I leapt through the window of my second-story bedroom around two a.m. I could have walked through the front door, since my nighttime activities were no longer a secret. But I preferred coming and going through my window. Bad habits are hard to break.
On my way to bed, I pulled off my mask, sweatshirt, and shoes, discarding them on the floor. I crawled underneath the covers and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. The back of a hand slapped me awake in what felt like only moments later.
“Chazz,” I groaned, pushing his hand away. It sprang back like a bungee cord, nailing my nose. It’s like the kid was made of rubber.
“Why do you keep crawling into my bed?” I complained to my sleepy, six-year-old brother.
I knew why. He felt safe with me. Whether or not he wanted to admit it, Chazz was afraid that someone would discover my secret and would hurt our family in order to get me. I hated that he had this fear, but, as Gavin put it, fear keeps us on our toes.
Chazz whistled a snore.
Groaning, I pulled a pillow over my head.
~~~
“Who’d you save last night, Cassy?”
I pried my eyelids apart. Chazz’s cute, round face hung over mine, red hair poking out every which way. His big green eyes were eager.
“No one.”
His face fell in disappointment.
“But I did stop a robbery.”
His mouth turned up into a huge smile, revealing a new gap where a bottom front tooth had been. He was too cute for words.
“Did the Tooth Fairy come?”
Chazz rolled his eyes, shaking his head. The song “Who Let the Dogs Out” suddenly blared from my alarm.
“There is no Tooth Fairy,” he stated, offended by the mere suggestion there was. He hopped out of bed. “I’m going to tell Daddy what you did. He’ll be so proud!”
“That’s debatable.” I yawned as he darted into the hall. “And there is a Tooth Fairy!” I called after him.
Adding a “woof, woof,”with the song, I slammed down the snooze button.
My parents weren’t exactly thrilled with my crime-fighting shenanigans. In fact, it took some convincing from Serena and Emery just to get them to give me permission to work off excess energy in the dead of night. My parents still couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that a girl who could give Jackie Chan a run for his money and leap a car in a single bound wasn’t all that vulnerable.
~~~
I got ready for school, then went down to the kitchen.
“Mornin’,” I greeted my family and Dad’s cameraman, Ben Johnson. With his mocha skin, wild corkscrew hair, and happy amber eyes, twenty-four-year-old Ben was one of my favorite people in the world.
“Hey, Cassy Girl.” He gave me his infectious grin.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Dad gave me a disapproving look.
My twin, Nate, gave me the shame, shame gesture, rubbing one forefinger over the other.
I gave him a glare.
I glanced over my shoulder at my mom, Elizabeth, who was standing behind our white-marble-topped kitchen island, meticulously spreading cream cheese on a bagel as though it were the most interesting task on Earth. Uh-oh. Chazz had obviously brought them up to speed on my heroic deed before Ben had arrived. Thank goodness he’d come over early this morning. Otherwise, I’d be getting an earful.
