"I could do this all day." Rai says staggering.
Oh jeez. He only says that when he's gonna pass out.
I have to help him, but the criminal I was fighting was hard in it's self.
"Steady Cap." I say.
"Ya, ya, I-'' Rai pants before falling down, unconscious.
"Ugh! Captain Man!" I yell. I curse under my breath when I see the other goon walk over to join in the 'fun'.
He socks me in the jaw.
"Dude, what happened to using our words?" I grumble.
They smile and continue fighting.
I realize I was losing after about a minute when I hear a feminine voice.
"That's enough." It orders. They immediately stop and grasp my wrists behind me.
"Who are you? What do you want?" I yell.
"Ghastly boys, born to yell, little secrets do they tell." The voice says. A woman dressed in black with glowing purple eyes walks towards me.
"What do you want lady?" I snapped. She clutched my chin with an acrylic, clawed hand.
I grimaced. Her hands were freezing.
"Keep no secrets, tell no lies, for nothing more do I despise." She chants. Her eyes glow brighter.
She tilts my head back and pours a vial of black liquid into my mouth.
I gag, it burns my throat like flames. The bubbling liquid brought tears to my eyes.
"No lies will come from you, only truths, honesties too." She chants. Her eyes glow darker as she pours a second, silver vial down my throat. I screamed as if I was being drowned. It felt like hell. I could barely breath.
"And finally, the final step, from now until sundown Sunday, spill the secrets you have kept." She says as her eyes become blinding. She pours a golden vial into my mouth.
Pain shoots through me. My throat felt like it was filled with lava.
She smiles.
"Let him go boys." She says.
They drop me to the ground.
"What'd you do to me." I groan though the words were staggering. I heave on all fours. I could barely breathe.
"I just loosened your lips. Now, tell me, who are you?"
I feel a sensation in my throat and eyes. I feel as though I had to tell her the truth.
Just as my will was giving out, Rai knocks them unconscious.
I sigh in relief.
Rai pulls me up.
"Hey Kid, you alright?" He asks.
I'm about to lie, yes, but something inside me forces the truth. "No, my throat really hurts and I feel like I'm about to throw up. I didn't mean to say that."
"Whoa! Your eyes just glowed purple! Wait what do you mean?"
"The witch did something. I can't lie."
"Wait, so you have to tell the truth?"
"Yes. Like then, I had to say yes."
"Hey! When you were forced to tell the truth, your eyes glowed again. Wait, oh god ok, so if someone asked you who Kid Danger is, you'd have to say you?"
Again I feel the force in my throat.
"Yes." I say. I felt my eyes tingle slightly.
"Oh no, what did the witch say, like what was the chant or whatever?"
"She said that I would only be able to tell the truth until tomorrow at sundown." I explain.
"Ok, that's not too bad. You'll just tell your mother that you're staying at the Man Cave until Sunday."
I nod.
- time skip -
"So, let me get this straight, a witch cast a spell on you can't lie?" Schwoz explains.
"That's true. Yes."
"Wait, so if anyone asks you anything, you have to tell the truth?" Jasper said.
"Yes." I say again. I feel that little tingle in my throat and eyes.
"Is that why your eyes keep glowing when you talk?" Charlotte asks.
I nod.
"How long is it going to last?" Jasper asks.
"From now until sundown tomorrow."
"Ok, cool, just call your mom and tell her that you had to stay here for the night." Rai explains.
"Uhh, sure."
"We'll just watch you to make sure you don't say anything you're not supposed to." Schwoz says.
I nod and pick up my cell.
It rings twice. I place it on speaker.
Hey Henry.
"Hi mom." I say staring at them. "I'm staying the night at work. Is that ok?" I feel my eyes tingle again at the first part.
"Why do you need to stay the night."
I feel a force in my throat.
My friends shake their heads rapidly.
"I have to stay the night so I don't reveal-'' I say forcefully as the curse takes hold.
Charlotte quickly grabs my phone as Rai pulls me down and covers my mouth.
"Hey Siren, it's Charlotte, Henry, Jasper and I have to work late doing storage. It's fine, we have a change of clothes."
"Ok Charlotte, tell Henry I said bye."
"I will." Charlotte replied.
Once she hangs up, everyone sighs in relief as Rai lets me go.
"Sorry." I apologize. I feel my eyes tingle.
"It's fine. You didn't mean to." Rai replied.
"So, if we're having a weekend here, let's have some fun with this curse you have." Jasper teased.
"Jasper, please don't." I begged.
"Were you ever going to tell me about Kid Danger?" He asks.
I feel the force.
"Eventually." I admit.
Rai's eyes widen.
"Were you going to tell me about this before or after?"
"After." I choke out. I close my eyes. This was getting old fast.
"And why after?" He insisted.
"Because you would have stopped me." I unwillingly admit.
"Damn right I would have. Sorry Jasper."
"No problem." Jasper replied.
"Right, so, you were going to tell me after you had already told him?" Rai clarified.
"Yes." I force out.
"I can't believe you Henry!"
"This was over 3 years ago!" I say.
"Well why didn't you do it?" Rai snapped.
I look away.
"Jasper found out the day after."
"Rai just drop it, that was three years ago." Charlotte snapped.
"And anyways there are so much more exciting things to ask him. Like, who do you have a crush on?"
"No one."
"Lame!" Rai called.
"Well it's true. I just don't have a crush on anyone.
The group seemed to except this considering Henry literally couldn't lie.
- time skip -
After 5 hours of teasing, poking and prodding, at Henry's, brought to the surface, light secrets, which happened to include a lot about his sister, what he really thought of his classmates, his favourite band and his desperate want for a dog.
Just as Rai was about to ask another question, a ping rung out from his phone.
He pulled it out and suddenly started grinning.
"What's up?" Jasper asked.
"Nothing to much but this girl who works at a bar I go to, who I've been flirting with for over a month, just sent me a selfie."
"Ooh! Let me see!" Jasper begged. Rai quickly flipped his phone for us to see a dark haired woman, with deep blue eyes.
"Oh she's so beautiful." Charlotte exclaimed in a very girly way.
"Oh I definitely agree." Schwoz agreed.
"You've got a nice one." Jasper said.
They all looked at me. I had been keeping my head down.
"Well? What do you think of her?" Rai asked.
"She's nice." I said.
"Nice? Nice? That's all you have to say?" Rai asked with a shocked tone. "Look at her! She's gorgeous!"
I feel the force rip through me.
"She's just not my type." I force out.
"Not your type? Not your type?" Rai presses. "How can she not be your type. Brown hair, blue eyes, fit and gorgeous, and she can make drinks."
"Like I said, not my type, but the drink thing would be useful to me next year, you know, when I'm 19." I admit. I really hope he doesn't persist. I just wasn't ready yet.
"Well If gorgeous women aren't your type, then what is?" Rai proceeds.
No!
I feel the force tear through my stomach. Just lie Hart. Fight it. Fight it.
"Guys." I gasp out.
"What do you mean guys?" Rai asked with confusion dripping from his tone.
Charlotte quickly understood.
"Rai, that's enough."
"I'm gay." I'm forced into saying. I feel the horrid tingle in my eyes, forcing them to realize I was telling the truth.
He paused for a moment. "You're gay." I briefly nodded before sprinting away.
Oh god. God damnit. Now they know. Now they know. Rai outed me. In front of my friends.
I bolt into a supplies closet and lock the door.
Tears pour down my face. They were never meant to find out like that.
I was going to tell them, but just not yet.
Charlotte's Point Of View
"You just..." Jasper started, he didn't know how to finish it.
Luckily for him, I did.
"You just outed him!" I yelled at Rai.
"I didn't mean to!" Rai begged.
"I told you to stop!" I yelled louder.
"I didn't mean to!" Rai said raising his voice.
"Do you realize how hard that was for him! How hard it would have been if he had told us on his own free will?" I snapped.
"Guys, I have to go apologize." Rai admitted.
"The hell you are! I'm going to talk to him, and if any even try, I will kill you with my bare hands!" Rai started to explain that he was indestructible. "I'll find a way!"
With that I marched off to find my best friend.
After checking multiple hiding spots, it only left the supplies closet.
"Henry? Are you in there." I asked.
"Yes." He said, followed by a string of muttered cursing.
"Can you let me in?"
"Yes."
"Will you let me in?" I persist.
"Probably not."
"Just for one minute?"
"Just a minute?" He asked. Luckily for me, I could in fact lie.
"Ya, just a minute."
"Fine."
He opens the door. I walk in and sit down next to him.
"You know we don't think of you any different." I explain.
"You don't?" He says, looking at me with sad eyes.
"No of course not. Who you love doesn't matter. Love is love." I said.
Tears rolled down his eyes. He quickly wiped them away.
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course."
We stayed there for a while, just two friends.
- time skip -
After finally coming out of the closet, both literally and figuratively, Rai, Jasper and Schwoz, all said the same thing.
For the remainder of the weekend, we just spent time together, never asking me questions.
Sorry that took so long. The next one coming out is Replaced? so, stay tuned.