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glowettee · 6 months ago

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hiii angel! i was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to get out of the planning stage. i always plan everything super well (goals, assignments, new habits, etc.) but i can't seem to actually do what i set out to do. thank youuu <333

how to get out of the planning stage and take action

hiii angel!

so sorry this reply is a little late, currently have over 20 asks in my tumblr inbox and 39 submissions for glowettee hotline, + i've been busy with school!! <3 trying my best here 😭😭

i totally get where you're coming from. for the longest time, i've chatted with so many lovely souls who plan every detail down to the tiniest nuance but still find themselves stuck in that comfortable space called the planning stage. it's such a familiar feeling – the allure of a perfect plan is hard to resist, yet the leap from paper to action often feels like a giant jump into the unknown.

first off, it’s important to remember that planning is a beautiful part of who we are. i adore mapping out goals, assignments, and habits because it gives a sense of structure and purpose. however, when our plans become so intricate that they keep us from living and experimenting in the real world, they can inadvertently hold us back. so, here are some tips that might help you step out of the planning cocoon and into the vibrant dance of doing.

tip number one: break the step into a micro-action. instead of looking at a major goal as a single massive project, try to identify the tiniestttt action that will move you forward. for example, if your goal is to start a new habit like journaling, begin by simply writing one sentence a day. that small step feels almost trivial, but it lowers the barrier and starts a chain reaction. each micro-action is a little celebration of progress, and before you know it, you’re writing a full entry without even noticing how natural it has become. this is really helpful especially when you tend to procrastinate, (like mee) breaking down a task can be sooo helpful, and checking off little sub-tasks, getting closer to completing the base-task is so satisfying, just make sure to not have too many sub-tasks as it can get kind of overwhelming.

tip number two: embrace the idea of imperfection. our plans often feel like a promise to ourselves that everything must be flawlessly executed. but truthfully, life thrives on surprises and little missteps. give yourself the grace to experiment and to be imperfect. if you try something and it doesn’t go as planned, see it as a delightful learning curve rather than a failure. each imperfect attempt is closer to your goals, one that adds character and charm to your journey.

tip number three: set a playful deadline. if the thought of beginning feels overwhelming, create a fun, short timeframe for starting. set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and that period is solely dedicated to moving from planning into doing. it’s like a little challenge to yourself, a mini-adventure that transforms the abstract into something tangible. when you’re engaged in this light, timed action, the pressure of perfection fades into the background. i tried this multiple times, for example, after i planned out a workout routine that totaled up to 35 minutes, i ended up procrastinating and not doing it, until i decided to set a timer for 10 minutes and i did a few exercises from the routine i planned, and accomplished about 6 of them! it make me feel so good and a day later i ended up doing the full routine, and now i do it everyday <33

tip number four: share your dream out loud. there’s something incredibly powerful about voicing your plans. it doesn't matter if you chat with a friend, jot your intentions in a personal note, or even share a snippet on your blog, you invite accountability into your space. hearing your plans out loud can make them feel more real, shifting them from thoughts into your life’s reality. i see a lot of tumblr blogs do it, for example the 100-day productivity challenge, it's super common on here. it not only adds commitment but might also bring unexpected encouragement or fresh perspectives from someone who gets you.

tip number five: create an action ritual. sometimes, a gentle ritual can signal your brain that it’s time to switch from planning mode to action mode. for me, it might be making a delciiousss smoothie (i love doing this), or playing a specific calming spotify playlist, or simply taking a few deep breaths before diving in. if you try to create a little ritual, you’re setting a clear boundary, a small, charming ceremony that honors both your planning side and your doing side.

tip number six: allow for what i call a “trial and error” mindset. instead of pressing yourself to hit the bullseye on the first try, treat every action as a cutseyy experiment. consider each attempt a hypothesis, and your goal is simply to learn something new from each experiment. this mindset not only reduces the fear of failure but also makes the journey more about self-discovery than about ticking off checklists. over time, each experiment, regardless of the outcome, becomes a stepping stone toward more confident actions.

tip number seven: mix planning with spontaneity. while it might sound contradictory, mixing your structured plans with unscheduled moments of spontaneity can really shake things up. allow yourself a bit of wiggle room in your schedule, moments where you simply go with the flow. these spontaneous choices can open up creative pathways that a strictly planned day might suppress. sometimes, the best discoveries come when you let go and simply enjoy the moment.

tip number eight: reflect on your “why.” before diving into any action, it can help to take a step back and remind yourself why you started planning in the first place. reconnect with the heart of your goal, the emotion behind it, this can be for personal growth, academic success, or simply the joy of creating something new. that connection, that inner spark, can serve as a strong motivator to nudge you out of over-analysis and into real action.

little note from mindy: planning is an art form and a comfort zone, but it’s not the destination. it’s a gentle stepping stone to a world of possibilities where every little step forward counts. your plans are a lovely blueprint, and nothing is more exciting than watching those blueprints come to life bit by bit. take a deep breath, trust in your instincts, and let your actions bloom and flow naturally.

i hope these tips bring a bit of encouragement and help you balance between the beauty of planning and the thrill of doing. sometimes, the journey itself is a mix of trials, errors, and surprising successes. but i assure you, it's all a part of the process.

thank you for sharing your thoughts and for trusting me with your question. your journey is uniquely yours, and your honesty in sharing these challenges is something to celebrate. keep planning, keep dreaming, and most importantly, find joy in taking those small yet bold steps forward.

love, mindy

#dream girl #girl blogger #glowettee #plans #academic success #self improvement #lifestyle tips #minimal living #writing guides #planning into action #study tips #coquette vibe #action steps #girlblogger #that girl

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savvyscribbleswriting · 24 days ago

Text

Pairing: Johnny Storm (as portrayed by Joseph Quinn) x fem!Reader

Summary: You were born with the ability to create and control ice. You consider it a curse and do your best to keep it hidden. That’s nearly impossible, though, because of Johnny Storm, the man who makes your blood boil (figuratively, of course). After a particular standoff causes you to expose your powers, you’re ready to get out of Dodge. Johnny and the rest of the Fantastic Four find you just in time, however, and offer you an unusual proposition.

Format: Short Story

Word Count: 7.0k

Genre: Angst; Action

Additional Tags/Warnings: I’m going in blind with this one; nothing is set in stone with regards to plot/setting/characters/other; no use of (Y/N); reader’s POV all throughout; some foul language; reader has powers related to ice; enemies to lovers; slow burn; one-sided hate from reader; self-doubt and loathing; family trauma; mentions of child abuse; the Fantastic Four start off as nothing and then become something; no Galactus, Silver Surfer, H.E.R.B.I.E, or Franklin Richards here; vague descriptions about jobs and business; the rest of the Fantastic Four make a brief appearance towards the end

Author’s Note: This story started off as one thing but slowly became something else. You’ll see what I mean. 😏😉 Enjoy!

P.S. I DO NOT OWN THE FANTASTIC FOUR OR ANYTHING ELSE MARVEL-RELATED!!!

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Ever since you were a kid, you had the gift of creating and controlling ice. “Gift” wasn’t the right word, though.

When you first started developing your powers, your parents were confused, scared even. They were so scared that they didn’t even want to take you to see a doctor or anyone else about your… condition. So, they did their best to make you hide your icy abilities. You were a curious kid, though, and constantly played around with what all you could do. You never did anything malicious. You just did random things like make flurries in the air when you were bored, create snow to play with or sculpt into whatever, and form icicles to suck on in the summer.

However, when one of the neighbors saw you and began spreading the word about your powers, your parents were quick to move you to a whole other state.

When you tried freezing the nearby pond so you and your classmate could go ice skating, they moved you again and gave you a stern talking-to.

When you got nervous during a school recital and started manifesting flurries everywhere, they moved you again and shook you so hard you felt sick.

When you were being mercilessly teased and threatened your bully with a sharp icicle, they moved you again and hit you.

Such incidents and moves went on and on until you turned eighteen. On that day, two things happened:

Your parents decided that they couldn’t deal with you anymore and kicked you out of the house.

You finally realized that your powers were a curse and vowed never to use them again.

You didn’t know where to go. Your mom and dad had kept you so sheltered that you had no family or friends to turn to. You just walked until you arrived at the bus station in the next town. You looked at the schedule and saw a bus leaving for New York in a few minutes.

Of all the things you remembered from History class, New York stuck out to you the most. It was described as a thriving city with so much to offer. Maybe it could offer you a new beginning.

It was rough for the first couple of years. You took up various odd jobs and stayed in a few unsavory apartments until you figured out what exactly you wanted to do with your life. Eventually, you landed a full-time job as a secretary for the Future Foundation in Manhattan. You proved to be competent and efficient, became well-liked by everybody, and got paid enough to afford a nice apartment all by yourself. If only your parents could see your accomplishments.

They’d probably smack you for letting your powers slip, you thought to yourself before swiftly burying the idea, and your parents, to the deepest recesses of your mind.

Sometimes when it was hot and you wanted something cool to press against your forehead, you’d find yourself creating an icicle before becoming horrified and crushing it in the sink. When you got angry because a particular stain wouldn’t come out of your new rug, you felt flurries falling down on you and immediately tried to calm yourself down to stop them. Fortunately, none of these incidents happened around other people. That didn’t stop you from getting frustrated and promising yourself to be better, normal.

Little did you know that your life was about to become anything but normal.

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One day, while carrying a big stack of files to your boss, a big figure crashed into you and made all your papers scatter in every direction.

“Oh, my God!” you heard a male voice say. “I’m so sorry!”

You wanted to yell, really curse the guy out... but you didn’t. You couldn’t. You’d lose control if you did. Instead, you took a deep breath and simply said, “It’s fine.” You then began collecting your papers as quickly as possible.

“I was just in a hurry,” the voice went on.

“I said it’s fine,” you insisted, still crouching over and grabbing this paper and placing it in that file. When you turned to do the other side, you were surprised by a really handsome man holding onto the rest of your papers. That man had the voice, short blonde hair, and perhaps the bluest eyes you’d ever seen. You couldn’t help but stare. The stranger stared right back at you.

The chiming of the clock snapped you both out of your trance. You straightened up at the same time as him and hastily took your papers. “Th-Thank you,” you said, trying to look him in the eyes without getting lost in them.

“You’re welcome,” he said, scratching his neck. “Sorry again.”

“It’s alright. I appreciate you sticking around to help.”

He smiled. “Anything for a pretty girl.”

If you weren’t hooked before, you were now.

“Are you new here?” he asked.

“No, I’ve been here for a few months now.”

“Really? I’m surprised I didn’t run into you sooner.”

“Oh, do you work here, too?”

“Well, sort of. You see, I’m-“

“Johnny!” another voice suddenly shouted.

You two whipped your heads around in the direction of the voice. In the open elevator stood a man with dark, slicked back hair and glasses. “Come on!” he beckoned to the man in front of you, Johnny. “I expected you in the lab ten minutes ago!”

“Hold your horses, Reed! Jeez!” Johnny exclaimed, turning back to you for a second. “I’ve gotta go. Hope to see you around.” He gave you a wink before jogging to the elevator. Just as the doors closed, he waved you goodbye. You did the same, though you’re certain you weren’t nearly as smooth as him.

Your encounter with Johnny played over and over in your mind for the rest of the day. You had never felt so shy and giddy around anyone before. From his looks to his manners to him calling you pretty, he seemed to be the whole package. Maybe this was the next step in your life – a romantic partner.

The thought made you nervous. You never had a boyfriend before. Plus, you didn’t want to get your hopes up. You had only met Johnny once and knew very little about him. Despite your storm of emotions, you hoped to meet him again soon.

Your wish came true, but it didn’t go the way you expected.

The next day, you were sent to return all the files from before when you spotted a certain blonde-haired man talking to Joan at the front desk. You stopped for a moment to make sure there were no wrinkles in your outfit or a hair out of place before walking over to make yourself known. As you made your trek, you began to notice some things.

Johnny was leaning in pretty close to Joan to whisper something.

He gave her a toothy smile and wink.

Joan blushed and laughed at him like a schoolgirl.

It all came together for you.

It was a scene you had come across numerous times before with other people, but never got to experience for yourself.

Johnny was flirting with her.

You knew he was too good to be true. He didn’t mean any of what he said to you the other day. Why would anyone flirt with you? Why would anyone choose you? Poor you. Damaged you. Dangerous you.

You added it to the list of hard truths in your mind as you breezed past them.

As soon as he saw you leaving, Johnny quickly thanked Joan and hurried to catch up with you. He caught the elevator just in time.

“Hi!” he said, leaning against the wall in an attempt to look cool (but really it was to stop himself from falling over).

“Hi,” you repeated, coldly.

“Glad we could run into each other without making another mess,” he joked. You gave an unamused look before turning back at the doors. He didn’t let it deter him. “So, I’ve been talking to some people around the office and I now know your name, where you live, and some of your favorite places to go on a Friday night.”

“Do you plan on killing me?” you asked.

Johnny’s eyes widened. “What?! No! Why would you think that?!”

“Why do you want to know so much about me?”

“Because I thought I could pick you up and take you to your favorite restaurant this Friday, and maybe tell you my name, where I live, and some of my favorite places.”

“I already know your name, Johnny, and I don’t care where you live or where your favorite places are.”

Before he could get the train back on the rails, the elevator doors opened and you swiftly made your exit. He wasn’t too far behind you. He thought he saw you struggle a bit with the files and moved to the side, his arms at the ready.

“Here, let me help you.”

“No, thanks,” you said.

“It’s no trouble,” he insisted.

You got right in his face. “No. Thanks,” you said more firmly. You didn’t even wait for a response before picking up your pace and continuing with your task, your day, and your life.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His full name was Johnny Storm. He was the brother of Sue Storm, the head of the Future Foundation. He worked and lived at the Baxter Building with her, her husband Dr. Reed Richards, and their best friend and best pilot around Ben Grimm.

He was the bane of your existence.

He came by the Foundation and talked to you every chance he got. You knew the game he was playing, though, and refused to give into his advances.

“You look good in that dress,” he’d try to compliment you.

“That shirt makes you look like a ghost,” you’d retort.

“Can I get you anything?” he’d ask.

“Out of my hair,” you’d answer.

“There’s a new movie coming out this weekend. Care to join me?” he’d offer.

“I’d rather watch paint dry,” you counteroffered.

You fought fire with fire, or in your case ice. For Johnny, however, that fire became a bit too real.

It was on a space mission of some sort, very public, very thrilling for the public. When Johnny and his family went up, they were completely normal. When they came back, they developed powers. Reed could stretch any part of his body. Sue could turn invisible. Ben’s skin transformed into rock. And Johnny could produce flames and fly.

You thought maybe the experience would humble him. Instead, his pestering seemed to get exponentially more annoying.

“Did you see me flying around the building the other day?” he’d ask.

“No. I was looking at things that actually matter,” you’d reply, not even bothering to look up from your work.

“Need me to heat up your lunch?” he’d offer.

“That’s the microwave’s job, Johnny, not yours,” you’d remind him.

“Admit it – I’m too hot to ignore,” he’d joke.

“I hope you crash and burn,” you’d bite back.

It wasn’t these interactions that got to you, however. It was the fact that Johnny and his newly-superpowered family were not only welcomed with open arms by the world, but rewarded. You couldn’t go anywhere without seeing their photos in newspapers or magazines where they looked so heroic. Or you would see them on TV doing interviews with big-named hosts and going on and on about their powers and great adventures. The public called them “the Fantastic Four.”

Fantastic.

Wonderful.

Amazing.

Your outsides would fume with intense jealousy. At the same time, your heart would break in a million pieces. Why couldn’t you be as lucky as them? Why couldn’t you be as special?

After about a year of this, you decided that enough was enough. You began to develop a plan. You’d stay at the Foundation because, let’s be honest, no one was going to pay you as generously as they did. However, you’d slowly build your savings until you had enough to move as far away from New York as possible. You knew it’d take at least three months to come up with the money, and that meant putting up with Johnny’s shenanigans, but you told yourself that it’d be worth it.. You could get through anything with your thick skin and cold heart.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You don’t know why the world decided to turn against you one morning.

It started with you sleeping through your alarm. You woke up an hour before you were set to clock in. You rushed through your morning routine and skipped breakfast, making it out the door in twenty minutes.

It took you longer than usual to hail a cab. When you finally caught one, traffic held you back. You didn’t make it to the Baxter Building until thirty minutes after you were set to clock in.

The world seemed to want to slow you down even more once you stepped inside. The floor was just mopped by the janitor – someone spilled something just before you arrived – so you had to be very careful as you tiptoed to the elevator. You thought you’d have the space to yourself to collect your thoughts, but then a couple of lab technicians decided to join you at the last second. They were carrying on about this and that and they smelled of strong chemicals that made you want to vomit.

When you finally got to your floor, you clocked in without your boss noticing that you were late. A small blessing, you thanked God. As you looked out at your fellow employees who were already deep in today’s assignments, you saw the one and only Johnny Storm leaning against a wall and speaking to one of the newer secretaries, Stephanie. She was twirling her blonde hair and giggling at something he said.

You wasted no time in putting an end to the interaction. You walked calmly up to the pair and asked, “Stephanie, have you finished typing up those reports yet?”

Stephanie immediately stopped her twirling. “Um… not yet, but-“

“Well, don’t you think you should be working on that now?”

“Yes, miss,” she said sheepishly, slowly walking back to her desk.

Once she was gone, you diverted your attention to Johnny. “If you’re going to flirt, Mr. Storm, could you please do it when we’re not in the middle of important work?”

“First of all,” he pushed himself up to walk towards you slowly, deliberately, “I was not flirting. She was asking about some spy movie to take her boyfriend to. Second, if I waited until outside of work, then I wouldn’t get to see your gorgeous face. Third, and this is probably the most important thing, Mr. Storm is my father. I’m Johnny.”

“You’re distracting,” you merely said, moving past him. You didn’t need to look back to know that he was following you. “You like it,” he said fairly close to your ear. “It keeps things interesting.”

“Some people don’t want interesting. They want calm. Peaceful. Normal.”

“Normal is overrated.”

“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.”

You finally made it to your desk. Johnny hopped up on the edge like a child. You tried to ignore him as you got your area organized for the day.

“Speaking of kettle, can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?”

“So you can poison me? No, thanks.”

“Hey, I’m trying to be friendly here!”

“I don’t need you to be friendly. I need you to go away so I can work.”

Thankfully, Gregory from Accounting came by to save you.

“Is now a good time?” he asked, standing just behind Johnny. “Of course,” you said, beating Johnny who had his mouth open in an attempt to speak on your behalf. You got up and moved past him like he wasn’t even there. “What do you need?”

“Those reports we talked about and then some,” Gregory explained, a few files in his hands and a pained look on his face. “My supervisor just handed me a whole lot more stuff that he wants summarized for the meeting before lunch. I hate to add on top of your work, but-“

You held up your hand. “Stephanie is finishing up the first batch as we speak. I’ll take the other batch and everything will be in your hands before the meeting.”

Gregory let out a big sigh and shook your hand. “Thank you so much! You’re a lifesaver!”

“I’m just doing my job.” You gently removed your hand so you could collect the files. He handed them over but didn’t leave right away.

“So, uh, because I’m asking a huge favor from you, I thought I could pay you back by taking you out to lunch. There’s this Italian restaurant not too far from here that I-“

“Sorry, Gregory,” you interrupted. “That sounds nice, but I already have plans.”

His face deflated. “Oh, okay. Well, maybe another time.”

“Maybe,” you offered a smile. He returned it before finally heading out.

“What was that?” Johnny asked, perplexed.

“That was work, Johnny,” you threw over your shoulder. “You should try it sometime.” You then made your way to Stephanie. Johnny followed closely behind you. “Was that work or was that Gregory asking you out on a date?”

“That was work and Gregory asking me out to lunch.”

“That’s what I said, a date.”

“People go to lunch with coworkers without it being a date.”

“Not if they have a puppy dog look in their eye like Gregory.” Johnny said the name like he just swallowed vinegar.

“What about Gregory?” Stephanie asked, looking up from her typing. Johnny was quick to answer this time. “He placed more work on her Majesty’s shoulders and then asked her out on a date.”

“He asked me out to lunch,” you clarified, “as a thank you for helping him out, but I politely declined.”

“Why?” Stephanie was fully immersed in the gossip. “Ann from Donations says he’s really nice and smart and is looking at a promotion right now.”

“Ooo, a promotion. How wonderful,” Johnny said in a deadpan manner.

“It doesn’t matter,” you shook your head. “Stephanie, how are those reports coming along?”

“I’ll be done with them soon, I promise.”

“Alright. When you are done, bring them straight to me. I’ll be working on some others and can just group them together for the meeting.”

“Got it, miss.” And with that, she went back to work. You were trying to do the same, but Johnny kept walking with you like a stubborn shadow. “Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked.

You stopped, which caught Johnny off guard. You slowly turned to him, expression neutral. “Actually, there is something you can do for me.” Johnny’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?” he whispered.

You leaned in close and beckoned him to do the same. You whispered in his ear, “You can go jump off the nearest cliff and leave me to do my work in peace.”

You were surprised that your trick actually worked. Johnny was nowhere in sight by the time you got back to your desk. Finally, you were granted some peace.

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The world gave you that few minutes of comfort before deciding to throw everything at you at once again.

First, your typewriter kept jamming. Because of that, you found yourself making more mistakes than usual.

Next, everyone and their mother was calling you about this or asking about that. You had never gotten so many calls back-to-back before.

Then, someone tripped and spilled coffee over your copy of some of the files. You frustratedly threw them out and quickly retyped everything.

Stephanie eventually came by with her copies of the files and you finally put them together. Everything was as it should be, and just before the meeting was set to start.

You rewarded yourself by taking a break from that work and moving on to other work, mainly sorting through some of the messages left by the callers of the morning. You were trying to decipher the chicken scratching of a certain message you made on your pad when you felt someone leaning on your desk and grabbing the meeting’s reports.

“Ah, yes,” someone said in a fake European voice. “Very interesting.”

Johnny. Of course.

You slowly turned around and saw that he was trying to read through the reports. “Don’t hurt yourself by thinking too hard,” you warned him. You tried to grab the papers out of his hands, but he was quicker. He jumped up and started moving away from you.

“I’m smart,” he said, still skimming through everything. “I can understand at least half of what they’re saying.”

You got up and followed him. “Johnny, give them back.”

Johnny purposefully started humming as he continued reading.

“Johnny, I mean it,” you hissed. “I need those for the meeting.”

“You mean for Gregory.”

“For the meeting that Gregory happens to be at.” Every time you tried to snatch the papers away, he moved them in the opposite direction. “Just give them back, you jerk!”

He turned to you with an irritating Chesire cat smile, the papers way above his head. “What’s the magic word?”

“Now!” you growled, poking your extended hand at his chest. He didn’t budge an inch. “Nope. Try again,” he teased. His eyes sparkled, like he was relishing in belittling you. If only real daggers could shoot out of your eyes. Or you could manifest an icicle to-

No! you chided yourself. You couldn’t think like that. You had to be an adult. If that meant pleading with Johnny Storm, so be it. What other choice did you have? The meeting was going to start soon.

You took a deep breath. “Please,” you said, low.

“I’m sorry?” Johnny said, deliberately loud. “What was that?”

You took another deep breath. “Please,” you said louder.

“Please what?”

One final deep breath. “Please give me the papers.”

“Okay,” Johnny hummed, taking his sweet time in handing them over. You waited with bated breath. You weren’t going to relax until they were securely in your hand.

They were a centimeter away when they were cruelly pulled back by Johnny. “Or,” he thought out loud, “I could deliver these for you!” With that, he hid the papers underneath his jacket and made a beeline for the elevator. You experienced a moment of complete shock that you managed to jolt yourself out of before chasing after Johnny.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

“I told you,” he explained, “I’m delivering these papers for you.”

“That’s not your job!”

“But I have nothing else to do.”

“Shouldn’t you be setting things on fire in the lab with Dr. Richards?”

“I did that already. I got bored pretty quickly. That’s why I came back to see you.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

“Oh, please, it was nothing.”

The elevator doors opened and you stepped inside together. You were surprised that he knew what floor you were going to. You hoped you could get the papers back and him out of your hair during the short ride.

“No, I mean really, you shouldn’t have. I don’t want you around the office. I don’t want you distracting me from work.”

“I’m just trying to help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“A little help never hurt anyone.”

“I’ve never needed help from anyone for anything.”

“I know, I know. You’re so smart and hardworking and independent.”

“And I am currently frustrated, agitated, and downright pissed! Now give me the papers!”

You both finally made it to the floor. Johnny stepped out first, taking the papers out and dangling them in front of you. As you crossed the threshold, you made one last grab at the papers. Luck was on your side this time, but not by much. You managed to catch the bottom half, but Johnny held firmly onto the top. You two began to walk in circles as you played tug-of-war with the papers.

“Johnny,” you said sternly, “I am done screwing around. Just hand me the papers.”

“Why is it so important for you and only you do deliver these papers? Unless…” A thought occurred to him. “Are you doing this to impress Gregory?”

Your face contorted with confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?!”

“Are you actually going to take him up on his date?”

“It wasn’t a date! It was lunch! And no, I’m not going to take him up on it!”

“Are you into him?”

“Not that that’s any of your business but, no, I am not into Gregory.”

“You sure about that?”

“God! Why do you have to be such a jackass!”

“I’m not trying to be a jackass!”

“You sure about that?!”

“Why are you always so mean to me?!”

“Why are you always inserting yourself in my business?! There are plenty of other secretaries in this building! Go bother one of them, you obnoxious, stubborn, loud-mouthed son of a-!”

You were working yourself up so much that you couldn’t help but slam hard into Johnny. His grip on the papers loosened and his instincts kicked in. His hands released a burst of flames, causing the papers to catch fire. Just the sight of such intense brightness made you loosen your own grip. The papers went flying onto the floor, crinkling up until they were nothing but ashes.

Johnny looked on in horror. He knew he screwed up big time. “I’m-“ he began.

“Don’t,” you stopped him. Although tears threatened to spill from your eyes, you forced yourself to be blank. “Just don’t.”

But did Johnny stop? No. Instead, he hastily got up and followed you as you slowly made your way back to the elevator. “I’m sorry!” he pleaded, at least having the good sense not to give you your space.

“I don’t want to hear it, Johnny!” you cried, moving ahead to literally anywhere. You had to get out of there. This was just too much for you.

“I’m really really sorry!” he kept going. “Let me make it up to you! Let me go with you and I’ll explain and I’m sure that-“

“SHUT UP!!!” you screamed.

And before you could stop it, or even comprehend it, you let out a big blast of ice that quickly spread out onto the floor.

Johnny jumped back in shock. Was he really seeing what he was seeing? Ice forming and crackling on the floor right in front of him? In front of you? You, who seemed to create it out of thin air?

“What the hell was that?!” you heard someone shout. You turned to the noise and saw Gregory and a bunch of his associates standing back, staring at what you unleashed.

Oh, no, you thought. They all know now. They know what I am. They’re scared of me.

You forced your feet to move you back to the elevator. You pressed the ground floor button multiple times in a row, until the doors finally shut and you were on your way down. You tried to steady your breathing and make your brain focus.

You had to leave. Not just the building. You had to leave the city. Tonight. You’d rush out, get the first taxi you saw, go to your apartment, collect only the essentials, and get the first bus out of the city. You’d figure everything out from there. You’d be alright. You were survivor. You could make it.

You just needed to get home.

Once you reached the ground floor, you ran out, not caring if you bumped into anyone. You made a mad dash for the front. Suddenly, there was Johnny, making his way through to block your exit.

You stopped dead in your tracks, staring him down. He seemed slightly out of breath. Some remnants of flames were going out around his shoulders. Did he flame on and fly just stop you from leaving the building? you wondered. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to stop you.

“Hey,” he began as calmly as possible, holding out his hand in peace, “you’re not in any trouble, okay? I just want to talk to you.”

“No,” you shook your head.

“Please, just let me-“

“Mr. Storm?” you whirled around and saw two security guards coming your way. That grabbed the attention of everyone around you. Great.

“Is everything alright?” the security guard went on.

“Yeah, Benny,” Johnny said, trying to put on a smile. “Just talking to a friend here.”

“I am not your friend,” you said through gritted teeth.

“I still want to talk to you.” He started making his way towards you.

“I don’t want to talk to you! Now get out of my way!”

An icicle suddenly appeared in your hand and you held it out like a knife. Johnny’s eyes widened but he held his ground. The security guards, on the other hand, freaked out.

“Stop right there!” the other one yelled, making a grab for his stick.

Your other hand flicked out to trap the guards in big blocks of ice. Everything save for their heads was frozen. They tried wriggling out to no avail.

You turned your attention back to Johnny. You threw the icicle at him, which he quickly melted with a ball of fire. You formed and threw another icicle, which he also melted.

This back and forth went on and on as you two slowly made your way closer to each other. Johnny was so caught up in dodging your attacks that he was taken by surprise when he was encased in his own block of ice. That bought you just enough time to run past him and out the door. He managed to melt down his prison, though, and follow you out.

You ran as fast as you could. You tried to pay attention to the people around you while also paying attention for any taxis to catch. They were either too far away or close but already taken.

Suddenly, you heard Johnny’s voice holler out, “Hey! Hey! Come back! Please come back!” Each call made you push harder. You soon felt like you were skipping instead of running. That made you feel like you were flying. Wouldn’t that be something? To just pick yourself up and fly far away?

You were so busy looking ahead that when you happened to look down, you screamed. You were above the heads of everyone on the sidewalk. Your feet dangled in the air. You were flying.

Everyone looked up at you. Some gasped. Some huddled in groups and whispered into their hands. The attention made you lose focus and falter a bit. You made yourself concentrate on staying up. That made you go even higher.

“Hey!” You scanned the crowd for the source and found Johnny looking at you in awe.

Oh, right. Your escape.

You managed to turn around and shoot forward in the sky. As long as you thought about keeping yourself up and following the route to your apartment, you knew you’d be fine. But then you heard, “Wait!”

You snuck a peek over your shoulder. Johnny was right behind you in flame form. He just didn’t know when to quit. You had to lose him.

Despite living in New York for so long, you didn’t actually know where you were going. You just went here and there, behind this building or over that one, through this area and another. You were starting to feel tired but forced yourself to keep going.

“Please stop! I just want to talk!”

You were especially getting tired of Johnny, who was inching his way closer to you. There had to be another way to get him off your tail. You were known for being a good multi-tasker. You decided to see if that applied to your powers.

You didn’t have the energy for icicles, so you opted for snowballs. You created one effortlessly in your hand and quickly tossed it at Johnny. It completely missed him. You tried again, this time taking the wind and your speed into account and angling your aim just so. Your snowball hit him square in the head.

“What the…?” he asked, stunned, before another snowball hit him. Then another one. And another one. He zigzagged every which way in an effort to dodge your attacks.

You decided to upgrade a little bit. You made an even bigger snowball, about the size of Johnny’s stupid head, and threw it at him. You got a direct hit, temporarily blinding him.

You seized the opportunity to head in another direction. You rushed around a building that had a side stairway and ungracefully fell down onto it. Thankfully, once you made your way back to solid ground, you found a taxi and hailed it. You gave the man your address and sunk into the backseat.

Thank God that was over. Now to go home, pack up, and start anew.

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You gave yourself ten minutes to pack. You snatched up your toiletries first. Next came clothes – a few shirts, a couple pairs of pants, a solid pairs of shoes, and plenty of undergarments. You were having a small debate over whether or not you wanted to pack a couple of small mementos of New York when, all of a sudden, you heard a knock on your front door.

You stood still, holding your breath. A few seconds later, another knock came and was followed up with a, “Hello? Hello? This is Dr. Reed Richards. Don’t be afraid. I just want to talk to you. Please let me in.”

Oh, no. There’s only one way they found you – Johnny. You forgot he remembered where you lived. How could you be so stupid?

To hell with it, you decided. I have enough packed. I just need to leave. With that, you grabbed your suitcase and purse and cautiously walked out to the living room. You figured you could open the window and fly out without them noticing.

As you turned to the window, you saw a big ball of fire. You tried to remain neutral as you looked straight at Johnny who was flying right outside, waiting for you. He toned down the flames around his face so you could see the sympathy in his eyes. You didn’t want his sympathy. You just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Another knock startled you and you whipped back around to the front door. “Miss, if you could please let us in, I’m sure we can work this out,” Reed tried to reason with you.

You sighed. Once again today, you didn’t have a choice. Maybe you could talk to these people and insist that you’d be out of the city and wouldn’t be a threat to anyone. You walked to the door, unlocked it, and promptly moved back to stand next to your things.

Dr. Reed Richards poked his head in, inspecting your area before making his way inside. He wasn’t alone. Behind him was Sue, and behind her was Ben. Ben left the door open, presumably for Johnny who was flying around to get inside. The trio stepped just a few feet in front of you.

“Hello,” Reed started. He fiddled with his glasses with a nervous energy. “I… I don’t quite know where to start.”

“Allow me,” you said. “What happened today was an accident. I’ve lived in this city for a few years now and have never used my powers in public. I promise, I’m not dangerous. You don’t have to worry about me causing any trouble or hurting anyone. I already plan to leave and start over somewhere else.”

“Wait,” Reed interjected. “You’ve had these powers for a few years?”

“Ever since I was little,” you clarified.

“So, you were born with them?” He began to study you from head to toe. Sue and Ben did the same.

“Yes,” you crossed your arms, unused to such scrutiny.

“That’s fascinating,” Reed said under his breath. He then asked you, “What all can you do?”

“What?”

“What specific abilities do you have?”

“I told you, I don’t want to hurt anyone. You don’t have to worry about-“

“It’s not that. I’ve just… I’ve never met anyone who has had powers since birth. I mean, we all got ours because the mission changed our DNA, but yours basically came from scratch.”

“I told you,” Johnny said, stepping into the door way with a grin on his dumb face. “She’s special.”

“Don’t mock me,” you spat in his direction. “I’m not special. I’m a freak.”

“We’re not mocking you,” Sue said, daring to step closer to you. “And you’re not a freak.”

“Oh, really? What else would you call a girl who could freeze things over ever since she could walk? Who can create flurries and icicles with a snap of her fingers? Who can freaking fly?!”

Sue tried a smile. “Different. Unique. And very special.”

You scoffed. “You say that like it’s a good thing. It’s not, believe me. Now, are we done here?” You began to pick up your things when Reed stepped forward.

“Just a moment,” he said. “We have a proposition for you.”

“Not interested,” you said, trying to move ahead.

“Please, just hear us out,” Reed insisted. You looked to Sue, then Ben, then begrudgingly Johnny. None of them looked like they were going to back down without a fight. You weren’t in the mood (plus you didn’t want to cause any damage to the apartment complex), so you set your stuff down and listened.

“Now,” Reed began, “given how rare your abilities are and the fact that you were born with them, we were wondering if you would like to work with us in the lab at the Baxter Building. We want to help you understand your power, test your abilities and limitations, and train you in how to use and maybe expand upon them. Also, for convenience, we’d like for you to stay at the Baxter Building with us. You would have your own room, of course, and you would have access to the lab, food, housekeeping, and transportation so you can come and go as you please. We would pay you for your service, of course. We would like for you to do this with us for a three-month period. After that, you can either continue your work with us, continue your work from before, or move to wherever you like to start fresh. It’s entirely up to you.”

You stared blankly at him. Was he being serious? You looked around at the family. They looked serious.

Another curveball the world just had to throw you today.

“We understand that this all might be sudden,” Sue finally broke the silence. “If you need time to think, we understand.”

“No,” you said, feeling slightly light-headed. “I-I mean, yes. Wait, I mean…” Your feet gave way and you fell into your nearby couch. The family was quick to move towards you. You held up your hands, blocking them. “I’m fine! I’m fine. Yes, I need time, but just a moment.”

“Of course,” Sue replied.

You leaned forward, elbows on knees, going deep into the corners of your mind to think things over.

After so long of trying to hide your powers, of being told that they were unnatural, that you were an abomination, these people expected you to just show them off like it was no big deal? Not only that, they wanted you to learn more abilities? Could you do that? Why would you want to do that? They did say you would live at their very prestigious building with access to all sorts of luxuries and get paid for it. They even said three months, which was your time frame anyway. You could plan a lot more in their three months than the ten minutes you just had. You could inquire about another job, maybe above your current station. You could get a new apartment sorted, or even a house. But, what about your powers? After the experimentation and training, yes you’d be in control of them, but so what? No one was going to look kindly on you and your powers after that. They’d still see you as a threat. You couldn’t change that. Unless…

A lightbulb went off in your head. You confidently got up and addressed Reed.

“I accept your proposal. However, I have a few conditions. First, I don’t want to go back to the office. Everyone probably has heard about me by now and I don’t want that kind of attention.”

Reed nodded. “We understand.”

“I also plan on leaving once the three months are up,” you added. You happened to glance over at Johnny and thought you saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes. You must’ve been mistaken, though. You turned your attention back to Reed. “And one more thing. As part of the experimentation, I want you to find a cure for my powers.”

Reed raised an eyebrow. “A cure?”

“Yes. Something that will get rid of them once and for all.”

“Are-Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

He looked to Sue, each of them giving off concerned looks.

“Look, you don’t have to take it. Given how your powers made you famous, you probably don’t want to. That’s fine. I don’t care. That’s your business. The cure will be for me. It’ll be part of my plan to start over. And anything else that’s discovered regarding my powers, you can keep and do what you like. I don’t want to have to think about them ever again, if I can help it. I just want to be normal.”

Sue once again broke the moment of silence that followed. “Give us one moment, please.” She gently pulled her husband over to Johnny and Ben. The four huddled together and began whispering. You tried not to let your anxiety show. If things went south, maybe you could make a break for the window.

Fortunately, everyone turned back around to face you.

“We accept your terms as you accept ours,” Reed said.

“Good,” you nodded once, then held out your hand. “Let’s shake on it.”

Reed came forward and did as he was told. You suddenly froze his hand in yours and pulled him close. “By the way,” you warned, “I expect all of this in writing.”

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Author’s Note 2: Electric Boogaloo: You think that’s the end?! THINK AGAIN, BABY!!! I hope you enjoyed this first part, do NOT post this story as your own, give it a like/review/bookmark/reblog/all of the above wherever you read it, and stick around for the conclusion! Thank you!

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