I think Stan just scored a touchdown but neither Kyle nor I were paying attention.

"Why not?" I ask.

"I'll attract attention in that suit. It's dangerous. Plus, you're taller than me so it won't fit."

"Excuses, excuses. What if I have you do it in a safe, secluded place in the city and I'll make Jeanine take it from a distance? She won't be able to tell."

Kyle sighs. "Or what if you just tell Wendy you can't do it. I'm sure she'll find someone else to help her in no time."

"So I make up another excuse?" I ask. But the idea actually appeals to me all of a sudden. Why do all the people I hang out with have to be so difficult? If I ditch the idea altogether, I wouldn't have to deal with coming up with some kind of plan where I could somehow be in two places at once, and we can just forget everything. Even if I had the smarts to come up with a brilliant plan, Kyle—the only person who could possibly help me—wouldn't have the will to. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I'll just tell Wendy I can't do it anymore."

Kyle and I look at each other, shrug in agreement, and continue to watch the game. Easy as pie to change our minds sometimes.

As I watch Stan, number 12, run and tackle someone of the opposite team, I try to think of an excuse for Wendy. I can't say I can't do it because I'm busy.. she pointed out herself that I have no extracurricular activities. Way to call me out, Wendy, just because Stan has his sports, Kyle has his academics, and Cartman… well Cartman isn't really the best qualified to help someone out. Let alone, a girl.

I can't say I'm sick.. I'd have to pretend to be sick for two weeks until Wendy breaks it to Jeanine that she can't write the story anymore. Ugh, what can I do?

"I'm gonna grab a snack," I say. Hunger. At least it's a problem I know it can solve.

I make my way down the bleachers and to the concession stands at the side of the field. The cheapest thing I can get are nachos. Good enough. After giving the lady at the concessions my money, she hands me my nachos and I turn around to make my way back to the bleachers. But upon turning, I accidentally run into the person who was standing behind me in line.

"Oh! Sorry," she apologizes.

"Jeanine," I say without thinking. This time she is wearing glasses with big lenses and a denim vest with a white shirt-dress thing underneath. Her short brown hair is tied back into an awkward stub of a ponytail, revealing two or three piercings on each ear. Her black nylons are ripped at her knees and of course she isn't without her red Converse high tops. She also lets her camera hang freely around her neck. What is with me and running into this girl while standing in line for food?

"Kenny? I don't think we've ever met, but uh…" she starts off awkwardly. Right. I'm not really supposed to know her name either. "I know you anyway."

Before I let an awkward silence pass I say, "Yeah, well. A lot of people probably do."

She chuckles and rolls her eyes playfully. "Yeah, you and your crazy friends."

I smile to myself. I suppose we were known as a crazy bunch. I wipe the smile off my face and think to myself that I should probably walk away and avoid conversation. But just as I'm about to, I find myself asking her, "So what's up, you taking pictures of the game?"

She looks at me questionably for a second, probably surprised by how much I knew about her though it's not even much. I'm surprised we're even talking. Then she says with an exaggerated sigh, "Yeah."

"Why so unhappy about it?" I ask.

"I just wish I were somewhere else."

Oh? Taking pictures of Mysterion, perhaps? I think to myself. This was definitely my cue to leave. Walk away, walk away! But then she asks, "Did you see me on the news? Is that how you know my name?"

I feel the edge of my mouth twitch. "Yeah," I half lie.

"I can't believe I saw Mysterion in person! But it's weird, isn't it? That he's back? Weird, but exciting... I have this strange theory that he's immortal."

I almost drop my nachos and I look at her like she's insane. Well, she is! How much does this girl know? Then I remember I jumped off a building the other day when I was in her pursuit. I wonder if she arrived at that conclusion from just that night or from other events. Even if she did, she shouldn't have been able to remember my lifeless body once it hit the ground..

"Yeah, a lot of people give me that look when I tell them," she says dejectedly. "It's okay if you don't believe it. But don't you think that explains his ability to fight crime in the face of danger? I mean, for the short times that he's actually active, anyway."

"It's definitely… an interesting theory."

"It's what I'd like to write about for the school newspaper. But I also need a picture of him."

"A picture? Why?"

She looks to the sky then, her hazel eyes vacant but thoughtful. Then she looks back at me. Her eyes are shining. "I don't know. Inspiration? To make the article more interesting? Actually, I think the real reason why I want to photograph him is to maybe, if I'm really lucky, get a chance to talk with him."

I chuckle. "You're dreaming pretty big," I tell her, not meaning to say it as an insult, but she gets defensive anyhow.

"Yeah, well, being the first journalist in this town to interview our masked vigilante could really launch my future career. And I wanna discover who he really is! No one just.. puts on a suit and goes into town to fight crime! Not unless you're acting for a movie! He really is a hero. Even if the crimes he prevents may be small. I'd like to get to know Mysterion, masked and unmasked."

I want to laugh out loud at the irony. I really do. But I will myself to hold it back. Walk away, walk away, I keep reminding myself.

"Well, keep looking. Maybe one day you'll be lucky," I tell her as I finally begin walking away.

"Would you like to help me?"

I freeze in my steps. Reluctantly I pivot my feet to face her.

"What was that?" I ask stupidly.

"Would you like to help me?" she asks again. Then quickly she adds, "Sorry, I don't know why I asked. It's just, no one's supporting me on this and I could use the help. But I barely know you so it's okay to say no. Pretend I didn't ask."

I look down at my nachos, which are probably growing colder by the second. I look to the bleachers to see the crowd yelling enthusiastically, Kyle probably sitting bored among them and waiting. Then I look to Jeanine, her eyes so full of ambition and passion and desperation all at the same time. She stands there, waiting awkwardly as I try to find the right words to say.

"Actually, I know the city pretty well. Maybe I can help you figure out Mysterion's patterns of movement or something," I hear myself say after a while.

"Really? Y-you're serious?" Jeanine asks unsurely. Because I can't take back what I said now, I nod. She then beams and I see almost all of her teeth. She reaches forward, as if almost to hug me but she stops herself. She blushes and says, "Wow, I can't believe it. Thanks, Kenny."

I can't believe it either.

"Yeah. I'll uh… see you at school and we can talk about it," I tell her. I then walk away before either she or I say anything more.

I think about how Kyle might just kill me when I tell him I still need him to put on the suit.