by Ivy Smoak
***
"Hey," Eli said. He kissed me on the cheek and sat down next to me in class.
I placed the article I had printed out on top of his desk. "He's like Robin Hood. That's his underlying motivation. He's not crazy. He's trying to help people."
"The vigilante?" Eli laughed as he picked up the article. "This doesn't mean he isn't crazy. Putting yourself at risk for strangers is kind of mental." His eyes wandered over the page. "Plus, if that money really was what was used to help those people, that means he stole that money from the robbers."
"Can you technically steal something that's already been stolen? Besides, the bank was insured. It didn't even matter."
"Well, it matters to the insurance companies." He scanned the rest of the article. "And it doesn't mean he's not a criminal."
"It's different if you're trying to do good."
"When did you even have time to do this research? We were out pretty late last night. Don't you ever sleep?" His smile was so charming.
I looked down at my shoes for a second. I was wearing the Converses I had bought for work. For some reason, it almost felt like I could be my own superhero if I wore them. I was living behind a mask too. After reading about the vigilante last night, I felt like I could relate to him. "I've actually been having trouble sleeping."
"Yeah? That's pretty much the exact opposite for me. These late nights are killing me. I could really use a nap."
I laughed and turned my attention to the professor as he walked in.