Through the Finish

Chapter 8: Rowan

     "I'm Night Owl."

     I hung up the phone after a second of silence from both ends. Alec Ryans, the awkward genius that took over two months to stop stuttering when he spoke to me, was the sarcastic smart-ass hero known as Night Owl. I guess when the mask is on he has an easier time being himself. 

     Setting my phone down on the nightstand, I curled up on my bed and tried to go to sleep. My mind kept wandering elsewhere. All I wanted was the sweet relief of sleep, but that definitely  wasn't going to happen. Like most teenage girls, I thought that finding out the identity of the most popular hero around would be amazing. However, this has me terrified. I don't think Alec is lying, considering I saw him do some amazing things in the parking lot. I had some doubts though because he is nearly half a foot taller than when Night Owl disappeared; however, he was the same height as Alec last year when Night Owl lost his powers. 

     Sleep deprived and confused, I finally drifted to sleep after fifteen minutes of debating whether or not Alec was Night Owl. When I finally did doze off, my dreams were more nightmarish. Cobwebs and spiders as I felt like a helpless bug trapped in them.

~

Waking up didn't happen, mainly because I didn't even fall asleep last night. Groggily walking down stairs, I found my mother making waffles. Kayden was practically inhaling his as he ate them so quickly.

"Morning, Ro," my mother greeted. She was a definite morning person as her fair skin always seemed to glow and perfectly accented her green eyes and fiery red hair. "Would you like some waffles?" She asked sweetly. I simply nodded and sat at the counter to place my head on the cool stone. It felt really good.

About five minutes after I was offered the waffles, a steaming stack of two perfectly golden waffles was slid in front of me. Grabbing what I believed to be powdered sugar, I piled on some with a couple strawberries. I grabbed a decent sized piece and ate it. There was no powdered sugar in my house. I had piled on salt to my perfect waffles; I gagged and coughed to reach for water. Kayden was laughing.

"P-perfect Rowan put salt on her waffles!" He exclaimed and wiped a tear from his face while he continued to laugh. My mother gave a disapproving look to my brother and dragged the laughing little butt to the car for finals week.

I sighed and ate the waffle on the bottom instead, then made some tea before I got a call from Rylee and our other friends. Oh right, we planned a hike today. How could I have possibly forgotten? Oh, wait. How about a giant spider attack?! I let her know I'd still go, but I couldn't pick Paris up and take him.

After finishing my precious tea, I went and got dressed. Now, I could tell you what I was wearing and what I did for makeup, but who wants to know that? Also, I was going hiking. What the hell do you think I'd wear? A ton of makeup or just a light coat of mascara? I don't even own mascara. My face was naked! My hair was up in a ponytail in case you wanted to know that too. Running down the stairs as I heard a honk and received a text from Melissa, I fell down the last step. Picking myself back up, I ran to the car and got in.

"Hey, Rowan," Liam said after I had gotten in the back.

"Hey, Liam. Hello, Melissa," I said as I buckled my seatbelt. Safety first, kiddies. "Thanks for getting me. I nearly forgot about going hiking until Rylee called me. Are we getting Paris?" I asked as we were driving. Mel nodded and turned into Paris's driveway as she honked the horn again for him to hurry his butt up. He came running out trying to put on his socks and had a water bottle in one hand.

"So sorry, Mel," he apologized as he buckled up in his seat.

"It's fine," Melissa said and nodded as we drove off to Wildwater Park.