Kara's Cross

“I’ll be working on supper if you need anything, Kara,” my dad offers, his voice fading as he turns the corner, “just let me know.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I call back, not sure if I was loud enough for him to hear.

I turn to face Logan, watching him get out his math book and binder. I asked if he wanted to come over to work on homework, but I really need to talk to him about all the other things that have been happening lately.

“These are the right pages for yesterday’s assignment, aren’t they?” he points to a section of his book, waiting for my confirmation.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Logan missed school yesterday. He tells me he just was a little tired and wanted to catch up on sleep, but I’m pretty sure what happened at the mall two days ago really did a number on him. Even now, he still seems out of it. Just one of the many reasons we need to talk.

“So, Logan,” I use my casual voice, “how are you feeling? I was pretty worried about you yesterday when you didn’t come to school.”

“I told you everything was fine,” his focus remaining on the math pages, “I was just tired. You are the one we should be worried about; you were stabbed, after all.”

“Yeah, about that,” I lift the side of my shirt enough to show where the knife penetrated, “the cut’s basically gone. It’s as if it was never even there. Isn’t it weird?”

Logan leans a little closer to examine my side. I can’t even tell where the wound is anymore, so I’m sure Logan won’t be able to see it. After a couple of seconds, he nods and grins.

“What are you smiling about, Logan?”

“Nothin’,” he shakes his head, “I’m just glad you weren’t badly hurt.”

Well, I’m obviously missing something.

“Oh, by the way,” Logan looks up from his homework, “I checked on Shayna’s condition. Apparently, she had some head trauma and broke an arm, but she is going to be fine.” He pauses for a second, looking at me. “I thought you’d be interested to know.”

“Thanks, Logan. I am glad to hear it. So many things were bad about that night. At least no one is going to die because of us.”

“It wasn’t us, Kara, it was just me. I am the one who told her to jump in front of a car. It looked like she was going to kill you. I’d do it again, too.”

“I know you would, Logan, and it’s nice you want to protect me, but all of this, everything we’ve been doing, is wrong. I’m not going to act like this anymore.”

“What are you talking about?” He’s hurt, maybe even angry. “You didn’t ask Shayna to bully you; she did it on her own. No matter how you acted, she would have been a bully to you.”

“Maybe so, but it doesn’t mean we have the right to play with people’s lives the way we do. I’ve been using my power for selfish reasons, and all it’s done is get people hurt. I’m done using my power.”

“I told you, Kara, Shayna’s the only one who’s been hurt and I did that, not you.”

“No, Logan. Maddie’s mom was fired. She was the night manager at Nouveau and was fired because people were giving away stuff for free.”

“All we took was a shirt and a couple of key chains. They wouldn’t fire someone for such a small amount.”

“Maddie told me it was around five hundred dollars worth.”

“Well, there you go, Kara, it wasn’t because of you, then. Someone else stole a bunch of stuff.”

“It doesn’t matter, Logan,” frustration is beginning to take over, “the shirt I took is obviously part of it, and it was the reason she was fired. Maddie stopped talking to me because I was being selfish with my powers, and I didn’t listen to her. You kept telling me no one is affected by our powers, but that’s obviously not true. I’ve lost my best friend, her mom no longer has a job and a girl was almost killed. There is nothing you can say, I’m done using my powers.”

“Kara, I’m sorry all this happened, but we can’t stop using our powers. We have a gift.”

“I’m not asking you to stop, Logan, I’m telling you I am. You call it a gift, but it feels more like a curse.”

“I still think you are overreacting.”

“I don’t expect you to understand, Logan. I just need to do this.”

“Okay.”

Here comes the hard part.

“I also think we should stop hanging out for a while. I want to focus on trying to have a normal life and unless you are going to stop using your power, too, I really think I should keep my distance. Plus, I want to try to get Maddie to forgive me, and I don’t think she will if you’re around.”

I can’t tell if he’s mad or sad, but he definitely didn’t like what I just said.

“Please, Kara, don’t do that. Just tell me what to do.”

“Are you willing to stop using your power, too?”

He is quiet for many seconds, staring down at his book.

“I can’t promise to do that,” his voice barely above a whisper, “sorry.”

Logan begins gathering his books, standing up to leave.

“I should go,” he says as he begins walking toward the front door, “I’ll see you around.”

I want to tell him to stay, that I’ve changed my mind. Instead, all I say is, “Did you want a ride, Logan?”

He shakes his head as he walks out the front door, “No, thanks. I feel like walking right now.”

“Okay,” I wave as he walks down the path, “Bye, Logan,” but he is already out of earshot.

I shut the door and start walking back to the table. I had told myself I was doing the right thing, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it.

“Was that the door, sweetie?” my dad asks, walking into the room, “Did Logan go home already? Is something wrong?”

“Dad,” I sit on the couch, leaving room for him to sit next to me, “I need to tell you something.”