September 7st, Lil' Peppers restaurant
"Say cheese!" Kim mom say as she take a picture of Kim, Ray and Suzy as the restaurant is at the background.
"Thank you for handing me your polaroid, Suzy" "No problem, Mrs. A and thank you for letting me come along" Suzy say cheerfully as she flipping the photo, Ray heard Suzy's words and shook his head a little.
"Ay, you part of the family too." "Let's look at the photo guys" the photo shows Suzy hugging both Kim and Ray together, Ray crossed his arms and chuckled at the picture. Maybe not his most gangsta moment, but he liked it for what it was. They survived the Musty Mist Massacre, which couldn't be said for a lot of people. So, no harm in having a little party for it. Just the four of them, but, that was cool. His moms couldn't make it because of work and rent this month was cutting it a little close. All that meant was, he'd make it up to her somehow later on. But for now though, Ray chose to be in the moment.
There was no missing the highlight of Kimi's face in the middle of them. Normally, he'd make a comment about Kim looking like a happy meal box with a wig on, but he didn't. Mostly, because he knew why. It wasn't hard to read, and it was honestly kind of adorable; you won't catch Ray using that word often. There was always that hope that Kimi'd get noticed one day, but, it was whatever. So long as they managed to keep their friendship strong for a long while.
"Speaking of cheese, we finna get that food now?" Ray asked, feeling the growl in that weird place between his throat and stomach.
"Coming right behind you, Ray!" Suzy cheerfully say
"Come on, Kim." She say as she grab Kim hand
"Um...Er..O-ok." Kim struggle to say as they enter the restaurant.
The waitress walk toward the group as they handed her the menus back to her "Ok, so what you guys like to order?"
"I would like the minestrone soup" say Kim mom
"I would like a salad for me" Kim didn't pay any attention at all, after that gas attack and her glowing at the hospital, she jus doesn't know what going on anymore.
"Kim" Mom voice have snap Kim out of her head, the waitress is waiting for her answer
"Oh. Um, lasagna is fine with me" Kim nervously answer "How about you, young man?" The waitress ask Ray
Ray took a gander at the menu and shrugged.
"Eh, lasagna's good for me too. And lemme get some of them breadsticks on the side." He added with a thumbs up. Though, he wasn't slow to notice the rather large pause before Kim made her order. It wasn't like her to zone out like that around Suzy. She must've had something on her mind. Ray made a note to ask her about it later. He wasn't in the business of throwing his squad under the bus.
"So, what'chu been up to lil Suzy?""Oh well, I been working on a Science project at school and I'm hoping I get a another A" Suzy say, Kim knows that Suzy is, without a doubt, the smartest person she knows and the only person that loves science.
"How about you guys? What you been up to? You know, before the gas attack?""Been tryna finish a mural under the Brooklyn bridge. Hard to get it done with the pizza deliveries 'nd stuff." Well, part of that was a lie. Cops were looking around the area as they'd been kind of keeping track of his graffiti trail. It was tough to find a time gap where they weren't creeping around the area. He didn't really care much about that, but it probably wasn't a good idea to say all that in front of Kim's momma right there.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Ray but i have something to cheer you guys u-" Suzy interrupt herself as she realize something while she digging through her bag
"Oh man, I forgot put something in my bag. I guess it still in my car but don't worry guys, I'll go get it" Suzy carefully move out of chair and headed outside. Kim watch Suzy going outside and thinking about the red mist happening, thinking about she is going to die, thinking about not seeing her mom, her cousins, aunts and uncles and Suzy ever again....Kim thinks it time, today is today. With deep breath, Kim carefully move out of chair and headed to the door
"Um, Kim, honey. Where are you going" Kim mom ask, Kim turn to face her mother and say something that sound cool
"Well um, I'm just, er, just going to check on Suzy. So um yeah....later" ...... Close enough.
Kim walk to the side of the restaurant to see Suzy still her car as the red neon sigh shines her blue car, looking for something.
"AhHa! Found it!" Suzy say aloud
"Even if it lost in the car, nothing can hide from Suzy Max-" Suzy turn to see Kim standing behind her
"AAAH! Kim, you scared me!" Suzy say while laughing
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to-" "No, no. It's ok, Kim, I finally found the cards that I meant to give to you guys, here yours Kim" Kim look at what it seems to be a birthday card but birthday have be scribble out, It has Fonzie from happy days on it and it read "Aaaaaay! Sorry your nose got busted and you got gas attack" Kim smile at the card, Suzy always have funny and unique ways to make everyone smile.
"Thanks, Suzy, It a very nice card but that not why I came out to see....There something I want to say" "Oh? What is it?" Kim takes deep breath and breathe out
"Suzy, we been friends for a long time and um...I want to say uh-" Kim can feel her mouth getting dry and her words are frozen up, she can feel her head getting dizzy, her face getting redder and redder by the minute and she can feel her head is going to-
BAM! Kim and Suzy turn to see that the neon sign just exploded!
"W-What the hell was that?!" Kim cry out
"I think that neon sign just exploded but how?!" How indeed Kim thought and that neon sign was brand new, how did it explode all suddenly?.....Did Kim do that? No way, Kim didn't do that, no. Although, She was glowing like that neon sign days ago, did that red mist really did something to Kim?!
"Kim...." Kim turn to see Suzy with a wide eye expression
"....You are glowing...." Kim look down at her hands to see that she is glowing yet again
"Aaaah! No! I didn't do that! And I'm not glowing! My phone is! See?!" Kim pull out her phone and turn on the flashlight, blinding Suzy. Kim run away from Suzy, run away from the restaurant, run away from the scene and never look back
Kim run towards to a alleyways and stop her tracks, taking some air
"no no no no" Kim repeatedly say "
This is not happening, I didn't make that neon sign explode, I'm not glowing. I'm not, I'm not..." Kim say to herself as she silently started to cry....she just want to be normal again