No Heroes Left Behind (Book 1)

Chapter Ten: We Are Not Friends

"We never got a chance to talk about what we saw yesterday." Erin says in a low whisper, looking around to make sure there is nobody eavesdropping. I chew my food and stare at her with a serious expression. Of course I don't want to talk about this with her. It could compromise my superhero identity.

When you become a hero, you're not supposed to tell a whole bunch of people who you are because it's dangerous for you and for them. The more people who know who you are, the more people that can be used against you or hurt.

"Erin, there's not really anything to talk about." I tell her plainly, trying to move on. But clearly I've forgotten how my best friend is, because as I say this, her jaw drops and she stares at me in disbelief.

She slaps the table with her hand, gaining the attention of a few people around us. "Are you kidding me? A supervillain waved at us from outside your window and you're saying there's nothing to talk about here?"

"I agree with Erin." Our friend Milo says through a mouthful of half chewed food.

I sigh and look at them both as if they're being childish. "He just waved at us. It's not like he introduced himself and invited us to tea or anything." I take another bite of my lunch and pull my phone out of my pocket. My friends look at each other as if they don't believe what they are hearing.

Erin turns to me, grabs my face to force me to look at her and looks into my eyes. She leans across the table and remains motionless, then after her weird staring contest is over, she returns back to her seat. "You seem like you're hiding something." She says nonchalantly. I furrow my eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" I ask. My palms begin to get clammy for some reason.

She smirks. "I mean, you look like you're keeping a secret. I know when you're keeping secrets from me." She replies and takes a bite of her apple.

"What could I possibly be hiding?" I play it cool, taking a drink from my bottle of water.

She shrugs her shoulders and waves her hands in the air to try and think of something. "I don't know! For all we know, you could be one of those vigilantes running around Nightshade and kicking villain butt."

She's not wrong. However, I roll my eyes to make it seem like she is wrong. "Whatever Erin. I think the jet lag is getting to you." I mumble and stab my fork into my salad. Milo glances at the two of us and goes back to eating his sandwich and talking about video games with his mouth full of food, but then he goes silent as he stares behind me at something. I furrow my eyebrows at him in confusion and glance behind me.

There stands the one and only Landon Grey, and I immediately turn around and scowl to myself as he sits down on the bench beside me. "Ahh there's my favourite grumpy gal." He says teasingly, hanging his arm around my shoulders. I give him a death glare.

"Get your arm off me." I mutter through clenched teeth. He retracts his arm and leans on the table instead.

Landon's eyes wander to my wrist and he nods his head towards it. "I see you're wearing the bracelet." He says and I can tell without looking at him that he has a smug look on his face. I look at it and quickly cover it with the sleeve of my shirt.

"So, what?" I ask defensively. He shrugs and turns so his body is facing me. I look across the table to my friends for help, but Erin and Milo are just as shook as me. They are sitting in silence and have a look on their face that seems like they're stuck between being nervous and about to laugh.