By the time the final bell rang, Taylor felt like a human being again. Even if it was a human being fueled by coffee and in need of a good night's sleep. Hearing a faint ding emanate from her backpack, she pulled out a generations old, black phone. On the screen was a simple message.

My office @ ten?

Taylor replied with a confirmation and stowed the phone away. As she moved to find someplace she could slip away unnoticed, someone pulled her to a halt. Swinging around, she came face to face with Dominic.

"We need to talk," he said.

Before Taylor could assure him that they didn't, he guided her away from the chattering throng of students. He opened a door and nudged Taylor inside. It was a supply closet, metal racks lined each wall, giving off the smell of ammonium. Dominic leaned against the door, blocking the only visible exit.

"I know what you can do," he said, his green eyes pinned on her.

Taylor crossed her arms, unsettled by the intensity of his statement.

"If this is some sort of sexual advance you should know that whatever rumors you've heard are all false."

Dominic's brow furrowed. "What? No, that's not what this is about."

Taylor waved a hand around the small space. "Really? Cause you dragged me in here and then said you know what I could do. How else was I suppose to take that?"

"I meant I know about your ability," he said.

Seeing that he wasn't looking for something she wasn't offering, Taylor leaned against the metal shelving.

"Again, what are you talking about?"

Dominic scowled at her in frustration.

"Don't play dumb," he said.

"I don't have to play," she said. "I'm completely in the dark about what you're referring to."

"Seriously, I saw you."

Taylor buried her hands in her hoody. "Again, that is really vague. If you-"

"I know you can teleport."

Though nothing in Taylor's posture changed, she went impossibly still. Her brain fired off multiple reasons of how he could have known, who he would tell, what this meant. After the tidal wave of speculations was the thought of her parents learning and the crushed looks they would give her at lying to them.

"You can try and deny it," Dominic said, cutting into her silent panic. "But I saw you this morning in the office. One second you're halfway down the hallway and the next you're at the door."

Taylor swallowed hard, that at least explained the weird collision she had with the door.

"And what? You're going to tell everyone?" To her surprise, there was nothing in her tone that betrayed the fear she felt at that reality. "How many people will believe you?"

"You're not special," he said.

She knew what he was referring to but those kinds of out-there heroes lived far away, they had no grounding in their city. They were larger-than-life caricatures. You saw them on the news but not in real life.

"Besides, I don't want to give up your secret," he said.

"Oh?" The word was mocking, Taylor simply didn't believe him.

"No, I want your help."

"And if I don't help you, you'll tell the world?"

When Dominic didn't respond right away, Taylor saw that despite what he knew he was reluctant to expose her. This bought her time. She pushed herself the shelves and nodded like they had come to some agreement.

"This is where I leave," she said.

Even with knowing what he did, Dominic sidestepped to block the door handle. If she had been able to manage it, Taylor would have smirked, but energy was precious so she didn't. Instead, she simply vanished.

Taylor appeared on top of the Rivera Gym. Letting out a groan of annoyance, she rested her arms on the rough ledge and dropped her head on top. It had been four months since she had started her nightly activities and in that time no one had discovered her.

If stories got out about being helped by a hooded figure there was never any mention of her ability. There were already too many responsibilities on her shoulders without people knowing she existed. If they were made aware that there was someone who could magically save them they would call on her more. The weight of their need would break what was left of her.

Now all of the help she freely offered people could be challenged because of one slip up. One story and it was all it would take to ruin everything. Taylor wanted to curl into a ball and hide from everything. Wished that life was a bit easier.

The roar of a truck engine drew Taylor's attention to the parking lot below her. She saw a bodybuilder climb down from the cab with a duffle bag. Though she didn't know who this man was, it was a reminder to her that she was there for a reason.

Taking in a deep breath, she straightened. The problem with Dominic wasn't one she could solve right then, but training could help solve another.

Storing away her emotions over Dominic finding out, she peered over the ledge. The alleyway between the gym and the juice place next door was empty. She vanished from the rooftop and popped up again in the shade of the stone structures. The tang of overripe fruit saturated the air.

As Taylor entered the gym, the sound of metal clanging, TVs playing and rhythmic pounding of feet on treadmills swept around her. At the front desk, a petite girl that looked barely over twenty was typing away at a computer while balancing a phone against her ear and shoulder.

As Taylor approached, she glanced up and held up a finger. Taylor gave a cursory glance around but didn't spot Clint. It didn't surprise her, he had to take the long way there.

"You're all set," the receptionist said into the receiver, "your membership has been extended." A pause. "Have a great day."

She set the phone down and looked up at Taylor, a smile jumping to her face. She wore a dark blue polo with the name Tori stitched across the right side.

"What can I help you with?" she asked.

"I'm here for Clint," she said.

Tori looked to the screen, scrolling through something.

"Clint isn't working with anyone today, are you new?" she asked.

"I guess. He told me to meet him here."

Tori gave her an understanding smile. "Give me a moment and I can have this figured out."

Her nails clicked as her fingers darted over the number pad.

"Clint, hey it's me," she said. "I have someone here saying they are working with you today." Silence. A nod. "Got it. See you in five."

As she hung up, she offered another smile to Taylor. "Okay, Clint will be here in a few minutes. Do you want to get changed? I can show you around if you need help."

Taylor looked down, examining her attire as if she were just noticing it. It was basic, a pair of black jeans, a blank v-neck top, and a jacket. When she raised her head, Tori was giving her a pleasant smile.

"Yeah, this is all I got."

"Oookay," Tori said, surveying the ensemble then focusing back on Taylor. "Do you need us to provide a change of clothes for you?"

Taylor couldn't imagine what Clint had in mind could need a change of clothes. It wasn't like she was doing a full workout, simply learning how to throw a punch.

"I'm good," Taylor said.

"Alrighty then, follow me."

At a door near the back, Tori unlocked it and pushed it open.

"You'll be working with Clint in here today," she said. "Do you need anything?"

As Taylor stepped inside, she shook her head. "Nope."

"Alright, well if you find you do need anything just let me know."

Tori left, closing the door behind her. With the click, the noise of the gym outside faded. The room was covered with mirrors on three sides, with thick mats layering the floor. Above the level of mirrors were wooden plaques with gold plating.

Curious, Taylor read the inscription on the closest one. At the top was the name of a martial arts competition, first place, the name Clint Rivera, and the year. The award was from years ago when Clint must have been a little kid.

Moving onto the next plaque, Taylor found the same thing. The only difference was the title of the competition. As she moved down the line of awards, the only differences were the title and the year, the years slowly increasing. The position never changed, it was always first place.

Finally, when Taylor had made a full loop, she realized something. Though there was space, there weren't any awards from that year. Wondering if she had simply missed them, she retraced her steps, but the results were the same. The awards dropped off after the previous year.

As she mulled over the abrupt halt, Clint entered. He wore a pair of gym shorts and a shirt that showed those plaques weren't false.

"How did you get here so fast?" he asked.

Taylor shrugged, not wanting to outright lie to him. Before he could question her further, she waved a hand towards the showcase of his accomplishments.

"I guess this is your room," she said.

Clint nodded. "It's where I help train others and train myself. I figured it would be best if we didn't have the rest of the gym staring at us."

Taylor glanced at the closed door and crossed her arms.

"We can go somewhere more public if you're uncomfortable," he said.

"I'm fine."

Clint tilted his head as if assessing her answer and trying to find the weight of honesty in it. Seeming content with what he had found, he nodded and then pointed to a camera perched at the corner of the room near the ceiling.

"That is for security, make sure no one gets hurt or hurts themselves."

"Good policy." Wanting to move past the subject, she gazed over the awards. "I take it you know what you're doing," she said.

Clint's eyes flickered to the awards but didn't settle there, his expression controlled.

"Yeah. So you want to get going?" he asked, stepping out of his shoes.

Deciding to set aside her intrigue over the plaques, Taylor dropped her backpack by the side of the door along with her jacket. She slipped out of her shoes and joined Clint at the center of the mat.

"Before we start," Clint said, "there are some guidelines I want to set down first."

"Okay."

Clint crossed his arms. There was something authoritative about the gesture like he knew who he was in that room and what to expect.

"You will not use what I teach you to willfully harm another person," he said.

"Obviously."

Clint took Taylor's flippant tone in stride, but his eyes darted to her bruise, not completely believing her.

"You will not fight when you're angry," he continued. Taylor nodded, wondering if that was a basic rule, one he had learned from experience, or one he said just for her. "You will always and I mean always tell me if you can't do something or you feel any sort of strain."

"Okay."

"Finally, you will tell me if you need to stop."

Clint's eyes bore into her as if trying to imprint that last one on her skin.

"Got it."

After a beat, Clint nodded convinced. "Okay, before we get into actual defensive moves, I want to explain the mechanics of what we're doing."

Something about his voice changed, the intensity of it as he spoke his guidelines melting into something more even like the cadence of a teacher.

"The thing you need to understand is that no matter how you move, the strength behind the act needs to come from your core." He laid a hand on his stomach. "It doesn't matter if you're throwing a punch or kicking, it all comes from here. I'll show you."

As easy as breathing, he lifted his leg out to his side, holding it above his waistline. He then lifted the edge of his shirt up, displaying a tight lattice of muscles.

Part of Taylor was curious if her reaction to this six months ago would have been to blush or even make a comment because all she could do at that moment was think of how impressive his control was.

"See how this strength," Clint continued pointing to his leg. Nothing in his lecturer tone changed, making Taylor realize he did this for every male trainee he had and it never crossed his mind to change his tactics because she was a girl. "Is directly connected to this?" He pointed to his stomach.

"I do."

Clint lowered both his shirt and his leg. "Good. Cause you'll understand that when we focus on your core it's not a distraction from learning to fight, it's the key to fighting well. Now let's begin."

Clint started with moves and stretches that felt awkward to Taylor. Despite this, she threw herself into every single one giving it all she had. As time progressed, Clint added more motions, reassuring himself that Taylor was up for it every time by asking. Each time she said yes. With each new movement, Taylor could feel the weakness in her body.

When she felt like she wanted to quit she remembered the blow to her face, the anger in Vincent's eyes, the swiftness in his action. It revived her determination and she pushed on, not letting herself show her fatigue.

As they were coming to the end of an hour, Taylor felt like rubber. Breathing didn't help bring back strength and her legs were melting beneath her. On top of it all, her thoughts had become hazy. Clint rose from his crouched position, not at all weary from the workout.

"That's it for today," he said.

When Taylor tried to straighten, something was wrong. She felt the world tilt. Clint reached a hand forward and said her name, but it was too far away for Taylor to hear. As she tried to find something to support her, her knees buckled and the world went black.

**********************************************************************

What's the sitch, Wade?

(Okay, so technically that's Kim Possible and not a superhero, but if you think about it I think she's cool enough to be a superhero, also its what popped into my head.)

Sunshine Girl here and ready to listen to your thoughts! 🦸🏼🦸🏽‍♂️🦹🏾

Okay! What are your favorite superhero catchphrases or movie quotes because I'll use them as my greetings! So let's hear them!

(Side note: I totally pictured this book taking place in the Marvel universe. Did you catch my small reference?)

Also I need to take the time to geek out for a second, so bear with me or leave, I honestly won't know the difference since I'm lost in my bubble of geekiness!!

My cover is an original! So a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...wait that's not right. Wrong genre. A few months back, I came up with the design for this book cover and did a very rough drawing of it and posted it on my Instagram (Joymoment). I asked people if someone wanted to make it look better than the sad representation that I had done.

That's when the amazing iBePotato (or Wolk.burrito which is her Instagram name if you want to go support her) made me this brilliant cover!! It brought my idea to life and I'm not gonna lie I have it as my phone wallpaper because it makes me so happy!

You agree with me, right? This cover is epic!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!! I love it so much!!!! I feel so honored that I have talented and generous people in my life that are willing to do this for me!

This is my very rough design. Thank goodness for people with talent!