Riptide Academy

Secrects To Reveal

Charli's POV

My head hurt.

It was if a thousand cowbells were being played on the top of my head. A groan escaped my lips, and I finally managed to open my eyes.

The room was dark. Curtians covered the two glass doors that opened out to a balcony. A singular door stood closed in front of me. Light seeped in from underneath the door. My cloths were sticking to my body, but when I looked down I wasn't wearing my cloths.

I knew that balcony view. I know these clothes. I know this room.

The door opened and in stepped my Aunt. Her face fell when she saw me awake but she was quick to fix it into a concered expression.

"You're awake." Howie aknoweladged.

"Duh." I replied.

A slight smile formed on her lips as she went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water for me.

"Here." She said, holding the glass out for my to take. "Your throat must be dry."

I took the glass from her and almost sculled it. As I drank Howie fished out her phone and typed a message to someone. Something glinted in her phone light on her wrist. That bracelet..... I'd seen it when she had given the glass of water to me.

A knock on the door startled me. I almost dropped the glass but my Aunt caught it. She placed it on the beside table and went to open the door.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Huh?" Howie looked confused but I knew she was hidding her panic.

"Why didn't you tell me. I should have known since I saw that dam bracelet."

Howie sighed, her whole body deflating. "At least let me open the door for Alex?"

"Y-you texted...HER!"

"I'm guessing we have a lot of explaining to do?" Alex said as the door opened.

"You better." I growled.

Howie left Alex to get comfortable while sitting on the side of the bed as she locked the door into her office and then shut the one leading into her room.

"It's my fault." My Aunt awnsered first, sitting down in the chair beside her bed she'd brought over from the kitchen.

"When you guys were fighting that shadow dinosuar I saw you transform Charli. But the story goes back about a week earlier. I found the key and bracelet while saving a student whom decided that they would try to venture closer to one of your fights. Something almost landed on us; I pushed the kid out of the way and dove behind a tree. That's when both objects appeared in a silver light." Howie paused for a few seconds.

"That's why you blanked out when I asked how you found them." Alex sounded like she'd had an Ah-ha! moment.

"Then, I seen you transform. I knew what I had to do. It was like words just popped into my head..."

"That happened to all of us." I huff.

"After that; Alexandra worked out who I was. I still don't know how she did but I can't forget you getting riled up about me not introducing myself. I was being selfish; not letting you know. I thought I could protect you. After what happened with your mother I- and hoe busy you were.... I thought it was best if only two people knew, and you wouldn't have to worry or stress about another thing anymore."

"Wait- Two people?" I pick out.

"Kyia knows as well. I, well she kind of got a fright." Howie and Alex chuckled.

"I can understand you were trying to protect me and saving me the stress. However, Howie. I just wished you would have told me and why. I would have understood the same as now back then."

"Rose. I painicked a little, I guess. It's not every day you find out your Neice is a superhero and then you become one. Only to find out the rest of her friends are too. I thought with my heart instead of my head. I was so focused on protrcting you from the truth, thinking it could hurt you... Turns out the lies hurt more." My Aunt seemed like she was about to cry.

"I'm glad we're being honset now." I sigh. "Speaking of honsety, while you were taking pictures with the media with the trophies I confronted mum."

"What!" Howie shreeks.

"She said some backhanded complement and then tried to force her hand in swaying me to be promoted by her so I could be noticed by the big shots." Alexandra shrugged. "I said no. That I would do it all on my own."

"Howie. Alex held my hand the whole time, I know it sounds rather...romantic but it was the suport I needed to face her...."

"I should have been there." Howie growled.

"No. You couldn't have done anything diffrent to change the outcome. I was fine with Alex being there. And mum finally got a wiff of difiance by someone she can't punish." I grined, thinking of how my arsehole mother must be feeling after that encounter.

"That sure would have set Amie off. She always hated it when she never got her way." My Aunt remeniced.

"She sounds like she was always a certified glorified Karen." Alex suddenly says.

A snort escapes my lips. I can't hold the laughter bubbling within my throat.

"Yep. She practicaly was.." Howie chuckles.

My chest hurts a little from how hard I cackled.

"Howie......" I mutter, unsure.

"Yes Rose?" My aunt eyes my suspiciously.

"I want to tell my friends that were family. That your my Aunt." I say before I can change my mind.

Howie looks stunned at first. Her mouth hangs partially open and her eyes seem to be off in space.

"Howards?" Alex asks, snaping her fingers in front of my Aunts face.

Howie shakes her had slightly.

"That wasn't my decision to make. It never was. You just needed to learn that." She smiled gently.

"So... I could tell the whole school? And you wouldn't care?"

"I will always care. For what people think about the secrect you've revealed but never why or how you revealed it." She admits with a slight smile.

Soz for the late update. Been busy with refocusing for exams now that other shiz is over. ( sorta)😭