She's Some Sort of Hero

    Everybody leaves eventually, he thought. Everyone but her. She stuck around, but why? 

    Rebecca Benett didn’t stand out, there was nothing special about her. She didn’t possess any supernatural abilities or superpowers, yet she was a hero in her own right. 

    “Hey Jake! How are you?” a twinkly, feminine voice called out above the noise of his thoughts. 

    Her. 

    “Rebecca, hey,” he breathed. “I’m well, how are you?”

    She was beautiful. The way her soul emanated a light few others carried made his heart flutter in his chest. 

    “I’m good, thank you,” she laughed. 

    That laugh. It rang through his ears and into his entire being. Everything about her held him captive. He didn’t know how she did it nor did he care. 

    “I’m sorry Jake, Mia needs me. She’s crying in the bathroom again. I’ll see you later!” 

    She was gone before he could respond. Her heart was too big for her body, he knew. She cared so deeply about everyone and never asked for a thing in return, something he couldn’t begin to understand. She never received a thank you for her efforts or any other sort of a reward. No one noticed the things she did for them, the things she sacrificed. No one but him. 

    Rebecca Benett saved them all.

___ 

    She held her friend as she cried, whispering sweet words of comfort. She was entirely focused on the girl in her arms. 

    “It’s okay Mia. She didn’t deserve you anyways. You’re an amazingly beautiful woman, it’s Samantha’s loss really,” Rebecca stated matter-of-factly. 

    “But… But I loved her,” Mia replied, sobbing harder. 

    Rebecca sighed. “I know, but sometimes we have to let go of those we love the most.” 

    Finally, Mia’s sobs reduced to sniffling. 

    “Thanks Becca,” Mia murmured, wiping her eyes. 

    “No thanks needed,” she said with a smile. 

    The two exited the bathroom, heading their separate ways. She let the phony smile fall for just a second. It was only for a moment, but in that brief falter, her pain was on display. It was the pain and the sorrow that she kept hidden from everyone else. They couldn’t know. She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to be there for everyone else. She wasn’t allowed to look for comfort in those around her, she was the comfort. 

    Her smile was quickly plastered back to her face. She walked to class, feeling selfish for letting it fall. 

___ 

    He noticed when she didn’t eat that day at lunch. He saw the way that weariness was beginning to set itself deep in her bones. 

    “You okay?” he asked, nudging her shoulder. 

    “Oh! Of course! I’m fine!” Her fake smile got wider. 

    He didn’t believe her, but he didn’t say anything. If she didn’t want to talk about it then that was her business. He couldn’t stop himself from worrying, however. 

    “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go again,” she exclaimed suddenly, looking down at her phone. “Milo needs me.” 

    “Rebecca wait!” he called but it was too late. She was already gone. 

    She gave everything she had to everyone else. He just wanted her to stop, to take a break, to be just a tiny bit selfish for once. She didn’t always have to save everyone else. 

    Doesn’t she know that she’s a human too? She’s allowed to take time for herself too. Does she not see how hard she’s working herself?  

    Rebecca Benett didn’t have a superpower. She didn’t possess a supernatural ability. What she did have was a soul so brightly lit that it outshone the sun, she had a heart so big that no one else’s could compare.

 Rebecca Benett didn’t need a power. She was perfecting the hero job just fine without one. 

___ 

Milo sat shaking, gripping his knees to his chest as anxiety wracked his body. 

“Milo,” her voice came in a soft whisper. “It’s okay. I’m here now and you’ll be okay.” 

Milo didn’t respond and she didn’t expect him to. She sat next to him, a comforting arm wrapped around his shoulders. 

“It’s all going to be alright,” she soothed. 

The lunch bell rang just as Milo finally calmed himself down enough to breathe normally. 

    “Will you be okay?” she asked, concern for her friend making itself known. 

    “Yeah,” Milo answered, not bothering to say thank you. The idea of showing his appreciation for what she had done for him never even crossed his mind. 

    “Good.” 

    Her smile was wide as she bounced out of the room. As she left, the smile fell once again. And just like the last time, only for a second. That second was more than enough time to reveal the hidden pain that no one noticed, just as before. Again, the smile was back before one could blink and she was on her merry way to class. 

___ 

    She came into class looking happy, but a deep sadness could be found just beneath the surface. His worry increased. He couldn’t handle seeing her look like that, the girl who had saved him from himself more times then he could count. She deserved for someone to save her like she saved everyone else. Did no one else care how she felt? 

    As the lesson wore on, he couldn’t help but notice all the little things she did. Little things like giving away her extra pencils, passing snacks to those who were still hungry, and even helping them with their work. 

    He admired her resilience and drive to help everyone else. He knew her to be a fantastic listener and a great supporter. He wanted to be that for her. He wanted to give back to her what she had given away to so many others. He just wanted her to be happy and it was clear to him that she wasn’t. It killed him a little bit inside. 

    “Hey!” he called out to her once class ended. “Want to walk with me to the next hour of torture?” 

    She laughed, the sound making him smile. “I would, but I can’t. I promised Sarah I would walk with her today. She said she needed someone to rant to about her ex.” 

    “Oh. Okay,” he replied with a slight frown. 

    “I’m sorry Jake. I really am. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Her tone was pleading, desperate. 

    “No, no. Don’t worry! You don’t have to make anything up to me.” 

    She smiled once more before rushing off to get to the next person to save. 

    How does she do it? he asked himself. She must be some sort of hero.

___ 

    “He broke up with me with a text! How cruel!? Who even does that?” Sarah yelled, her rant starting almost immediately. 

    “That’s horrible Sarah. I’m so sorry,” she cooed. “He’s a coward. You deserve better.” 

    “Yeah! I don’t need him. I can do so much better than him,” Sarah agreed, nodding her head in determination to find someone new. 

    “Exactly!” she responded with just as much enthusiasm. 

    Her smile began to fall, but she caught it before it had the chance to land. She could never let anyone know about the hurt behind that smile. They’d be worried and upset. She just wanted everyone to be happy. She didn’t take into consideration that her happiness meant something too, it was always about others. It hadn’t always been like that for her. Once upon a time, she was just as selfish as the next person. She did things for herself just like everyone else. However, she found it easier just to smile and be there for all the others. She did whatever the needed her to do and she was okay with that. 

    Helping the people around her made her feel whole, like all her broken pieces could fit together. 

    ___ 

    “Rebecca!” he shouted just before she reached the classroom. 

    His mind was made. He would show her how much she meant to him. He would tell her all the things she needed to hear. 

    “Jake?” 

    “Can we talk? Please? It’s important.” 

    “Yeah, of course,” she answered without hesitation. “What did you want to talk about?” 

    “You,” he whispered. “I want to talk about you.” 

    “I’m hardly a subject worth discussing,” she laughed awkwardly. 

    “That’s just it Becca. How can you think so lowly of yourself? Do you even see how amazing you are or how much you do for other people?” 

    “Jake, what are you talking about? Anyone would do the same.” Her smile was falling again and this time she didn’t care enough to catch it. 

    “Except they don’t. You do so much for everyone else, but you’re hurting too. You’re always coming to the aid of everybody around you. You need to take a break. It’s okay to take time for yourself. You don’t have to be selfless all the time,” he told her. 

    “No,” she muttered, taking a step back. 

    “Yes,” he said, taking a step forward. “I can’t understand how you do it. You’re bottling all this pain inside while you help anyone who asks for it. You are such a strong person, I admire you more than you realize. I just want to do for you what you do for everyone else. Please, let me help you.” 

    “Jake…” she breathed out, the strength seeping from her worn out body. 

Someone had noticed. Someone had seen through the cracks in her facade. 

“It’s okay. I’m here,” he said with outstretched arms. 

She reached for his embrace and he gave it to her. He gripped her tightly, hugging her close to his body. 

They stayed that way for a few moments before a tremor ran through him. He had just done what he had longed to do for what seemed like an eternity. He was saving the girl that had saved him. 

“Are you okay?” she asked, pulling away to look up at him. 

He couldn’t help the laughter falling from his lips. 

“Rebecca Benett, you must be some kind of superhero.”