"Crikey, Skylar! Are you sure that you're even straight? Because from what you're telling me and Shandi, Drake's head over heels and in love over you!" Rhea exclaimed after recapping her and Shandra of what happened at my date with Drake on our way to school. "You really have Blue Crush hook, line, and sinker!"

"I wouldn't go that far," I remarked as Rhea parked her car and the three of us made our way inside where all the students were lost in their pre-classes rituals. "And I still find women attractive, you know? I'm just someone who puts grades and saving the world first over having a romantic lifestyle. But with everything going topsty-turvy on me, I guess you can say that things are being more scattered than I expected."

"That's for sure," Shandra agreed, her face warping into a frown upon the arrival of a grinning Principal Lewis. "What does he want now?"

"Damned if I know, but we might as well deal with it while we can," I said before giving the older man a good-trooper American-superhero smile. "And good morning to you, Principal Lewis. I take it that you're well this morning?"

"More so than you are, given that you're catching a lot of attention towards your fellow superheroes, AKA, your godbrothers," Principal Lewis replied before frowning slightly at my friends. "Though I do wish that you would wean from the ladies for a while. They're a bit out of your league now that you're part of the creme-de-la-creme."

I inhaled sharply, not liking his statement. "Sir, Rhea and Shandra have known me for quite some time. We've been close since preschool and we've never let anything- or anyone- get between us."

"Ah, but you can gain so much more potential if you lean towards your fellow Alliance buddies as well as your godbrothers," came the smooth voice of Vice-Principal Lewis as she joined her husband. "In fact, my husband and I had a nice chat with Jorge, Drake, Kendall, Brian, Dominic, Rogelio, and Jamal as they've all announced that they're signing up for the Homecoming festivities. Not only that, they've signed you up as well. Which means that you'll need to be a full-fledged participant in the festivities as we get ready to face our rivals Southwest Gibson High School in two weeks."

My eyes went wide, knowing of the ultimatum that Greenlee made at the luncheon summit. "I don't think," I began.

"It's not for discussion, Mr. O'Hara," Principal Lewis said, cutting me off with a knowing look. "The contract that you've signed says that you'll be part of anything regarding the Youth Hero Alliance and their activities- from being a hero on the scene to be part of the Centennial Grove's social lives and events. That means being part of the Homecoming festivities. If you want to risk losing everything you've gained and end up being on everyone's blacklist, then feel free to renounce being a superhero right now and clean out your locker as you'll be immediately expelled. But if you want your dreams of being the next fashion editor while having the world at your feet...well, all you need to do is play our game and be the hero that you're destined to be."

I was trapped. Not only do I have to make one hell of a choice regarding Greenlee's threat. Either way, I'm a sitting duck without a chance of survival. Knowing better than to back out now, I sighed. "What will I need to do?" I said.

"That's a good lad," VP Lewis cheered just as my heroic classmates and my parents joined the fray. "Beginning today, you're to be by your heroic peers' side every chance that you'll get. Of course, you'll still have time for your friendships with Rhea and Shandra, but most of your time will be spent being part of the now and enjoying your life as a hero."

"And let's not forget that I still have my chance to woo him over," Jorge said, giving me a knowing smirk as he handed me a bouquet of Calla lilies. "Tonight's going to be one night that you'll never forget, Corazon. And like the Lewises said, you need to branch out and lean on me and the others more. Shake off Finessey and the Aussie Goth princess and own your power."

"This is all for the greater good," Mom reminded me. "Better to accept it now and be loved or rebel even a little bit and become hated. You'll thank us for this later."

I was soon swept away by Drake and Dominic as they herded me away from my two gal pals. They said that it's all for the greater good. But to me? The greater the good, the harder the blow. How is this my life right now?

***************

As expected, the day went by in a rush as I was given more homework that had to be done in between training and getting ready for this date with Jorge as he led me to his parent's authentic Mexican restaurant known as Cocina de Pasiones. And now, the two of us were in a private dining room as Selena played over the stereo softly. "You mustn't hate us for keeping you away from your friends, Skylar," Jorge said soothingly as a plump waitress sat down platters of chicken and steak fajitas, tacos topped with all the trimmings, and two plates of seven-layered burritos with seasoned rice and beans with glasses of root beer (nonalcoholic since we were still teens) to wash it all down. "You know what you signed up for since you signed the contract, so you need to start putting in more work to truly embrace your destiny. Drake and I can give you things that the girls can't."

"I'm just not sure if... all of this can be something I can become," I replied, gesturing to my superhero garb that I wore with Jorge in his green-spandex glory. "A part of me still fears that I could screw everything up without even realizing it."

"You won't," Jorge promised me, his tone firm and brooking no argument. "Your transformation regime included a program where you'll fully be part of the now without any faults and your mind's been programmed to live the superhero life without any flaws, and you'll be able to be a hero and a student since you're immortal like me and the others. In short, Skylar, you really have no other excuse for wanting to back out."

And that's what I was exactly afraid of.

The date went on as he told me a bit more about himself. Like Drake before he joined, Jorge and his family were basically living day to day themselves; but they were also undocumented immigrants from Mexico as they wanted to escape the drug cartels that had harassed Jorge into joining before he came to America when he was a baby. When he was recruited upon the YHA's inception, the people behind it gave him a choice: join and become an American hero or be deported and be trapped in a cycle of drugs, prostitution, and the threat of jail time. Jorge chose the American life and his parents were able to turn their dream of owning a legitimate business and become Americans into reality.

Hearing about his and Drake's stories made me reconsider about their intentions and what it meant to be on the outside looking in before they became popular. But it didn't make my situation easier since I came from a well-to-do family as I wanted to stay under the radar and keep to myself. If anything, I was the one with a heavier burden on my back than they did.

Two hours later, Jorge was leading me back up the walk to my house as Mom waited for me with a smile on her face. Jorge kissed me on the hand like Drake did, giving me a winsome smile. "See you tomorrow, Corazon," he said before he headed to his car.

I felt my skin heat up as Mom giggled like an unashamed schoolgirl while I went inside. "Skylar, you are one lucky boy," she told me. "I know it's a bit much right now, but you'll see that one or both boys will be the right choice for you. Anyway, your father and I got a call from Principal Lewis and he said that you're to be escorted to and from school tomorrow. Not only that, Coach Lansik from the swim team called as you have your first meet tomorrow."

"Right," I said, keeping my voice even as I headed for the kitchen to make a cup of tea. "What a time to be a superhero."

And that was the truth.

Cumulative word-count so far: 12,076 words.

I'll bet, my darlings! And don't get too comfortable just yet because Skylar and Greenlee are going to have yet another verbal spat as plans for Homecoming week at Centennial Grove High are underway. Don't you dare miss a beat!

Media: Bidi, Bidi Bom-Bom" by the iconic Tejano singer known as Selena. Shout out to rhymeswithfry and LeonardoMontero531.

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