The Academy's Twisted Enemies | Dark Romance

Chapter 6 - To Be Known

"Don't be embarrassed!" Jeran said. Cecily nodded in agreement. "It's awesome that your powers are so powerful; you need something to restrict them."

I took a sharp inhale of breath. "Why are you lying to me?"

"What?! I'm not! I'm really not."

I threw back another shot. The bartender already had the next one sliding over to me, so I grabbed that one, too, and threw it back. Wiping my lips, I glared at him and Cecily. "You're both full of it."

"Stop being so negative," she reprimanded and rubbed my back. "We're serious. We have no reason to lie to you."

I sighed and buried my head in my hands. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm doing too much." I slid my hands down my face and looked at them. "... I spoke to Joseph today. That's really why I'm upset, to be real."

"Why? What happened?" Jeran asked.

"I just don't get why he likes that green bi—witch!" I lamented and leaned my head onto the bar. She's so... ugh!" I resisted the urge to slam my hand down, knowing it would only fuel people's negative thoughts toward me. Just walking into the bar with my newest accessory, people looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

"I mean, he's a whore," he said. "And he knows it. He wants to sleep around, to sow his wild oats; you don't need that."

"Yeah, honey," she said soothingly. He knows what he wants, and so do you. He wants fun. You want a relationship."

An exaggerated whine escaped my throat as I nodded. "You're right. I know." I looked down in defeat. "Doesn't make it hurt any less, though."

They both looked at me sympathetically before Jeran waved the bartender over. "Another tequila shot for all of us, please!"

I laughed to myself. Of course, the solution would be to drink our brains out.

For an hour or so, we drank. I was relatively quiet, reflecting on more than I'd like to in my intoxicated state. I watched Jeran put his head down on the table, closing his eyes with a faint drunk glisten on his face.

He needed to stop drinking.

Cecily looked over at me with a distant look in her eyes. I was going to warn her about Jeran, but she spoke. "You know... I'm afraid to face Scar."

I stiffened, my issues no longer important. "Then why are you doing this?"

She frowned and leaned her head into her arms on the bar. "I don't know... I feel like I have to prove to myself I can do this. Besides, I was highly requested. I don't want to let the Academy down."

"Just because you're highly requested by them doesn't mean you have to take on this job. They'll understand."

She shook her head. "No. The Academy didn't request me. Scar did."

For some reason, those words sent a chill through my body and a flood of goosebumps in its wake. "I'm sorry... huh?"

"Apparently, Scar will only fight and negotiate with heroes he chooses," she mumbled. "Obviously, I can refuse, but it means we'll go back on the progress we've made with him."

I sputtered, "What progress?" I pointed to the TV hanging above us on a beam next to the bar, which was playing sports and other media but at that moment was showing a special news report. He was the topic. "He's once more destroyed an entire city just to create a playground for his minions."

We watched for a moment as a news helicopter videoed the decimated town, well-known villains already flocking in to claim the spoils for themselves.

"Yes, but zero casualties have been reported," she said pointedly.

She had a point. It was a forced evacuation, according to the news report. His name alone threatening to overtake the town was enough for people to go running. And the hero who'd tried to stop him is one of the ones who survived by the skin of his teeth to tell the tale—mainly because he ran before Scar could end him.

Some called him cowardly, but the rest of us understood his actions.

"He kills every hero he can," I said. "Maybe he didn't kill civilians since that's not his M.O., but he still kills us."

She looked off, forlorn, but still shook her head. "Maybe I can be the one who stops him from killing."

I bit back a snide remark, knowing it wasn't what she needed. But I couldn't help but feel pessimistic. I felt like these were some of the last moments I'd be having with her before she went off on a suicide mission.

She was my best friend. My sister. I couldn't lose her.

"Please," I begged, "reconsider. Don't do this."

"I have to," she said. "Because the next person on his list is you."

Another shocking revelation and another chill. "Me? He knows me?"

"Yeah." She took a drawn-out sip of her practically finished drink. "Your parents are well renowned, despite how you feel about it. To have a chance to fight you... and kill you is on his bucket list."

The cold realization that I was on the radar of one of the most notorious villains we've ever come across was terrifying and yet oddly thrilling. I always felt like a nobody because of how many people were trying to get me kicked out of the Academy. To know I was worthy enough to be called by him for a battle made me think maybe I had some talent after all.

"So tell them that I'll go, not you," I said.

"No."

"Cecily, I'd rather go and know you're safe!"

"And you think I don't want you safe?" She glared at me in frustration. "I know we're heroes. I know this is what we do, but you don't have to be the hero all the time. You've sacrificed yourself so many times for me that people hate you—they want you expelled. And I can't... I won't let you die because I was too cowardly to face him."

An ache swelled in my chest, and I fought the tears forming. "But... I want to protect you. All of you." To know I could've helped my friends and didn't was worse than expulsion for me.

"If I die..." She hesitated and took in a deep breath. "It's okay. It wouldn't be your fault."

Even still, those words burned me. Because I felt, deep down, that it would be.