Page 62 of Secret Spark

Sadie’s heart lurched from the hurt expression wrinkling Joan’s face. Clearly, this was a sore spot. “I’m sorry,” she said, rubbing Joan’s shoulder. “It has to be hard for you. I didn’t consider the drawbacks of being so extraordinary.”

Joan dug her thumb into her travel mug. “I’m just saying not all bad guys are bad. And not all heroes are heroic. I could tell you things about the Supers that would…” She shook her head.

Like what?“Some people—I’m definitely not one of them—but some people say the Supers create as much damage as the bad guys they’re trying to stop. Is it things like that?”

“Yep. They never offer to rebuild. Just expect people to be grateful and show their gratitude with a bunch of free shit. Not that they ever share that free shit, even with folks who really need it.”

“You pay for things,” Sadie pointed out. “You paid for the window at VCC, and you’ve paid for food and coffee with me.”

“I’m not like them,” Joan said.

Another thing she’d never considered: Joan didn’t have a good relationship with the other Supers. They always appeared to work well together. Maybe that was just for show. A united front in the face of crime.

“Did something happen?” Sadie asked gently. “A rift between you and the other Supers?”

“You could say that.”

“Can I ask what it was about?”

“We have different ideas about some things,” Joan said.

“That’s why you’ve been spending so much time with Mark and Perry,” Sadie guessed.

“For sure.”

They began to walk again. “But you all ultimately want the same thing. Justice, safety, fighting the good fight.”

“That’s what all Superheroes want.” Joan’s eyebrows quirked. “Sometimes, that’s the only thing they can see. They don’t always notice when a Villain tries to do some good.”

“Wow.” Adoration flowed through Sadie’s bloodstream. “You can see the good inside a Supervillain. That’s so noble. And honorable. You’re kind even to your archenemies.”

A strange sort of sadness played across Joan’s face. “Remember that about me, okay?”

“How could I forget?” Sadie said, tucking her arm through Joan’s.

Her gaze swept over the travel mug in?—

“Joan.” She stared at the deep ridges that hadn’t been in the red metal a few minutes ago. “What happened to my tumbler?”

Joan lifted her thumb out of the rut it had created. Her other fingers rested inside more grooves. “Shit,” she muttered. “Sorry. That happens sometimes. I’ll buy you a new one.”

“Was it because we were talking about superpowers?”

“No, it’s… Sometimes when my emotions run high, stuff melts.”

“Yikes.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Trying to keep things upbeat, Sadie joked, “Absorbing the caffeinated energy from the coffee?”

Joan pushed her sunglasses back.

“I’m sorry.” Sadie squeezed her arm. “Your powers aren’t a joke. I shouldn’t be so flippant and nosy.”

“It’s okay to be nosy. I’d be curious if I were you. And I don’t want you to feel like you can’t ask me things.”

“So you still cause a little damage when you’re upset?”

---