John Maloney's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

John Maloney stood at the edge of the playground in his blue superhero suit, watching the other kids play. He needed a team. Not just any team — a team that would stay, that would be his. The friend who left still hurt, like a bruise he kept pressing. He wouldn't make that mistake again. This time, he'd build something that couldn't fall apart. But then a girl with a purple diary tucked under one arm walked straight toward him. She stopped near the tall rainbow statue — the one that looked like a woman made of swirling colors — and smiled. "Hi. You must be John, right?" She held out a bright friendship bracelet with a smiley face on it. "Can I please be your friend?" John stared at the bracelet. Nobody asked like that. Nobody just walked up and offered. His first thought was to slip into her head and check what she really thought of him. Make sure she meant it. Make sure she wouldn't leave. His power hummed under his skin, ready. He took the bracelet instead. Slid it onto his wrist without checking her thoughts. "Yeah," he said. "Okay." The girl grinned and set her diary down on the bench, the pink note on the cover catching the light. John looked at the bracelet again. Maybe this time he wouldn't need to use his power at all. Maybe this time someone had chosen him first.