Hidden Heroes

TW€ŃT¥~2

"Why are you in such a rush?"

I squeezed myself through the small gap Maximus left by my doorway and walked downstairs. I looked out to see if the snow had melted by now and went to pick out my sneakers. I fumbled with the laces before tying them tight enough and grabbed my bag from the hook.

Maximus came down and blocked the exit. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere. Not important. With a friend."

"Then why are you in a dress?"

I looked down at the bottom of my dress loosely hanging around my ankles. The only occasions I would wear something like this is the uniform at school and if I was to meet someone important. I looked back at him and sighed.

"Well, when I first met the guy, I sort of gave off a bad impression. So, I'm gonna, like, try and fix that."

It was his turn to sigh as he sat me down on the couch. I rapidly tapped my foot on the floor and he put his foot over mine. I glared and him and he rolled his eyes.

"Look, it won't matter if you wear a pretty dress. They're not going to look at that. Sure, wear nice clothes but you have to have the right attitude. Ya know, make them feel comfortable around you, have a normal chat, all that jazz."

"I know," I said, tugging at my dress so it went over my knees. "It's just, ugh, I really really like him!"

Maximus looked at me blankly, before translating what I said in his head.

"Wait, this is a date?!"

I widened my eyes and tightened my grip on my clothes. "NoOOooo? Of course not. Why would I go out on a date?"

He narrowed his eyes.
"This is a date. Cancel it."

"What the heck, Max? It's not. He doesn't like me."

"Exactly, he doesn't like you. He's playing you. Cancel it."

I internally facepalmed. I had no business in who my brother went out with, heck I haven't even met one. He shouldn't interfere. And why does he assume every guy is a player?

"We're just going to Càffee Bean. The one that opened up recently?"

He rose and eyebrow at me and plopped his legs on top of my lap. I groaned and tried to push them off but I don't know what I was expecting to do with a superhero his size and strength.

"Please," I pleaded. "I'll keep my phone on at all times. I'll come home whatever curfew you set." I mumbled "within reason" at the last part as Max thought about it.

Within a few minutes, he moved his legs and I sprung up immediately before he could change his mind. He held up six fingers, indicating I was to be home by 6:00.

I held up my phone and turned on it's ringer so Maximus could see. Dropping it back into my bag, I counted to see how much money I had. It was eleven dollars but if I was treating him, I would have to spend as little as possible. I frowned as I stuffed the money back into my bag and Max called out for me.

He waved a wad of cash in the air, motioning for me to take it. I held my ground and shook my head. Looking back at what Robert told me, Maximus worked hard for that money. I couldn't waste it.

"I'm good, don't worry."

He nodded and disappeared behind the couch again. I said "goodbye" as I closed and locked the door behind me.

I took a deep breath as I took out my phone again and looked at my messages. Zachary said he would be there by 3:30. It was 3:00 now.

I lived on the lower side of town, the place where the top of houses were brown when they were supposed to be black and the paths were big enough for only a child and their mom to be able to walk side by side. Luckily, Max and I were tall and skinny so it wasn't hard to talk side by side as we walked. Looking up at my place, you could barely even tell someone lived here. Every house was slim and crammed right next to the other one. No backyards, no gardens. Small alleyways every few houses, where I would jump the fence to get to school on time. It looked like a tenement, but we were lucky not to be living out on the streets.