Unlikely Place of Comfort

Unlikely Place of Comfort



Ch.1: Zero’s



Have you ever felt the need to help someone, the urge to be there for them, to be their hero? Some are born with this instinct, the automatic response to save, heal, and to be there for someone, to everyone, the Hero Gene.



I call it the Zero Gene. All those stupid Hero’s get so much praise and are looked up to, it sickens me. It’s not even rare to have the stupid Zero Gene! In fact, we have so many Hero’s that it’s hard to find that one true Hero that is true to the gene.



What is rare is the V Gene. It is almost the total opposite of the Hero Gene. That’s why it has a ‘v’ for Villain. I am one of those rare few who have that V Gene, yet people who know I have it treat me like scum. I go to school just like any other kid with the Special Genes, and it’s not different than any other school system either, we still have homework, evil teachers, and that certain someone that we try to avoid.



I, Elenore Drakin, am 16 years old: my hair is long and black, but I normally have it up in a high pony tail. My eyes are a light gray; my mom says they look more like storm clouds. In all the years that I have been in school, my only friend and enemy has to be the only ‘Hero’ in the whole school and that ‘Hero’ is Simon Hallomen. The lean, blond, blue eyed boy had been in school with me since I could remember. The day I realized he was different than the other Zero’s, was in second grade…



As usual I was mean to the other kids. Simon had decided to play with me and I decided his curly gold locks needed a good tug. Instead of screaming and crying, Simon just giggled. Normally I hate the sound of giggling; I am more of a screaming, moaning, and begging for your life type of girl; but for some reason Simon’s giggle appealed to me. (Of course he doesn’t know that little detail.)



I had successfully avoided my nemesis through my sophomore year in high school, only seeing him at lunch and in the halls. But as I sat in the back of the class room, I realized that my Jr. year would be spent with him. Simon walked in the class, girls swooned, the guys hi-five him, then he saw me and immediately smiled. (I don’t know why he does that, he always does that!) He walked over to the empty desk next to me and asked, “Do you mind if I sit by you?”



This was annoying, not only did he know I didn’t want him to sit by me, but now the whole class was staring at us. “Yes, I do mind! Go sit somewhere else.”



“But there are no more empty desks.” He said as he sat at the desk anyway.



“Then sit on the floor!” I said through gritted teeth as the teacher came in. But it was too late, class had started and the seating list was being passed around.



I tried to ignore him through most of the class, but it wasn’t easy. He would ask me questions about the assignment and he wouldn’t stop until I answered. When he was done and the teacher was lecturing about our home work, I would catch him staring at me with those deep blue eyes of his. I could lie and say that it grossed me out, but I won’t. In fact it made my face hot and my heart race. I was glad when the bell rang, this sort of reaction wasn’t normal to me.



Simon followed me out of the class, “What are your next classes?” He asked with a friendly smile.



I rolled my eyes, “I’m not telling you. I just hope I don’t have anymore with you in them.”



Simon giggled, darn him. “Why are you so mean? Nevermind.” He said as I glared at him.

I turned into my next class and he followed. It was going to be a long day.







Ch.2: Homework Can Be Entertaining



At the end of school I went straight to my locker in hopes of leaving before Simon could find me, but fate just wasn’t on my side. As I closed my locker I saw Simon on the other side, hands on his knees and panting like he had just run a race. “Elenore, wait…”



I glared at him, “Don’t use my first name.”



He stood up straight and smiled, “Sorry, I forgot.” (Yeah, after 10 years he forgot.)



I crossed my arms and stared at him, “Well, what did you want?”



“Oh, right!” He declared as if the bulb in his head finally clicked back on. “I need a partner for the class project.”

I lifted my brow, “What are you talking about, everyone ‘loves’ you!? How can you NOT have a partner?”



He scratched the back of his head nervously. “Well, you didn’t have a partner so I offered to partner up with you. That’s okay right?”



“Yeah, you are better than any of those other Zero’s.” I said as I walked out of the school, Simon following me. “Where do you want to me at?”



“I was hoping we could meet at your place.”



I eyed Simon carefully as we walked down our block. “Why my place, you know I live alone?”



He stared at his feet as we continued down the sidewalk, “ I just need to get away from my parents for awhile.”



“I don’t know…” I stopped walking and turned to Simon as he grabbed my arm to get my attention.



“Please, I’m begging you!” Simon’s lip quivered and his blue eyes became all together adorable like a puppy. (If it wasn’t Simon I might have thrown up at the cuteness.)



I smiled, “Begging huh? Alright we will go to my place.”



* * *



“So what did your parents do?” I asked as we sat at the kitchen table, with our project papers decorating the top of it.

“They constantly watch over me like I’m made of glass, it is kind of creepy.”



I nodded, “Seems like a reasonable excuse.” I laughed in wondering what his parents would do if they found out that I was alone with Simon?



“What’s so funny?” Simon asked with a grin.



I leaned forward in my chair, “Oh, nothing really. It’s just, the thought of torturing you brings me joy.”

Simon paled and his smile instantly disappeared, “R-really?”



I grinned at his nervous response. “No, Simon. Unlike you, I can lie.”



And that was when I noticed it: As the silence increased and Simon went to work, I noticed how tidy and neat his work space was. Papers staked, pens placed neatly, folders coordinated by color.

It was disgusting.



Immediately I stood up from my chair making it fall with a loud clatter onto the floor, and crawled on the table before attacking the pile: I through folders onto the floor, flying papers went everywhere, and boy did I feel ten times better.

I sighed with relief and sat on the table with my legs hanging off the edge. When my eyes landed back on Simon I couldn’t help but smirk.



He stared at me, mouth a gape, his blue eyes wide with shock and slight fear, the pencil in his hand was held in the air ready to write on a paper that was no longer in front of him. “Wha-“



“What?” I asked as if my behavior were normal, which it was.



“Why did you do that?” Simon asked bewildered.



“It’s the same reason why I mess up your hair on Sunday’s, it was too neat.”



Simon sighed and ran his hand through his blond curls making me smile as it messed up his ‘perfect’ hair. “This project is due this coming Monday and I want it finished…”



“Before then, I know and it will be.” He stared at me for awhile before I asked, “Are you going to clean it up?” I pointed to the mess on the floor.



Simon grinned, “Yeah as long as you don’t throw another fit.”

I grinned as well, “I won’t throw a fit as long as you’re not so neat and tidy.”



I sat and quietly watched as he crawled on the floor, picking up papers and folders. “You missed one.” I said as he put a stack on the table. I pointed under his chair and he gave me another one of his grins.



“Thanks, I would have missed it otherwise.” He went back down on his knees and reached under the chair to get the paper. I enjoyed the sight while it lasted.



Simon got back up and put the last paper on the table triumphantly. “There! Can we get back to work now?” He asked kindly.



I nodded, “Sure.”





Ch.3: Unexpected Guest



We studied for a few more hours, writing papers and getting information and our work was almost done. Are project wasn’t due until the upcoming Monday and we had the whole weekend to finish, so I felt confident that we could have it done on time.



I looked out the window to notice it was dark already. “What time should you be home, Simon?”



Simon looked up from the paper he was working on, and to the watch on his wrist. “Now, or mom will kill me.”



I looked outside again and his gaze followed mine. “Should I walk you to your block?”



He nodded; Simon always did have a slight fear of the dark. He packed his things silently while I waited by the door.

When he was ready, we stepped outside and I locked my door.



“Can’t you walk me to my house, instead of just my block?” Simon asked as we started our walk.



I shook my head, “You just told me your parents are super strict, can you imagine what would happen if they found out you were with me all this time?”



Simon flinched at the thought, “I suppose your right.” I stopped and watched as Simon continued forward until he noticed he was alone. He turned around toward me. “Why did you stop?”



“This is your block. I will call you tomorrow.” I tried a grin.



Simon smiled genuinely, “Okay!” He waved good-bye to me before sprinting off to his house.



I turned and began to walk to my house, my hands in my jean pockets. As I came to my empty house, I almost wished I had some one to scold me for being late, or at least be there for something.



I unlocked the door and walked inside the house, closing and locking it again once I was inside. My mom was constantly working so I couldn’t blame her for being absent most of the time, and my dad…



My dad was once named: The worst villain to ever be born. I admired that, but that also meant that he was never home. The only way I knew he was still alive, was from the birthday cards he sent me with a new picture of him in it.

He told me it was so I would never forget him, pretty nice for a villain if you ask me. So I didn’t blame my parents for being absent, but it didn’t mean that I didn’t miss their company.



* * *



Saturday morning, well actually afternoon, I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. I shot out of bed and rushed to answer it, since my mother was asleep from working all night. “Hello?”



“Hey, its Simon.” Wow, his voice sounded less wimpy over the phone.



“Hey Simon, did you purposely call to wake me up or was there something else you wanted to talk about?”



“Oh, I’m sorry Elenore!” I knew he would be. “ But yes, there is something else. Turns out mom called the school and found out we were paired together and knew that I was with you last night.”



“Oh,” I said surprisingly upset about the situation, “So no more studying?”



“Yeah,” he paused, “Mom says it wasn’t you that it was because I didn’t tell her where I was.”



I laughed, “That’s fine, we were almost done anyway.”



“Right. See you Monday.” He said with a smile, I could tell by his tone of voice.



“Bye.” I hung up the phone and frowned. I actually wanted to see and hang out with Simon. Something wasn’t quite right about that.



The rest of my Saturday was boring. I got my work done quickly and all I did was sit and play video games. Later that evening I found out my mom had gotten called in to work another night shift; there goes family night.

I was watching TV when I heard a knock at the door. It was 9:00 and I was curious as to who it was. I got up and opened the door…



My heart almost stopped at who stood there. “Daddy?”



He smiled at me, “It’s about time I taught you how to be a ‘real’ villain, Elle.”



Ch.4: Denial



I bet Simon was worried when I didn’t show up for church, but how could I pass up hanging out with my dad?

We did so many things together: torturing people, playing ticks on them, and even making some useful poisons for me to use; when I was older of course. You had to have a poison license to make them. And we did it all in one day!

I could only imagine how much we could do in a week. My dad was driving us to his house, the new one that he bought in town. It sat on a tall hill by itself. It looked like your normal two story home, but I know my dad had more than just a basement underneath it.



I knew, because he told me and was about to show me when we entered the house. My dad looked just like his picture, a black go-tee on his sharp face, a scar on his left eye brow, and short black hair with grey eyes that looked more like liquid metal.



We went into a large closet that turned out to be an elevator, and traveled down to the ‘basement’.

As we traveled down the many corridors, screams filled the air making me smile and the butterflies in my stomach act up. But as we turned our lost corner and approached a room, a loud scream pierced my heart and made my smile fade. My butterflies turned into snakes in my stomach, that made me feel uneasy for the first time.



We walked into the room: It was big and resembled an operating room. It was just like any other torture chamber, so why had this person’s scream affected me so much?



As I approached the table in the middle of the room, I froze as I looked at the person on the metal, otopsy-like, table. They were strapped down, just like the others, with leather straps on their wrists and ankles. Bruises and cuts marred their pale skin, their clothes ripped from the harsh treatment. But this person had blue eyes, and curly blond hair.



“Simon…” I said in a whisper. It felt as if my heart had suddenly shattered into a hundred pieces in knowing he was being hurt. My eyes didn’t leave his eyes as they moved to stare into mine, lifelessly. I’ve never seen Simon in such a way as this. So hurt and not full of life.



“Elle, I want you to continue to torture him.” My dad said coolly.



My eyes widened but never left Simon's. Torture him?! I couldn’t do that, the mere thought of it almost brought me to tears and made me want to throw up!



“Do it!” My dad demanded, becoming impatient.



My watering eyes shot over to his in anger, “I can’t!” My dad looked at me confused so I added, “You make me nervous.”

He smiled sadistically, “That’s fine. I have more work to do as it is.”



My eyes stayed on my dad as he walked out of the room with the people who had been torturing Simon earlier. Once he left the room I turned back to Simon and the bloody table he lay on. His blue eyes continued to stare at me, was he wondering if I would do it?



That was when my tears finally fell, going down my cheeks hotly. I bit my lip in trying not to whimper.

Simon grinned and I almost gasped at the sight, “It’s okay, Elenore.” His voice was horse from screaming. How long had he been in this room?



I shook my head before wiping away my tears with the back of my hand. “No, Simon it’s not okay.” I said shakily and I walked over to him and unbuckled the straps that held him down.



I soon found out that his wrists were bruised, red, and bleeding. He had struggled a lot, which wasn’t uncommon, but it made me feel lower than dirt in knowing that I had done this to someone else and not felt a thing.



“Are you saving me, Elenore?” Simon questioned as I unbuckled the last strap. I wished that he would stop saying my name so sweetly.



I looked up at him, suddenly realizing what he had said. I WAS saving him. I wanted to HELP him, be ther for HIM, to comfort him…



I was turning into a hero.





Ch.6: Change



Mrs. Hallomen and I helped bandage and clean up Simon’s wounds, luckily his leg was only bruised and not broken like I had thought. We laid him in his bed before going down stairs to ‘talk’ in the living room. I felt like I was going to be interrogated. I told her everything from when my dad picked me up to when we arrived at her house. For awhile she just stared at me and I wondered if she was mad at me.



“Elenore, do you know why you saved Simon?” At her question I shook my head, because I really didn’t know. I thought people with the V gene could care less about people. “Your mother is a hero, and your father is a villain, which means you have a mixed gene. One that is part hero and part villain.”



I stared at my feet, “So that is why I saved Simon, because I’m part hero?” Not because I was in love with him? I didn’t say that part of course.



Mrs. Hallomen got up and sat next to me on the couch. “That is partially the reason. Because you are part hero, you can’t harm the ones you love.”



I blushed and laughed at her in nervousness, “Are you saying that I’m in love with Simon?”

When I turned to look at her, I realized that, that was her point. “I guess you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”

I blushed and got up quickly, “I’m going to head home, tell Simon that I finished our project.”

Mrs. Hallomen nodded and I headed home to my mom, who was probably worried about me.



* * *



I was nervous when Monday came around. Apparently rumors had picked up fast and word had gotten around that I was the one who had hurt Simon. I’m not sure who spread the rumor, but I knew it wasn’t going to end up well on my end.



In our first class together, with our project done, it didn’t seem too bad. There was just the normal stare and whisper like I couldn’t hear them crap. It was during the end of school that it escalated into a problem.



More rumors had piled on top of others that were even more ridiculous and far off the truth than others. I was at my locker when a group of girls and their boyfriends, or so I guessed, crowded around me.



“Can I help you?” I couldn’t help but sound annoyed, people needed to mind their own business.



A blond girl, that I’ve seen trying to befriend Simon, crossed her arms, “Yes you can, you can stay away from Hallomen, Drakin.”



A brunette spoke up next to her, “We heard what happened, how you and your dad tortured Hallomen. Then you took him home to seem like a ‘hero’.” She sounded disgusted.



A boy next to her spoke next, “We know you hate him, but that is just pathetic.”



“We figure,” The blond’s boyfriend said, “That you need to be taught a lesson.”



My heart sped up in fear and excitement. I couldn’t help but smile broadly, “Well it seems like your quiet serious about all of this.” They nodded and I inched to the side, “Then I guess,” I moved a bit more so that I had a way out of the group that had surrounded me, “You’ll have to catch me!”



I sprinted down the hall way as fast as I could with my back pack on my shoulders. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I couldn’t run forever and the group was gaining on me. I saw Simon by his locker and I came up with a quick idea.



“Simon!” I yelled and he turned to look at me curiously after closing his locker, but so did everyone else in the hall way. I grabbed him by his shirt and looked at him desperately. “Hurry and pretend that you love me!”



We both blushed, “But I do love you.” Simon said a bit confused and surprised by the situation.



Everything was going so fast that I couldn’t comprehend all that was happening: The menacing crowd was almost to us and Simon just told me that he loved me. I guess it was a blessing and a curse that the boy couldn’t tell a lie.



“You do?” I asked and he nodded.



Just as the crowd reached us, Simon put his hands on my cheeks and leaned forward to kiss me. In that instant I forgot everything that was previously going on and was lost in the kiss. I closed my eyes at the feel of his soft lips on mine and I automatically moved my hands from holding his shirt to wrapping around his waist to pull him closer to me. His arms went from my face to around my neck, it felt like pop-rocks were on my lips, my heart seemed to stop, and the butterflies in my stomach exploded into colorful fireworks.



We moved away and all I wanted to do at that moment was to stare into his glittering blue eyes and kiss him some more, but we were interrupted.



The blond girl and her boyfriend moved between us, the blond even slammed me into the lockers, which hurt and was VERY rude!



I didn’t hear what they were really talking about, most likely something about me hurting him and tricking him, I wasn’t paying attention though because my head hurt from hitting the metal lockers.



But I did see Simon move away from the large group that was hassling him, and head towards me. “Are you okay, Elenore?” He asked as he helped me off the floor where I had fallen.



I flinched as he used my first name so lovingly in front of most of the school, but I didn’t feel like correcting him this time. “I’m okay, but apparently some people think I’m the one who hurt you.” I glared at the crowd but they just glared back.



Simon got my attention back by grabbing my hand and moving his fingers through mine to hold it, and it worked. “Don’t get so upset, they weren’t there so they won’t understand.”



I smiled and I’m sure that the blond was confused as to why Simon sided with me, but I never heard from them again.

“Mom’s making dinner tonight; do you want to come over?” He asked as he held my hand and walked me out of the school.



“Yeah, it’s better than a frozen dinner any day!” That statement made him giggle, which made me smile.



Things were a little different after that. Simon became my boyfriend and I spent more time at his house than alone at mine. My dad, after finding out that we were dating, apologized to Simon and his parents and swore to never mess with him or his family. My dad is really nice, for a villain.