Astrid Stronghold, cousin to Will Stronghold, lost her father to a Sidekick turned Villain and yet she still chose to become a Sidekick. Lash Livingston, Hero turned Villain turned Hero, would do whatever it takes to save Astrid, if she was ever in...
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Eyes widening in horror, Astrid felt the world fade around her. Air seemed to be sucked from her lungs and she could hear the blood thudding in her ears. Black spots blocked her vision and she felt herself stumble backwards in shock. Biting down on her lip, she forced herself to get through the next five minutes so that she didn't appear weak in front of the entire school. Fiddling with her sleeve, her mouth filled with a metallic taste when she saw someone move onto the stage next to her.
Staring straight ahead, not looking at anyone in the crowd, she felt her stomach churn. Multiple pairs of eyes were trained on her face in an attempt to decipher the emotions brewing within her – they all knew what had happened between her and Lash but she ignored them. Looking at them and the pity/concern/shock on their own faces would only break her resolve. She thought she'd never have to see him again. All thought of him had been erased from her head because she had believed he was locked up in Solitary.
He was her Hero. If they graduated with top marks, they might potentially have to work together for the next god-knows-how-many years.
The Hero-turned-Villain took his place on the right hand side of the Stronghold girl. His arms were clad in their usual black and white stripes but so was Astrid's. To the crowd, they looked like the perfect pair.
Wishing she could tear the shirt from her arms, Astrid regretted her choice of clothing that day. Just as they had done for the previous pairs, the crowd clapped as the pair walked off the stage to join the rest of their classmates. Turning to look at his Hero Support for the first time in over six months, Lash was dismayed – but not surprised – to see that she had disappeared.
Weaving in and out of the crowd, the invisible girl sprinted into the nearest girl's bathroom before emptying the contents of her stomach into the nearest toilet.
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"You're going to have to face him at some point." Natalia reasoned, talking to the toilet stall door instead of the face of her best friend.
Pairing had been finished for over an hour and the parents had just gone home after spending some time with their children and their new partners. Once she had been able to escape her mother and father, the small brunette had immediately begun searching for her best friend. It hadn't taken long because these were the nicest girl's toilets in the school so were instantly the best place to hide in.
When she had heard the door to the toilets opening, Astrid had locked herself inside the stall and even though she knew it was Natalia, she still refused to leave.
"No I don't. I could drop out." Astrid said.
"Would you really do that though? Would you let him win?" Natalia responded, knowing that her best friend's stubborn side would never allow a boy to do this to her.
