The Anthem Force Chronicles

Date Night

“So how have you been?” I ask in between huge bites, “I mean besides the superhero stuff. I feel that’s all we ever get to talk about: beating up bad guys and super drug problems.” 

“I’m alright I guess,” he says, “It sucks going back to school and... well my brother’s back in town.”

“Damian, right? He’s taking a break from the Ultrealeague?” 

“Yah. He’s been here five days and I already want shoot him with a lightning bolt,” Keith grumbles, “All he does is brag about how perfect he is and put down Anthem Force whatever chance he gets. Like nothing I do will ever compete with him.”

Woah, Keith’s never opened up to me like that. Most of our conversations started with “I bet I can beat you at-.”

“Sometimes families just don’t get it, you know?” Keith says. 

My mind goes off to my mother. “Yah, I know the feeling.” 

Keith smiles at me and I smile back and for the first time part of me feels like this could maybe, just maybe, actually work out. 

And then there’s a huge crash as a car flies through the window. 

I react on instinct, zooming out of my seat at super speed. Before I know it I’m standing in the middle of the restaurant holding a crinkled up car in my hands. If the other people in the restaurant weren’t staring, they are now. 

I gently set it down to the side while Keith comes running up next to me. 

“What’s going on?” he says. Everyone’s began running out of the bar, causing havoc, but I can make out in the distance a figure picking up another car. 

“Trouble,” I say, “Looks like we’re going to have to cut our date short.”

“Date?” Keith says. 

I look at him with wide eyes. Oops. So not a date then? 

“I mean, uh, friend date... er, friends having dinner... um let’s go stop the villain,” I mumble. Shoot, way to screw it up. Everything was going good to before this dude decided to throw a car threw the window. Now I was going to have to fight crime and I look way too cute tonight to throw any punches. The one time I forget my uniform too... 

Couldn’t crime just take one night off? In the name of love? 

“Yah,” Keith smirks, “It wouldn’t be an official date unless we beat someone up.”

Ah! I resist the urge to jump up and down and clap my hands. It was a date! 

Instead I pull him into a big hug. 

“Uh, Andy,” he murmurs, “Too hard.”

I set him back on the ground, “Sorry! Now let’s go save the city.”

I run off first, Keith following in my footsteps. 

Theres a big hulk of a guy picking up objects from the street and throwing them around. A super, definitely, and by the looks of it super strength. Scanning closer I can make out the telltale black goo running down his arms. Formula X. Another user gone haywire. This is not a good sign and Radley will flip when he hears. 

The hulk guy grabs off light pole and crumples it up into a tight ball, he then hurls it at me. 

I manage to dive to the side, at the last minute as the ball explodes into a parked car. A small flame flickers on my shorts and I rush to put it out. Lexi will kill me if I ruin her clothes. 

“Manuever 14!” I shout to Keith. From across the plaza, where he is avoiding debris, he nods. Keith runs at me, fully charged with electricity running down his spine and jumping off his palms. When we meet, I grab him by the arms and begin swinging him around, ignoring the tingle of electricity. 

When we build up enough momentum I fling Keith at the villain. He’s a supercharged human missile and when he crashes into the villain the hulk dude cries out in pain as electricity pulses out of his body. 

The hulk guy falls to the ground, out for the count, and Keith takes a few wobbly steps. “I... ouch...That one makes me dizzy...” he gurgles. I zoom over at super speed to steady him. 

“Sorry, next time I’ll pick a more Keith friendly maneuver. Although you had to admit it looked pretty cool,” I smile. Someone must have called the cops because the police arrive at the scene and begin to lock up the villain. 

“Don’t apologize,” Keith says as he regains his balance, “We make a pretty good team.”

“Yah,” I grin, “We do. So you ready to go finish those burgers?” 

I grab Keith by the arm, leading him back to the half destroyed grill. Everyone still remaining watches us as we walk back in. We sure know how to make a scene. 

Keith sits down and takes a huge bite of his burger. A roll of chili slops down his cheek. I giggle, motioning for him to wipe it off. Keith looks confused, reaching up with his napkin and completing missing the spot. 

Before long I’m laughing out loud. “Here, let me,” I say as I reach out with my napkin and dab the chili off his face. For a moment, our eyes lock, and although we’re in rough and tumble joint in the bad part of town and just got attacked by a super villain and covered in chili, this moment is absolutely perfect.