The Distort Arc: Cape High Books 1-4 (Cape High Series Omnibus) (58 page)

But that's pretty hard to do when the first person you've ever crushed on is about to kiss you.  It had been close to impossible to even think, she admits, much less think of a line like that.  She lets out a sigh, looking up from the pillow as a tiny smile pulls at her lips.  It had been the perfect first kiss, she decides.  Gentle and sweet, a little cool, sure, but perfect.

"So?" Ditto asks, popping up in front of her.  "You're going out, right?"

"I... think so?" Aubrey says, flushing brightly.

"You think so," Ditto repeats.  "You were making out with him in the elevator!"

"It--but--he--" Aubrey stutters. 

"Was it like kissing a pole?" Ditto asks curiously.  "You probably shouldn't kiss him in cold weather, you might get stuck."  Aubrey feels her ears burning as someone in another room starts laughing.  She's almost positive it's because of the pole comment.  She bats Ditto with her pillow.

"That wasn't funny," she complains as Ditto laughs.

"But she's got a point!" Emily says, coming in and climbing onto the bed as well.

"Of course you think she's got a point, she is you," Aubrey says. 

"She doesn't know if they're dating," Ditto says to Emily.

"You just need to make him admit it in public, maybe?" Emily offers.  "If you want we can pass the word around that you two were kissing, that way nobody gets any ideas about trying to get him."

"They won't," Aubrey says.  "I don't think he's even talked to the other zoo kids, and everyone in your group is taken... except there's the whole Zoe thing, still."

"It's in your head," Emily says.  "Zoe wouldn't trade Max for anyone, I mean, she actually picked him over TRENT."

"Only a crazy person would pick someone over Trent," Ditto agrees.  "She's got to be crazy."

"Absolutely," Emily agrees.

Aubrey stares at them both.  "You two are so biased," she points out when it doesn't do the job.

"No we aren't!" Emily says.

"Well, maybe a little," Ditto admits.

***

The beeping is steady for the moment, which is a relief, Star thinks as she runs a hand over her face.  For a while there it had been touch and go.  She glances back at the man on the table, seeing his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm and lets out a sigh.  She hasn't slept in days.  Not when it's just her and him in this gloomy, drafty basement.  Their test subjects are gone, left behind with the last hasty move, their equipment the bare minimum and that was only because of the Collector.  Who is, she had found out, still in intensive care at the moment, stuck in a coma.  Who knew when he'd come out of it?

Which, honestly, she admits now, is a good thing.  Without Distort backing her up there's no way she'll be able to capture all of his precious pets.  Not when they're under Hall care.  But she has all their information, since there was always the chance that she would be expected to fulfill her side of the promise.  For a norm, Collector isn't one you wanted to get on the wrong side of.  Not when you need the money.

Absently she brings up the files on the kids in question, wondering if there is anything worth checking out.  The first file is Collector's most precious child, the power stealer.  Morgan is interesting, Star admits to herself.  She's without limits, in a way, but in another way, she notes, she's extremely limited.  Fifteen minutes before losing the stolen powers.  Star scrolls down the file, reading quickly.  Unable to control what powers she does steal, as well.  It's to be expected, though.  Morgan is young, just coming into her powers.  They could easily be used against her.

The next one, then.  She clicks her mouse and brings up the next file.  A pyrokinetic.  Typical, she thinks, barely glancing at the information.  Nothing she needs, especially since the boy can't even create the flames yet.  She clicks the next file, looking at the rather non-heroic looking female's picture for a long, long moment.  There are usually certain tells in hero children.  They tend to be beautiful or sharp in appearance, thin, with striking coloration--but this girl isn't.  She's pretty, yes, in a soft, almost chubby way, but she's the type of girl that wouldn't stand out even if she were the only one in the room.

"Aubrey Shetler," Star reads, feeling that something quite interesting is about to come up.  "Healer, possible Specialized S class with time," she says, her mouth going dry, her hands going clammy.  An actual healer... she had never thought she'd find one.  It's no wonder that the girl looks like a typical teenager, she realizes.  What better natural camouflage could there be for the most important type of hero there was?

"Distort, honey?  I think we found ourselves a new friend," she says to the inert man behind her.  Her heart is pounding with expectation.  Perhaps it's too soon to give up on Distort, after all.

***

So... think it was her first kiss?  I'm stuck on that question, okay?  I'm actually awake before Jeanie knocks on the door and I hear Trent curse in the room next to mine, followed by a definite crunching noise that cuts off that annoying beeping sound.  So she'd been telling the truth.  How many alarm clocks do they have to buy? 

Yeah, well, anyway, back to the important question.  Did I dream that Aubrey kissed me back?  I don't think I did.  I reach up, touching my mouth as I remember what happened.  She absolutely had kissed me back.  Does that mean we're dating?  Hell if I know.  Maybe she just likes making out with bad boys, or maybe she's messing with my head because I tried to mess with hers, and now she'll act like it never happened.

"Jack, time to get up!" Jeanie calls.

I groan and toss my sheets off, not bothering to get dressed.  I seriously don't think Jeanie will care if I'm running around in boxers, considering the rest of the family.  Besides, I want to grab a shower.  You know, one of the most awesome parts of living in a small family is the bathroom time.  At Marge's place we had a timer set up in the bathroom, and you had to get it all done before it rang or you had extra cleaning duty that day.

I step out of the room, yawning loudly.  "I'm grabbing a shower," I call to them as I head for the bathroom.  You know, I never see Ken in the morning.  I'm pretty sure he's awake, though.  I wonder what he's doing.  Not that I care.  I totally don't care, okay?  Just making small... thought... oh shuddup already.  You'd wonder too.

I close the bathroom door behind me, ignoring Trent starting to laugh.  I've got no idea what he's laughing about, but I don't care.  I've got a shower to take--a HOT shower.  You have no idea how awesome it is not having to worry about the water going cold all of a sudden.

***

"Well," Jeanie says, ignoring how Trent is dying from laughter.  "I'm so glad you girls could come over for breakfast!"  Aubrey is absolutely bright red as she stares at the bathroom door, and Emily has a curious look on her face.

"So is EVERYTHING metal on him?" Emily asks.

Trent stops laughing.  "Emily," he says in a warning tone.

"Is his butt metal?" she asks Trent.  "Then he'd have buns of steel!"

"He's got a six pack of steel!" Aubrey announces with a hint too much pride.

"Well yeah, I saw that part," Emily says.

"Can we stop talking about Jack's--Jack?" Trent demands.  "And I've got an eight pack, beat that," he adds in a mutter, looking jealous.

"All we've got is your word on that," Emily says, heading over to poke him in the stomach.  They start wrestling as Aubrey looks for something to keep herself occupied with.  Finally she gives up and heads for the table to sit down and wait for Jack to get out of the shower.

"Six... seven... eight--how in the heck do you get eight abs?" Emily asks, making Aubrey want to turn away completely.  That is something she definitely isn't going to get out of her memory any time soon, regardless of how she tries, she thinks.

The door opens to the bathroom and Jack comes out wearing a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.  It's about that time that he realizes that they're there, she notices, because a shocked look crosses his face.

"Um... hi," Aubrey says, raising a hand.  He just looks so cute when he's completely off guard.  Like he expects to get stuck in detention or something. 

"Hi," he says, starting for the table.  "Um, how long have you two been here?"

"Long enough to see your six pack!" Emily says.  "And your smily face boxers!"

"Jeanie got those!" Jack says, giving her a dark look.  "I got no say in it!"

"You chose to wear them!"

"Boxers are boxers," Jack mutters as he drops down in a chair.  Aubrey glances at him as Jeanie puts a plate of food in front of him.  He barely glances at her before digging in, eating as quickly as Trent did earlier.  He looks a bit surprised when he realizes his plate is empty.

"You're going to be eating more now, Jack," Jeanie says, patting him on the back before taking his plate.  "So make sure you eat all of your lunch today, okay?"

"I did eat--" Jack stops and looks at Trent, who's gulping down his milk all of a sudden.  "How much of my lunch did you eat, man?"

"Er..." Trent says, looking up at the clock.  "Time to go!"

"How much did you eat?" Jack demands again, chasing after Trent as the other teen runs for the door.

"You know what would be fun?" Jeanie asks.  "Why don't we start cooking classes, girls?  I'm sure they'll come in handy with dating those two!"

"I burn things," Emily says, straight-faced.  "All the things."

"I'd like to learn," Aubrey says, feeling her face get hot.  "You know, since cooking is important."

"Aubrey!  Are you coming?" Jack yells from the door.

"I am!" she says, jumping to her feet and chasing after him.  They are absolutely dating, she decides. 

***

Zoe keeps looking back at us as we walk to school.  By the time we're to the laser wall, my jaw is starting to tick because I'm trying to keep my temper.  It's not working.  "WHAT?" I demand as she glances back at me for the tenth time.

"I heard," she says.  "Are you sure about this, Aubrey?  Because, seriously, you can do way better."

"Zoe," I say in a warning tone.

"I'm sure," Aubrey says, grabbing my arm.  "I mean, what did you hear, exactly?"

"That you two were making out in the elevator," Adanna says from where she's been waiting for us to show up.  She heads for Trent and Sunny, rolling her eyes as she tugs on Sunny's leg.  "Wake up, lazy," she says.  Sunny snores.

"Really, why is she dating him?" I ask the group at large.  "It makes absolutely no sense."

Adanna shoots me a look that could strip flesh from bone, and suddenly I'm wondering if she's as dangerous as her dad is when mad.  I've never seen her abilities.  She probably turns into this massive panther like her dad does, right?  It'd be awesome to see it.  "I do not see how it's any of your business who I date," she says coldly.

"She doesn't like you," Emily points out.

"Yeah, I ah, picked up on that," I admit.

"You'll need to prove that you are fitting to be a super villain before I will allow you to take on the title," Adanna goes on, storming over to me and glaring at me.  "It isn't a title one takes on half-heartedly.  I'm from a long line of super villains, I won't allow you to tarnish their reputation!"

"How do you tarnish super villains' reputation?" I ask after a long period of trying to figure that one out.

"By being a second rate one!" she announces.  "You will prove yourself!"

"Adanna was raised to be a super villain," Trent tells me as Sunny yawns and slips off of his back sleepily.  "She takes it very seriously."

"But don't you NEED to be bad to be a super villain?" I ask.

"The baddest!" Adanna announces as Sunny stumbles to her side, yawning more.  "You need to wake up," she adds, poking him in the chest.  "At least long enough to get to your first hour."

I'm so confused.  It doesn't help that she looks perfectly serious about this.  Maybe that's the reason Sunny got such a babe?  Because she's crazy.  Yeah, that makes sense.

"Adanna just wants you to be the best you can be as a villain," Aubrey whispers in my ear. 

"This school is crazy," I say bluntly.  "Seriously crazy."  But I think I like it.  A little grin pulls at my lips as the panel comes up and we head in.  At least it does until I'm at the bottom of the steps and looking at Taurus, who looks far too happy carrying a bucket of quick dry cement.

"Ready to rebuild the restroom?" he asks.  "Because it's ready for you."

"Where's Justin?  He can't get out of this, right?" I demand.

"He's already there, just waiting for you," Taurus says.

"You know most schools don't make you do construction work for detention, don't you?" I complain as I follow him into the building.  "This is probably a crime."

"Not for super brats," Taurus says.  "Super brats are built for heavy lifting, especially your type.  A little bit of patch work isn't going to do a thing to you."  We stop in the hallway outside the bathroom, looking at the professional singer sitting there, staring at the ceiling.  "Giddup, time for work," Taurus says.