As the others walked to the medical center where they would be treated by the medical team, Alex led Mateo to an isolated corridor under the premise of "We need to talk."
Mateo knew something was up with that look in her eyes, and he somehow instinctively knew Alex would not take 'No' for an answer for whatever 'talk' they wanted to have.
As they walked, the two of them alone, Amara, the black girl with golden hair from Team B3, looked to them, eyes widening as she shot Mateo a knowing wink. Mateo turned away from her, extremely sure that whatever was going to happen between him and Alex was far from what she speculated.
Alex herself was still covered with nasty bruises from the glass rain. What did she want to talk about that was so important that she would bear the pain of her injuries just to be alone with Mateo?
And why did it require them to be completely isolated?
They finally rounded into the empty corridor, out of sight and earshot from everyone. Mateo stared at Alex, who hadn't spoken even though she had finally gotten what she wanted.
"So why did you bring me—" Mateo started to say.
Alex raised her arms. Stretched out her fingers.
Oh, shit.
The thought barely had time to form before Mateo was launched backward like a cannonball. His spine cracked against the concrete wall with a sickening thud as Alex's gravitational push slammed him into place and held him there.
The fluorescent lights blinked hazily above as Mateo struggled against the crushing force pinning him to the wall. With nowhere to move, he could only grit his teeth and endure the relentless pressure Alex brought down on him.
He felt like his bones were creaking underneath his skin, like the structural integrity of his skeleton was failing under the gravitational crush.
Alex stood in front of him, her fingers still outstretched, an intense and furious look burning in her eyes.
"What are you playing at, Mendoza?"
She asked this with barely controlled rage, clenching her teeth as the pressure continued.
"What do you mean, 'What am I playing at?' You're the one pinning me to a wall!" Mateo shot back, which only caused the force to increase.
"Don't mess with me!" She barked. "You let me win. I could feel it during our fight—you held back. You let me beat you!" Her voice cracked slightly. "What were you trying to do? Spare me? Pity me? Or just show off later how much stronger you've gotten?"
"What. The. Hell. Are. You. Talking. About?" Mateo grunted between breaths, trying not to collapse under the pressure. Could Alex accidentally crush him to death? Even if she didn't mean it? He could feel the concrete wall behind his back cracking under the force and quickly created a slime barrier to cushion himself.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" She yelled, spittle flying from her mouth. "In yesterday's race, you shot forward to the finish line—even beating me! And today, you tried giving me advice like you're some kind of leader?" Her gravitational field pulsed with her anger. "Do you really think you're better than me? Then prove it! Fight me!"
Mateo clenched his fists, forcing slime to pour out of his limbs, but even that was quickly flattened against the wall by the gravitational force. It was no use. He couldn't even move his body. He had been incredibly unlucky and backed into an inescapable corner. Strength and quirks were useless here, which meant he could only rely on words.
"That's the problem! You don't think!" he gasped. "Everyone has their own problems! Do you really think I walk around plotting how to surpass you? How arrogant can you possibly be?"
Then, remembering the conversation he had with the other students, "We are not in a competition here, Alex."
She scoffed, her eyes wavering as the intensity of the pressure lessened by a small margin. "Yes we are. Even if it's not officially a challenge, we're all competing to be the strongest. And I have to be on top."
Mateo could only stare at her, completely baffled. Then, despite the crushing force, he said, "You're such an dumbass."
"What did you say?!" She shrieked, pushing Mateo even harder against the wall, but he didn't care anymore.
"You think everything is about strength and being better than everyone else?!" He yelled back. He thought about when Alex first met him in Arx's gym, eager to fight him when she saw him collapsed against the punching bag in exhaustion. That mad glint in her eyes, that fiery passion in her heart. That was how she had been from the first moment he met her. "Is that why you became a hero? Just to be the strongest?"
She gave him a strange look, thought for a second, then replied, "I want to become a hero so I can beat up bad guys. That's all there is to it."
Ah, Mateo thought. It was such a simple, almost animalistic answer, and yet Mateo couldn't comprehend it. He gave up trying to understand her.
Alex was simply too incomprehensible.
"I'm not trying to prove myself superior to you, Alex. I'm sorry if you feel that way," Mateo muttered an apology. And it was true—he truly could not care less about her insecurities anymore. "But we're a team now. We have to work together. You have your reasons for trying to become a hero. I have mine. I fight for the people I love. You're the strongest fighter we've got—we need that strength in AA and in the outside world. But I know how to coordinate our powers to work as a team. So are we okay now?"
Mateo tried appealing to her pride to get himself out of this situation, and it seemed to work. She let her hand fall, and the intense gravitational pressure released. He collapsed to the ground, adjusting to the sudden change and gasping for air.
Alex scoffed and turned her back to him as she walked away from the empty corridor. But not before making one last statement.
"I am not something you can control, Mendoza. So don't try to." She paused at the corner. "I'd like to have another fight with you soon. A real one this time."
Mateo glared at her back until she disappeared from sight.
That girl is insane, he thought, massaging his aching muscles and feeling along his spine for damage. The concrete wall behind him was spider-webbed with cracks from the impact.
He sat there for a moment, letting the pain settle, letting the frustration wash over him. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, and somewhere in the distance, he could hear the muffled voices of other students getting medical treatment.
"I fight for the people I love."
He had said it to manipulate her, to get her to back down. But it was true—truer than anything else he'd said in this place.
That was his reason for being here. Not to prove himself to Alex or anyone else. Not to become the strongest for his own ego. He was here for the people who couldn't protect themselves. For the family he'd failed to save.
Does that mean I was never strong? The thought whispered through his mind, but he pushed it away.
As long as it would help him achieve his goal—as long as it would help him become the hero Alec always said he could be—he would do anything.