Saving a Superhero

TEASER

Y'all know how I was so excited to announce my newest superhero novel in my last author's note? Well here's the teaser and a new and improved synopsis of *drumroll*

The first rule of Superhero School: Don't call it Superhero School.

Anna Green is not good at Superhero School. In fact, she's the worst student at Paramount Lake Academy for Troubled Youth. She can barely hold her own in hand to hand combat class, she interrupts every teacher's lessons, and she barely has a gift. Not to mention that she breaks rule number one daily.

Since her best friend went rogue three years ago, Anna has been the queen of her misfits at PLA. And she can't wait to graduate in two weeks and finally walk away from the worst twelve years of her life. But when finals week takes a turn for the worst and the graduating class finds themselves abandoned by their school, it's up to Anna and her band of misfits to prove their worth.

AND THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR (MORE LIKE THE MOMENT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR) AN EXCLUSIVE SCENE FROM THE VIGILANTE'S HANDBOOK!

My mouth full of sandwich wasn't a deterrent from talking, not much kept me from chattering, especially when I was nervous.

That's why Miguel was the perfect choice of friends--he didn't talk at all.

Scratch that. Miguel spoke so rarely that it was like he didn't talk at all. In the twelve years I had known him within the walls of the academy, Miguel had said exactly five words to me. One of those was more of a noncommittal grunt, but I liked to count it. It made the number of words he's spoken to me higher than the amount he's spoken to any of my friends.

First had been the day the academy rescued/kidnapped with permission/adopted me. (I'm not sure what my legal status at Paramount Lake was). I had offered a handshake, a smile, and my name. I got a barely there handshake and the grunt in return.

Then he finally told me his name six weeks later after I had learned it from his two cousins who were also at Paramount Lake. "Miguel Castillo."

Finally he had whispered a few words to me when I left for my first internship six months ago. "Be safe." Of course, that's what everyone told me, not that I needed it. My vigilante internship had been two weeks of filing damage reports and poor attempts at public relations with a well established vigilante team. But everyone had been so worried because poor Ava Green  hadn't left her room, let alone the campus, and of course not the city in over a year. Miguel's words would had faded into the rest of the chorus had he been as chatty as everyone else. When he chose to speak, people listened.

Julien playfully suggested I take a page from his book and learn to keep my mouth shut every once in a while. That had earned him the cold shoulder and no good night kiss, even if he had been right. Sometimes my chatty nature got me into unpleasant situations that could have been avoided. Example one being my talk with Miss Freyson.

With a whopping four words and a grunt under his belt, it was not worrisome or unusual in the slightest when mine and Miguel's post-lunch, pre-test snack passed without him saying anything.

"You're testing today too?"

A nod. I imagined it would have come with a drawled, "Duh," if he wanted to talk. I already knew it, because we always tested the same days, but it felt rude to not ease into a conversation with pleasantries and questions to which everyone already knew the answer. As far as I knew, that was how conversation worked.

"Do they know what your power is?"

He narrowed his eyes.

"If you insist. Do they know what you gift is?"

A noncommittal shrug.

"You're no fun. Are you ever going to show me?"

An even more noncommittal shrug.

"I'll take that as an improvement over last month's lack of response."

That was another strange things about Miguel--one of many, may I add: no one knew what his gift was. I could list the characteristics and restrictions of each of my fellow students gifts like it was nothing. There was no reason to hide them after all. Not when we were safe inside the walls of the Academy. But Miguel liked to maintain his reputation as the school enigma, so I didn't push the topic.

A robotic voice called my name over the cafeteria intercom.

"Must be my turn." I stood and stretched enough that my spine audibly cracked. The noise made Miguel wince and rub his back in sympathy pain. "Want me to wait to catch the bus back to the apartment with you?"

He shook his head.

"Let me rephrase that. I don't want to walk home alone and left my bus pass at home this morning. Can I wait around for you and bum a ride off yours?"

This time he gave a nod, no sign of hesitation.

My name was repeated over the intercom, this time with instructions to report to the nurse's office immediately.

"Catch you later, Miguel." I added the uneaten half of my sandwich to his place and threw my trash away on the way out.

Last minute, I turned to see him wave his goodbye. I shot back finger guns that made him smile to himself. It was an assurance that my constant presence and perpetually offered friendship was the product of mutual enjoyment and not an annoyance he suffered through. You can never be too sure around someone who wouldn't tell you off for being too talkative.

Still facing him and as covertly as possible, I slipped my bus pass deeper into my back pocket, where I had stashed it after I caught the bus to the academy this morning.

Who could this Miss Freyson be? Certainly not Rory Freyson, Eon of the Nova City Vigilantes herself? I promised a cameo.

Head over to my profile (@thespacedork ) now to add the teaser to your reading list so you can be the first to read this brand new superhero adventure and read the official teaser scene!