by Dee J. Stone
I rub the back of my head. Talk to a group of people? Me? The last time I had to do something like this, I threw up in front of the entire class. I can’t do this.
But I can’t refuse the kid, especially when he thinks so highly of me. I’ve got to push my fears aside and do this.
“Uh, okay,” I say. “But what am I supposed to talk about?”
He shrugs. “What it’s like to be a superhero. Everyone is supposed to ask you questions after your speech.”
My stomach drops. “Good to know.”
He beams. “Cool! So you have to come to school after lunch.”
I’ll need to skip class. Kinda didn’t think about that. I force a smile to Tommy. “I’ll be there.”
He beams again and tells me what school he goes to. Kaylee goes there, too. I wonder if she’d be at the assembly. I wonder if she’d recognize me. Hopefully not.
“Excuse me, Blue Masked Hero?” I turn around and find yet again, a mic in my face and a woman and cameramen standing there. “The world is dying to get to know the man behind the mask. Won’t you give us an interview?”
An interview?
I raise my hands and back away. “No interviews, sorry.”
Her head tilts to the side. “Are you sure? Because there have been many rumors and speculation. Don’t you want to tell the world your story?”
Actually, I don’t really care what the world thinks of me. I just want to do as much as I can to protect them. Maddie told me some people have been writing negative things about me, but I haven’t read them and I don’t care.
“Sorry, no.”
She doesn’t give up, keeps begging and trying to convince me, no matter how many times I tell her I’m not interested.
“He’s such a good person,” Tommy says. “Write that in your interview. He’s so awesome he’s gonna come to my school and talk about himself.”
I involuntarily flinch. He shouldn’t have said that. The reporter’s ears perk up. “Really? The Blue Masked Hero is going to speak at your school?”
Tommy nods vehemently. The reporter’s got this crooked smile on her face. “Maybe we’ll drop by.” She smiles before she and her camera guy walk off.
Again, I cringe. Talking in front of a group of kids is one thing, but the speech will probably be all over the news. How am I going to handle that?
Tommy jumps up and down. “I’m so excited. Everyone is going to be so shocked that I know you! They’ll all want to be my friend.”
I hold out my fist and he bumps it. “I’m sure there are many kids out there who like you for you and not who you’re friends with.”
He shrugs.
Nicole says, “It’s late and my parents will be home soon.” She bends close to me and whispers. “Wait for me outside my room, okay?”
“Yeah.”
We fly to her house, and like I promised, I wait outside until her parents come home. She meets me in the backyard, where I’m practicing doing summersaults in the air. It’s not exactly working out because I get a bit dizzy and nearly crash to the ground.
“It was fun,” Nicole says, spreading a towel on the grass and sitting down. I drop down beside her. “I had a good time.”
“Me, too.” Anything with her is a good time. “Your brothers are cute and a lot of fun.”
She snorts. “Sometimes.” She lies down and folds her hands beneath her head. “What’s your family like?”
“I’ve got an older brother and a little sister.”
She sits up, intrigued. “Do they have powers, too?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Does your family know you’re…you?”
I shake my head.
“How can you hide something like this from them?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m worried they’ll treat me differently.” I play with the end of the towel so I won’t see the look on her face. She probably thinks I’m nuts.
“I get it,” she says. “I hide many things from my parents, too.”
“Like what?”
She playfully slaps my arm. “Secret. Okay so your family doesn’t know about you. Does that mean you don’t know where your powers came from?”
“Got no clue. I turned fifteen and discovered I can move things with my mind and turn invisible.”
Her eyes and mouth widen. “How did you deal with it?”
The truth is I wouldn’t have been able to if not for Maddie. I miss her. A lot.
I shrug. “I learned to deal.”
She rubs the nonexistent muscles on my arm. “You’re so brave.”
I swallow. “If I’m so brave, why am I freaking out about talking at Tommy’s school?”
She laughs, then covers her mouth like it accidentally slipped out. “You’re afraid of that? Confronting gunmen and criminals would make anyone run for the hills, but that doesn’t scare you. Talking to a group of kids does.”
“It’s gonna be on TV!”
“Which will only help you. Blue, I don’t know if you realize it, but the world is dying to know who you are. I would have taken that reporter up for that interview.”
I shake my head.
“Okay, whatever.” She lies back down. I lie next to her. She smells really good, but I make sure not to sniff her like I did the other day. It still mortifies me.
My phone rings and I quickly look who it is, hoping it’s Maddie. But it’s Dad. “I’ve got to take this.” I don’t need my parents getting suspicious.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Nick, are you at Maddie’s?”
“Yeah,” I lie. “What’s up?”
“Just checking in to see if you’re okay. Your mother told me you’ve been acting a little off lately and I think the two of us need to spend some time together.”
“Um…” Quality time with Dad? The last time we did that he took me to golf. The time before that, he took me to a football game. I didn’t like either.
“We can catch a movie this Friday,” he says. “You like movies, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. You pick and we’ll go.”
I haven’t made plans for this weekend yet, but I guess I was hoping to hang out with Nicole and do my rounds. How am I going to manage it all? Telling my parents would be beneficial…but I can’t. Not yet.
“Nick?” Dad asks. “Is that okay?”
“It’s fine.”
“Great. Come home soon. It’s getting late.” And he doesn’t want me spending all my time with Maddie because her parents aren’t home much and we’re left unsupervised. It doesn’t matter how many times I tell him we’re just friends—or were. He’ll believe whatever he wants.
“Bye, Dad.” I slip my phone in my pocket.
Nicole turns her head to me. “Your dad?”
“Yep. Checking up on me.”
“Do you have to go?”
I move closer to her, my heart pounding in my ears. Her eyes are so hazel and pretty. I’ve always known they were beautiful, but seeing them up close is completely different.
“I wish I could stay here forever,” I say.
“I know.” She moves even closer, her lips only inches away from mine. I bend my head and our lips connect, slow at first, then faster. My hands go to the back of her neck. Hers plow through my hair.
We draw back for a breath, my chest heaving. I’ve never kissed a girl before, so I don’t have anyone to compare to, but I know she’ll be my all-time favorite. No, there won’t be others because Nicole and I are soulmates. Trust me, it’s in the stars.
“Don’t go,” she whispers.
“Wish I didn’t have to.”
She pulls my chin to her and kisses me. I reluctantly get to my feet, but before I take off, I face her. “I’ll be thinking about you all night.” Wait, is it creepy to tell her that?
She doesn’t make a disgusted face or anything. She turns this deep shade of red. I’ve never seen Nicole blush.
“Sorry,” I say. “Didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not embarrassed. I’ll be thinking about you all night, too. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
I step closer to her. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
Our lips move against one another’s again. I can’t get enough of this and I don’t want to. Nicole is more than just my dream girl.
I back away because if I don’t I’ll never go home. Nicole’s hand slides out of mine. “Good night, Blue.”
“Good night, Nicky.”
“No way! You’re not calling me that.”
I chuckle. “Why not? It’s cute.”
She twists her nose. “That name is reserved for my little brothers only.”
“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Try not to be so nervous about the speech. You’ll do great.”
The speech. I totally forgot about it. Was too busy thinking about what an amazing person Nicole is.
Her support is all I need and I’ll be okay. I hope.
Chapter Twenty
My speech ended up not being so bad. I had to cut two periods in order to make it, but I bet no one even noticed. Not even Maddie, since she doesn’t care about me anymore. The kids were so excited when Tommy introduced me. Just like he anticipated, the principal asked the entire school to gather in the auditorium. I spoke about important issues kids face, like school and friendships, and bullying. When they found out I was bullied all through middle school, they couldn’t believe it. I told them you don’t need powers to be a superhero. You just needa be the best you that you can be.
Now I’m sitting in a private room at some fancy restaurant because that reporter who was at the school—I think her name’s Mary—kinda persuaded me to have that interview. Nicole, who also skipped school to be at the assembly, encouraged me to go, so here I am. Good thing we’re secluded because when I left the school building, everyone toppled over one another to get my autograph. I don’t need any of this fame. I just want to help people.
After we order food that I can’t even pronounce, Mary sits forward with her recorder. “The Blue Masked Hero, thank you for agreeing to do this interview.”
“No problem.”
She smiles that smile that all reporters have. “For starters, what do you think about the name you’ve been dubbed?”
I shrug. “It wouldn’t be my first choice, but it’s cool, I guess. My, uh, my friend calls me Blue.”
She smiles again. “Your friend. Hmm, or is she perhaps more than that?”
My brain goes flat. Silence fills the room.
“Okay, I won’t ask you questions about that lovely lady right now. We’ll save that for another time.” She winks. I hope we don’t.
“Everyone around the world is talking about the Blue Masked Hero,” she continues. “You may even be more famous than the President.”
“I don’t think so.”
Her eyebrow lifts. “No? You don’t think you’re a big deal?”
“I don’t want to be a big deal. I just want to help people.”
“Come on, Blue. You have to at least enjoy some of the attention.”
I shake my head. “I’d actually rather not have all eyes on me.”
She rubs her chin. “Interesting. Blue, the world is dying to know how long you’ve had your powers and why are you only sharing them now.”
“Well, I only just got them. On my fifteenth birthday, I mean.”
“So you’re fifteen?”
I nod. She points to the recorder, so I say, “Yes.”
“And in high school?”
“Yeah.”
She goes on and on and asks how I manage to hide this from my family and friends and why I don’t tell them the truth. I know the world is curious about me, but honestly, this is draining. I should really get back to school before I get in trouble.
It seems like hours until she holds out her hand. “Thank you for your time, Blue.”
I thank her, then fly out. Peering at the time, I realize I’ve missed over two hours of school. Yikes.
I quickly fly home, throw on my clothes, get to school, and slip into class.
“Detention, Mr. McGuire,” my teacher says.
Man, I’ve seriously got no control over my life.
The whole class looks at me, including Maddie. Luckily Nicole is too busy being spaced out to pay attention. I wonder if she’s thinking about me. Maddie looks at me for only a few minutes before turning away.
I sink down in my seat. I’ve got no clue how I’m going to pass freshman year, but I’m not going to give up. I mean, it’s not like I plan on going to college, so all I need is to just slide by. Right? I hope that’s enough.
I bang my head on my desk. This is just too much.
“No sleeping in my class, Mr. McGuire.”
A few kids chuckle, including Nicole. I’m not sure if she’s laughing at me, or because she thinks I’m funny. I hope it’s the latter because I think I’m almost ready to tell her the truth.
Almost. It freaks the heck out of me.
***
I’m doing homework in the living room because Kaylee’s practicing dancing in her room and mine is right next door. The walls are so thin. The living room is nice and quiet, as long as no one’s watching TV in here.
I’m working on math when a shadow looms above. Matt. His eyes are filled with rage. No, it’s more than rage. It’s like he wants to tear me apart, bit by bit.
“Hey, Bro.” I continue doing my math.
He growls, shoving my school things to the floor. Mom and Dad aren’t home because they’re out shopping. Matt is supposed to be watching Kaylee, but of course he’s not doing his job.
He grabs me by my shirt and hauls me to my feet. “You squealed on me.”
Normally, this would intimidate me, but Matt’s just a coward, like any bully. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“Beat the living hell out of you.”
I snort. “Let’s see you try.”
He yanks me by the collar to slam me into the wall, but I hold myself in place. “What the?—” He stares at the floor. “Did you glue yourself down?”
“Sure, that’s what I did.”
He tries again, but I don’t move. “Do you mind? I’m trying to do my homework.”
“You’re my brother, man,” he says. “You’re supposed to have my back.”
I pull out of his hold. “Not when you terrorize others.”
He rolls his eyes. “Terrorize? What’re you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re a bully. Most younger brothers look up to their older ones. They’re inspired by them. You know what I see when I look at you? A loser. A coward.”
Anger conquers his face. “You’re going to pay for this.” I heard my parents took away his phone, car, and computer. He’s also grounded until he graduates high school in about seven months. He growls in my face and stomps out of the room.
“Actually, I won’t,” I say, and he turns around. “You’ll be the one paying for this. Because one day, you’ll find yourself needing help from people like those guys you love to torture. You better hope they’ll be more generous than you.”
He throws a curse at me before marching out of the room. I’m a little shaky as I sit back down. Where the heck did all that confidence come from?
Needing to relax, I turn on the TV. The news is on and they’re talking about my alter ego.
My speech at the elementary school is discussed, and images accompany them. Even other images, like ones of Nicole and me flying around our school, and the two of us getting all cozy and snuggly on the towel. God, are they stalking us now?
No, no, no, no! I don’t want her life to be all over the news. Sure mine is, but it’s not my real life. I have to go talk to her about it. Gotta apologize.
I look back at my school stuff that are still on the floor. I’ll have to get back to it later.
Shoot, Kaylee. I can’t leave her alone with Matt. Can’t my p
arents come home already? I’ll do my homework while I wait, but before that I go up to check on my sister. She’s in the center of the room, setting her dolls on the floor.
“Hey, kid.” I enter the room. “Whatchya doing?”
“Making myself an audience.”
I smile. “Are your friends going to watch you dance?”
She nods.
“Can I sit with them and watch you, too?”
“But you hate dance. You never come to my recitals.”
Hearing her say that, the sadness in her voice, makes me want to knock some sense into myself. I’ve always told myself that Kaylee doesn’t care if I come or not, but of course she does. I’m her big bro.
I scoop her in my arms and sit on her bed. “I’m really sorry for not taking an interest in your dance. You know I love watching you. It’s just that—”
“You want to kissy face with Maddie.”
“What?”
She rolls her eyes. “Everyone knows it.”
Clearly there’s something in the water they’re drinking because Maddie and I have never been a thing and we never will be. We’re not even friends anymore. Not that I’m going to tell Kaylee that.
Her eyes shine. “I didn’t tell you! We had a speaker today! At my school. A boy named Tommy Watts is his friend and he brought him to talk to us!”
“Who?”
“The Blue Masked Hero! This other boy asked him if he was going to do live shows—like flying around and doing tricks and stuff. He said he might do one like next week or something and I want you to take me to it.”
I stand up, accidentally dropping her to her feet. “I didn’t agree to do shows.”
“Huh? No, I said the Blue Masked Hero is gonna do shows.” She lightly smacks my forehead. “Pay attention!”
This isn’t good. Who started that rumor and why? I can’t do shows. My schedule is already full.
Kaylee’s eyes are wide. “Are you gonna take me, Nick? Please?”
I can’t say no, but I can’t make false promises, either. I mean, I never agreed to do shows and even if I did, there’s no way I can take her. I can’t split myself in two. I rub her head. “Let’s first see details of the shows and stuff like that.”