Shadow-Man

10

"Have you guys seen this?" Clair asked, sitting down with Gill and I at lunch. Clair showed Gill and I video on her phone. Gill and I both watched the video, which was a bit shakey and out of focus, but you could still tell what the person was filming. It was a video of me, as Shadow-Man, helping a man who was being mugged that was posted online. The person who had, evidently, filmed me was talking very excitedly, and loudly, in a way that reminded me of Gill.

"Are you guys seeing this?!" A male voice asked, zooming in on me beating the shit out of a mugger. "This dude just came over here and started wailing on this criminal!"

At that point in the video, about three other men came over, and started beating me up. I remembered that night, and remembered that the other people who showed up were friends of the man I was beating up. He was in a gang, and the other people he was in it with were apparently very dedicated and loyal to each other.

"Look at this! He's fighting off four huge dudes!" The voice exclaimed. "Can you believe this! He's totally holding his own against all four of them! This is the coolest thing ever! This guy's just running around in a costume, beating up criminals like it's no big deal! He's a real life superhero!"

Soon after that, the video ended. I wanted so bad to start freaking out, and I could tell that Gill did too. Someone actually called me a superhero, and it was someone other than Gill. The entire feeling was so surreal, and I was having a hard time believing that the whole situation was even real. I mean, how was I supposed to just accept, without question, that I, a sixteen year old transgender student with no ambitions or special skills, could be the first superhero, that we knew of, in the world? It just can't be done.

"That's pretty cool." I said, trying to keep my secret from Clair.

"Of course you think it's cool." Clair hissed, lowering her voice as if she was about to tell Gill and I the darkest secret in the world.

"What do you mean?" I asked keeping my voice low too, just because Clair was.

"Do you really expect me to believe that this has nothing to do with you?" Clair asked. "You got into a couple of fights and saved a couple of people, and that's what made you and Gill start talking about the possibility of you being a superhero. You kept coming to school with bruises and cuts everywhere, you've told your mom that you've been at my house, when you haven't come over since the first mugging, and there's all of a sudden some kid running around beating up criminals. I know that this is you."

"You're right." I said, looking Clair right in the face. There was no point in hiding it anymore. "At night, I dress in that suit, and run around and help anyone who needs it. My superhero name is Shadow-Man, and I love being him." Clair's face softened.

"Ty, why didn't you tell me?" She asked.

"I didn't know how you'd react. Gill has known this whole time, and he has been so supportive of me, but I thought you would try to convince me to give Shadow-Man up."

"Ty. I don't like the idea of you running around every night, beating people up and risking your life, but I don't want you to be unhappy. I support you." Clair told me. I nodded my thanks. "Now tell me everything."

I told Clair all about me being a superhero, and all about Steven and Warren. Clair listened closely, and payed attention to Gill when he made comments too. Clair wasn't nearly as excited and supportive as Gill, but she still listened and let me talk. She shared her genuine opinions with me, which wasn't always something that I wanted to hear, but she was never mean or discouraging, so that was nice.

"Is this what you and Gill have been hiding from me? Or have you guys been hiding anything else?" Clair asked, eyeing Gill and I carefully. I had the feeling that Clair was already suspecting something else. I watched Clair, trying to figure out what she thought she knew, and Gill was doing the same, even as I took a drink from a bottle of water.