Issue 1 Downtime

Haley sat on a bench in the gardens, glued to her phone, waiting for Kay to show up.

And show up she did, though she didn't seem particularly thrilled.

"Hey."

"Hey..." she said putting her phone away and rising.

"I...listen...I was a real bitch to you for no good reason and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve any of it, and it was wrong to get my boyfriend involved too. I'm trying to be a less shitty person because it fucks with my head an makes it even harder to control my powers, and honestly all the stress gives me stomach aches."

Haley looked down at the ground.

"I...think the comics are actually pretty cool for what it's worth..."

Kay blinks, apparently not having expected Haley to be this honest. Or is she?

"Uhm... thanks?" she says, still sounding a little dubious. "So you and Cal are done getting all psycho on anyone? I mean that painting was... that was kinda mean of Regan and I shouldn't have laughed so hard..."

"I am. And if Cal keeps being a dick, then tell me and I'll deal with him."

Haley cracked a bit of a smirk. "I probably would have laughed if it was someone else...it's fine. Just....if you can tell your roommate that I'll show the entire class my tits on my own time and terms I'd appreciate it..."

She chewed her lip a bit, kicking the ground a bit.

"So...yeah. Um...we don't have to be like best friends or anything but. I'm...kinda tired of most of the school hating my guts. Most of my friends back home don't even bother texting me anymore so like....yeah. I don't want to like. Make this whole thing shittier than it already is, you know? We kinda all have a lot of shit to deal with and being bitchy isn't going to make our lives like...better."

Stop saying like!

"Well I promised Brigid I wouldn't mess with you. Not that I ever did. But I guess your stupid prank backfired, so whatever. For what it's worth, I already told Regan that painting wasn't cool. Well, it was, just not the whole nude thing, you know?"

Haley blinked a bit as she heard Kay's thought before she realized she'd just overheard it mentally.

nice. I try and apologize and she doesn't like how I talk...whatever...don't hold it against her, everyones entitled to their thoughts...

Which naturally Haley broadcast right back at Kay.

"Thanks," she said, smiling weakly. "I...look I know it was bitchy, and I'm sorry. Really am. You calling me psycho didn't at all make you deserve any of it. I just....well I feel crazy enough as is without people shoving it in my face. So...just...reset button?"

"The fuck! Are you reading my thoughts!?"

Haley covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh my gosh. I'm...fuck. I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean to."

Tears were already starting to well up in her eyes.

"You're a telepath?"

Haley bit her lip and nodded quickly, trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry..." she managed. "Really....really embarrassing."

"Okay, just... stay out of my head, okay." she says, maybe a little too paranoid to be truly understanding.

"I try. I don't...I don't want to hear people. But sometimes I can't help it. It's like...this whole damn school is in a big room an all talking at once. That. That's in my head almost every day." she sniffled. "An sometimes...sometimes I hear things more clearly. And I don't mean to..."

"Yeah, well, I bet that sucks, but stay out of mine, okay?" she says, wondering how the hell she's supposed to keep a secret from Haley of all people now. Which of course does the exact opposite of not thinking about Brigid and Theresa's secret and all that stuff.

I hate these fucking powers, they fuck up EVERYTHING.

"I....okay...I. I'll see you around I guess." Haley said, turning quickly to leave and head towards the maze where she could cry alone.

Haley ignored Kay and almost tripped over a bench in her tear-blurred rush to the maze, a bench which was subsequently smashed into several pieces as it flipped aside with a mumbled oath from Haley.