Hero Alliance

Eight

    Haha, pain is hilarious

•••Kelly's POV•••

"Reese! Hunter! Seth!" I shout, running over to them by the entrance to the ice skating rink.

"Hey Kelly!" Hunter and Reese greet, smiling at me.

"Hi..." Seth mutters, staring down at his phone with his hoodie up.

"I think I know who Shifter is!" I exclaim, jumping up excitedly.

"You what?!" They all exclaim, jaws dropped. Even Seth looked up at me, shocked.

"I think it's Matt." I whisper to them.

"Why would you think that?" Reese asks.

"Okay so I was talking to him yesterday-"

"Again?"

"Yes again. Anyway, he said something to me that Matt had told me earlier that day." I explain.

"That..doesn't really mean anything?" Seth butts in.

"Yeah, people could say the same things." Hunter adds.

"Or," Reese adds,"Shifter stalks you and overheard your conversation." He grins, trying to creep me out. But it's not working this time!

"He doesn't stalk me!...Sort of?" I shake my head, "Maybe Matt knows Shifter then?.." I think aloud. I hear the boys try to explain something to me but I'm deep in thought.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late! My mom needed help at the bakery." We hear Matt call behind me.

I gasp slightly and the boys look at me, realizing what I'm about to do. "Matt, I need to ask you something." I say once he gets closer.

"Sure, ask away." He smiles kindly.

"Do you know Shifter?"

His smile falters a bit, "E-excuse me?"

"Do you know Shifter? Like personally?" I repeat.

"W-well..uh...I guess?" He replies unsure.

I stare at him suspiciously. "What do you mean 'you guess'?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow.

Matt walks over to Seth, Reese, and Hunter with a hint of fear in his eyes. "I mean maybe we've run into each other a few times when he's scouting the city, but that's all." He explains, looking at me again.

"Interesting.." I mumble, looking away from Matt and down the street.

"Are you done with your investigation, detective?" Seth asks, getting annoyed.

"Yeah..for now." I shrug, looking at them again.

Seth rolls his eyes and begins walking into the ice skating rink with us following behind him. It wasn't as crowded as I thought it'd be but there are still a lot of people. Most were on the ice, others were seated at small tables to have some lunch.

"Five people, five skates." Matt tells the lady behind the counter. We tell the lady our sizes as she takes our shoes and goes to the back to grab our skates. We all pull out our wallets - or me who pulls out a few crinkled bills.

"Guys, I'll pay." Reese states.

"No, I will." Hunter says.

"I invited you guys so I'm paying." Matt says.

"Too bad. I'm paying for all of us. Move out the way." I try to push past them but they grab me by my arms and pull me back.

Hunter, Reese, Matt, and I begin arguing about who's going to pay.