Villains wear Masks *sequel to Heroes Wear Capes

Chapter 12 - How it should be

"In the end my girlfriend became my arch enemy, my arch enemy became my best friend, and my best friend became my girlfriend. But, hey, it's high school."

~ Will Stronghold

April stood outside her old house, not wanting to walk in. As soon as she passed the threshold, she would be back to who she was before. April wasn't sure if she wanted to be who she was before anymore.

"April!" Of course, she had no choice now that Brandon had seen her.

She walked forward as Brandon ran out the front door to her house. How had she thought he wouldn't be waiting anxiously for her return? "Hey, Brandon."

He engulfed her as they met on the front porch. April felt her feet lift off of the ground as Brandon floated. She had to remind him that they were still on the front porch and that floating would be a sure sign to anyone outside that he was a superhero. Reminding Brandon when he's about to expose his secret identity was one of April's chores she remembered having to do every day before she went to Alcatraz.

"Your family is so excited to see you!" Brandon exclaimed.

April laughed. "Trust me, they're probably just glad I'm not fraternizing with super villains at the moment."

Brandon's grin never faltered. "I missed you too."

She tilted her head at his words. April used to find Brandon's willingness to devote himself to her a little extreme, and it had terrified her that she didn't know if she could do the same, even though he cared for her so. Now she was more certain where her heart lied. Spending time away from home let her realize that she definitely did not have the same feelings for Brandon as he had for her. She couldn't remember ever even missing him when she was spending her days interviewing X. She didn't feel bad anymore for not returning his feelings.

Inside April was ready to get settled and drive over to the Kingdom City MASKED headquarters, but her plans changed when the lights were turned on suddenly and a room of voices yelled, "Welcome home!"

When April's vision cleared, she saw that her parents had put a banner over the front hall with the words they had just said in a brilliant pink.

She hated pink.

The house seemed to be filled with more than just her family. It looked like Brandon and her dad had invited over some of their superhero buddies as well as family friends who knew their identities. Her parents had planned a big party for her arrival and made sure all of their friends were there to see their unpowered daughter safe at home from a big bad villain.

She also realized as the plethora of people in the room came up to greet her and ask how she was doing that she didn't really know any of them. Not personally anyways.

Going through her school years, April had learned to keep her head down as much as possible. Her parents were superheroes, and just with that fact alone she had to make sure no one came too close. Captain Fantastic just had to make sure every friend that came through the doors had a background check by MASKED. For April's tenth birthday party she remembered a girl in her class not invited just because her second cousin's twice removed brother-in-law was once suspected of being a super villain.

In the Watson household you learned pretty fast that outsiders weren't to be trusted.

Add to the fact that in her high school years she was forever the damsel to White Knight, friends were a no go. Anyone who talked to her in class or sat with her at lunch only did so to catch a snippet of information about White Knight, or just to be in the presence of someone so famous in their city. None of those girls back at Kingdom Hills High had ever really known her. She doubted any of them even knew her middle name.