Paradoxical (Fantastic Four)

11.

Instead of heading back to the building, I ran over to the apartment I shared with Layla, hoping she was still there. The door opened and my best friend gave me an astonished smile which then turned into a sympathetic expression on seeing my tears falling.

"Oh, Ari!" she sighed sadly and pulled me into a hug, and led me inside.

"I feel like I'm the most horrible person in the world," I sobbed as Layla set me down on the couch and brought out a box of Kleenex.

"You're not!" she sat down next to me and hugged me, "From what we all, and I can tell, you're an amazing person in the world. You go out of your way to help others."

"How can I be so thrilled about my powers when Benny is miserable with his own? You know it ruined his future with Debbie." I blew into a tissue.

"She didn't see his entire soul," Ingrid entered the room, joined us on the couch, and hugged me, "There will be some woman out there who sees him as the gentle soul he is."

"I hope you're right," I nodded at her.

Cameron and Howie arrived in the room.

"Dude!" Howie remarked happy to see me in person again but mellowed down on seeing that I had been crying, "Cam and I were watching the X-Games earlier when Johnny made a surprise showing there."

"Yeah, you got a rad superhero name!" Cameron nodded at me.

"I like the name, Gaia. It's a pretty name," Layla agreed.

"I don't know what Johnny was thinking there," I shook my head, "I can understand cabin fever got the best of him, and felt the need to get out of the building, but he shouldn't have called Benny names."

"We know. How's Ben doing?"

"He went off to be alone somewhere. I'm worried about him. I hope he'll be ok."

"I'm sure he will. He's strong," Cameron smiled at me.

"I think you should go and talk with Johnny," Ingrid suggested.

"Why? You know he doesn't always listen to reason," I turned to her.

"All those pranks he likes pulling on you and Ben, that's a dude saying he's trying to get your attention and that he's always liked you," Howie pointed out.

"Oh, he had my attention alright."

"Trust us, Ari. He'll listen to you," Ingrid nodded.

"Even if we have to hogtie him!" Layla remarked.

I found myself laughing a bit.

Layla and the others accompanied me back to the Baxter Building once I stopped crying and my sinuses weren't clogged up with snot. They waited outside while I went in and found Ben pinning Johnny against the wall. I ran over but didn't hear a word as my brother walked away leaving the upset showoff.

"Ben!" Susan called as she entered the lobby from the elevator, "Johnny, Ari, have either of you seen Ben?" I could tell she was worried.

I didn't say anything since having just returned.

"Yeah. Sunshine just left," Johnny replied as he headed for the exit, "Look, Sue, I'm sorry. I can't stay in this freak show. I gotta get back to the real world."

"You're calling that the real world?" Susan questioned him.

"Sue, stop. You're not Mom. Don't talk to me like I'm a little boy, ok?"

"Maybe I would if you stopped acting like one. Do you even hear yourself? Who do you think you are?" Susan approached him.

"Why is everyone on me? If you guys are jealous, fine. I didn't expect it from you though." Johnny got defensive.

"You really think those people out there care about you? You're just a fad to them, Johnny."

"Let's try something new. You live your life, I'll live mine. Sound good." Johnny ended up walking towards the exit, "Oh, and just for the record-- They love me!" He left at that moment.

"I'll go and talk with him, Susie," I turned to her remembering what Ingrid told me.

Susan nodded at me knowing that I would be able to get through to her brother.

I darted outside. Layla and the others pointed in the direction Johnny went. I managed to catch up with him about a few blocks ahead.

"Johnny!" I called out to him. 

He turned, surprised to hear me. This time, it wasn't about any of his pranks. I approached him. It felt like one of the scenes from the many rom-com movies I've watched with Layla and Ingrid where the scenes were blurry but only focused on the main couple about to share a romantic kiss. Instead, I socked Johnny in the chest with a hard fist.

"Didn't see that one coming," he rubbed the area where I hit him.

"Now do you realize that what you said earlier today not only offended Ben and the others, it hurt me as well," I stated.

"I get it." He nodded slowly feeling remorse over his actions and words at the arena.

We started walking along, "So, say something?" I turned to him.

"Right after I pranked you in that chamber, I watched some TV and everything became overwhelming. Waiting for Reed to turn us back to normal. For the first time in my life, I felt..." Johnny expressed.

"That you felt you were meant to have your powers," I added.

"Yeah. All the attention felt so good. It wasn't a bad deal, like the folks back at NASA. When you guys showed up angry, I felt unappreciated."

"Sue was more mad at you for calling her 'Invisible Girl,' and 'The Thing' was a major offense."

"I have to admit, Ari. All those pranks I've pulled on Ben, I was trying to get your attention knowing you would be around to try and keep the big guy from pummeling me to the ground. No other girl would've reacted to them as you do." Johnny felt like he was trying to get something off of his chest, "The whole point is, I'm crazy for you, Ariel Grimm."

"Crazy, how?" I turned to him once again.

"I've always been in love with you," he admitted, "All those girls I've dated for a while, I was also trying to get your attention."

"And sneaking into my closet and going through my entire lingerie drawer?"

"Another prank to get your attention."

I thought about Howie's explanation.

"I think we can work with it," I nodded.

Johnny gave a genuine smile, not like his mischievous or flirty grins, it was something meaningful.

All of a sudden, the lights around flickered on and off. Ahead of us, the Baxter Building gave off an extremely bright light. Johnny and I turned to each other, knowing that something was happening there. Both of us took off running back to it.