Seek {Superhero AU} - Ending 1

20: Your Secret's Safe With Me

WPOV

Track: Secret, Joshua Bassett

It is going to take at least a week after our picnic date before we'll be able to get into the building again, according to Nico. He stakes it out every night anyway. Every night I join him. We spend the first hour or so being productive and getting a feel for the officers' schedules and weaknesses. We're hoping the on-site investigation will be over soon, but in case we have to break in while it's ongoing, we've been keeping detailed notes about what we see.

I like the productive first hour because it makes me feel like I'm really working with Nico. I mean, before, I was more his assistant who he occasionally threatened to ensure my loyalty. Now we're working together. What's the saying? Couples who stalk together stick together?

Anyway.

I like the last half of our investigation even more than the first half because we give up productivity and just flirt and hang out and kiss for the rest of the time.

By the next week of school, I'm tired because we've been stalking the headquarters every night, and that trend will continue until Nico's one-week estimate passes and we can try to break in again.

It's Monday. Cecil and Lou Ellen meet me by the front gates as usual. I walk Leo to all his classes as usual. We eat lunch as usual. Mr. Brunner is pleased because I'm back to participating in class, as usual.

As far as I can tell, it's going to be a completely normal day. A good day, even—I mean, aside from once again trying to keep my mouth sealed about the whole I-kissed-a-supervillain-who's-actually-a-superhero thing. I've been dying to say something about it to Lou Ellen and Cecil, but somehow, I don't think the Ghost King would appreciate that. Also, I haven't even told them that I'm Sunburst, so telling them about my romantic life would be skipping a few steps.

Aside from keeping secrets from my friends, everything else is going smoothly. It puts me in a good mood. I'm on my way to pick Leo up from his last class of the day, and this time I try to hurry from Mr. Brunner's class. I still have to make it all the way across the school, so Leo will still have to wait for a couple of minutes. But at least I can try to get there before Luke manages to do any major damage.

I make the last turn into the final hallway. Leo is missing again from his usual waiting spot. I groan and jog toward the classroom. I had reported Luke to the principal, but the principal had let Luke get off with a stern talking-to. Then I reported Luke again, and the principal had sighed and told me that he didn't feel comfortable giving Luke a suspension or expulsion right now—something about Luke going through a very difficult time right now. He implied it had something to do with Luke's father, and I told him that I don't care what's going on with Luke's father, he can't just be allowed to bully people.

The principal let Luke off with another warning.

Personally, I am quickly learning to hate the principal.

So now I pull out my phone as I enter the classroom, hitting record as I step inside. As guessed, Luke, Connor, and Travis have Leo surrounded. Luke looks up when I walk in.

"Well, if it isn't the tattletale," he says boredly. "You going to run to the principal again? That hasn't worked out very well the first two times, but third time's the charm, right?"

"Listen, Luke," I say, my anger growing, "I don't know what is going on that is causes the principal to think your daddy issues are a valid reason to hurt someone, but—"

Luke abandons Leo in a second to stand right in front of me, so close I can feel his hot breath on my face. "What the fuck did you say to me?"

I try to keep a neutral expression even as my nerves spark. "I said your daddy issues aren't a good enough excuse to hurt someone, you asshole."