Certified Superhero (Misfits #2)

9: almost familiar

I shoved open the door with my shoulder and kept my body crouched. Two figures had their backs to the door. I could feel my pulse leap into my throat. Intruders. I had dealt with people invading my home plenty of times. This time I was ready.

My arms wrapped around the waist of the first man and my shoulder drove into him with enough force that he should have been knocked over. Instead, a strong hand gripped my wrist, broke my hold, and flipped me so I was staring at the ground, hand pinned behind my back, and completely vulnerable.

In the flash of movement I caught a glimpse of blond hair and a bad haircut.

It happened so fast that I knew Diana would still be waiting at the door. I raised my head to yell for her to run, save herself, call the Conspiracy, anything. Instead I saw the strangest thing. She was leaning against the door frame with her phone out and pointed at me. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line and her cheeks puffed out like she was trying not to laugh.

"I tried to warn her but you know how she is," she said, but she wasn't addressing me. Her eyes were fixed on a point above me, presumably the face of the man who was grappling me. "I thought a video would be better. I was expecting a happy reunion, not a judo flip."

"Sorry, it's just a reflex." And I recognized the voice.

Well, I almost recognized the voice. It was familiar in a way that wasn't quite right. Like it had changed in the time between then and now.

Diana couldn't stop her laughter now as she walked inside and closed the door behind her. "No, don't apologize. This is the best blackmail I have on her."

I couldn't take it anymore. With a blink, I transformed the floor of the living room into an ice rink. Diana slipped mid step and fell on her butt and a thud out of eye sight said the mystery third person had fallen too. All it took was a jerk of my body to the left and the man holding me was joining them on the floor. My ice couldn't slip me up so I righted myself and smoothed down my sweater in an attempt to look dignified before I turned to figure out who had broken into my hotel room.

A squeak escaped my lips before I could gather the man into a hug. Man wasn't quite the right word for him, although kid didn't work either. Elliot looked older than when I had last seen him. He had ditched the bowl cut but still hadn't figured out how to style his hair so it hung limply against his forehead. He had grown a few inches too, taller than me now. That was wrong. But he was still thin and the scars that had earned him the nickname of Stitch back in school were prominent against his pale skin.

He didn't hesitate before wrapping his arms around me and hugging me back. "I can't believe you're here!" The words were breathless.

The ice melted beneath us, and the other figure stood from where he had fallen behind the couch. There were tears brimming in my eyes, but I gestured for Miguel to join the hug. He crossed the room in a few steps.

With both of them back, I took two seconds to squint back the tears that were threatening to stain Miguel's shirt. When I pulled back I got a good look at the two of them. Like Elliot, Miguel had a new haircut with neatly trimmed sides and his curls piled on top of his head. But he hadn't changed nearly as much as Elliot. He still had the broadest shoulders known to man and brown eyes that read every inch of my face. Just the haircut and the new smile on his face were different. It was still shy and soft, but I didn't need to needle it out of him.

"How is this possible?" Then I turned my back on them and pointed accusingly at Diana. "You knew! You knew and you didn't say anything!"

She pulled a kitchen chair between us for defense. "Rory called me about it two weeks ago. We thought it would be a fun surprise."