#i hope i have accurately captured sprout's absolute lack of rizz (romance wise)

[lovevalley45]

#fictober24 - day fourteen

"Let's try this."

original fiction (power payback) (continuation of yesterday's prompt)

word count: 1059

Sprout tapped her fingers against the paper cup of coffee in her hands. She wasn’t thirsty, but she’d grabbed it when she came in to have something to hold. 

That had been a mistake. It put her gloves on full display in the circle of chairs, unable to hide. In this room, however, she doubted they caught the same glances they had the few times she’d had to leave the house before this. 

Not all the teens in the room showed the mark of their burnouts. The ones who did were kinetics like her; the pyro whose face was covered in partially healed burns, the electro whose arms bore Litchenberg scars up to her neck. She seemed particularly upset to be there, more angry than anything. When Sprout met her eyes, she bared her teeth. 

The counselor took the last empty seat, next to the pyro with the face burns. He looked out at the small selection of teens. “Thank you all for coming today. I see a new face, so I’ll introduce myself. My name is Dr. Lynwood, but you can all call me Jerry.” 

Sprout shrunk in her seat as he turned in her direction. He extended a hand. “Would you mind starting us off?” 

“Um. Hi.” She dropped her hands, still holding the cup, to her lap. God, she hadn’t expected to be put on the spot so soon. “Daisy Marotto. Sprout. That’s what everyone calls me. Botanokinetic. Formerly. Ha.” 

“How long ago was your burnout?” Jerry asked her. 

“It was late February. So about three months ago.”

“You don’t have to talk about what happened if you’re not ready. But can I ask how you’re feeling about it?” 

“Lost.” The word, four little letters, felt like she had to force them out of her throat. “Like I no longer have the one thing that made me me.”

He nodded serenely. “Feelings of loss, especially loss of identity, is common for many Talents who’ve experienced a burnout. But being a Talent is not your whole identity. Let’s try this: what are some other qualities about yourself that you like?” 

“Uh…” As she tried to think, she ignored the electro girl’s chuckle. “I’m a good student. Even though I’ve had to miss school since it happened. My friends think I’m pretty funny. And nice.” Sprout decided not to mention that those friends were just Magni and Basil, who wasn’t even talking to her right now.  

“That’s good,” Jerry said. “Dwelling on the things you still have, that’s a good way to handle those feelings of being lost.” 

The electro girl raised her hand. “Jerry?” 

“You don’t have to raise your hand, Kitty.” 

“Sorry. I always forget.” Kitty smacked her gum in a way that made the therapist flinch. “Aren’t you always telling us that shoving those feelings to the side isn’t good in the long run?” 

“This isn’t me asking Sprout to shove her feelings to the side. I am saying that focusing on the positive can help her move on and find something that she can identify with.”

Kitty flopped back into her chair, scratching back against the floor. “Fine. Doesn’t sound like that to me.” 

“Well, how would you advise Sprout on how to handle those emotions?” Jerry asked. 

She turned to look at Sprout. Her hair was a mess of yellow and red dyed sections, the brown peeking through at the roots. “What you’ve got now, that’s kinda boring. You’re just gonna be miserable if you focus on how good of a student you are. Find something new-” She glanced back at Jerry and added, “Not to try and fill the hole with dangerous behavior or something illegal don’t worry, Jerry-” before looking back at her. Her hazel eyes were intense as she said, “Find something new that will make you wanna keep living life.” 

Something new. It was those scary two words that taunted her. Once, she’d had her future sorted out - following her mother’s footsteps. But Kitty made it sound like it wasn’t some frightening concept, but new fuel - something to keep her going. 

“That was some good advice, Kitty. Thank you.” Jerry chuckled. “Though I’m glad you added the part about not doing anything illegal.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what gets you sent to juvie, so-“ She flashed Sprout a grin, tossing her multicolored hair. 

She was suddenly wishing she’d worn something nicer than sweats. 

At least she was out of the hot seat when Jerry turned to the shy-looking girl two seats from her, who looked like she wanted to vanish into her hoodie. Literally. 

Sprout let the rest of the meeting go by in a blur, listening to the variety of her peers. The shy girl, Cresida, was a camoflaguer who’d burnt herself out hiding too long, while the pyro, Bernie (and she thought her name was bad), was slowly urged by Jerry to open up more about the lead-up to her burnout. 

She was just glad she didn’t have to talk about the incident with Kent yet. Hopefully, Primrose, her mother, and Dr. Merlo would be satisfied by her progress before it had to come to that. 

Finally, the meeting was called to a close. Sprout was ready to duck out and call Primrose that she was ready to leave, but Kitty cut her off. 

“Hey there, newbie,” Kitty said. 

“Hey,” Sprout said, shutting her flip phone. 

Smacking her gum, she grinned. “Don’t look so scared. I’m not gonna take your lunch money.” She looked her up and down. Mostly up, since the girl was half a foot shorter than her. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a nerd.” 

Sprout crossed her arms. “I’m not a nerd.”

“‘My best quality is that I’m a good student’,” Kitty said. “That you?” 

“Okay, maybe I am a bit of a nerd.” 

She extended her phone. “Gimme your phone. Don’t worry, I won’t blow it up.” 

Sprout did so, though reluctantly. “Why?” 

“I’m adding my number. In case you need someone to talk to.” Kitty pressed in her number and handed it back to her. “Or need someone to hotwire a car for you. I’m your girl for either.” 

She chuckled. “Alrighty.” 

Kitty took a cookie from the table near the door, before stepping out into the hall. “See you around, Sprout.” 

Okay. Maybe these meetings wouldn’t be so bad after all.