﹙ TAKE A BITE ★ ﹚

CHERRY MOVED THROUGH THE CROWD IN THE HALLWAY!

Her best friend, Aria Da Silva, walked beside her. Both girls peered down at their schedules, noses crinkled with dissatisfaction.

"I'm not ready to be a junior. I'm gonna go home." Aria decided, which earned a deadpan look from the other girl.

"Class hasn't even started yet." Cherry scolded until she caught a glimpse of Hartley coming down the hallway with a bright yellow hat in hand.

She immediately turned on her heel to disappear in the other direction. If Hartley caught her, she'd be forced into yet another Sunshine Club activity.

Aria grabbed her by her backpacks handle loop, yanking her back.

"Good morning!" Hartley greeted, dragging two fellow juniors behind her. "Just wanted to introduce you guys to some friends."

Cherry let out a dramatic groan but then straightened up and offered her hand out to the girl standing behind her friend.

That left Aria to shake the boy's hand, who smelled vaguely of some sort of nostalgic scent. She tilted her head as her brain scrambled together to figure out just who she was looking at.

"Do I know you?" Aria questioned.

He almost yelped at her curiosity. "No. I'd remember someone with a face like that." He told her and then realized how terrible that sounded. "You're beautiful is what I meant to say."

"I'm Amy Madden. The dude talking to himself is my brother, Jake." Amy introduced, gesturing to herself.

"She's got another brother around here." Hartley informed, glancing around the hallway to try to point him out.

"Colby." Amy confirmed. "I tell everyone he's adopted."

"He's a sophomore too. Maybe you could show him around?" Hartley suggested, practically bouncing off the walls.

"I totally would!" Cherry replied, copying her friend's enthusiastic tone. "But I don't want to."

The bell rang as her denial echoed in Hartley's ears.

All of them said their goodbyes, some more willing than others. Aria only gave a half-wave as she walked away. Her priority was trying to recognize that strange, lanky guy.

Cherry settled into her seat at the back of the classroom in the middle of the second to last row. The perfect placement to not be called on so often, if ever.

Before she knew it, her head was hitting her arms, her eyes shutting.

The night before, she and Aria were defeating villains until the early dawn. She yawned into her elbow.

Colby supposed he had to attend at least one period before skipping the entire day, just so he was marked present.

He showed up half an hour late and stood over some kids seat in the back row until he moved.

His eyes searched the walls for anything entertaining. He counted the ceiling tiles and then pulled a TechDeck out of his pocket.

Suddenly, his gaze fell onto the figure sitting in the desk in front of his. They were slumped inside their seat. What caught his eye was the baggy material on their legs. He read the red print on the back pocket, Empyre.

This dude is wearing the same jeans as me, Colby thought. Copycat.

The board flipped out of his fingers, flying straight at the dude. Colby didn't muffle his laughter as he watched the toy hit the persons hood-covered head.

Instead of apologizing, he almost snorted. He was almost stunned into silence when around turned quite possibly the most beautiful girl he'd ever see in his entire life.

He would've been embarrassed if he had enough time to react. He traced the loops of her crimson hair.

The girl peered into his eyes for one second before kicking the tiny board away from her and across the floor.

Hartley sat on the couch in the Madden's living room, her eyes focused on the TV screen. They were watching Catching up with the Supers, to the dismay of the family full of ex-villains.

They couldn't do much but leave snide remarks every so often. What could rationalize their hatred? Sorry, I hate justice!

Starling, a superhero, held up a pair of shoes. "And even though I'm a superhero with incredible powers, I just want what every other girl wants. Good friends, social media likes, and for all of you to buy my new Starling Light-Up High Tops!"

"I'm pretty sure girls want more things than that." Another superhero commented under her breath.

The only reason any of the Maddens could stand to watch the show was because they were hate-watching.

The camera shifted scenes to the same superhero sitting in what appeared to be a confessional booth. "I don't actually care what Starling wants. I just like to argue with her."

A title card was located at the top bottom left side of the screen. Amy crinkled her nose in recognition at the red-haired superhero.

Aurora, who possessed the power of elemental mastery and was more often than not, mistaken for a vigilante.

"Aurora comes in here everyday like we're on Baddies." Another superhero commented from their own booth.

Vindicate, a superhero with the ability to manipulate minds. It would've been a horrifying skill if she wasn't committed to using it for good.

Hartley gushed on and on about her adoration for the heroes while the girls under the masks were standing on the front porch.

Cherry put her hand on her friend's shoulder.

Aria almost jumped at the greeting. "Oh my god! Give me a warning next time."

"Why are you being a creep?" Cherry questioned as she joined her in staring through the window.

"I'm not being a creep."

"You're staring through their window. I'm pretty sure that's being a creep."

"Why are you here?"

"Hartley wanted me to drop this off. I don't know for what."

Cherry retrieved a board game from her tote bag and glanced through the window again. They didn't look like the type to sit around a table and enjoy a round of Monopoly.

Aria nodded, following her gaze. "If I told you there was something off about them, would you think I was crazy?"

"No, I already think that of you." Cherry told her.

"Be serious!"

"I mean, maybe they're just really antisocial?"

"No way the whole family except that kid is a cynic. Plus, they just got here last week and Hartley asked them questions and none of them had the same answer."

Cherry sighed and knocked on the door, gesturing for Aria to come to her side.

Jake pulled the front door open, offering them a nervous smile as a greeting. "Hey. You're here. With your friend. Hi."

"Yeah. Hi." Cherry nodded, awkwardly. "Is Hartley in there? She asked me to drop this off for you guys."

"Yeah, she's totally fine. She's just in the bathroom! Cone in, I'm sure she'll be right back!" He said, his voice raising in pitch.

Aria stepped into the living room, whispering something about him being shady.

The Maddens had moved from Centropolis after going against Onyx, the leader of all villains. If anyone found out about their identities, they could be ratted out.

The authorities could come looking for them, or worse, Onyx himself.

Jake was making a real attempt to better himself, to see the good in other people. His family was repulsed by the idea of being anything except evil.

Colby Madden, the youngest, finally unlocked a power. Shapeshifting. He'd shape-shifted into Hartley after Amy had sent her into another dimension.

"Here's your game." Cherry greeted Hartley, handing over the box. "Oh, I brought the sweater you left at my house, too."

She turned to face the coffee table, setting her bag down as the lights flickered.

"Can I use your bathroom?" Aria asked Jake, who stumbled over the directions.

While she was snooping upstairs, Cherry was digging through her bag. Colby was trying to control his shapeshifting but he kept moving between forms.

Aria returned at the same time that Cherry looked up. They both swore they saw two Hartley's standing side by side until the lights shut off.

When they came back on, Cherry narrowed her eyes at the sight of the brown-haired boy who'd thrown a skateboard at her head earlier. He grinned at her and she scoffed.

"Guys, I swear, you will not believe what just happened-" Hartley began as she encased Cherry in a hug. "-At the Sunshine Club meeting. I'll tell you both all about what you missed later."

Aria pretended to be swayed as Cherry handed over the girls sweater. She knew what she saw.

Amy and the rest of the Madden family took a deep breath. Hartley hadn't told them about her finding out their villain secret. She promised to not say a word.