Help! I'm Housing a Hero

Chapter 3: Riel Can't Escape the News

          I was halfway home when the newscasters and other people started to dwindle away. I kept my mouth firmly shut and I wasn’t going to say another word. I was at the bar when the final straggler, Andrew, decided to walk away. Actually, he hadn’t been hounding me for questions or trying to get close to me. I had seen him walking a distance away as though just checking to make sure I was all right. I figured he felt bad for leaving me in the school. I couldn’t blame him, though. It was my fault for falling asleep and a professor had pulled him away. He couldn’t help that. It was protocol for professors to protect students. I glanced over my shoulder before opening the door and walked into the bar. It was already filled with drunk patrons. Most of them were glued to the television or radio and I could see clips of Hero jumping through the glass window of the school in slow motion shielding his rescuee form the glass. I rolled my eyes and went to the back for an apron and some ice when my manager rounded the corner and ran into me. I doubled over in pain.

          “Whoa, sweetheart, why are you here?”

          “To work.” I said while gasping through the pain.

          “Honey, you’re hurt. You need to go home. Ain’t you seen the news? Even with those cameras it is easy to tell something happened to you.”

          “I need the money, Hank.” I said, straightening up once the pain had dwindled, “besides, won't this story bring in customers? They’ll want’ to meet the girl Hero saved.” I said the last statement as sarcastically as I could.

          “That’s right! Big money tonight!”

           “I wasn’t being serious.” I said, not wanting to sound conceited. As if people would want to meet me. They were more interested in Hero. I was just another one of those people he rescued. I went to the back and found an apron. I wasn’t going to waste any time going to my apartment to change. I clocked in as soon as my apron was tied and I went to the ice chest. I scooped a generous helping into a plastic bag and gingerly slipped it down the side of my shirt. It was cold but would at least help the swelling. I tied my apron strings high enough to hold the bag in place under my shirt. It was uncomfortable but I’d have to bear it. Just my luck. I get rescued and injured by the same guy. Some hero he was. I listened to the radio as I pleated my hair back.

          “Earlier today the head Scientist form Moon Labs broke into a local high school searching for something he said would blow up the Earth. It is uncertain how he knew the object would be in an ordinary high school, but sources say that it could have been in one of the students’ bags possibly put there on purpose. After the signal was sent for the students to clear out of the school it seems everyone got out safely but one. Miss Riel Glace was trapped in the poison smoke-filled building for two hours. Hero, the mysterious wonder boy arrived on the scene and was seen rescuing the injured student from harm’s way. The student was identified as Riel Glace, a Junior and an honour student. We are unable to figure out how she survived the smoke but we have reason to believe Hero may have had something to do with it. Riel was surrounded by friends as soon as she was safely outside and Hero went back into the dangerous building. He then turned over the body of Dr. Pernassus moments later. The man had been killed immediately from the smoke, though sources say that the body had been injured in both the genital and stomach areas. Did our hero become defensive over this damsel in distress or is Hero not as kind as we thought? More on this story as it unfolds.”

          I groaned. Not only had they said my name, but they also got the facts all wrong. I guess it didn’t matter. I’d probably never see him again. I finished pleating my hair had fastened it with a rubber band.

          “Hey, wonder woman. Time’s ticking. We need you out here on the double.” One of the barmaids called to me through the door. We rarely needed to call more people to the front lines at this hour. I really hoped we weren’t going to be this busy all night. I walked out to my station and the bar was packed. Hank was outside playing the role of a bouncer. As soon as I made my appearance the questions started to come at me again. I wasn’t going to survive the night, I could just tell.