Unlikely Heroes

"Got up early and couldn't even bother making breakfast?"

Mikaela froze in the doorway, surprised to find her father awake. He typically didn't work on Sundays and considering he'd put away two six packs the night before she hadn't expected him to be lucid yet.

"I went out for a jog," she said slowly. "I didn't think you'd be up before I got home. I can make something now if you'd-"

"Don't bother," he snapped, nursing a large mug of coffee. So he was hungover. If she tread carefully she might be able to avoid incurring his wrath and just take the expected tongue lashing.

"You're just like your mother was, after you came along and she became a useless waste of space." Her father's lip curled in disgust and Mikaela started singing nursery rhymes in the back of her head so she could keep her face blank.

"If you really want I can make some eggs or something," she said. He rose from his chair and she tensed automatically. Paul Chase was a large man. Six-foot-three and still muscular from his days as a college football star. He could've been handsome; probably was to people who didn't know him; but Mikaela thought his eyes looked hard, the curve of his lips cruel and sneering. He was blond and gray eyed, everything about him a stark contrast to Mikaela's petite frame and dark hair. She had inherited her mother's looks, and it only served to make her father hate her even more. He felt Mikaela had ruined his life, cutting his college ball career short and destroying the perfect body of his trophy wife, even though she had bounced back from her baby body easily. Neither Paul nor Lydia had been prepared or cut out for raising a child. Eventually her mother couldn't take it anymore and she left. One day there, the next day gone. She had clearly never looked back, because Mikaela hadn't heard from her in nine years.

Mikaela fairly jumped to start a fresh pot of coffee so she could get out of her father's way as he lumbered past. She didn't know where he was going and she didn't ask, relieved when he went out the front door and the car started in the driveway. She let out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding, dumping out the now cold coffee. At least there were no new bruises to hide, no split lips to clean up, no sprains to make excuses for. It was just good old verbal abuse today. Mikaela considered that a good day. Not having to see him at all was a great day. She rinsed the coffee pot and went upstairs to take a shower.

She tried to focus on studying for her upcoming political science test, but a relentless sinus headache began to form. After reading the same page three times and still not being able to remember what she'd just read, she gave up and started making her pencils and highlighters do acrobatics in midair instead. Practicing her power made the headaches ease, so she wound up abandoning her studies entirely and went to the creepy rundown elementary school Cal had taken her to. She kept expecting to hear ghostly children's voices singing jump rope songs echo through the empty hallways. A result of all the horror movies she watched, no doubt.

She had spent the latter part of the morning and early afternoon working, and was surprised when Cal showed up, though she knew immediately he was lying out his ass about having been practicing his invisibility. Now she was on the verge of falling off the picnic bench while she chucked bricks at him.

"Come on, Bennett!" she called. "Tenth time is the charm!"

Cal scowled at her as he dodged another brick. "You could slow down a little and let me focus," he grumbled.

"A mugger isn't going to give you a few seconds to gather your wits," she pointed out. Cal rolled his eyes. Mikaela launched another brick, and this time Cal's form seemed to almost shimmer, fading away to nothing. The brick sailed right through where he'd been standing like there was nothing but air. Mikaela kept watch out of her periphery vision for him to reappear. She was bringing the brick back when arms suddenly grabbed her from behind, pulling her off the bench and tickling her sides. She shrieked and flailed.

"Calvin! Stop it!" She tried in vain to kick him, finding it unnerving to be lifted off the ground and tickled with arms she couldn't see. Finally Cal reformed, laughing hysterically even as she turned around and stepped on his toe.

"You're right," he gasped. "This practicing thing was a good idea."

"Idiot." Mikaela shoved him in the chest but he just kept laughing.

"Are you planning on tickling criminals too?" Mikaela asked, pursing her lips in annoyance.

"Nah. That's just for you, Princess Mikaela."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm so honored."

Mikaela surveyed her pile of bricks with her hands on her hips. She lifted them all into the air in a straight line. Then she started backing away, seeing how long she could keep the bricks airborne. Her back hit the door and she forced it open with a rusty squeal. She walked down the hallway, feeling oddly lightheaded as she tried to maintain her hold on the bricks. She could still see them through the small, dirty window on the door. Eventually she felt the lightheadedness vanish and when she went back outside the bricks were on the ground.

"My range is pretty good," she remarked. She yelped as Cal materialized in front of her.

"Stop that!"

"You wanted me to practice." He grinned.

"I did not," Mikaela protested. "I said you shouldn't waste your power on stupid things. And by the way, using it to sneak up on me is a stupid way to use it."

"I don't know, it's pretty entertaining. Besides, a mugger won't give you a few seconds to gather your wits," he mocked.

Mikaela chucked a brick at him. She still managed to snag him with a few but he seemed to be getting better at phasing in and out and avoiding them. Her aim and precision also improved, making it an interesting mock battle. Cal kept making faces at her whenever he reappeared and Mikaela arranged the bricks into laters, spelling out "fuck you."

"That's not very mature," Cal said.

"What do you know about being mature?" Mikaela scoffed. "You act like a twelve year old ninety-nine percent of the time."

"Mikaela, you wound me."

"I can try." She flung a brick at him and he vanished. He reappeared a moment later, directly in front of her. She took a step back and found herself pressed against the wall of the school building. Cal rested a hand on the wall, leaning over her with a smirk.

"I think I've grown on you," he said. "Admit it, Your Highness. You like me."

"I absolutely do not," Mikaela said firmly. Her heart was suddenly hammering in her chest and her breath caught faintly at how close he was standing. She maintained her haughty glare though. "You're arrogant and scruffy looking and have no direction in life."

Cal arched an eyebrow, still looking amused. Mikaela was fully prepared to shove him away, even raised her hands to do just that. Cal caught her wrist in his free hand and Mikaela's eyes flicked upward, locking with his. They stared at each other for a heartbeat. Then the small gap between them closed and Cal's lips covered hers.