HEROES & SIDEKICKS ▹ W. PEACE [✔]

five.

As predicted, Dwayne gave Astrid an hour-long speech about her family history and how her parents and grandparents were the ones responsible for their own fall. Then, he began to tell her about his struggles to become a hero and his decision to raise her to be good.

She listened to everything quietly, knowing that nothing she said would reassure him. He was overreacting quite a bit, but she knew where he was coming from for being part of a family of supervillains and fearing that she'd follow the same path.

After that, she was sent to bed with a prohibition to go out with Warren for the next month.

"And then he gave me that sad puppy face," she finished reporting past night's event to Warren at school.

"A month," he breathed mournfully.

She chuckled lightly at his dramatics. "Come on," she bumped their shoulders, "we can do this. At least we can spend some time together at school."

"I honestly thought he'd get angrier rather than... Heartbroken."

"Nah, that's more like your mom."

"Ugh, don't tell me," he rolled his eyes. "She yelled a lot about my father, telling me not to make the same mistakes he did. A lot of what she said was the same as what Dwayne told you. I'm pretty sure they talked to each other before we arrived home."

"At least they didn't say anything about not going to homecoming," Astrid pointed out. "Not that either of us would get utterly disheartened by it, but I thought it'd be nice to go."

"I hope you don't expect me to wear a tux," Warren commented.

"Only if you don't expect me to wear a dress," she shot back.

They shared a smirk.

"Do you think we can see each other during my shift on the days your uncle returns home late?" Warren wondered, not letting go of the reality of having no dates for the next month.

"I'm sure Dwayne and your mother already thought about that. They most likely informed Mrs. Lee about our predicament; if not, your mother will likely call the restaurant to check out if I'm not there as well."

"They do know us pretty well," he grumbled, just as Mr. Medulla arrived.

🔥

"Rays!" Exclaimed the big-headed teacher more emphatically than necessary. "From the silliness of the Shrink Ray to the devastation of the Death Ray. These are the very foundations of Mad Science."

A knock on the class door interrupted him, and Warren and Astrid exchanged a look as Will showed up.

"Yes. They told me you were coming," Mr. Medulla couldn't sound more unenthusiastic. "Unfortunately, all the lab partners are taken. I suppose I could pair you with my teaching assistant." He glanced at the pink-wearing girl at the back of the room. "Miss Grayson? My apologies."

Will stared dazedly at Gwen as she smiled sweetly at him, and Astrid had to control herself so she wouldn't barf.

"Come on!" The mad scientist urged him inside. "Quickly. Quickly, quickly. Feet! You stepped on my foot!"

Will rushed to the empty seat beside Gwen, not even noticing that Astrid and Warren were in the same class as he passed by them. But what she thought really rude was not apologizing for stepping on the feet of your teacher. Manners, man!