A few hours have passed, and Darklite has assembled his Reciprocity elite in the second conference room, also on the seventh floor.
Darklite sits at the head of the table, with Smart Mouth
on his left and Whip Cream his right. Phonebook sits next to Whip Cream while
she has White Walls on the line; White Walls was ordered to stick close to
Homeboy after the encounter with Siro.
Babel is across from Phonebook, next to Smart Mouth. Look
Out sits by Babel, and ATM sits by Phonebook. Mountain sits by ATM, and
Fast-Pace would be sitting next to Mountain, except for all the pacing.
“Would you sit down?” Mountain says to him.
“There’s something I’m not getting here,” Fast-Pace says,
still pacing.
“They probably found us because of how that teleporter
works,” Smart Mouth says. “Something Siro was wearing. He might’ve even hoped
to get caught just so we’d bring him here. Like a freakin’ Trojan horse.”
“That’s not what I’m confused about,” Face-Pace says.
“Though, we probably should’ve been more careful. I’m angry about The Spektrum.”
Fast-Pace points a finger at Mountain.
“He knew The Spektrum was alive,” Fast-Pace says. “But
how would he know that? How would anyone know that? How didn’t I know that, when I’m the one who had
been picking the kid up for the missions we gave him and all the others?”
“It was need-to-know,” Darklite says.
“And I didn’t need to know?!” Fast-Pace shouts. “But
Mountain did? Who else ‘needed to
know?’ Who else knew that The Spektrum didn’t actually die that day?”
Fast-Pace looks around the table, and in time, Phonebook,
Whip Cream, Smart Mouth and ATM raise their hands.
“I’d raise my hand, too, if I were there,” White Walls
admits sheepishly over the phone.
“So the only ones other than me were Babel and Look
Out?!” Fast-Pace says, completely shocked.
But then Fast-Pace realizes something.
“Where’s Shoot Out?” he asks. “Shouldn’t we all be here for this?”
Look Out looks to Darklite, but Darklite stays focused on
Fast-Pace.
“Shoot Out’s special assignment prevents him from coming
in right now,” Darklite says.
“Even an emergency like what we just went through?”
Fast-Pace counters.
“Need I point out that White Walls is also still at her
post?” Darklite counters back.
“You know, I haven’t seen him since I last dropped him
off,” Fast-Pace says. “In California.”
Look Out looks at Darklite more sternly, but Darklite
still focuses on Fast-Pace.
“It is none of your concern,” Darklite says, almost to
Look Out as much as to Fast-Pace. “Phonebook assures me he still makes his
reports as needed.”
“I think it’s still of my concern,” Look Out speaks up. “He is my younger brother, after
all.”
Darklite sighs, and finally looks at Look Out.
“Your brother is fine,” Darklite says. “Even before the
Power Surge, he trained to be able to survive many environments.”
“And yet since the Power Surge, you’ve been treating him
differently,” Look Out says. “He’s practically become your favorite, over your
own kids.”
Both Whip Cream and Smart Mouth sneer at him, but
Darklite gets them to stop by simply raising his hands off the table.
“I’m just going to come out and ask,” Fast-Pace says as
he leans with both hands on the far end of the table. “Did you have Shoot Out
assassinate The Spektrum?”
Look Out and Fast-Pace both intensely stare at Darklite
while the others glance between the ends of the table.
Sunday morning returns, and with it, the congregation of
Alameda Baptist returns to church.
The Mizakis arrive just before the Michaels, and Zoey
hangs back at the door, waiting for Steven.
“Good morning,” she says.
“Morning,” he says back.
“How was your Saturday?” she asks.
“Good,” he says. “Got a lot of homework done.”
“Oh, yeah, me, too,” Zoey says. “How did you do on drawing
those parametric graphs for Pre-Calc?”
“Oh, that was fun,” he says with a chuckle and some
sarcasm. “I’m not the best artist, so for the perfect circle, I had to find
something I could trace and then just fit my scale to it.”
“Really?” she giggles. “What did you use?”
“A penny,” he says. “It helps that pennies are smooth
around the outside.”
“Why do some coins have those ridges?” she asks.
“I’m not sure.”
“Maybe I can search for it,” Zoey says as she brings her
phone out of her jacket pocket.
“Ah ah,” her dad says from the doorway to the sanctuary.
“No phone during church, remember?”
“Ugh, Dad, the service hasn’t started yet,” she says.
“Just let me check something.”
Her dad frowns at her, and she grumbles.
“Okay,” she says, putting her phone away. “I’ll try to
remember later.”
Steven chuckles as the two of them start walking over.
“Oh, hey,” she says. “Do you want to sit together?”
“During-” they both say, stopping to chuckle when
they realize they spoke at the same time.
“Sorry,” Steven says. “You were saying?”
“I was going to suggest during Sunday school, now that we
have one,” Zoey says. “But if you want, yeah, you can sit upstairs with us. Me
and my friends, and now my cousins. Some of the guys from youth group do sit up
there, but on the other side of the aisle.”
“Does Shaun usually sit up there?” he asks.
“Yes,” Zoey says. “Though, not lately. He sits with his
parents more now.”
“Oh. Well, let me ask my parents if it’s okay.”
“Of course,” Zoey says.
Zoey waits by the stairs while Steven goes around from
the outside to the pew where his family sits.
“Mom, Dad,” he whispers.
“Hm?” his mom responds.
“Uh, I was going to sit with Zoey and her friends, if
that’s okay?”
“Zoey?” she says.
“Yeah,” he says.
“Where does she usually sit?”
“Up in the balcony. Her cousins also sit up there, and
some of the other kids from the youth group. So… Can I? We’ll all be going to
the youth group Sunday school class, anyway.”
“Alright, yes,” she says.
“Thanks,” he says before bolting back over to Zoey.
“Okay,” he says to Zoey, a little out of breath.
Zoey giggles, and blushes ever so slightly, before
leading the way up.
For all the years Steven and his family have gone to this
church, he can’t remember the last time he went up these stairs. They reach the
top, and Zoey’s friends and cousins are already there. He isn’t nervous about
them, it’s more the guys sitting on the other side. He isn’t sure which one is
Shaun.
“Oh,” Karina says in surprise as Zoey and Steven walk
over.
“Shush,” Zoey says as she and Steven walk past Alicia,
Marina, Chloe, Karina and Jeff, in that order from right to left of the front
row.
Zoey goes to the second row and Steven follows. Seth sits
in the middle seat, so Zoey sits next to him, behind Karina. Steven takes the
outside seat, behind Jeff.
“Joining the club, huh?” Jeff chuckles as he looks back
at Steven.
Steven chuckles, too, though a bit nervous. Zoey also
smirks, but then she glances over and sees Shaun glancing over at the same
time. They lock eyes for just a second before going back to looking forward.
How does he feel
seeing me sit with a new guy? Zoey wonders. Well, not that Steven and I are a couple, but Shaun doesn’t know that.
Would he expect me to tell him if we were, though?
Is Zoey’s
ex looking over at us? Steven wonders for himself. Or maybe all of them are? They probably all knew about Zoey and Shaun,
so they probably know about the break-up. Do they think she’s already moved on
and is with me?
Both Steven and Zoey ignore those thoughts as the service
begins with Praise & Worship as always. Everyone stands as the projection
on the screen reveals the first song.
How
Great is Our God
“Morning, everyone,” the director greets the
congregation.
“Morning!” the congregation replies.
“I’m sure that everyone is seeing on the news,” the
director says, “all the things about these young, powerful people. Not just The
Spektrum and his apparent double, the masked man known as Siro, but these other
stories floating around out there. I just want all of you to know, do not be
afraid. Their powers are incredible, some harder to imagine than others. But we
are to rely on the power of God to save us in our darkest days, are we not?”
“Amen!” many of the adults down in the pews say.
Many of the teens in the balcony also give an, “Amen!”
but Steven feels a strange tension in his throat keeping him from saying so.
To his surprise, as well as the surprise of Zoey’s
friends and Zoey herself, Zoey also was unable to say anything. They glance at
each other quickly, implicitly understanding the struggles they’ve been through,
since they went through quite a few together already.
“God’s power is the greatest power,” the director
continues. “He is omnipotent, ‘all powerful!’”
“Amen!” many more now say; Zoey was able to fo
“So let’s thank our God for keeping so many of us,
countless numbers of us safe, during these strange times. How great, oh how
great, is our God.”
Steven still feels that tension as the lyrics appear on screen and everyone sings.
“The splen~dor of a King~
“Clothed~ in majesty~
“Let all the Earth rejoice…
“All the Earth rejoice…
“He wraps~ himself in light~
“And dark~ness tries to hide~
“And trembles at His voice…
“Trembles at His voice…
“How great~ is our God~! Sing with me,
“How great~ is our God~! And all will see,
“How great~, how great~! Is our God~!
“Age~ to age He stands~
“And~ time is in His hands~
“Beginning and the End…
“Beginning and the End…
“The God~head Three in One~
“Father~ Spirit Son~
“The Lion and the Lamb…
“The Lion and the Lamb…
“How great~ is our God~! Sing with me,
“How great~ is our God~! And all will see,
“How great~, how great~! Is our God~!
During the chorus, Zoey does her best to sing it out to
reaffirm her own faith. She remains humble, knowing God is why she has what she
has, in all areas of her life. Surely, even being one of the few hit by the
Power Surge was God’s plan.
“Yes, Lord, yes,” the director says as the music changes
to a new song. “We can feel you are here, Lord. We know you are here to protect
us with all your power and mercy. We are here to acknowledge that. We are here
to thank you for that. We are here, to praise and worship you for that.”
Here I Am to Worship
“Light~ of the world, You stepped down~ into darkness
“O~pened my eyes, let me see~…
“Beau~ty that made this heart~ adore You,
“Hope~ of a life spent with You~.
“So here I am to wor~ship,
“Here I am to bow~ down,
“Here I am to say~ that You're my God~
“You're altogether love~ly,
“Altogether wor~thy,
“Altogether won-der-ful to me~.
“King~ of all days, oh so high~ly exalted
“Glor~ious in heav~en above…
“Hum~bly You came to the earth~ You created,
“All~ for love's sake became~ poor.
“So here I am to wor~ship,
“Here I am to bow~ down,
“Here I am to say~ that You're my God~
“You're altogether love~ly,
“Altogether wor~thy,
“Altogether won-der-ful to me~.”
Steven hears Zoey hold the notes out, and is really
impressed by her voice. She isn’t necessarily a professional 10 out of 10, but
she certainly sounds better than he does.
“I'll never~ know how much it cost~
“To see~ my sin upon that cross~.
“I'll never~ know how much it cost~
“To see~ my sin upon that cross~.
“I'll never~ know how much it cost~
“To see~ my sin upon that cross~.
“I'll never~ know how much it cost~
“To see~ my sin upon that cross~...!
"So here I am to wor~ship.
"Here I am to bow~ down,
"Here I am to say that, you're my God...!"
The music fades out, and everyone sits down as the pastor
goes up to the stage.
“That was a wonderful medley, wasn’t it?” he asks.
“Amen,” the congregation says; it gets easier for Zoey to
say now, but Steven still struggles.
“Now, we have some exciting news,” the pastor continues.
“I’m sure quite a few of you already know, but starting today, Alameda Baptist
has a Sunday school class for our youth group!”
Everyone, especially the youth, applaud. This much Steven
can join in with energy.
“For visitors, our youth group is for the ages of 14 to
18, essentially High School,” the pastor continues again. “We’ll excuse the
younger children first, and then the Junior High group, and then the High
School group. But first, let us pray before today’s message. Please, stand with
eyes closed and heads bowed.”
Everyone does as said, and Zoey even adds clasping hands
together in front of her.
“Gracious and heavenly God,” the pastor begins, “we come
to you this day, thankful for your protection. Keep us safe and help us to know
what is right as the world keeps changing around us. In Jesus’ name we pray,
amen.”
“Amen,” everyone says, including Steven this time.
“The children are excused for Sunday school,” the pastor
says. “Boys and girls, please follow Mrs. Merle and Mr. Dave Oshino up to the
room.”
Steven’s aunt and uncle lead the elementary school kids
out of the sanctuary and up the hallway to the stairs.
“Mr. Erwin Liu will now lead the Junior High students,”
the pastor says.
Steven sees his brothers and cousin, Danielle, go with
that group.
“And lastly, Mr. Dan Rivera will lead the youth,” the
pastor says.
All the youth in the balcony stand up as they spot Mr.
Rivera head to the back of the sanctuary. Steven moves aside for Zoey as she
exits their row, and he follows behind her, with Seth behind him. Zoey’s
friends get up and crowd around a bit, so he ends up further behind Zoey, with
Chloe and Marina in the way. Karina sticks close to Jeff as they end up behind
Steven, and Alicia shyly walks with Seth. Everyone else follows behind them as
they go downstairs.
The youth meet Mr. Rivera at the doorway and follow him
out of the sanctuary. They all go up the hall now and up the stairs. They can
hear the grade schoolers being very hyper in their classroom, while the middle
schoolers are talkative but less rowdy in the next room.
Mr. Rivera leads the high schoolers to the room
immediately to the right of the stairs. This room is much bigger, as it
parallels the room used as the nursery right below it. There are rows of chairs
set up facing the whiteboard immediately to the right of the door, in two sections
of 4-by-4. Mr. Rivera stands by the whiteboard, obviously, and the youth take
their seats.
As planned, Zoey and Steven sit together in the group of
chairs closest to the door. He takes the seat closest to the door, then it’s
Zoey, Chloe and Marina as they go towards the aisle. Alicia, Seth, Jeff and
Karina sit behind them in that order, door to aisle. Steven’s cousin, Matt,
sits with his friends in the middle of the other group of chairs while Zoey
sees Shaun sit with others in the very back of the same section.
“Oh c’mon, now,” Mr. Rivera says with a smirk. “I know we
have more chairs than we need right now, but I’m really surprised that no one
sat in the front row.”
The teens all feel a bit awkward about leaving the total
of eight seats in the front row empty. They glance around at each other,
wondering who will move up first.
Zoey whispers with Chloe, and then Marina and Karina join
in. Zoey and her friends stand up, and Steven quickly but nervously follows.
They all move up a row, so now Steven, Zoey, Chloe and Marina are the front
row, with Alicia, Seth, Jeff and Karina the second row. However, Shaun’s group
stays at the very back, so that the third row is empty now.
As for the other section, they’re a little more hesitant,
but eventually everyone does move up a row, leaving the very back row open.
“Okay,” Mr. Rivera says, letting Shaun and his friends
stay in the back. “Does everyone have a bible? If not, I think we have a few
spare ones you can borrow.”
A few newcomers each borrow spare bibles, and Mr. Rivera
writes on the whiteboard.
POWER
“I think we all understand what ‘power’ is,” he says. “In
modern times, we’ve come to associate ‘power’ with fuel or energy. But the most
natural meaning for ‘power’ is the ability to act or do something in a
particular way. It is even the ability or capacity to direct or influence the
course of events. We all have varying levels of power over our lives, but we
are all subject to the absolute power of God.
“Let’s first open our
books to Isaiah 40,” Mr. Rivera says as he picks up his own bible. “We’ll start
in verse 28 and read to the end.”
Steven forgets where the Book of Isaiah is, so he quickly
checks the table of contents. It is the 23rd book, and Steven
quickly opens to the middle of his bible. He has to backtrack through quite a
few more pages before he finds Isaiah 40:28.
“Let’s read together out loud,” Mr. Rivera says.
A few of the teens are reluctant, including Steven, but
everyone sits up to read with Mr. Rivera.
“Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the
everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not,
neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding.
“He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no
might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be
weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Once they finish reading, the teens look back up at Mr.
Rivera.
“The prophet Isaiah was clearly illustrating to the
people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as everyone who would read his words
later,” he says, “that humans are limited. We have limited power, both in
energy and in ability. But God being all powerful, being ‘everlasting,’ there
is no end to God’s power, in both definitions of the word. If you don’t have
the power to do something, lean on God. Whether you’re not strong enough, or
you’re too tired, God has both the strength and the energy to support you.
Again, even the youths shall faint
and be weary.”
The class chuckles, understanding the relation Mr. Rivera
is drawing.
“Being a teenager in high school today,” Mr. Rivera says,
“I know there’s a lot going on that feels overwhelming. The Bible doesn’t try
to downplay anything you’re going through, certainly not in this set of verses.
It simply wants you to know that you don’t need to do it on your own. God is
there to give you strength and energy to carry on. I believe the song, Lean On
Me, though not an outright gospel song, captures that feeling very well.
“Now, let’s get into the concept of having power,” he continues.
“Turn to Romans 13.”
Romans is easier for Steven to remember, it comes after
Acts, which come after the four Gospels.
“Let’s ready together again, just that first verse,” Mr.
Rivera says.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
Again, the class looks up from their bibles to look at
Mr. Rivera.
“This chapter is of course referring to authority
figures,” he says. “Those in power, from the government, to your teachers at
school, to your own parents and legal guardians. They are in power because it
is God’s will.”
“But what about having powers?” Jeremy asks.
“Obviously you mean ‘superpowers,’” Mr. Rivera says. “I
don’t know about anyone here, and I don’t know about those who wrote the many
books of the Bible, but I surely never expected to have this conversation.
However, even The Bible can apply to things like superpowers. Let’s turn to
Leviticus, chapter 26, and we’ll start in verse 3.”
Leviticus is the third book, so Steven easily flips past
Genesis and Exodus. He finds chapter 26 and locks onto verse 3.
“Follow along as I read out loud,” Mr. Rivera says. “If
ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them, then I will give
you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of
the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage,
and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread
to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
“And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie
down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the
land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
“And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall
before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred
of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you
by the sword. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and
multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
“And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old
because of the new. And I set my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not
abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my
people.
“I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of
Egypt, that ye should not be teir bondmen. And I have broken the bands of your
yoke, and made you go upright.
“But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all
these commandments, and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor
my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my
covenant, I also will do this unto you:
“I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and
the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart. And ye
shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my
face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you
shall reign over you, and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
“And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me,
then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the
pride of your power, and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as
brass. And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield
her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if ye
walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I will bring seven times
more plagues upon you according to your sins.
“Leviticus 26 continues to repeat this same notion a few
more times,” Mr. Rivera says. “If you don’t obey God’s law, if you do not yield
to his power, he will punish you ‘seven times’ what your sin is. Like a math
equation, whatever your sin is, you’re going to get 700% back in punishment.
“I suppose what Jeremy is wondering, and what I’m sure
you’re all wondering, too, is what this means for Siro, and The Spektrum, and
even Reciprocity Incorporated, who we’re hearing about in the news in New York
with Agent Homeboy.”
“Don’t forget the Alameda Catgirl,” Vivian Hinkson says.
“Though, I guess she’s not in Alameda anymore.”
“Yeah, that’s weird, isn’t it?” Georgeanne Wucherpfenning
says. “What’s she doing in San Leandro?”
“Wait, is that why those Blackout Ninjas are doing stuff
now?” Jeremy asks.
“I thought they were the Lights Out Boys?” one of the
other boys asks.
“No, it’s the other way around,” Matt says.
“Wait, she left because they showed up?” Vivian asks.
“No, I was talking about the names,” Matt says.
“We’re getting off subject,” Mr. Rivera says. “This isn’t
about who is where, but what they’re doing with the power God gave them. We’ve
seen and heard the good The Spektrum and the Alameda Catgirl have done, and
even these new ‘Lights Out’ heroes. On the other hand, Siro has certainly
behaved questionably, even publicly sharing what he’s done. Leviticus 26 makes
a point that going against God’s ways will only bring hardship.
“Notice the line in verse 19. ‘I will break the pride of
your power.’ Using your power for wrongdoing sets you directly against God’s
power. And since His power is more, His power is without end, He will keep
coming at you until you break and give in. I suppose in this case, Siro will
soon struggle, slowly but surely learning he isn’t all powerful, that only God
has all the power. It’s why, no matter if it’s in comic books or cartoons or TV
shows or movies, evil loses out in the end. Because God is good-”
“All the time,” a few say out of habit, to which they and
the rest of the class have a little laugh.
“That’s still very true,” Mr. Rivera chuckles. “Let’s all
bow our heads and pray.”
As always, when the service is over, everyone is excused
to the “fellowship hall” gymnasium-auditorium for socializing.
“That’s a lot to think about, huh?” Zoey says as she goes
to the refreshments table.
“Yeah,” Steven and Zoey’s cousins say.
“But I think we’ll be okay,” Seth says. “We’ll be the
ones on the wings of eagles.”
“Yeah!” Zoey says as she puts a couple chocolate cookies
on a little plate.
“No, wait,” Jeff says. “Wings of hawks.”
“Ahh, yes,” Seth says.
“That makes Zoey a Kitty Hawk,” Jeff smirks.
“Why hawks?” Steven asks.
“Oh, uh,” Zoey says, “the ‘taka’ in Takagaki is for
hawk.”
“Oh…!”
Steven sips his cup of lemonade.
“I… I don’t have anything like that in my name,” he says.
“Well, actually, one of my middle names. Brown comes from bruin which means
‘bear.’”
“One of your middle names?” Zoey asks. “How many do you
have?”
“Just two,” he says. “My full name would be Steven Gary
Brown Michaels.”
“You practically have a whole different name inside your
name,” Jeff says.
“I know,” he says, “it’s pretty weird how that turned
out.”
The four chuckle as they move away from the table.
“Where’re you going?” Zoey says to Steven as he heads in
a different direction.
“Oh, I was just,” Steven says, awkwardly pointing towards
his family.
“No, c’mon,” Zoey says with a giggle while waving him
over. “Hang out with us.”
“Uh, sure, yeah,” he says as he follows Zoey over to her
friends.
Along the one wall of the gymnasium is a row of chairs,
where Jeff and Seth now sit on the left end.
“I don’t think we’ve had formal introductions,” Zoey says
as she and Steven walk up. “Obviously Steven knows Jeff and Seth, but next to
Jeff with the bow in her hair is Karina Osou, and next to her is her older
sister, Alicia Osou.”
“Hello,” each sister says.
“Hello,” Steven says as he shakes their hands.
“And then this is Chloe Callaghan, and Marina Pham,” Zoey
says.
“Hello,” Steven says to them as he shakes their hands.
“Sup, Tobey,” Marina smirks.
“Huh?”
“Marina,” Zoey scolds.
“What?” Marina shrugs and smiles.
“Tobey?” Steven chuckles. “As in, Maguire?”
“Yes,” Zoey says. “She already calls you that because of
your hair.”
“I don’t think I’ve gotten that before,” Steven says. “I
used to get called Harry Potter and Clark Kent, but that was when I wore
glasses.”
“Oh I could see that,” Zoey says. “Were you either one of
them for Halloween last year?”
“Not last year, but I have been them,” he says.
“Then who did you dress up as? Or did you not?”
“No, I dressed up,” Steven says, a little embarrassed to
say. “I was… A very skinny, glasses-wearing… John Cena.”
“Wait, who?” Karina asks while a couple of the others
snicker.
“He’s the rapper guy from pro-wrestling,” Marina says.
“All big and buff.”
“Oh…!”
“You would definitely be a skinny John Cena,” Jeff says.
“Did you have a title belt?” Chloe asks.
“No, I don’t have any merchandise like that,” Steven
shrugs with a chuckle. “I wish I did, but the good quality ones are really
expensive.”
“You probably looked more like Harry Potter cosplaying as
John Cena,” Jeff says.
“Jeff,” Zoey reprimands while the others laugh more.
“No, he’s probably right,” Steven laughs along. “I was
also a bit cold, because I was wearing cargo shorts.”
The group all shares a laugh, but Zoey does catch a
glimpse of Shaun looking over, perhaps a little jealous. But before she can do
anything about that, Steven’s dad calls him over.
“Oh, uh, I guess we’re headed to lunch,” Steven says.
“Um, guess I’ll see you at school?”
“Actually, maybe I could call you later?” Zoey asks him.
“For help with homework, I mean.”
“Uh, sure,” he says. “I still need to get some done
tonight, actually. Is it science you’re working on?”
“Yes, it’s science,” Zoey says, sounding somewhere
between defensive and embarrassed. “So you’ll help?”
“Yes,” he says. “But, I’m not sure who should call who
first, I’m not sure what we’re going to be up to.”
“Oh, that’s okay,” Zoey says. “I’ll call.”
“Okay, yeah,” Steven says. “Talk to you then.”
“Yeah,” Zoey says. “Until then.”
Zoey waves as Steven hurries over to join his family,
both the Michaels and the Oshinos. They head out the door, and Zoey looks back
to where Shaun was, but he’s disappeared.
“Ooo~,” Karina teases. “Homework call~!”
“Homework call~!” Chloe and Marina echo before giggling.
“Oh, stop,” Zoey says to them while trying and failing to
stop a smile.
x
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