บท 26: Interview
Luke was in his room lying down, playing with his cell phone. Next to him was Enid, who was sleeping soundly using his shoulder as a pillow.
It was Friday. Classes were over. They played console games with Xavier for a while, then Xavier left. Most likely to meet Bianca. So, they were left alone in the room.
The day was cloudy and drizzling which made them both very lazy, so they decided to go to bed.
'She seriously fell asleep...' thought Luke, looking at Enid sleeping peacefully.
Luke couldn't believe he had a cute girl sleeping on his shoulder. Since they made their relationship official, Enid was much more affectionate than before.
Just then his cell phone rang. He got a message from an unknown number. He could recognize the person from the profile picture. It was Sabrina.
'Looks like it's time to repay my debt,' Luke thought, opening the chat.
Sabrina's request was something Luke had not expected. Mostly because of its simplicity. The girl wanted Luke to accompany her to the harvest festival.
The Harvest Festival is a place to have fun and have a good time with friends. There is a Ferris wheel, lots of food booths, games with prizes, etc. The first festival was held in 1948 and is a Jericho tradition.
It is held on both Saturday and Sunday. Tomorrow is the first day. Most Nevermore students will attend. Especially those with friends.
Luke would not be attending, but since he started dating Enid, he has to fulfill his boyfriend responsibilities. So, they decided to have their first date at the festival.
'What now?' thought Luke. If he said yes to Sabrina his date with Enid would be ruined since they were planning to have the two-day date. The logical thing to do was to tell her he couldn't, but Luke doesn't like to leave debts unpaid.
"Sabrina texted you?"
Luke was startled by the sudden question. He turned his head slightly and noticed that Enid's eyes were open and staring at the screen of his cell phone.
'At what point did she wake up? This is not good...' Luke thought. Enid was a jealous person.
"Yeah... Remember what I told you? I owe her a favor for helping me train," Luke replied quickly.
"Mm, I see," Enid said, focusing her eyes to read the message. Luke realizing she wanted to read the message wanted to take the cell phone out of her sight, but Enid with superhuman reflexes reached out her arm and took the cell phone from him.
"Since when is a favor a date?" asked Enid with a frown, reading the message.
"I don't know why she wants that," said Luke with a shrug.
"I'll figure it out," Enid said, beginning to write. Suddenly, she felt her whole body go rigid. She couldn't move.
Luke took the cell phone out of her hands using the immobilization, 'Too late... She already answered her,' thought Luke, sighing internally.
The message sent by Enid pretending to be him was the following: Why? That favor sounds like a date. I have a girlfriend, and I'm loyal.
'I'm loyal?' thought Luke. He would never write that.
"Hey, using immobilization is cheating!" said Enid, whining and pouncing on Luke.
Luke who was half sitting up was knocked down by Enid and fell against the mattress of his bed as Enid sat on top of him.
"Then you don't use your over-human strength," said Luke, who started to feel nervous about having Enid on top of him.
"That's different," said Enid.
"Why? We're both using our powers," asked Luke, grabbing Enid by the waist. He pushed her down and changed positions. Now he was on top, and she was on the bottom.
They both stared at each other and began to slowly bring their faces closer together. Just as their lips were about to meet Luke's cell phone rang again.
Luke picked up the cell phone that had been left open in Sabrina's chat room. She sent him a new message.
"See. Look. She just wanted to use my telekinetic powers to win a prize in a game at the festival," Luke said, showing her the cell phone.
"Those are just excuses to hang out with you," said Enid, crossing her arms. Even though Luke is using her as a chair she feels nothing. Her strength was way above average.
"She said you're invited. You'll get a chance to interview Sabrina for your blog," Luke said, trying to convince Enid. He wanted to settle his debt as soon as possible and more so if it was something as easy as winning a prize with his powers.
"It's true! Tell her we'll come!" said Enid with a smile. She couldn't pass up the opportunity to interview one of Nevermore's most popular girls.
It would be great news for her blog, and she'd be able to get a lot of information about Sabrina. Especially, if she has a boyfriend. There were rumors that she was dating Ajax. A gorgon boy who chaperoned her at the dance.
"However. Sunday we will have our date. No third parties," Enid added in an irrefutable tone, and Luke nodded.
...
Saturday and the day of the festival arrived. Luke before going to the festival had an interview at the Weathervane. The most well-known coffee shop in Jericho. There was still no sign of Tyler (the Hyde) working here.
The interview was about Carrie and his budding writing career. He'd had other interviews in the past, so he was already more used to it than the first time.
Usually, the questions were always the same. What genres do you read? Why? Favorite book? How were you inspired to create Carrie? This time the interviewer asked him more personal questions.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" asked the bearded man who was writing everything down on his MacBook.
"I'd rather not answer that question," replied Luke in an irrefutable tone.
If it were up to him, he wouldn't mind revealing that Enid is his girlfriend, but he has mortal enemies who want to assassinate him. So, he prefers to keep it private.
However, it is information that can be discovered without much difficulty since everyone in Nevermore knows that they are dating. He prefers to be cautious and not to be showing it to everyone through social media.
Enid, although she likes to take a lot of pictures and social media, was not upset that Luke did not want to make their relationship public to the hundreds of thousands of fans who followed him. This is because she doesn't want to show Luke as an interested girl.
"How do you spend your school life with so much fame all of a sudden? What was your school life like before you published Carrie?" the man asked.
Hearing the second question Luke sketched a big smile internally. He had been waiting for such a question for a long time.
"School life at Nevermore is great. Despite the fame, everyone treats me like one of the guys. Which I appreciate," Luke said with a warm smile. It was all a lie, he didn't even have any friends. He miraculously got a girlfriend.
"Principal Larissa does a great job," added Luke, saying only good things about Nevermore. Larissa always wanted to give a good image, and since she helped him in many things he didn't mind giving Nevermore good publicity even though he's not the average student who enjoys his youth to the fullest.
"That's great. For a school that's in such a small town," the bearded man said with a smile.
"What was your school life like before Carrie? As far as I know, you lived in an orphanage in Boston, right?" asked the man.
"Yeah... I don't know if it will be a good idea what my school life was like before Carrie," said Luke with a sad expression.
"Why not? Don't hold back. Every story needs to come out," said the shoulder with more attention than before. He smelled a big scoop.
"If you insist..." said Luke, taking a breath and starting to tell his past emotional, sad, overcoming, and many more exaggerated emotions.
He told how he was bullied in previous schools because of his orphan status. Making fun of his clothes, his lack of money, and not having parents. He was even beaten several times by bullies (this was not entirely true, as he always put up a fight, he did not let them hit him. He was careful in the dangerous streets of Boston. He did not need superpowers to defend himself from normal bullies who wanted to fight.)
He tried to seek help from teachers, but they turned a deaf ear to the bullying he suffered. Even though he got the best grades in the class, nobody helped him, and it was always hell to go to those schools.
Without anyone giving him a hand, he decided to take revenge on his aggressors by playing harmless pranks. For which he ended up being expelled. On the other hand, his aggressors, despite all the evil they committed, were not punished because their parents had money and power.
The interviewer could not believe this and felt great anger towards the schools, the bullies, and his parents.
"Unacceptable! Tell me the names of the schools. They cannot go unpunished. Bullying in 2020!" the man said indignantly and clenched his fist.
"I don't know if it will be a good idea to do that," said Luke, acting hesitant.
"Don't be afraid. Their crimes will be exposed. They must pay," insisted the man.
"Well since you insist..." said Luke, hiding an evil grin. It was time to exact revenge on Brad, his family, and the school's staff, who did nothing.
Luke gave him the specific names of the three schools. Not only that. He also told him the first and last names of Brad, his father, brother, etc. Also of the other kids who were bothering him.
The names of the principal and vice principal of both schools. He tried not to forget anything. It was time for them to suffer for their actions.
"That's all there is to it. Take it easy, boy. Those people will suffer for their evil deeds," said the man, squeezing Luke's hand. He said goodbye, put his things away, and quickly left the place. He had big news to show the world.
"Your performance amazes me more every day," said Natasha, stirring her coffee cup.
She raised Luke in the orphanage and knew that he always acted to turn things in his favor.
"It's a necessary means of justice," Luke said guilelessly. What he told the interviewer was not a lie. He just exaggerated the victim role a bit, since he didn't put his head down when he was bullied.
Natasha paid for the coffee and walked out of the coffee shop with Luke. She hailed a cab and told the cab driver to take Luke to Nevermore.
"Remember, don't go to the festival. It's dangerous," Natasha warned, watching Luke from the sidewalk.
On festival days all Nevermore students had a free pass to go and have fun at the festival. So it was much easier to get out of school, and you didn't need to ask for special permission.
"Yeah, I know," Luke said without paying much attention.
"Don't try to go on a date with your little girlfriend," Natasha said, and this time, Luke looked at her in surprise.
How did she know he had a girlfriend? Only the students at Nevermore knew, and Luke didn't upload anything to his social media. Natasha only visited Nevermore every few days to resume the telepathic link that had more shelf life every day.
'I remember great-great-grandfather saying she's an expert at gathering information,' Luke thought.
"I won't. You think because I have a girlfriend, I'm going to a stupid festival?" said Luke with a grimace of disgust.
Natasha nodded. What Luke said made sense. She knew Luke was a loner and that he hated normal places like festivals. It would be strange for him to go and have fun there. Rather Natasha couldn't imagine Luke having fun in that kind of place.
"Shall we go?" asked the cab driver.
"Yes," said Luke and said goodbye to Natasha. The cab started up and drove further and further away from the redhead.
'I'm rid of her now,' thought Luke, sighing in relief. Now that he was not being followed by a paranoid person, he could join Enid and Sabrina to go to the festival.
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