My Quiet Superpower

Kai didn't have a loud superpower. He couldn't run the fastest or jump the highest. He wasn't the funniest kid or the smartest kid or the kid everyone wanted on their team. But Kai had something. He noticed things. He noticed when Emma sat alone at lunch three days in a row. He noticed when Marcus wore the same shirt every day for a week. He noticed when his teacher rubbed her forehead like she had a headache. He noticed when his mom's smile didn't reach her eyes. One day, Ms. Garcia kept Kai after class. "Kai, I've been watching you," she said. Kai got nervous. Was he in trouble? "You're a noticer. You see things other people miss." Kai shrugged. "I just... pay attention." "That's a superpower, Kai. A quiet one. Most people are so busy talking and doing that they forget to look. But you look. You see." "What good is noticing if I don't do anything?" Ms. Garcia smiled. "Noticing IS doing something. It's the first step. You can't help someone if you don't see they need help first." Kai thought about Emma at lunch. He'd noticed. But he hadn't done anything. "What should I do after I notice?" "Small things. Ask 'are you okay?' Sit with someone who's alone. Tell a grown-up if someone seems hurt. You don't have to fix everything. Just let people know they're seen." That day at lunch, Kai saw Emma in her usual spot. Alone. He picked up his tray. "Can I sit here?" Emma looked surprised. "Really?" "Yeah." Kai sat down. "I'm Kai." "I know who you are," Emma said. And she smiled. Kai didn't save the day. He didn't solve Emma's problems. He just sat with her. But sometimes, being seen is everything. Ms. Garcia was right. Noticing was a superpower. A quiet one. But maybe the quiet ones matter most.