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[unknownalien3388]

Wanda Goes To Support Group.

Still mourning the loss of her late wife, Wanda begins attending a spousal support group. Knowing Y/N would want her to heal and live her life, Wanda reluctantly participates in the sessions for months. It's only when her newfound friend Natasha encourages her that Wanda finally decides to share her heartbreaking story with the group, signifying a crucial turning point in her healing journey.

                                                   --------

The one thing I loathe above all else is my Spousal Support Group It is just a bunch of depressed people getting together to talk about why they are depressed. It is sad, really. But I go every week anyway, in hopes that one day it will make me feel better. But it never does. Actually, nothing makes me feel better anymore and nothing has in a very long time. “Wanda?” Keegan Mc Call, the Spousal Support Group leader, and grief counsellor, called my name softly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Yes?” I say, making an effort to appear like I have been paying attention and not like I have been planning my escape. I had only been here little under five minutes, but I was already ready to walk out of the local church that was holding the support group and never come back.

"I see you brought a friend with you." Keegan nodded her head to the young woman sitting next to me, hand clasped in mine. Natasha Romanoff, my new and only friend. We met a few months back after she commented her agreement on my Facebook rant post about how Spousal Support Groups were stupid and a waste of time. Soon after, she sent me a direct message, and we began chatting. During our conversation, we discovered that we had a lot in common, which was a rare thing to find after most of my friends drifted away in the months following my wife's death.

"Hi, I'm Natasha," she introduced herself with a smile. To those who don't know her well, Natasha's smile would seem warm and genuine. But I easily saw through her fake smile to the unease that hid behind it. Her smile, like a lot of things Natasha did since her wife's death, was part of the mask she'd created following her wife's passing. Even though it didn't sit right with Natasha to hide her true feelings, the façade served as some type of shield between her and the outside world. A coping mechanism that allowed people see what they wanted to see to help them believe that Natasha was better. And though it felt artificial and wrong to her, it did give her what she needed to truly grieve in private. After Y/N's death, I learned that most people found solace in the idea that they had contributed in some way to someone else's healing after the loss of a loved one, be it a spouse or a family member. 

"Hello Natasha." The group replied in unison.

The awkward silence that followed was broken by the sound of Keegan clapping her hands to gain the group's attention. "Okay, how about we start care and share time?" She looked around the circle. "Who haven't we started with? how about you start us off, Sarah?" Keegan suggested.

"Sure," Sarah muttered dejectedly, not really caring. Everyone knew that she attended the support group, not because she wanted to, but because she didn't want her mother to worry about her after she lost her husband of fifteen years to brain cancer two years ago. Sarah blamed herself for her husband's death. She believed that if she had taken his constant and severe headaches more seriously and pushed him to see a doctor sooner, her husband would still be alive. It was clear, just by looking at Sarah, that since her husband's passing, she had stopped taking proper care of herself. Her skin was an unhealthy pale color; she had lost a concerning amount of weight, and it was obvious she hadn't washed her hair in months.

I glanced around the group as each member took turns retelling their stories of loss and grief. We were all sat in a circle called the Circle of Divine Healing, in the middle of the room and just below a crucifix. It is believed that Jesus was watching over us during support group and granting us the strength to heal from our pain and troubles. I was grateful that Keegan was too preoccupied with the other members to notice what I was doing. Which was not paying attention. I didn't need to. It was the same stories each week. Care and Share Time was my least favorite part of support group. It was a time, at the beginning of the session, where everyone took turns telling their story of how they lost their spouse and how they are still grieving even though it has been ‘insert time here’ since they passed and at the end, we all, in monotone, say ‘We are sorry for your loss, and we are here for you.’ Which I think is a load of bullshit and completely insincere because no one in Spousal Support Group interacted with each other outside of the weekly meetings. 

“Now, Wanda, would you like to share?” Keegan asked like she did each meeting, with a hopeful look in her eyes. I know every week Keegan hoped I might finally open up about my loss and pain with the group as she believed that once I could accept what I had lost and could share my story, I would truly be able to begin my healing process.

"Sure." I sighed. "But I still think this is a big waste of time." I mumbled to Natasha, making sure no one else could hear me.

"Wow! That's great!" Keegan exclaimed enthusiastically. Her surprise was evident, both on her face and in her voice. I couldn't blame her. Normally, I would skip the sharing part of Sharing and Caring, deeming it useless because retelling the story wouldn't change anything, it wouldn't bring my wife back. But this week, I decided to share, not for mine or Keegan's benefit, but because of Natasha and her story. Natasha had lost her wife five years ago in a gas station robbery. Her wife wasn't even supposed to be there that night; she was merely buying milk for Natasha because she knew how grumpy Natasha got without her morning coffee. I had seen her without her morning coffee, she was barley human. While waiting in line to pay, a man in a ski mask entered and ordered everyone to the floor. Everything was going as expected until the robber aimed his gun at a young boy in line and demanded he give over his money. For some the boy refused and that is when Natasha's wife intervened. She tried to de-escalate the situation, which, for some unknown reason, enraged the robber. Everything happened so fast, and no one could recall what happened. But somehow the gun the robber was holding went off, accidentally shotting Nataha's wife. This caused him to panic and flee the scene. Natsha's wife died on the phone with Natasha, bleeding on the gas station floor, awaiting paramedics. She died trying to protect a child—for just five dollars.

“You got this. I know you do.” Natasha whispered in my ear, squeezing my hand in a sign of support and encouragement.

I nodded in agreement and took a deep breath. "I lost my wife. It will be a year next February, The16th to be exact. My birthday," I began, my voice just loud enough to be heard, my gaze distant. "Her name was Y/N, and she was the love of my life. No, she was my life." I could hear the quiver in my voice and feel my eyes start to glisten with unshed tears as the memories that I usually tried to keep locked away, came flooding back. My grip on my chair's armrest tightened as I continued. "It was supposed to be our date night. Y/N wanted us to stay home, have a homestyle date because it was raining heavily. But I insisted on going out, you know, to do something special for my birthday." My breathing became shallow as the events of that night flashed through my mind. "We hadn't been driving for long when we came around a sharp bend and saw a stalled car in the middle of the road, its engine dead. By the time I realized what was happening, I didn't have enough time to stop. I slammed on the brakes and swerved, desperately trying to avoid hitting the car." The tension in the room grew as my words spoke with the pain of that fateful night. "We crashed into the siderail on the other side of the road. All I remember before I blacked out is the sound of screeching tires and shattering glass, followed by Y/N’s agonizing screams. I'll never forget those sounds; they will haunt me for the rest of my life." My voice shook, my eyes locked on the ground in front of me, not wanting anyone to see the unshed tears in my eyes. "When I regained consciousness, it was still raining, and there were people standing around. They kept asking if I was okay, telling me to stay still as help was on its way. But all I cared about was finding Y/N. I needed to find her." My hands began to tremble as I got closer to the heartbreaking moment where I lost my wife. "I counted my lucky stars that I was able to find her that night, even with the blood and the rain blurring my vision. I ran to where she lay, broken and dying on the road. I lifted her head into my lap, and she looked up at me with tears in her eyes." My own tears finally escaped, streaking down my cheeks, my voice choked with emotion. "She said, ‘I know I am not going to make it, baby. Can you please hold me until I go?’ And I did. I held her tight, and I kissed her, our last kiss. I knew she was gone, even though I held her close." I chocked back a sob and a heavy silence hung in the room as I finished my story. The pain etched on my face was clear to everyone in that room and they then knew just how deep my grief ran. "I remember waking up in my hospital bed some time later, and it was like my brain still couldn't fully comprehend that Y/N was really gone. I couldn't believe that everything could end in one single moment. One moment, and my whole world had crumbled beneath me. If only I hadn't nagged her. If only I hadn't kept insisting that we go out for our date. Then she would still be alive, and I wouldn't be here recounting the worst day of my life." My shoulders were hunched over, and my head bowed as I came to the end. I still didn't look up. I didn't want anyone to see me cry.

"Thank you for sharing with us, Wanda. We are sorry for your loss, and we are here for you." Keegan told me softly she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Aren’t we guys?” I could feel the sympathetic gaze of the support group members as they offered their condolences, making me inwardly wince and cringe. I hated it. Fake forced pity is worse than real pity. And I know most of them meant well, but when you are in the thick of healing, nothing else matters. Not even other people in the process of healing. "Does anyone have anything to say to Wanda?" Keegan asked the group and Eliza Beth, a lady known in the Spousal Support Group Community for her strong religious beliefs raised her hand. "Nice of you to volunteer, Eliza Beth. What words of wisdom do you have for Wanda?"

The fake pity I could handle, but the next words that came out religious woman's moth stirred my emotions in all the wrong ways. “I know the Lord was there that night to take your sweet angel to heaven and He will look after her until it is your time to join her!" Eliza Beth declared; her voice full of conviction. As she spoke, she made the sign of the cross, touching her finger to her forehead, then her lower chest, and finally, both her shoulders, one at a time, sealing her words.

My eyes welled with tears, my grief and frustration rose to the surface as I responded, my voice steady but filled with raw emotion. "No, the Lord was not there that night, and if He was, then He was not listening to me beg and plead with Him not to take my Y/N away." My fingers clenched into fists, and I fought to rein in the anger that surged through me. I took a deep breath before deciding that I had enough of support group for one night. I turned in my chair to face Keegan head on. "Thank you for letting me share." I told her sincerely. I then rose from my seat and walked out of the church without looking back, knowing that Natasha would be following close behind. The echoes of the support group's insincere condolences lingered in my ears and my footsteps were heavy with the weight of my loss as I walked through the carpark to Natasha's car. Natasha drove us to Support group because while I could finally handle being inside a car without having a panic attack, I was nowhere close to being ready to be behind the wheel. Not after the last time I drove a car, which resulted in my wife's death.

On the car ride home, Natasha broke the silence with a question that had gnawed at her for years. "Why do you even still go to those things? I mean, I know you hate Spousal Support Group as much as I do, and I stopped going five years ago." Natasha had told me about how she had gone to support group for a month following her wife's death and how she hated it so much that she stopped going.

I sighed as I untied my ponytail and ran my fingers through my auburn brown hair. "You want the truth?" I asked.

Natasha's voice was resolute. "Always."

"The only reason I keep going is the donuts; they are pretty great," I admitted, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She and Natasha shared a brief, genuine laugh. "No, but really, I go because I know that Y/N wouldn’t want me to be hung up over her death. She would want me to heal and carry on with my life, so I try to do that as best as I can. Which just happens to include going to Spousal Support Group every week until I am better or as close to it as I can get." A calm silence enveloped the car, before I spoke again. “You know, Y/N thought that if she was going to die it was because she was attacked by a wild animal like a moose.”

Natasha, her curiosity piqued, asked, "A moose? That’s pretty random."

My laughter broke through the somber atmosphere. It felt nice to be able to laugh. I hadn't laughed since Y/N died. In saying that, I hadn’t done a lot of things since Y/N died.

"Yeah, Y/N was random like that. She believed it would be a cool way to go."

Well, you know what I think?" Natasha asked as we neared my house, it stopped being home when Y/N died. 

I had been gazing out into the night, but I looked towards Natasha at the sound of her voice. "No, what?"

A small grin played on Natasha's lips. "I think she would be proud of you for trying."

My heart swelled with emotion, and her nerves were replaced by a warm feeling of hope. "You think?" I asked nervously, my tanned hands, scarred from years of working on my family's farm, gripped the armrest.  I didn’t know why I was nervous; I just was.

"Yeah, I do," Natasha affirmed with a nod of her head.

A smile spread across my face, a small but significant step on my healing journey. Not long after I went back to staring out into the night, with my heart still aching with the loss Y/N. but now with an added glimmer of hope. I looked up at the stars and whispered, "I hope she is."

  The End.

[unknownalien3388]

The Ugly Duckling Makes a Friend - AgentCorp Friendship Fanfic.

Lena and her family had just moved to Midvale a few weeks ago and have been the talk of the town ever since. This didn’t surprise Alex, as it was to be expected when a family as rich and influential as the Luthors suddenly moved from the big city of Metropolis to a small humble town like Midvale that people would talk. And talk they did. Though Alex was too busy with her school work and babysitting her young alien sister to really pay any attention to what the adults and peers around her had to say about a family she couldn’t care less about. It wasn’t until one after while Alex was waiting at school for her mom to pick her up after work, like she had promised, that her paths crossed with the youngest Luthor, Lena. While they may not have a lot in common, there is one thing that they did have in common and that was the fact they were the unloved sibling in their family. But was that enough for them to forget their differences and become friends or are they just too different?

                                                  ---------------- The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow across Midvale High School's library where sixteen-year-old Alex Danvers sat. School had long ended, but Alex remained, one of the last students lingering due to yet another extended student council meeting. Earlier that day, she had told her adopted sister Kara that she would stay late and instructed her to go home without her. Now, she sat alone, waiting for her mother, Eliza, who had promised to pick her up after work that morning. As she gazed at a history book she should have been reading, a sense of resignation washed over her. 'She forgot about me again,' Alex thought silently. She wiped away a stray tear and added with a bitter laugh, 'I bet if Kara were here, she wouldn't have forgotten. But then again, Kara is her favorite daughter.'  She was so deep in her thoughts that she did not see the girl walk up to her until she tapped on her shoulder, scaring her in the process. "Whoa. Hey, I didn't mean to scare you," the girl said calmly with her hands raised to show she meant no harm. "I'm Lena, the new girl. I saw you sitting by yourself and thought I might keep you company, is that cool with you?"

Alex eyed her cautiously. She was a short, pale-skinned girl with long raven hair who looked to be around Kara’s age of sixteen and clearly rich. She nodded her head slowly. 'Yeah, sure; why not.' She shrugged.

"Thanks," Lena said as she took a seat across from her. "So, how are you? How was school?"

"I’m well, and school was school. You?" Alex asked with another shrug.

"I’m good, thanks. School was okay. I passed all my end-of-term tests with high scores, so I’m happy with that," Lena answered with a proud smile.

"Well done," Alex congratulated her sincerely.

"Did you have any tests this week?"

"No, they’re all next week. There was a moment of silence before Alex spoke again. 'So, why are you still at school so late?' She asked. 'I mean, you just told me you’ve done all your tests. So, you don't have to study. And just by looking at you, I can tell your family is obviously rich. I’m surprised you don’t have people tripping over their feet to get you home to your mommy and daddy." Alex asked with clear disdain.

Instead of taking offense to her comment like Alex thought she would, the girl just laughed. “I was not always like this,” she said, gesturing to her outfit. “I was adopted by the Luthors, who just love to flash their wealth and money around. But between me and you, I would rather wear what you have on than this ridiculous get-up." She admitted, pointing to Alex's ripped skinny jeans and t-shirt that had some rock band on it that her father gave her before he died. She spoke with just a hint of an accent that Alex knew was not American. “But then again, anything is better than this.” She added with a laugh as she pointed to her pencil skirt and blouse.

“That’s true.” Alex agreed with a small grin.

“The reason I’m here so late is because my Chess Club meeting ran overtime. We’re getting ready for the big Interschool Chess competition at the start of next term, and Lillian, my adopted mother, refused to pick me up after she had picked up her golden boy, Lex, from his polo practice. Her reasoning being Lex had to go home and have an ice bath, and she didn’t want to ‘waste their time' by picking me up because I ‘chose’ to stay at school late.” She answered with a sneer. "But if I even mention leaving the team, she loses it. So, it's a lose-lose situation, really."

"But wait, isn't your brother old enough to get his license and drive himself around?” Alex asked.

“Yes, but Lex doesn’t have to do anything with mother dearest around.” Lena explained with a roll of her eyes.

“What about your father? Why can’t he pick you up?”

“Lionel? He’s too busy being the CEO of LuthorCorp to notice anything else. And even if he wasn’t, he’s too busy with his flavor of the month to care. The Luthors like to fool the world into believing that they are a tight-knit family, but I can promise you; it is all for show.” She answered with hidden pain in her voice that Alex knew too well. The pain of feeling unloved.

“I kind of understand how you must be feeling,” Alex said, feeling like she had finally found someone who understood her pain. ‘Maybe, I can make a friend that knows what it feels like to be neglected by their parents.’ She thought to herself. ‘Not that anyone should ever go through this.’

“You do?” Lena questioned, surprised.

“Yeah.” Alex sighed. “In case you didn’t know, I’m the student president, and well, the student council meetings also have a history of running late, like today. So, I told my sister to take the bus home because our mom said she would pick me up after work tonight, but I guess she forgot again.” She told Lena, “Oh, I’m Alex, by the way.”

“I know, we share the same third period AP Science class with Mr. Smith.” Lena informed her with a kind smile.

“Oh, I never noticed. Sorry.” Alex said apologetically, feeling a little guilty, but Lena just smiled.

“That’s okay, Alex; really. I usually sit at the back of the room, and because of my new last name, I’m never called upon during class, so not many people notice me, which is great.” She assures her in a gentle voice. “I’m just sorry that your mother can’t see how wonderful you are. But I know for a fact that one day she will.” Lena promised with deep conviction in her voice.

“Thanks.” Alex replied, not knowing what else to say and honestly not believing that her mother would ever see her or her greatness, as she felt she would always be living under the shadow of her alien sister. “May I ask how old you are?”

“Thirteen, I turn fourteen next year.” Lena answered with another proud smile. "You?" She asked in return.

"That's pretty young to be entering high school," Alex said, surprised by her age. 

"Well, with my high intellect, thirst for knowledge, and my new last name, I skipped a few grades,” she explained with a blush.

"That’s cool that you got to skip a few grades,” Alex commented. "And I’m sixteen, turning seventeen in a few weeks. My mother doesn’t like the idea of teenagers driving cars and says, 'that's the adults’ job.'” Alex said with a shake of her head.

“Yeah, have you noticed that adults are always expecting their children to do better than they did when they were young and get really mad at them when they fail to meet their high expectations? I mean I know I will never meet Lillian’s expectations, only Lex will do that.” Lena said with barely hidden distaste.

"Damn, if that isn’t true. I probably won’t ever meet my mother’s exceptions either, that will always be my sister. Now, I’m not saying I hate her. I do not hate Kara. I just wish my mother viewed us as equals, you know?" Alex asked, desperate for someone to understand her.

"Yeah, I do. But I have come to terms with the fact that Lillian will never love me as much as she loves her Lex," Lena said with a sad little shrug. "The only thing I am grateful for is that their money helps feed my need for higher education." She acknowledged. “What would be your favorite attribute?” She asked, changing the subject. “Mine’s obviously my IQ, which is higher than Lex’s IQ.”

Alex thought for a moment. “Probably my eidetic memory would have to be mine; I don’t know what my IQ is, but I can read and memorize 20,000 words a minute.” She bragged with a grin. It felt good to be able to brag about her abilities as she rarely, if ever, got the chance to do it.

“Those are two pretty cool attributes you have. And hey, with a memory and skill like that, you could get into places like MIT, Stanford, even Harvard. I also bet your IQ is super high, you must be like Einstein level smart,” Lena exclaimed in a loud voice, only to be shushed by the librarian.

Alex’s grin widened with a blush. “I wish I were that smart! But I’m aiming to get into Harvard to study medicine. It’s one of the hardest schools to get accepted into.” She informed Lena, still feeling proud at the young girl’s compliment. "My mother wants me to study science like her, but I want to be a doctor and help people. I guess that’s another thing about me that disappoints her," Alex said just as her phone beeped with an incoming message.

Mom (4:00 PM): Hey sweetie, hope school went well! I’m sorry but I can’t pick you up tonight, staying late at work. I will get Kara to pick you up soon. Lots of love, Mom xx.

Alex (4:01 PM): Okay.

“Hey, are you okay?” Lena asked, concerned.

“I’m fine, it's just my mom letting me know what I already guessed. She forgot her promise and won't be picking me up,” Alex said.

“That's just fucking crap!” Lena exclaimed with anger. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’m here for you, and it’s okay if you aren’t. I won't judge you either way,” she assured Alex, worried about her new friend.

“Yes,” Alex answered with a fake smile. “Thanks.”

"Can I tell you a little about me?" Lena asked her politely, deciding to change the subject instead of pushing her to talk.

Alex nodded her head. “Yeah, sure.”

"As you might be able to tell, I was not born here in the States. I was actually born in Ireland. When I was growing up, I only had my mother; no father. My mother’s name was Kieran McGrath, and she was the only hero I ever had. She was a kind and loving soul. I loved her dearly and miss her every day."

“What happened to her if you don’t mind me asking?” Alex asked.

“No, I’ll tell you. I was about four years old when my mom decided to take me to the lake near our house for a picnic as it was a great day for it. Nice and sunny. After lunch, she wanted to go for a swim, but I hadn’t been feeling well that day, so I didn’t join her and stayed on the shore to watch her. I remember her smiling for the first time in what felt like a long time as she bent down to kiss me on my cheek before she ran into the water laughing. She had such a beautiful and carefree laugh,” Lena said with a smile and a faraway look in her eyes as she relived that fateful day. “When my mother was up to her waist deep in the water, she turned around to wave at me one last time with this big grin on her face. She was so happy and radiant. That was the last time I ever saw her before she died,” Lena explained.

“How did she die?” Alex asked, shocked.

“She drowned,” Lena answered numbly.

“Oh damn. That’s terrible,” Alex whispered, completely heartbroken for the other girl.

“A few hours later, I was sent to live in an orphanage, and a few weeks after that the Luthors came and picked me up. And you know the drill, a rich family adopts a poor orphan child with no family of their own, to help hide any of their wrongdoings while making the family look great. Charity work, they call it," Lena said with barely hidden disgust.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Alex replied mournfully.

"I won’t say it’s okay because that would be a lie, but thank you anyway. When I moved to the States, they changed my name to Luthor, and I grew up with a hateful mother who never liked me, a father that tolerated me at best, and that’s whenever he could be bothered to play at being a family man. Only Lex genuinely liked me. He taught me my love for chess, reading, and all things science. He was the best brother I could ever ask for. Everything in my life was finally okay. I may not have had loving parents like everyone else, but at least I had a loving brother. Then everything changed when he went off to college. I don’t know what happened to him over there, I just know that he came home for the holidays his first year different, and he never went back,” Lena told her.

“What do you mean?” Alex asked.

“He came back changed. He was angrier. Then recently Lex’s hatred towards anything extraterrestrial became more concerning, which is why Lillian suggested we move here to Midvale and away from the new alien superhero in Metropolis, Superman.”

"That's pretty shitty that you had to move just because your brother isn’t a fan of Superman," Alex concluded with a frown.

"Yeah, it is," Lena agreed. "But that is my life. What is your story, Alex?"

"Sorry, ladies," the kind librarian interrupted. "The library will be closing soon. If you could pack up your things and make for the exit, that would be much appreciated." She said with an apologetic smile.

The girls packed up their things and moved to the front steps of the library to continue their conversation.

"My story? Hmmm." Alex thought for a moment about what to tell Lena before settling on as close to the truth as she was allowed. "Well, it isn't as long or sad as yours but here goes. My life started off normal. Both my parents were scientists, but they always had time for me, no matter how busy they got. Due to my high intelligence and eidetic memory, I was the star of my whole family, the apple of my parents' eye. And it wasn’t until last year that things started to change. It happened after my parents decided to adopt Kara following her losing her family in a house fire…”

“No, she didn't.” Lena interrupted.

"What do you mean she didn’t? Of course, she did. I think I would know how my little sister's parents died," Alex argued fiercely, concerned that Lena might have uncovered the truth about Kara and her family.

“Just stop, Alex; you do not have to lie to me. I am in a lot of Kara’s classes and I notice things about her. I know that your sister is, in fact, an alien and is probably related to Superman. Which, if she is, would make her Kryptonian. I know this for a fact because, as I mentioned before, Lex is crazy obsessed with Superman and other aliens. He spends most of his days now trying to find ways to rid the world of aliens. Also, Kara shows signs of having similar powers as him, and it’s pretty clear that she worships a different god. One named Rao.” Lena said with a raised eyebrow, changeling Alex to disagree with what she said.

“Fine! You're right. But if you tell anyone else I swear..." Alex began to threaten.

"I won’t. I promise I won’t tell anyone. Especially with someone like Lex hanging around. I would hate to put an innocent life in danger, and I’m scared to see what Lex would do if he knew an alien was living right here in Midvale, right under his nose.” Lena told her honestly.

Alex looked into her eyes, searching for any signs that Lena might be lying to her. She found nothing to indict a lie. "I believe you when you say you won’t tell anyone, but don't make me regret it." Alex said with a pointed look. "Anyway, everything was fine then Kara came crashing into my life. Literally. Her superhero cousin didn’t want her and left her on our doorstep. That was when everything in my life changed. My parents had less and less time for me. My mother is always expecting me to grow up and be mature, always expecting me to be my sister’s babysitter like I have no friends that I want to hang out with or schoolwork I need to get done. I just feel like in my mother's eyes, I have no life outside of looking after Kara. Which only got worse when my father, who gave everything he had to protect Kara, died." Alex confessed, her voice tinged with a mix of vulnerability and longing. "I've just been trying to be strong for everyone, but it's nice to talk to someone who understands."

"That's really tough," Lena said bluntly, though her empathy was still shining through. 

“It is, isn't it?” Alex said with a humorless laugh.

"We both deserve better." Lena told Alex with a serious look on her face. I’m always being judged and ridiculed for being too much of a Luthor by strangers on the streets and in school. Then I go home to be compared to my 'perfect' brother and ridiculed for not being Luthor enough by mother and father. And then there is you, who has a mother who stopped seeing you and your greatness when Kara came along, which is wrong." She shook her head in disappointment. "We both deserve better."

Alex hummed in agreement. There was a moment of silence before a car horn sounded, causing both girls to jump and look around.

"There’s my sister," Alex said, nodding toward the truck parked across the street. "Are you sure you’re going to be okay? I’m sure Kara won’t mind giving you a lift home," she asked, sounding a bit worried.

Lena reassured her with a warm smile, "Yes, I’ll be fine, Alex. My friend Jack just texted me to let me know that his practice will be finished soon, and then he’ll be around to pick me up. But if you are still concerned," Lena offered, "how about we swap numbers so I can text you as soon as he picks me up? So, you know I am safe."

"Sure, that would be great," Alex agreed with a sigh of relief. She handed her unlocked phone to Lena and accepted Lena's phone in return.

"There you go," Lena said, giving Alex her phone back. "I will text you later, and I’ll see you tomorrow," she added with a shy look in her eyes.

Alex smiled. "You sure will. I have to go now, but we will talk soon. Bye, Lena."

"Bye, Alex," Lena called. "And hey, one day, we will get the family we always wanted," Lena promised her.

 Lena Luthor (5:30PM): Hey, it’s Lena. I just wanted to say that I think becoming a doctor is a great idea and you will be amazing in whatever you choose to do in life.         

Lena Luthor (5:31PM): Also I’m home safe. See you tomorrow.   

The better Alex (5:35pm): That is very sweet of you to say, thank you. I’m glad you are home safe. See you tomorrow.    

Lena Luthor (5:40pm): Do you mind me asking why Kara is allowed to drive if your mother doesn’t like teenagers driving? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.

The better Alex (5:41pm): No, it’s fine. Kara is allowed to drive because she’s Kara. Mom lets her get away with pretty much everything.

Lena Luthor (5:45pm):  That’s just stupid, if you are going to let one child do something then both children should be allowed to do it.

The better Alex (5:46pm):  Agreed.

Lena Luthor (5:46pm): Maybe we can complain about being the unloved sibling together?

The better Alex (5:47pm): That would be nice to have someone on my side for a change.                          

Lena Luthor 5:48pm):  I will always be on your side.

The better Alex (5:50pm): Ditto.                                                               The End.

[unknownalien3388]

Zara's Irrational Fear - Original Story.

Zara Grace and Lexa Peters have been friends since they were kids, but when years later Zara catches feelings for Lexa's little sister, she fears the loss of her friendship. She knew she had two options: either tell Lexa about her feelings and risk losing her friend or keep her feelings a secret and lose any chance she had to be happy with Marley.                                                         ---------- Lexa Peters and her best friend Zara Grace had been friends since they met in high school during Lexa's junior year, forming an unbreakable bond. So when Lexa’s phone rang at five o’clock one morning with her best friend’s name flashing across the screen, she did not hesitate to reach over to her bedside table and answer it. Even though she was not a morning person, Lexa knew if Zara was calling her this early in the morning, it must be something important. “There better be a good reason for you calling me this early in the morning when the sun isn't even up yet, Grace, and I mean like someone better be dying or already be dead,” Lexa grumbled, her voice laced with a mix of annoyance and sleepiness.

“Well, good morning to you too,” Zara laughed, her words soft and reassuring. “You can rest assured that no one is dying or dead.”

“That’s good, I guess,” Lexa muttered as she got out of bed and stumbled into the dimly lit kitchen, knowing there was no way she was going back to sleep now, no matter how tempting the idea was. She yawned, her voice barely above a whisper, as she poured herself a cup of coffee and prepared a simple breakfast of buttered toast. “So, what’s up, Zara? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just needed to talk to you about something important,” Zara said, anxiety clear in her voice, her words carrying a sense of urgency.

“Okay, I got my morning coffee and my breakfast of buttered toast. I am all ears,” Lexa sighed, sipping her still hot coffee, her eyes adjusting to the feeble moonlight shining through her kitchen window.

“It’s not something I wish to talk about over the phone. Is there any chance we can meet up at Café Belova?” Zara asked, a sense of worry in her tone.

“Yeah, of course. We could meet there for lunch?” Lexa suggested, the anticipation of the impending conversation starting to pique her curiosity.

“Awesome. See you then,” Zara sighed before hanging up the phone. Lexa was concern. Café Belova was a small family-owned diner with a cozy, retro 50's atmosphere that was located not far from where Lexa worked at the local police station and Zara’s family-owned company, which was what drew the pair to the café in the first place. But they rarely got the chance to eat there and only did when they needed to have a serious conversation that they didn’t want anyone they knew or worked with to hear. It was that very reason that had Lexa concerned for the rest of the morning until lunch came.

The first thing Lexa saw when she arrived at the café was the nervous wreck that Zara was. “Hey Zar, you wanted to talk?” She said once they got to their usual table, but Zara just sat there in an anxious sort of silence. “Are you sure everything’s okay? You seemed worried when you called earlier,” Lexa asked when her friend continued not saying anything for several moments.

“Yeah, I just have to tell you something important, and I'm worried about how you are going to react,” Zara explained with a strained smile, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her coffee cup.

Lexa could tell by the poor state of Zara’s usually perfect nails that whatever her friend needed to tell her made her incredibly nervous, which, in turn, made Lexa incredibly nervous. “You know you can tell me anything, Zara.” She reached across the table to cover her friend's hand to comfort her. “You are my best friend, and there is nothing that could ever change that,” Lexa told her firmly. “And I mean that, nothing.”

“Even if I told you that I have a crush on your little sister and I really want to date her?” Zara blurted out before slapping a hand over her mouth in shock, her eyes wide with worry.

There was a moment of silence as the two women just stared at each other before Lexa took a breath and spoke in a calm and gentle voice. “And why haven’t you asked her out yet?”

Zara stared at her in surprise. “You’d be okay with me dating your sister? You wouldn't be mad?”

“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be okay with it? Why would I be mad?” Lexa asked, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. “I think the two of you would be cute together. Of course, not as cute as Kelly and me, but a close second.” She teased with a small cheeky smirk, her eyes reflecting nothing but love for her best friend.

“Really?” Zara said, still shocked, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

“Yeah. Why? Did you think I’d be upset with you?” Lexa asked.

“To be honest, yes,” Zara told her. “This is not at all how I imagined this conversation would go.”

“Really?” Lexa said, surprised. “How did you think I would feel?”

“Angry, maybe. I don’t know. I thought you might be very upset and angry. It’s the main reason I’ve been so scared to tell you about my feelings for Marley,” Zara confessed.

“What? You thought I would be annoyed and angry at you for having feelings for my sister? You thought I'd be upset that you, my best friend and one of the most important people in my life, who has supported me and loved me unconditionally, is now willing to give that unconditional love and support to Marley?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Zara said like it was obvious. “Which now that I think about it makes me feel a little silly since, apparently, I’ve been nervous all week for nothing. Because you’re fine with it, and I should have known…”

“Should have known that all I would want is for the two most important people in my life to be happy, even if it meant being happy together,” Lexa finished for her, a warm smile on her face.

“Yeah,” Zara laughed, leftover nerves still clear in her voice as she relaxed back in her chair.

“Do you remember the day we met?” Lexa asked randomly.

“Of course, I do. It’s one of the best days of my life,” Zara smiled, her eyes now shining with nostalgia. “But what does that have to do with our conversation?”

“God, back then we were both two angry teenagers who hated the world and thought everyone was out to get us,” Lexa laughed, her words laced with fondness, “But I have matured from that angry teenager who felt like their little sister was stealing all her friends just to spite her,” Lexa said.

“That’s true,” Zara agreed with a giggle, her hand reaching across the table to squeeze Lexa's hand.

“And anyway, that friendship those two little broken girls made that day means more to me than most things, and I would choose you over almost everyone in my life,” Lexa confessed, her voice carrying a deep affection for Zara.

“Really?” Zara asked, amazed, knowing how much she must mean to Lexa, to have her friend express such unwavering love for her that she would choice her over almost everyone in her life.

“Yes. You were there for me after my father died. You supported me when I decided to join the same police force that my father was killed working for. You even cheered me on when I got promoted at work. You supported me after I came out as gay and helped me feel confident in my sexuality because I was too scared to tell my mother and sister that I was a lesbian. You were there for me with a shoulder to cry on and a tub of my favorite ice cream when my first same-sex relationship ended badly. And if you can support me through all of that without a single complaint, then I think I can be okay with you dating my sister,” Lexa expressed with a profound sincerity, her eyes reflecting back on the times Zara showed her nothing but unwavering trust and love.

“Thank you, that means a lot,” Zara said, her voice filled with gratitude and relief.

"The main reason being I couldn’t think of a better person for my sister, but the other, more selfish reason is I couldn’t think of anything that would make me happier than to one day be able to call you, my sister. I mean you are like a sister to me regardless, but to know that one day it might be an official thing. That makes me beyond happy. So, yes, I think it is a great idea for you to ask Marley out on a date, and if she is as smart as I think she is, she will say yes,” Lexa told her honestly, a soft smile playing on her lips, her eyes twinkling with joy.

“I hope so,” Zara sighed, her worries finally dissipating.

“She will,” Lexa assured her confidently, her gaze never leaving Zara’s.

“If you say so,” Zara laughed, her voice now filled with a lightness and hope.

“I do,” Lexa grinned, her excitement palpable. “Now onto more important matters like my wedding!” She said excitedly, her eyes now sparkling with anticipation.

Zara just smiled as she relaxed back in her chair and listened to Lexa rant about her upcoming wedding, no longer worried about losing her best friend.                                      The End.