Adopting The Superhero

Chapter 8

Nyssa's POV

"What was she like up close?" Luke demands, leaning closer to Michael.

"Really, really pretty. She was a little awkward too, which surprised me. But her fake voice was adorable," Michael answers. I make a face. I know for a fact that my fake voice, especially the one I used with Michael this morning, is anything but adorable.

"Man Mikey, you're so lucky," Calum sighs, picking at the remnants of his breakfast. I roll my eyes.

"Really lucky? He had a fucking gun against his head," I point out, confused.

"You're just jealous that he got to meet Viper and you didn't," Calum challenges, teasing me.

"Oh you got me," I reply, trying not to laugh at how pointless this conversation is. I meet her everytime I look in a mirror.

"Nyssa did meet her. She just didn't listen to what Viper told her to do," Michael adds on. Ashton, Calum, and Luke laugh at that. I sit there and mindlessly sip on my water bottle.

"We have to go to a photo shoot for the new album cover. Nyssa, do you wanna come with us?" Ashton asks me, standing up from the table.

"You mean I don't have to go? You don't want your publicity stunt on the album cover?" I gasp, pretending to be shocked. They all roll their eyes at my comment.

"I'm going to go hang out with my friends," I answer, standing up as well. I jog upstairs to get dressed. The boys leave without saying goodbye to me. I leave shortly after them, speeding down the sidewalk.

~

"You've been busy," Oliver teases as I run into the hideout. I laugh and move my hair out of my face.

"Michael's been tweeting too. Viper has gotten a whole lot more press overnight. You know what that means?" Aiden questions.

"That more psychopaths will try to find me and kill me?" I guess, jumping up onto a counter.

"No. That more psychopaths will try to kill us to get to you," he corrects. Olly and I laugh at his comment. That's when it dawns on me that it's kind of quiet.

"Where's Lucy?" I ask, frowning slightly.

"No idea," Aiden answers, his eyes glued to his phone screen. I roll my eyes and turn to face Oliver, my eyebrows raised.

"She texted me earlier saying that some of her relatives were coming to visit her family. The homophobic ones. She's going to try to sneak out but she's not sure if she'll be able to," Oliver answers, watching Aiden as he types furiously. I make a face at the thought of the homophobic family members. I had met them before and they are, well, awful.

"Freedom!" A familiar voice screeches, running into the room. Lucy drops her bag on the floor, then tackles me, knocking me off of the counter and onto the floor. I groan.

"I escaped!" She shouts, hugging me tightly.

"And broke my ribs in the process," I bitch, trying to sit up.

"Oh boo hoo. You'll be fine in, like, two hours," Lucy points out, climbing off of me. She offers me a hand and I take it, pulling myself up.

"But I'll still be sore until then," I retaliate, pulling her close to me. Lucy laughs and kisses me. She smells like vanilla and flowers.

"What's your mom going to say when she figures out that you're missing?" Olly asks, teasing Lucy.

"Nothing. She gave me permission to leave that hell hole. By the way, can I spend the night at your house, Olly?" Lucy questions, picking her bag up.

"Sorry Lu. I got grounded. No friends spending the night," he apologizes, shrugging his shoulders. "By the way, thanks for keeping me out late doing Viper stuff, Nyssa. You got me grounded."

"You're welcome," I call, nudging his shoulder. Oliver glares at me, then lightly punches me in my ribs, which are still very sore from when Lucy tackled me.

"You know Lucy," I start, turning to face her, "you can spend the night at my house. The boys won't care. I'm up in my bedroom most of the time anyways."

"Really?" She asks, her eyes shining. Lucy always had to either spend the night at Oliver or Aiden's house or sleep here when her relatives came over because I was in the orphanage. Now I'm adopted.

"Yeah!" I yell, hugging her tightly.

"Aw. Olly, we should have a sleep over too," Aiden chimes in, smiling at Lucy and me.

"What part of "I'm grounded" don't you understand?" Oliver jokes, gently pushing Aiden. I laugh and watch the two of them play fight.