The Anthem Force Chronicles

"Really not such a bad guy."

“Wow Anthem Girl, nice for you to show up.”

Nightshade was sitting on the ledge of the building when I had got there. I had come on patrol as soon as it had turned dark out.

“Were you waiting for me or something?” I asked defensively, as I hadn’t been doing something similar the night before.

“Yep,” He said bluntly, “I wanted to show you something.”

“Ok,” I started, “First things first. One, why would I ever go anywhere with you and two, why in the world did you kiss me last night?”

“Oh please Anthem Girl, stop denying it, you know you like me so you can stop acting suspicious. And as for the kiss... I felt like it.” He said the last part with a smirk.

“I don’t like you, but I don’t exactly hate you,” I muttered truthfully, “But you can’t just go kissing people whenever you want, a kiss is supposed to mean something.”

Nightshade looked very pleased with himself that he had finally gotten me to admit I didn’t totally hate his guts.

“Maybe I kissed you because I like you,” Nightshade smiled, raising his eyebrows as if daring me to wonder about that possibility.

I stuck my tongue out at him. “Quit it with the mush, what did you want to show me?”

“It’s a surprise, you’re going to have to follow me.”

Follow your supposed arch enemy to his “surprise.” No hero in there right mind would ever do something that stupid, I mean the odds of it being a trap…

“-Ok,” I answered, surprising myself. Nightshade looked equally surprised but nodded. Why did I get myself into these things? I had to be the worst hero in the history of heroes. Seriously, the odds of this being a trap… I sighed mentally. My curiosity was always getting the better of me, putting me in bad situations.... but Nightshade- well he didn’t seem all bad.

“Try and keep up.” Nightshade ran across the roof and leapt over to the neighboring building. Once he landed he turned back to make sure I would follow. I did and when I landed he kept going.

We ran for what seemed like hours and my legs started to feel like they were going to fall off; but I never stopped, I wouldn’t give Nightshade that satisfaction.

We were in downtown Anthem, the skyscrapers towered so high to the point you almost couldn’t see the sky. Nightshade led me to some sort of back alleyway and into a service elevator to some unknown building. The whole ride up was silent except for both of ours labored breathing.

When I got out of the elevator I gasped. We were on the roof of the building and you could see the entire city from where we were standing. It had to be the most amazing view in all of Anthem; much better then my bedroom window.

“This is the Adenine Building, tallest in all of Anthem City.” Nightshade spoke, standing next to me, admiring the view.

Usually my fear of heights would have me in the fetal position by now but the view was so spectacular I barely noticed. I tried to find my house to no prevail and then studied the lights reflecting on the water from the remaining bridge.

We stared silently for a few more minutes before I realized something- Nightshade was standing right next to me and for the first time I wasn’t trying to hurt him.

“Why did you bring me up here,” I asked, my voice soft. Nightshade turned to look at me and for the first time I was able to see that his eyes were a chocolaty shade of brown, clashing with his dark black mask.

“It’s my favorite place in the whole city; I come here when I want to get away from everything.”

“I can see how it’d be good for that.”

“I’ve never taken anyone up here.”

That caught me by surprise. “I’m the first person? Why me?”

Nightshade chuckled. “I don’t know, I just feel like you’d appreciate it… I know it’s weird Anthem Girl but I feel like I can relate to you.”

He could relate to me? This was wrong. He was a bad guy. I was the good guy. So why did being here with him feel so right?

“I can relate to you too.” I admitted. He knew what is was like to not have powers and not Brian or Ricky or even Luke could understand that.

Nightshades hand gently touched mine and I jerked back by the sudden contact. Nightshade rolled his eyes as if to say “really?” so I reached back and grabbed his hand, mainly out of spite.

I swore I saw a hint of blush on his cheeks. Did I do that? Did the dark and mysterious Nightshade really blush over little ol' Anthem Girl? I felt a huge grin of accomplishment spread across my face and Nightshade narrowed his eyes at me.

All was silent, only the subtle roar of traffic whispered in the background. For that moment, it felt like Nightshade and I were the only two people in the world. Nightshade leaned in, and I knew what was coming- and I let it.

His lips didn’t brush mine, they attacked them. My lips moved with his, my tongue twirling with his own. Nightshade flipped me around and sat me on the balcony. Fear rushed through me as I imagined leaning back but I didn’t cower, I embraced it. Wrapping my legs around him I laced my arms around his neck. One of his hands ran up my back while the other gripped my hair. The kiss was fiery, passionate, amazing- but then why did I feel so guilty, as if I was betraying Luke? 

“This is wrong,” I wasn’t the one to pull away, it had been Nightshade.

“Huh?” I crinkled my face in confusion; I mean I was about to do the same thing but I hadn’t expected it from him. Had I done something wrong?

“It’s not you, it’s just-“Nightshade ran his hand through his hair, looking a loss for words, “I kind of like someone else.”

After being denied like that, some girls would get upset but I felt relief. Nightshade was exciting but it was all lust and the fact was the kiss with Nightshade made me realize something, lust is nothing compared to love, and I was in love with Luke. I was in love with Luke. Luke my best friend since I joined Anthem force. I was in love with Luke.The thought played over and over in my head, as if it had been there all along but I had really never paid much attention to it. Now if only Luke would start acting normal again... 

“It’s cool-,” I started, “-really, I understand. But you know its kinds of funny.”

It was Nightshade’s turn to look confused.

“I mean the whole situation is funny,” I started again, “Most jerky guys probably would have kissed the other girl even if he liked someone else, you know because they really wouldn’t care. And here you are and you are legitimately a ‘bad guy’ and you think it’s wrong.”

Nightshade gave me a look, obviously he wasn't following my rambling. 

"I'm just saying that for a bad guy you have suprisingly high moral standards." 

Nightshade laughed, “Anthem Girl, I know you think I’m a ‘bad guy’ but I’m really not such a bad guy.”

I rolled my eyes and went back to get one last look at the view, but deep down- I believed him.