❝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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
☡
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐏 𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 like cinnamon pretzels and root beer floats. Aveline, Amy, and Hartley sat at their usual booth, Aveline stirring whipped cream into her milkshake like she was performing a science experiment.
Amy was halfway through her rant. She had been talking for at least five minutes without breathing.
"So, I figured out a way to stop confusing those twin sisters at school," she announced proudly. "Ignore them both. Problem solved."
Aveline raised an eyebrow. "Bold strategy."
Hartley nodded without listening. "Uh-huh."
Amy narrowed her eyes. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Uh-huh," Hartley said again, her gaze drifting behind Amy.
"If you were paying attention, you would've seen that coming," Aveline cut in just as Amy knocked her napkin dispenser onto the floor.
Amy scowled. "Sorry. I was looking at that kid over there in the hoodie. He seems lonely. And weird. Which probably explains the lonely part."
Aveline glanced over her shoulder. "Weird is an understatement. He's staring at a muffin like it wronged him."
Hartley frowned. "Maybe he's shy. Like you when you first moved here."
"I was not shy," Aveline argued. "I was standoffish and hostile. There's a difference."
Hartley stood up. "Well, I'm going to say hi. You can come or not."
Amy didn't budge. "I choose not."
Aveline followed her anyway. "You're coming," Hartley added with a look.
"Why give us choices you'll never honor?" Aveline muttered.
They approached the hooded figure. Hartley put on her brightest smile.
"Hi there," she said warmly. "We wanted to welcome you to Valley View. I'm Hartley."
The kid flinched.
Aveline leaned into Amy and whispered, "He's giving run-away raccoon energy. Let's not."
"See?" Amy hissed. "I told you. Just leave him alo—"
"Starling?" Hartley gasped.
The hood fell back slightly, revealing familiar dark curls and bright, startled eyes.
Aveline nearly choked on her milkshake air. "Hold on—is THIS 'hoodie kid'?"
Starling sighed, recognizing she'd been caught. "Great. Fantastic. Perfect. My disguise lasted a whole three minutes."
Amy stepped closer. "Starling? What are you doing here? Did you finally come to your senses and realize we should be besties?"
"No," Starling deadpanned. "And I don't know how you got my number, but please stop calling."
