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With the sun coming up in only a few hours, I can’t wait to crawl into bed and shut my eyes. I have my first competition with the math club this evening, and I’m skipping class so I’ll have at least two brain cells to rub together while I’m there. My brain is fried, my body thoroughly worn out. All four won on Vage’s ship made sure of that, though Vage wouldn’t let have any of her milk. And after the battle with the twins, my head feels as though the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man has taken up permanent residence inside it, stomping around and pressing against the inside of my skull.
Not wanting to awaken my roommate, I creep through the main room as quietly as possible and, this ti, make absolutely sure I go left to get into my room. The mory of walking the wrong direction before is still fresh in my mind. My door gives a slight, familiar creak as I open it and slip through, wincing at the sound and pausing to listen for movent in the apartnt.
I only have a mont’s notice before soone is crying incoherently against my back, arms wrapping tightly around my torso.
"Tina?" Her switches give her away instantly.
"Where have you been?" she demands. Before I have a chance to respond, she continues in a rush of words. "I was so worried. Everyone said you’d died, and then I watched the videos on YouTube and saw those two attacking you. I was so worried. So very worried. And you didn’t call or tell you were safe or alive..." She pulls away and starts hitting with her fists, though there’s no real strength behind the blows. "Why didn’t you let know you were okay?"
Pulling the blonde close again, I hug her firmly as she sobs into my chest. Her shoulders shake, and I can feel how tense she’s been.
"The twins are taken care of," I tell her softly, brushing a hand over her hair. "I verified that the cops picked them up in Arizona a few hours ago." She pulls back and looks up at curiously, eyes red and glistening. "It seems they sohow lost their abilities, and the police received an anonymous tip about where so wanted murderers could be found." I offer her a reassuring smile, but her expression darkens again.
"A few hours ago? A few hours? And you couldn’t take the ti to let know you were fine?" Her anger flares through the fear, sharp and justified, but before I can answer, a half-dressed Dennis barges in without knocking.
"Dude, what the hell?" he demands, shoving his hand against my shoulder. "Are you real? I could have sworn they disintegrated you, the way you suddenly vanished. What the hell happened, and why did they attack you?"
A shadow moves behind Dennis, and I recognize Rose’s red hair over his shoulder. She looks just as shaken, though she’s trying to hide it. "Why did they attack you?" she repeats her boyfriend’s question, folding her arms tightly across her chest.
"Yeah," Dennis chis in. "I thought they only attacked other..." His voice trails off as his eyes widen and he takes a couple of steps back from . "You’re... you’re one of them, aren’t you?"
Sighing in resignation, all I can do is nod slowly. Why did they have to attack in such a public place? Thus far, I’ve been able to keep my ability mostly a secret, but after yesterday on campus, with dozens of phones recording every second... well, let’s just say I’m likely to be a lot more noticed from now on. Hopefully I’m more famous than infamous. Yes, I know I’m getting a bit conceited, but the alternative is being terrified, and I’m too exhausted for that.
I wait for Dennis and Rose to back away in fear and terror. In their presence stands one of those "freaks" he’s been ranting about whenever the news covers another incident.
"Man, that is so aweso!" he yells instead, and I look up to see him grinning widely, all fear evaporated.
"What can you do?" Rose asks with genuine interest, stepping closer rather than away.
"Why didn’t you tell ?" Dennis adds, sounding more hurt than accusatory now. Then they continue to bombard with questions, hardly giving any opportunity to answer. How long have I known? Are there more like ? Can I fly? Am I bulletproof? Did it hurt?
Finally, as the sun crests the horizon and golden light filters through the blinds, I’ve answered their questions to the best of my ability. I’ve even told them about the impending demon invasion. Saying it out loud makes it feel surreal, like I’m describing the plot of a bad sci-fi movie. Still, they both agree to go camping for a while just before it begins, sowhere remote and hopefully safe.
"What about ?" Tina asks once we’re finally alone in my room again, her voice quieter now, but no less intense.
"She’ll be up here, of course." Sohow I know those words are from Stephanie, her presence brushing against my mind from far above.
Groaning, not in the mood and lacking any energy to argue, I explain the situation to Tina as gently as I can. I tell her she’ll be safer off-planet for a little while, that it’s temporary, that I’ll co back. She listens silently, fingers twisted in the hem of her shirt.
When I finish, I stumble to my bed. The adrenaline is gone, leaving only bone-deep exhaustion behind. I don’t rember falling into it, but when I wake so hours later, I’m stripped to my underwear and tucked neatly under the covers. I notice my pillow carries the faint scent of Tina’s perfu and realize she must have been sleeping in my bed until I got ho last night, waiting for .
Rolling over slowly, I see Tina’s hazel eyes staring back at from inches away.
"Mmm, good morning, sleepyhead," she purrs with a soft, relieved smile, as if she’s just grateful that I’m still here at all.
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