Guide to Being a Superhero...'s BFF (Guide to Being, Novella One)

WANTED: Modern Cupbearer

We all dream about our futures. What we will do, who we will be, who we will love. As we grow older, those dreams change. Whether into plans or out of mind, they shift. But there are some things you don't see coming. Things you once deemed impossible.

And then, you're a superhero's best friend.

I sifted through my purse, trying to pay and stay on the phone at the same time, "Kim, you only just had those stitches removed."

"I know. I know," Kim's usually melodic voice sounded scratchy. "I'll be okay, Mira."

"No. Okay, you need a serious break. You've been working nonstop for months," I slid my credit card through the machine.

"Orion hasn't stopped."

"Orion is a supervillain. Have you ever seen a supervillain do anything? No. They just spend their days lounging around on their stupid gaudy thrones trying to look intimidating," I smiled wearily at the cashier.

There are many things the movies don't tell you about being a superhero's best friend. And especially how they overlook the absolutely ridiculous, disappointing, and annoying reality of supervillains!

The first few had been actual threats. Cosima, West, Icarus. They had all almost succeeded in taking over the country and had killed hundreds. Icarus had nearly started a nuclear war.

Two years ago.

Two years ago.

Back when Kim and I'd been in our second year of college, and I didn't know she was Firebird. (That had been a conversation let me tell you.)

It had been two years since a real supervillain had arisen!

But oh no, now the city needed 'Firebird' for everything. Including little idiot upstarts who hardly knew how to use their powers. Not something my bestie needed on top of finals.

Honestly, it wasn't something I needed on top of finals. While no one had discovered Firebird's identity, someone (who I swear I will find and water gun their house with glitter glue one day) had realized I was her best friend. Thus, idiotic upstarts kidnap me on a regular basis.

(Yes, my fellow superhero best friends, this is your life now. Sorry. Hold on tight and learn some snarky comebacks.)

And with Orion around . . . yeah. He had been fighting Kim for the past three months and hadn't gotten me yet. But they always did. Always. It would be my thirteenth time. Honestly, as bad as it sounds, it was mostly just inconvenient. I'd only been in real danger twice. And boy, Kim had not been happy. She'd made those two eat her dust. So, I found it unlikely that it would happen again. The supervillains seemed to only grow in stupidity and cheese. Still, I hated being kidnapped. Especially when I needed to study!

Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You' started playing over the store's speaker. I picked up my groceries.

"What are you going to do at Christmas? You'll be leaving your 'post' to go home."

"About that . . ."

"Kim!"

"I'm kidding, Mira," Kim's scratchy laugh made me blow out a breath. "So stop berating me. I'm taking a break soon enough."

"I'm more worried about your future beyond college," I grumbled. "We've got Dead Week coming up."

"Gosh, don't remind me."

I made an agreeing grimace and walked out into the cold December air. I frowned at a girl getting into her car.

"Kim . . . should I get dreads?"