The superhero cut-out. I suddenly noticed that I haven't seen it in a while. I open my wallet and it isn't there. When I get home I start looking for it but then remember that I had just cleaned it and hadn't seen it then. I don't even remember the last time I saw it. Where on earth could it be? It belonged to him. It had his initials on it. It was the only thing left of him. I couldn't lose it. I try looking around for it once more but still don't find it.

I lie down on the bed wondering where I could have dropped it. It could be anywhere. I don't know where to start looking. I was so stressed about everything that I didn't even realise that I fell asleep.

There was fire everywhere. And screaming. And crying. I tried to look over the flames. Then realised that it was me who was screaming and crying. I couldn't see who was in the flames. There was something that was holding me back but I was trying to jump into the flames.

I woke up suddenly with a jolt. My face was covered in sweat and tears. This hadn't happened in a while now. I held on to my blanket firmly. I was terrified. I take my pillow close to my chest and hug it and cry for a while until I calm down. Then I go into the bathroom and have a wash, look at my face in the mirror making sure that there aren't any traces of crying left. I go back to bed and try to sleep. But I knew that I wouldn't get any now. I hate thinking back to that time. I want to move on. Leave the past behind me, but I just can't seem to do it. I am living in the past. Everything I do is for the past. I can't seem to think either about the present or the future.

In about two hours it was time for me to get up , so I brush my teeth, grab some fruit for breakfast, tell mum I am leaving early and leave. I need a long walk before I can get to school. I take a detour, the longest way possible, to school and at the same time, one that would not make me late.

*****

School is boring as usual and there is extra work to be submitted due to the approaching exams. I am thinking of asking about a week or two off of work. I don't want myself to be too stressed. And then the basketball match will be held by the end of this week, which means we'll be using the whole of this week mainly practicing.

"Hey friend! " I look behind me, to see Troy coming towards me.

"Hey."

"So I need help in math, like really bad. I just realized I've forgotten everything we've studied so far and--"

"Okay fine. I'll help. " I look around him and see no sign of Stephanie. So I ask, " So what happened to your girlfriend? "

"Uh.. " He says, his hand running through his hair, "we're currently not on good terms. But I know these things usually happen in all relationships and I'm trying not to worry much about it. "

I nod. That explains why he's suddenly back to hanging out with me more.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I will be able to help you out only next week. Coach will probably not allow us to go home early this week. "

"No problem. "

With that, we go our separate ways. I go for practice after school and then a late shift at the Street Pans. I beg Dan to give me two weeks off because of exams and after promising to do some extra shifts during the holidays he gives in.

It's late by the time I reach home so I decide to go to bed instead of studying. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. Not going criminal kinda sucks. I'm already missing the thrill it gives me. I'm planning on stealing from someone on one of the dirt roads around here. If I can make some time that is. I don't want them to make any relation between the Masked Bandit and the recent robbery. But that's all I'm going to be doing before the exams. I'll have to patiently wait till the holidays begin to do something big.

****

Since I wasn't working at the Street Pans and our coach let us go early today, I decided to go criminal. Only a day was left for the match and tomorrow there won't be any practice, 'cause our coach likes us to relax before any match.

So I disguise myself and hide behind some bushes. I hope I don't have to wait for long.

Just as I was thinking that, I hear footsteps and see two men, one's arm over the other's shoulder, staggering along the path. They look drunk and they most probably are. I stay where I am for a moment and then pounce on them. They stumble to the ground. The one who was holding on to the other's shoulder remained on the ground and proceeded to curl up and sleep. The other one seemed more sober and stood up trying his best to protect the one on the ground.

"You're... " He starts to speak.

"I'm sure you know. And you also know what I want. " I say. Better get directly to the point. No need to waste time.

He visibly swallows and says in a shaky voice, "I.. I don't have anything to give you. "

I raise my eyebrows, which he can't unfortunately see due to the mask and say, "If you don't want me to hurt you or your friend there, you will give me your wallet as well as his and anything of importance. If you don't have any of that, then you can leave your clothes here and return home naked. "

He starts trembling but then suddenly seems to gain some strength and lunges at me with all his might. I just step out of the way and brandish my whip. Seeing that his face turns pale. He knows he doesn't stand a chance against someone with a weapon.

"Just give it up. Do what I told you and we can both get on with our lives. I've no time to waste with you. " I say, beginning to get annoyed.

He hurriedly takes out his wallet and watch as well as his friend's and hands it to me.

"That's more like it. " I smirk.

The moment I get what I want, I leave the two and go to my hideout leaving the stolen goods there and heading home immediately.

The next morning, while I was having breakfast Adam and Tony were talking about yesterday's robbery.

"Isn't it strange though ," says Adam, "that he is suspected to be involved in the Terrier case. "

"Yeah, he doesn't seem to be involved in large scale robberies. " Says Tony.

"Hmm. I suppose all thieves are suspects. And they haven't even caught the actual Museum thief yet. "

"Things are getting interesting though, don't you think? What if both the crimes were committed by the same person. Someone, no one knows about. "

"It's possible. "

"Boys, quit talking about that already. I told you, I don't want any talk of robbers in this house. " Said mum in a stern voice.

I was quiet through the whole conversation. This must be something that's going on in the minds of the UCPD.

After breakfast I head over to school and try to pay attention to all of the classes but still have my eye on the clock from time to time. I met Troy when I entered the building. He only came up to me to tell me that he had made up with his girlfriend and how happy he was about it. Since we don't have practice I head home and it seems like such a long time back that I was home at the regular time. I finally decided to study something, specifically, math. Lately I couldn't pay much attention in class 'cause you know why and since I will have to teach this to Troy I'd better teach it to myself first!

I go to bed early 'cause I need to wake up early tomorrow. I am already getting nervous like I always do before a match. I lay in bed for a while thinking about the match and eventually drift off to sleep.

*****

The sun is shining down on us and it is as hot as ever. I am already sweating from head to toe and the match had just begun fifteen minutes ago. We are playing against our second rival, Forey's High. Our score is even at the moment and the ball is with the other team. Suddenly Roy, from our team steals the ball from them and passes it to Kevin. There are a number of rival team members blocking his path to the basket and all the rest of our members are too far away. Without giving it a second thought he shoots right from there. The rest of us are all holding our breaths as the ball flies over the rival team's heads and lands right into the basket, earning us three points and putting us in the lead. The whole stadium cheers for us. The rest of the match is mostly a blur as the rival team keeps trying to score more than us. In the end our team wins, with only one point more than the other team. We once again make our school proud and we'll be keeping the title of being the best basketball team among all the schools.

After the match I go around congratulating my teammates on the big win. They're all planning on going somewhere but I politely refuse like I always do. We're all friends but we're not that close.

"Congrats man. I knew y'all would win. " Says Troy, with a big smile, just as I change and get outside the stadium.

"Thanks. I didn't really do much though. " I say with a shrug.

"You know what they say, it takes a whole team to win a game. " Says Troy trying to look smart.

"And who said that? " I ask, with raised eyebrows.

"Dunno. I just made it up. "

"Whatever." I say, smiling and shaking my head at his attempt to make me feel like I actually did something.

Anyway, like always whenever we win a match or something good happens, my family had a special dinner. This was probably the last day I could enjoy 'cause from tomorrow I gotta hit the books. And deal with Troy hitting the books. Which is way worse 'cause he's easily distracted unless he's trying to do some investigation. He's probably gonna follow his dad's footsteps and join the police force. Then I'm gonna have an even harder time dealing with the police. He might not do well in school but he'll definitely make one hell of a police officer.