13: Guarded

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The whole rest of the day, I can't stop thinking about Jeremy.
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I mean...more than usual.
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He must hate me.
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He probably never wants to talk to me again.
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EVER.
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"...Helloooo? Earth to Aarynn!" Jamilla's waving her hand over my face.
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"Huh? Sorry...Were you saying something?"
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"What's with you anyway? You've been out of it all day."
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I shrug without really responding.
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"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up!" Jamilla's face brightens, then she leans in and whispers in my ear: "I have something for you. Let's go to the Star House."
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School's finally over, so I nod and we both get on our bikes.
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. . .
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On the way to the Star House, I feel like someone's following us.
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I keep glancing over my shoulder, but no one's there.
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Maybe I'm just being paranoid...
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. . .
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When we get there, I do a double-take when I see Jeremy sitting on the front steps waiting for us.
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"Jeremy?! What are you—"
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"Look, I'm just here to make sure you don't do anything stupid, okay?"
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He picks up the green fire extinguisher he brought with him.
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Wait...why is it green?
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Then I notice the familiar leaf symbol.
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"Huh. I didn't know LIVEcorp makes fire extinguishers now."
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"Oh, yeah...the stuff inside is 100% organic. Pretty cool, right?"
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"Not as cool as what I brought for Aarynn...TA DAAA!"

Jamilla reaches into her backpack and pulls out a black surgical mask and a black hoodie with a biohazard symbol painted on the hood.
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"What's that for?"
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"It's your superhero disguise, duh!"
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"Jamilla, I told you, I don't want to be a superhero!"
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"But...but you at least need to keep your identity guarded when you're using your laser eyes. You gotta practice and learn how to control it."
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"I ALREADY have control over it!"
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**ZZAP!!**
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Jamilla ducks just in time to avoid being vaporized.
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"Oops...Fine, gimme the mask."

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