The Juniors - The Villains of Valley View

FIVE / "KUWTSuperVillains"

CYBER // JOSIE

I KNOCKED ON the Maddens' front door and waited for either Amy, Hartley, or someone else inside to open it.

I wasn't sure why Amy would've given me this time if she didn't plan on being home. After all the lights were all off. It's not like our strange next-door neighbors had welcome mats either.

It was probably minutes before the door finally swung open. I was met with Amy's lopsided grin. She stepped aside without a word and I entered just as quietly.

"Where's Hartley?" I asked, an annoyed edge still plaguing my voice. I set down my tote bag on the coffee table. In it was a bunch of snacks and chocolate that I stole from a convenience store.

What? When you rob banks and call it a normal Saturday (Onyx makes us work weekends) petty crime is light work.

"Do you even need to ask? In the kitchen. She's gone out of her way to make snacks without me even having to ask."

I laughed lightly. That sounded like her. I still don't know how she and Amy became friends. It's a match that makes you think a gun was being held to her head or something. Maybe there's some really strong things that hold them together. Something they can't get anywhere else except for from each other.

Amy and I are just genuinely two people with a shared personality.

"What's in here?" Amy asked and began helping herself to finding whatever was in the bag.

I watched her from the couch, intrigued. "Snacks," I answered. Then I realized how they made me exactly like Hartley in this distinction. "Oh god. Maybe the Sunshine Club is rubbing off on me. Save me while you still can!" I said dramatically and leaned up to tug on Amy's shirt. The back of it untucked from her skirt causing me to laugh.

"Where's the receipt?" she asked, still going through the white bag.

My eyes widened slightly. "Uh..." breathe, Josie. Breathe, Cyber. "Trashed it. We're eating all of that shit."

"That's valid," Amy said in a huff. Her hand wrapped around a slim jim and she sunk into the couch beside me.

"Hey, why are your lights off? Is it the electricity again?" When she turned to me, an idea popped into my head, so I wiggled my eyebrows. "Or are you just trying to romance me?"

Amy rolled her eyes and went back to her cylindrical meat stick. "No. It's just what we do so no other neighbors bother us. Clearly it doesn't work on you, but I don't mind."

My mouth dropped open, and I scoffed. "Forget you," I said and punched her arm.

Amy grinned at me and that's when the kitchen door swung open.

Hartley came heaving over to the couch, and I watched her boringly. She was clearly struggling with the bowls and pitcher in her hands. I just wanted to see if she could make it.

Of course, Amy sort of ruined my fun when she got up to... help her? I squinted as she took one of the bowls from Hartley's arms.

Sometimes I forgot that not everyone around me (excluding Hartley, obviously) is a villain.

My faith in Amy was slightly restored when she laughed. "You know you're not actually a superhero, right?"

For the most part, the optimist seemed to ignore her best friend. "Oh, thank you, Amy," Hartley said pointedly. She glared at me, and I shrugged my shoulders innocently.

"Hey dude, you could've just asked if you needed help."

Everything was finally settled onto the coffee table. Hartley took the seat on the other end, leaving a bit of room between us. Then she opened up her mouth to speak, and I knew I'd soon be gagging. "Sometimes helping others isn't about waiting for them to ask. It's about doing it whether they ask or not."