know, even if you and Matt are…separated…it doesn’t mean you can’t reach out. We can still have our regular Super Adjacent Club brunches.”
“Oh, yes! I love those brunches!” Anna beams, pulling on the arm of Houston’s suit. “Especially when there’s an omelet station. Or a buffet! Because then you can eat as much as you want. And breakfast food is so good! Definitely the best of all types of food.”
I laugh, thinking about what a strange trio we make for those monthly gatherings. Neither Houston nor Anna have been in the Warrior Nation world as long as I have, and when we were all getting acquainted, we joked about how weird it is to date a superhero. To be so close to so much power, but to have none of our own. And since we all signed airtight NDAs, it makes it hard to share our experiences with our actual friends, so we started venting to each other over eggs and coffee, talking about how annoying it is to be stood up for dates just because some villain is having a tantrum, or how being kidnapped always happens at the least convenient time.
“Sure, that’d be fun. I can tell you about how I got this.” I raise my cast, but before Anna can spill into another soliloquy, Aqua Maiden strides over, tossing her hair in my face as if I’m not even here.
“I’m bored,” she says to Houston, pressing her chest up against him. His face turns all kinds of red as he breaks into a goofy smile. “Art is lame. Let’s go somewhere more interesting.”
“Yeah, okay, that’s fine,” he agrees as she runs red fingernails over his chest.
“Go get my purse and call a cab.” She saunters off, the crowd parting at her whim. He gives us a little wave before heading after her like an obedient lapdog.
“Ugh, art is lame?” I scoff once they’re gone. “Houston could do so much better.”
Anna nods, giant eyes blinking in agreement. “Yeah, but you know boys! They get so flustered by hot girls, they stop thinking. I’m glad Ryan’s not like that. Or maybe he is…. Do you think he is? No, no way. I should go find him! Make sure he’s not getting distracted! There are a lot of pretty girls here. I’ll find you later, okay?” She disappears without getting an answer, and I decide I better find Matt before getting sidelined again.
The gallery is packed, making it exceedingly hard to track him down. Maybe he didn’t show? Or maybe he is here, choosing to stay invisible. After two full laps, I’ve yet to find him, so I stop at an appetizer table, lingering over the impressive selection of cheeses. After several helpings of Brie, I feel a pair of eyes on me—my least favorite sensation—and when I turn, it’s that girl who was tied to a chair with me. What was her name again? Blair?
“Oh, hey,” she says, swallowing down a chunk of gouda. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare at you.”
“Don’t worry about it, it happens more than you’d think.”
She frowns. “I bet. It must be weird. Having total strangers recognize you? I mean, I’m a WarNat through and through, but some of us are…a lot. I remember reading about what happened at your high school graduation….”
I nod. “Well, you’re not wrong. I once had a girl run up to me on the street and throw half a milk shake in my face, saying that I was a witch who put a spell on Matt and forced him to love me instead of her.”
“What? That’s awful! And what a waste of perfectly good ice cream.”
“I know. It was a tragedy on many levels.” Purple hair smoothed back into a low bun, wearing a simple but sweet polka-dotted dress, the girl beams at me, friendly and eager. I cringe at my forgetfulness and say, “I’m sorry, I feel like the biggest jerk, but what is your name again?”
“Oh! It’s Claire. Claire Rice.” She extends her hand but then lowers it, instantly realizing I can’t exactly complete a handshake with this cast.
“Nice to meet you again,” I say. “That day we met…it was a lot, and my brain is kind of a mess right now, so I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry, I get it. I heard about…your whole thing.” She grimaces, but kindly doesn’t press, quickly changing the subject. “I’ve never been to something like this before. It’s pretty cool.”
“Well, Warrior Nation loves a good party,” I say, looking around at all