don’t spend it all in one place
The only person either of us could think of with that kind of cash had to be Dakota. It’s been nearly four weeks since the warehouse, and I honestly still don’t know how I feel about her. She did some awful things, but she did some good things too when it really counted.
I look back down to Ches. “It’s a no-brainer. Take the money. You need a good lawyer, and heck, there’s probably enough to pay for school too.”
I don’t want to be in debt to Dakota, but the money isn’t for me, and Ches needs it. Her legal fees shouldn’t be too extensive. The more the police uncover, the more obvious it is that Ches made a few stupid decisions, but ultimately had no part in the bigger picture. Physically, she’s mostly okay. The school assigned her a counselor, and she had a gash in her leg from our crash landing, but the stitches have since been removed.
Speaking of our landing, Ches is still fuzzy on the details of how she escaped the fire, which has given me time to think.
I hit mute on the TV, listening very carefully. “Does that sound like snoring to you?”
Matt chuckles. “Honestly, it sounds like The Price Is Right.”
I check the time on my phone. Surely she’s asleep by now. I don’t like keeping secrets from Grandma Lou, but I also don’t want to confuse her right now. “Okay, I gotta show you guys something outside.”
“Seriously?” Ches groans. “It’s freezing out there.”
Matt stands and then reaches for her arms to pull her up. “This better be good, Faith.”
“It’ll be something. That’s for sure.”
After the three of us put on our boots and scarves, we shuffle out to the backyard in our pajamas where snowflakes are still slowly drifting down. A fresh dusting has just settled over the grass, and I catch a flake or two on my tongue while Ches jumps and shimmies to keep warm.
Matt pulls her close to him for body heat. “I don’t get it,” he says. “It’s just your backyard.”
“P-p-plus snow!” Ches says through chattering teeth.
“You two stay here,” I say as I take a few steps off the patio and into the yard, snow crunching beneath my boots.
I turn back around to see my two best friends, huddled together as the snow slowly drifts down around them.
“I’ve been keeping a secret, but instead of telling you . . . I thought it might be easier to show you.”
Ches and Matt share a confused look as I spread my arms out and take a deep breath, the crisp air filling my lungs. Like the earth is my own personal trampoline, I push off from Grandma Lou’s backyard and into the sky, through the drifting snow, and I begin to fly. Unable to help myself, I let out a gleeful squeal.
Sometimes secret superhero identities are too good not to share.