Everyone needs a little Hero

Movie Night!

Hero had never been so excited to go and see Rey, or any of his friends for that matter, in all of his life. Not only was this his first sleepover, but it was also his first movie night.

As a Borrower, it was nearly impossible to watch a movie from front to finish, let alone on a massive screen all to yourself.

Sure, he felt like he was intruding just a little, but this was Rey and his family – and they always made him feel welcome, even after when he found out their big family secret.

The Borrower teen let his parents know he was going over to see a friend, thought he didn't specify who because he didn't want his parents to ask question or say no, and threw his bag over his shoulder, sprinting the whole way to Rey's home.

Gloves on, he slid down the secure line as quickly as he could and landed hard on the surface, thought his legs ached, he didn't stop and stepped onto the counter through the electrical cover.

The instant he stepped out, he smelled copious amounts of butter and heard the sounds of popping and cracking. He glanced to his left and saw a bowl a hundred times his size. He also saw cans, which he knew were filled with some weird fizzy drink called soda, and another dish of sweets.

For a brief moment, he felt a spike of worry.

Was Ashlynn alone? Was this for her and her friends?

A thunderous few footsteps caught his attention and panic seized him. Should he run? Should he stay put? Hide?

The footsteps were upon him as was a sense of relief when he saw that the thunderous steps belonged to none other than Ashlynn, the Borrower family's human companion.

It took every bit of two seconds for Ashlynn to spot the bright green-eyed boy standing on the counter as well as the ajar electrical cover. He smiled broadly and took a few bold steps forward.

"Hello again, Ashlynn. How are you?" he asked. Ashlynn's eyes quickly glanced at the trim along the ceiling before looking back at Hero, a smile on her face.

"Hey, Hero," she said cheerfully, though there was a hint of something he couldn't quite place. "I'm glad you came tonight. I think you're going to have a great time. We were hoping to surprise you, but I suppose I can run interference for the moment."

Hero, confused, turned his head like a puppy would and asked, "What do you mean interference? And you said surprise. Was... oh! Was this supposed to be a surprise?" Hero gestured to the bowls and cans on the counter beside him.

When Ashlynn gave a nod, Hero felt a surge of gratitude and overwhelming joy.

"You did all of this for me?" he asked gleefully. His eyes wide, he surveyed the scene once again and saw the banquet around him. "Thank you so much!"

Ashlynn smiled and pulled over a chair so she could sit at a near eye-level with the young teenage boy.

"Of course," she said. "It's our pleasure. It's something nice for all of you actually. It'll be a nice distraction after... some recent events."

"Yeah, Rey told me about what happened," said Hero, eyes darkening with the thought of such a horrible ambush that Rey and his family had to endure. He shuddered and looked back into Ashlynn's blue-grey eyes. "But it's okay now. Besides, they have you to help them. It's really nice that you have each other. I wish more of us had friends like you."

At this statement, Ashlynn seemed to retract ever so slightly. She sat back in the chair and her smile wasn't as broad or warm as it was moments before. Her eyes turned contemplative, as though she were trying to find the right words to say.