❝Why do always call me Cherry?❞
❝Because your lips taste like Cherries.❞
When teenage supervillain Havoc stands up to the head of the League of Villains, Colby Madden's family is forced to change their identities and relocate to a sleepy Texas subur...
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐀𝐒 dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the soft glow of the moon spilling through the blinds. Aveline and Colby were curled up together on her bed, wrapped in a thick blanket that smelled faintly of vanilla and Colby's jacket. The events of the day had left them exhausted, their limbs heavy, their minds still buzzing faintly from all the chaos. Aveline's head rested on Colby's chest, his arm slung securely around her, holding her close as she drifted in and out of sleep. Every so often, Colby would hum softly, a gentle, steady sound that made her feel safe, like the world had finally slowed down just for them.
The quiet was almost perfect. Almost.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a force that rattled the frame, and a shadow filled the room. "Freeze!" a commanding voice barked. "Hands where I can see them!"
Aveline's eyes shot open, her heart leaping into her throat, and she bolted upright, only to find Colby already tensing beside her. They blinked against the harsh light flooding the room from the hall, and there, standing in the doorway, was Celia. She was dressed in full tactical gear, black boots planted firmly on the floor, her stance rigid, and her eyes sharp and wide, scanning the room like a SWAT team on a high-risk operation.
"Oh my gosh!" Aveline yelped, clutching Colby's arm as she leaned against him. "Celia! What—what are you doing?!"
Celia froze for a split second, then lowered her finger from her imaginary trigger and let out a dramatic sigh, almost theatrically. "I'm... here to protect the realm," she said, her voice a little less stern but still echoing with authority. "And to make sure no villains are hiding where they shouldn't be."
Colby, still half asleep and rubbing his eyes, blinked at her. "Uh... Celia? You scared us half to death. It's like... 3 a.m."
Aveline wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, peeking over at Celia with wide, startled eyes. "Yeah... we were... sleeping. What's going on?"
Celia took a step inside, scanning the room with the precision of someone trained for infiltration. Then, almost in a sigh of exasperation, she lowered her arms. "Look, I'm sorry," she said, her tone softening. "It's my grandma. She's... complicated. And apparently, I've inherited her habit of dramatic entrances. But really, I didn't mean to terrify you."
Aveline relaxed a little, leaning back against Colby, but she kept one wary eye on Celia. "It's fine," she said, trying to sound braver than she felt. "I mean... scary, yes. But fine."
Colby, still tugging the blanket over both of them, managed a small grin. "Yeah, I can handle scary... most of the time. But you, in full tactical gear, leaping through my girlfriend's door... not the best choice, honestly."
Celia's sharp eyes softened as she crossed her arms, the slightest smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Point taken," she admitted. "But I had to make sure you two were... not up to something dangerous. Or worse, skipping school."
