Chapter Text

And She'll be Surprised

Why,Angela?

March 21,1986

11:03 A.M.

"And that is why I have chosen Helen Keller as my hero," Angela's smooth voice rang out in the dim classroom,her eyes crinkling as the class clapped for her.

“That was wonderful Angela,truly wonderful,what an inspiring story," praised the teacher as she turned on the light switch,returning to her desk as the claps died down. "Ok,now let's see who has to follow that." She said in a tone that indicted she didn't think the next would live up to Angela's. She put on her glasses,quickly grabbing a piece of paper from the fishbowl full of student's names. "Jane," called mrs. Gracy's voice,looking over at Jane with a small smile.

Jane felt her throat constrict slightly as she looked over at her might-as-well-be brother for reassurance,breathing deeply as she grabbed her diorama and walked to the front of the class,not noticing the almost admiring look that Angela gave her. But of course it was just a fake one,right? 

Jane shuffled her feet as she held her project,looking at the blank and bored faces of her classmates. Okay,no big deal. She could do this.

"Hi." She said in that sotto voice of hers,her brown eyes flickering across the classroom,as if she wanted to look at everyone as to make them included. "For my hero, I...I chose my dad." She focused on turning around her project for the class to see, again not noticing the looks that some of her classmates shared with each other. "And for my visual aid,I made a direyma of our cabin."

"More like diarrhea," insulted Jake,making the class laugh. Jane moved her lips to a smile,pretending that the joke didn't hurt and she could laugh along with everyone else. 

"Quiet,everyone. Let's be respectful," Says Mrs.Gracey,and the laughter subsides.

Jane holds up a model figure of Hopper,displaying it to the class. "This is my dad. His name is Hopper. He made the best eggos,and...we liked to watch Miami Vice on Fridays," She chuckled softly. She put down the figure, and picked up another. A gray squirrel. "This is Mr.Fibbly." She said,her lips quavering a bit as she looked at her classmates,too nervous to hold their gaze for more than a second. "He is a squirrel," she announced, as if the fact wasn't obvious. Snorts and laughter sounded from around the classroom,the students probably wondering why she sounded so stupid. Jane gulped,looking at Will for reassurance once again,and Will nodded.

"And this is the alarm that my dad made," Jane began,this time noticing how Angela's hand went up,a nice smile on her porcelain face. "I...I was never scared because..." Her eyes flicking to Angela,who snuggled her head into her arm,as if trying to look like a friend. "Beca-Because.." She stuttered,not sure if she should let Angela state her question or not,so she turned to the teacher.

"Angela,let's save questions until the end of Jane's presentation," The teacher nodded,her deepset eyes looking at Angela. 

"Yeah,sorry. I'm just like,confused. I thought this was a presentation about a historical figure." Angela said saccharinely. 

"My dad was in the newspaper." Says Jane almost immediately,blinking rapidly. 

"Your local paper?" Angela sniggers in that mocking tone,making the whole class laugh with her. Jane feels her throat contracting, her lips barely quivering. "I just don't think that's what Mrs.Gracey meant by historical. This is supposed to be about famous people." 

"My dad is famous," responded Jane,and anyone could see the tears in her eyes and the redness on her nose. "He..He saved lots of lives. In a mall fire. He was a hero for people." She said,very serious,but all Angela could do was pucker her lips,looking off to the side like this was just a boring lecture to her. Maybe it was. "And he was my hero too." Jane said,looking around to really convey the message. 

"That's not what I'm saying at all,but it's okay." Angela 'reassured' in that honeyed voice of hers,the quick shake of her head bringing attention to those salmon pink earrings she wore. "I am so sorry Mrs. Gracey. I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted clarity on the rules of the assignment," She smirked. 

The teacher cleared her throat,moving stiffly. "Well,technically,you are correct,but Jane has decided to do her father. So,please continue with your presentation,Jane." Mrs.Gracey allowed,and a tear left Jane's eye,meeting with the soft skin of her cheek.

The second that the bell had rung, Jane was swiftly out the classroom,Will hot on her trail. 

"El,it wasn't that bad," He said,holding his own project in hand as he looked at the back of her head,the slightly frizzy chocolate brown hair running to her shoulder blades. 

"Friends don't lie!" She exclaimed back raucously,her breath heaving as she walked through the bustling hallways. All she could do was gaze at the next person,her mind spiraling as she replayed the scene in her head. Why,Angela? Why?

"El, come on." But Jane couldn't be bothered, too absorbed in her feelings of embarrassment as she continued onwards. 

Jane moved with purpose through the outside area of her school, her blue reeboks box in her hands as she didn’t bother looking around at her surroundings. Unluckily for her, right in front of her was Angela, sticking out her foot—and poor Jane didn’t notice until she was falling.

As she met with the ground she grunted, the diorama falling out her hands and people gasping and ooing. 

“Oh my god!” Exclaimed that sickly sweet voice, leaning down to look at Jane, as if she were a puppy. Angela thought she kind of looked like one. “I’m so sorry,” Angela apologized sarcastically, her three friends giggling beside her. “I hope Mr. Fibbly’s okay,” She said, laughing when looking at Stacy. 

They walked away, but not before Chad did a sidekick to Jane’s project,right in the way of Jake,who didn’t hesitate to stomp on it. This made the crowd gasp again—amused faces on some, others concerned. But this made Jane exasperated, her eyes narrowing as she got up on her feet, wiggling her fingers.

 “Angela!” She yelled at the blonde’s backside, her chest heaving as she knew exactly what she was about to do. Breathing heavily she walked forth,her arm raising as she screamed—screamed—like a total maniac. 

The onlookers went quiet, a surprised smirk coming to Angela’s face. A surprised frown of worry coming to Jane’s. Angela wasn’t thrown backwards,Jane didn’t feel that surge of power, nor did she feel a nosebleed.

”Holy Shit!” Said Angela, piercing the silence.

”What the hell was that?” Scoffed Stacy, the entire crowd erupting in laughter. Jane could do nothing but stand there and hold back her tears. What was wrong? Where were her powers? This..this shouldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. 

”Hey,Hey,what’s going on here?!” Said Mrs.Gracey,shuffling through the crowd of teens to meet Jane.”Jane? Jane. Did someone do this?” She interrogated.

Jane looked down,but the glance towards Angela and her crew didn’t go unnoticed. “I tripped. It was just an accident,” she said,trying to not get anyone in trouble as she sniffled.

Mrs. Gracey simply shook her head,not for the bullshit. ”All right Angela,you come with me.” The teacher said sternly, her heels clicking as she walked to Angela,pulling her by the elbow. 

“What,Why?” She retorted,the crowd ooing once more, always excited at the prospect of someone getting in trouble. “I didn’t do anything. Tell her ,Jane.Tell her!” She demanded of Jane as she got pulled away, glaring at the brunette as the crowd parted way for them, her eyes not leaving the girl's frame until she was out of view.

Jane kneeled down when the crowd eventually got its satisfaction, returning back to normal. Her face contorted into one of sorrow, scraping up her figures and box off the ground. She could hear someone run up behind her, and since there was only one person who cared about her here,she deduced it down to Will immediately.

”Shit. El,El. El..it’s gonna be okay,” Will told her,his green eyes flickering to assess what had happened , frantically picking up the broken pieces of her project, offering to fix it together. His voice quavered at the end,as if he had been the one who's project was stomped on. As if he had been the one embarassed in front of the massive crowd of people. As if he had been the one to realize his powers were gone. But those words didn’t register to Jane,tears streaming down her cheeks as she lowered her head in defeat,clutching the broken cabin that she was so proud of earlier. 

Why,Angela? Why?

Chapter Text

You Don’t Know Anything. 

March 21,1986

8:36 P.M.

 Jane was lying in her bed, the quilt ruffling against her patterned pajama pants and matching shirt. On her desk lay the broken diorama, the pieces splayed about the wooden piece of furniture, Mr. Fibbly on the floor. She doesn’t even know why she still has it. She should’ve thrown it in the trash when storming into her sunny Californian house. 

She stares up at the ceiling, her eyelids opening and closing rarely. She was reflecting on her day. How shitty it was, how she wished things were different. Why is Angela so mean to her, why is Will her only friend, why is she such a loser. The list could go on, and on, and on.

But what she questioned most of all… where did her powers go? Earlier, when she had tried to hurt Angela, push her to the ground with her telepathic powers, they didn’t work. No nosebleed, no feeling of control, no nothing. Maybe they’d come back. It’s probably because she’s at a new school, and she’s so nervous. Yeah, that was what she convinced herself it was.

She didn’t want to cry again, but she knew it was inevitable. She curled up under her blanket, her chest heaving and she bit her lip and cried quietly into her pillow. She cried until she fell asleep, her vision clothed by black nothingness all night. 

March 22,1986

8:48 A.M.

Jane, Will, and Jonathan all packed into Argyle’s van 20 minutes before school started. It reeked of weed, and Will and Jane jostled against each other when Argyle pulled out the driveway of their home recklessly. They could hear Joyce yelling about how Argyle needs to drive safely with all her babies in the car, but the music in the vehicle drowned her out as they swerved around a corner. 

“El,” Jonathan said as he swung his head around to peer at the two younger people in the backseat. “Will, how was the first day?” he inquired, quirking up an eyebrow. Argyle also turned his head, but Jonathan quickly hit his arm. “ Keep your eyes on the road, man,” he hissed. Perhaps at their latest smoking sesh Argyle hadn’t passed the blunt enough times. 

Will’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at his brother and then at El, who had a blank expression on her face. 

“Our first d-,” Will started, but was quickly interrupted. 

“It was good,” Said Jane, looking Jonathan in the eyes. Her day was not good, not even close to good. But what good was it for her to look like a loser in front of older kids, tell them about her bad day? So, she lied.

“Yessss, Bruchachos, that’s what I’m talking about,” came Argyle’s drawn out voice from the front, moving his left arm back to earn a fistbump from both,or either of them. Will shifted in his seat slightly, looking at El with furrowed eyebrows as he hesitantly gave Argyle a fistbump. He was worried about her, he wished that she wouldn’t bottle up her feelings. He turned his head, looking outside the window with a small sigh.

When the van finally approached Lenora Hills High School, Will and El hopped out as soon as the van came to a curb. But El didn’t know which she’d rather face—Argyle’s wild driving, making her already fluttering stomach nauseous, or Angela and her posse. At least in her first period, science, it was only Angela. None of her friends, but at the same time,Jane didn’t have Will with her. 

She sighed as she walked into the school, and to her locker. She opened it effortlessly, grabbing her science textbook. The teacher, Mr.Scott, said they’d be needing it today. Jane felt no need to hang around Will, so she went to science before the bell even rang. 

When the bell did ring a few minutes later, and all the kids filed into the classroom, Mr.Scott introduced what would happen. 

“Okay Class,” he started in that energetic voice, much too preppy for 8 in the morning, “I told all you guys to collect your science textbooks yesterday,correct?” He confirmed, and Jane looked down at the book, tracing her fingers along the title. P-h-y-s-i-c-a-l  s-c-i-e-n-c-e. 

“I need everybody to turn to page 185,” he instructed, that goofy smile on his lips, framed by the thick mustache. Yeah, much too happy to teach high schoolers science at 8am. The sound of pages slapping against pages filled the room for a moment. “What do you all see on that page?” He asked, looking over the room. Crickets. 

“Radios!” He said fervently, striking a pose with his arms outstretched. That's right, you all will be building radios!” He said, clapping like this was something exciting. Everyone groaned and slumped in their seats, rolling their eyes.

“Mr. Scott,” came Angela’s smooth voice, making Jane look at her from her window seat in the middle of class. “Do we really have to? We’re just freshmen,” she complained, flipping that soft blonde hair over her shoulder. 

“Yes,yes you do Angela. But! Don’t fret, because you’ll have partners,” the teacher said, hands on his hips as he looked at them all. “Eeek! I’m so excited for this project,” he said, walking over to his desk and grabbing a sheet of paper. “Okay everybody, up!” He commanded, and everybody got up from their seats, the screech of metal chair legs against linoleum making Jane cringe. 

“Alright,I tried to put the genders together and all but,let’s see—Amy and Pauline,” Mr.Scott announced, and Jane watched the two girls shuffle to the back of class, settling next to each other awkwardly. “Jared and Cole,” he said, and the two jocks bumped chests and grunted, grins on their faces as they took their seats too. Lucky. They’re friends and got assigned with each other. 

As Mr.Scott made his way through the list, Jane could only bite her lip as she failed to hear her name get called. She looked at the remaining persons: a mousy looking girl with disheveled brown hair, a tall alt looking guy, and Angela. Jane hoped against hope that she’d be put with the shy girl. Hell, even the punk guy, with his spiky mohawk containing 10 pounds of gel. Just not Angela.  

“Now,Brittany,” Mr.Scott gave a sly smile to the small brunette girl, his eyes flickering to the lanky kid behind her. “I know you and Alexander are a thing so,” he chuckled, and Jane could see the girl develop a rosy tiny to her cheeks. 

“It’s Axel,” the guy murmured gruffly, putting a hand on Brittany’s shoulder. 

“Well, go be together, you cuties!” Mr.Scott said, as if fawning over them. They say down together, Alexander—Axel,whatever, pulling his girl close. 

Wait.

Jane looked at the remaining people standing, her eyebrows tying together. No! No,no,no,no,no! 

“You know what that means! Angela and Jane, last but not least,” Mr.Scott announced, ending his little list off with a bow, as if he did something magical. No,he did something cruel,and evil. 

Jane sat down in a seat at the only table left available, her head on the table as she clenched her eyes shut. No. Maybe it was just a bad dream. 

“Aha—Mr.Scott,” sounded Angela's voice, sounding perplexed and baffled. “You can’t be serious!” She cried, her nails biting into the pages of the textbook in her hand. 

Mr. Scott looked up at her after sitting down at his desk, tilting his head. “Young student, what is the matter?” He inquired, confused. 

Angela scoffed, throwing her hand back in the direction of Jane. The whole class was already chattering, reading up on the section of radios in their textbook, planning and discussing. 

“You can’t put me with her! I don’t want to be partnered with Jane!” She complained, not even caring if Jane heard or not. She put a hand down on the edge of his desk, huffing heavily out her nose. 

Mr.Scott opened his lips, looking around the classroom, then back to this problem child. “Well,Angela, sorry, but my decision is final,” he shrugged, giving her a pitied look. “There’s nothing wrong with Jane. In fact, I have a feeling you two will be great for each other! Now get to work,” he said merrily.

 Angela couldn’t even argue back, she felt disgusted with his cheeriness. She stomped over to the table Jane sat at, dropping her textbook on the surface quite harshly, making Jane jolt. She brought her head up, following Angela’s face as she sat in the chair. She felt like throwing up. She couldn’t do this. 

Jane got up from her chair, shuffling through the small space between Angela’s chair and the desk behind.

“I-I need the bathroom,” she told Mr. Scott, rushing out the classroom with the boy’s blue bathroom pass. She clutched her stomach as she hurried to the bathroom, going into the first stall she laid eyes on. She sat on the toilet,her head in her hands as she tried to calm down. She began to cry softly, the tears rolling down her pale cheeks and into the palms of her hands. 

Back in the classroom, 7 minutes later, Jane had still not been back. Angela was huffing, looking at her painted nails. She didn’t even open her textbook yet, not bothering. She looked over at the empty seat next to her, scoffing. Out of all the people in the class, Jane?! Seriously, this just ruined her whole week. She noticed Mr.Scott turning his narrow neck to peer at the clock behind him, tutting his lips. 

“That silly little girl,” he said, looking up from the papers on his desk from weeks past. “Uhh,Angela!” He called out, pointing his finger towards the door. “Go fetch Jane,will you? She’s been gone for a while, tell her she needs to come back,” the teacher said.

Angela’s fists clenched as he instructed her to go get Jane, but then,an idea popped into her mind. She could use this to her advantage.

“Yes, Mr.Scott, I’ll go get her,” she said in a sly tone, getting up out of her chair and out of the classroom with a smirk on her face. She assumed Jane went to the nearest restroom, since she did look in a rush. Angela took a brisk walk to the bathrooms in the corridor between the science classrooms and math classrooms, opening the door. 

“Jane,” she called in a sing-song voice, knocking on the only closed stall door. Jane startled inside of the stall, wiping her tears and trying to sniffle quietly. 

“Mr.Scott said you need to come back. Now,” she urged, her clean white sneakers backing away from the door to allow Jane some room. 

Jane slowly stood up, unlatching and opening the stall door with her head held down. “Look Angela, I know that you don’t—“ Jane began, before being shoved against the stall door. 

“Jane,” Angela snarls, crowding the slightly smaller girl between her and the metal door. “When we get back in that classroom, you’re going to do *everything*. You’re doing all the research, all the building, all the presenting, and everything else. Am I clear?” Angela orders, a fake smile on her face. 

Jane looks up at her with wide eyes, rubbing the back of her head from where it hit the stall door. She felt her heart pounding, not believing it. She thought that Angela just showed out for her friends. She thought she was safe when Angela was alone. Apparently not. 

“I—I’m not doing it all. Mr.Scott said it’s a partner project,” Jane said quietly, going against Angela. Angela quirked an eyebrow, putting a hand on Jane’s shoulder as a grin played on her glossy lips. 

“Oh, you really think you have a say in this Jane?” She chuckled cruelly, her nails digging into Jane’s shoulder, scrunching up the cloth of her handmade top. She scoffed as she ran her eyes up and down her frame. “Who even made this,your mom?” She said, pulling at the sewn together fabrics of funky patterns. 

Jane could feel her blood beginning the boil and she trembled in Angela’s hold, wanting so desperately to push her away. But what really got her angry was when Angela whispered in her ear as she pinched Jane’s arm. “Or did she die in a mall fire, too?” Angela mocked. 

At that, Jane couldn’t help but propel her hand back and into Angela’s cheek, a loud smack that echoed through the empty restroom. “What is your problem!?” Jane yelled, shoving Angela away with tears in her eyes. Jane had flashbacks to when she was younger—how she visited her mama with her powers, and she responded back. Her mama…where even was she now? 

Jane looked at Angela with tears in her eyes, who stared back in shock. She would have never expected Jane to fight back, not in a million years.  

“Don’t talk about my mom!You don’t know anything,so stop acting like you do!” She shouted, instinctually raising her hand to send Angela flying back into the far wall. But she forgot, she didn’t have those powers anymore. She glared at Angela before walking out the restroom, her head held high as she left Angela behind. 

Angela stood there, stunned as she caressed her cheek that was increasingly becoming red. She scoffed, turning around to look in the mirror as she stayed silent. 

That..that freak. How could she just hit her precious porcelain face like that!? But, Jane seems really protective over her family. Every time that she’s insulted or given Jane a little punch, she laughs it off and acts as if they’re friends,doing friendly things. But she talks about her mom, and all of a sudden it’s time to fight back.

She jumps, looking over at the stall door as someone comes in. Her hand still pressed to her cheek, she doesn’t know whether to sigh in relief or tense up some more as she sees that it’s Stacy. She looks up from her make-up bag, a lipgloss in her hand as she spots Angela. 

“Oh,Angela! I didn’t expect to see you here,” she mused, leaning onto the floating countertop to get as close to the mirror as possible, so she could apply her lip gloss with precision. “Funny story, I just saw that little weirdo running down the hall with tears in her eyes. Y’know, the one who looks like she gets her clothes out the garbage bins,” Stacy chuckled. She furrowed her brows, looking over at Angela in the mirror when she didn’t respond back with a remark.

Angela gulped as she realized Stacy was looking at the bright pink slap mark on her cheek, leaning off the counter and removing her hand. “Angela! What happened?” She asked, her eyes laced with concern. 

“Nothing,” Angela replied, shaking her friend’s hand off and looking in the mirror. “Let me use your blush,” She requested, reaching her hand out. When she felt the blush in her hand, and a little make-up brush too, a smile played at the edges of her lips. 

“Yeah, nothing happened. Nothing at all.”