[ WP ] A young man gains super powers at the age of 16 , but he discovers his powers slowly drain the life of whomever he loves . To avoid hurting anyone he becomes a loner . Years later , he is having lunch at a diner alone when the most beautiful girl he 's ever seen walks in .

Mark flew out of the Sanctuary of Loneliness, as he called it, that he built for himself in the Gobi desert. Within minutes he was at his favorite diner just outside Dodge City, Kansas. A polecat that had been hanging around his sanctuary seemed to inexplicably wither and die. In fact, all around his home, dried out carcasses of animals littered the desert. 
 
 
 He sat at his usual spot in the diner, a booth with glittery red plastic padding. A waitress in a yellow dress and red apron approached the table with a cup of coffee, “ The usual, Mr. Mint? ” she asked as she sat the coffee down. The wrinkled joints of her hands betrayed the stocky waitress ’ s true age. Her breathe was sour. Mark had learned a trick, in order to not get attached to anyone; he would only focus on their negative features, their flaws. 
 
 
 “ Yep… ” Mark began, “ No, I mean, I think I will have a cheese omelet with pancakes instead. ” He was n't sure what spurred this sudden change in desire. 
 
 
 As he waited for his food to arrive, she walked in. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had wide benthal blue eyes, on a youthful face; wavy brown hair that smelled of roses decorated the shoulders of her slender frame. Her yellow sundress with white polka-dots contrasted against her deep red lipstick hinting at an intriguing eccentricity. Mark tried to find flaws, but even they proved enticing; a chipped front tooth, a poorly drawn faded daisy chain tattoo around the ankle, bitten fingernails. He swore he caught her glance at him with a slight smirk. He looked down at his coffee. 
 
 
 It was true he did long the touch of a woman. In fact he has never been with one, sexually, in his life. He had found out the price of his powers as a teenager. During his first real battle, against a villain named Cerebiac, his first girlfriend nearly died. He hadn ’ t even gotten to second base. Of course he realized that if he stopped using his powers he could find love and settle down. But that just seemed selfish to him. He could do, and has done, so much good. 
 He was the first superhero; he has saved the earth countless times. But so many superheroes have popped up since him, fifteen years ago. Maybe he wasn ’ t needed; maybe he could retire, find love and settle down. 
 
 
 “ Here you go, hun. ” His thoughts were interrupted as the waitress sat his food on the table. “ Anything else? ” She put her fists on her waist as she waited for his response. 
 
 
 “ Umm…no thanks. ” Mark replied. As the waitress walked away, he noticed the woman had taken a seat two booths in front of him, with her back to him. He slowly began eating. 
 
 “ What would I even say to her? ” he thought to himself. He hadn ’ t tried to pick up a girl since he was sixteen. He didn ’ t even know if she would be interested in him. What if she did agree to go on a date? He would have to move back to his Dodge City apartment. What if it turned out he didn ’ t like her? He would be forsaking his superpowers for nothing. An old quote came back to his mind, ‘ better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. ’ It was worth the risk he thought. He was human after all, he needed companionship. Other members of the Justice Alliance, were probably thinking he was weird for not having a girlfriend. He hadn ’ t told anybody, not even the Alliance, about the price that comes with his powers. What if he wasn ’ t good at being intimate? 
 
 
 Doubts and confusion clouded his mind. The conflict became too much, he bit down on his fork, full power. His teeth cut through the prongs like they were uncooked spaghetti. In that instant he swore he saw the woman wince in pain. He spit the metal prongs out. “ Control yourself! ” he thought, “ turn off your powers. ” He took a few deep breathes and took his wallet out. He threw bill on the table. “ I can do this. ” 
 
 
 He raised himself from the booth with intention. Peering into a mirror on the other side of the diner he straightened his suit. He took a few strides forward and stopped next to the beauty ’ s table. He opened his mouth to speak, the girl still focused on her menu. Nothing came out. He stood there for a moment trying to work up the courage to speak. He had fought aliens, dinosaurs and cyborgs, but he had never felt the fear he felt now. He didn ’ t know how, or if he could, handle rejection. 
 
 
 He attempted to speak again, but before he could, she looked over at him, “ Can I help you? ” she asked. 
 
 
 “ Yes, I mean no, ” sweat pellets drenched his forehead. “ Sorry, I was just, umm, spacing out, for a second. ” 
 
 
 “ Maybe I ’ ll run into her again, ” he thought as he hurried off. “ If I see her again, that will be a sign. ” He was trying to convince himself that he didn ’ t blow it. As soon as he rounded the corner out of the diner door he hurled himself into the sky at speeds he didn ’ t know he was capable of. 

