Not Your Average Hero

•6• face behind the mask

Everyone except for mom was home when Amaris and I finished cleaning up, Alden was lounging on the couch watching T.V and Axel was taking a nap.

I decided on wearing sweatpants, because they're comfortable and easy to remove, and a baggy sweater with a nude bra underneath. My go to wear for shopping.

"We're going to the mall!" I called out to no one in particular when we reached the door.

"No your not!" Came the response.

"What? Why?" I asked as Alden came into view, his hair was messy as if he just went jogging.

"Because Redux is going to be there, he has a signing." He crossed his arms; Amaris stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"So?" I laughed.

"The last time you were around supers, you got hurt." He stated.

"Yes, because lightening strikes twice in the same place." I snorted. He couldn't possibly be worried something was going to happen again.

"You won't be in the same place." He retorted.

"Your being paranoid!" I huffed; he stood up straighter, authority was leaking from his pores, "okay, fine, we're going to the mall, we just won't go anywhere near Redux."

"Ashlyn, I don't want you anywhere near that mall." He warned.

"Your not the boss of me!" I didn't want to go to the mall that much but, being the stubborn person that I am, I hate being told what to do by somebody other than my mom or teachers, especially when that somebody is my older brother.

"Ashlyn, if I find out you go anywhere near that mall, I'll get mom to ground you and you know damn well that I can." He threatened. Alden has some sort of charm over my mom, he manages to persuade her to ground us whenever we do something bad. Once, I used his phone to look cool in front of my friends and on the way to school, I was annoying Axel so he hit it out of my hands; instead of landing on he grass, it crashed inches away, smack on the cement sidewalk. The screen shattered. We were grounded for two weeks even though it was all Axels fault.

"Fine, nowhere near the mall." I said through gritted teeth.

"Why can't you just stay in the house?" He asked, annoyed.

"Because I'm stubborn!" I yelled, grabbed Amaris' hand, ran out the door and hopped into the truck Lawson let us borrow. He couldn't come with us because of family stuff but he always lends his truck to Amaris. I wonder why (note the sarcasm).

"Don't worry," I laughed when Amaris gave me a
look, "he's just overprotective."

"Whatever you say," she muttered, turning on the ignition, "where are we going if not to the mall?" She pouted.

"The mall," I answered, "nothing will happen; just wait and see." She nodded and we drove off towards the Westlake Shopping Centre, better known as WSC.

*

"This is going to be so amazing!" Amaris squealed as we made our way through the crowd.

We stopped at two stores so far; Amaris carried at least five bags while I carried nada. Zip. Zero.

I'm not much of a shopper.