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Rebecca Firestone walked out the door, Nick staring after her.
They left together: Nick and Seth, Jazz and Gibby, Martha and Bob, Jo and Miles, Ayesha and Trey. Dad, crowding against Nick as if he thought Nick would get attacked again. They were all dirty and battle-weary, but not broken. They held their heads high.
“Ready?” Seth asked as they reached the doors that led to the parking lot.
No. No, he wasn’t. He was more scared than he’d been in the cafeteria. But he couldn’t back down now. He lifted his head and nodded. “Ready.”
They stepped out of the school and into chaos.
The parking lot was filled with people: students, faculty, parents, guardians, police and EMTs and firefighters. Lights spun atop emergency vehicles as reporters shouted from behind sawhorses set up near the edge of the parking lot. Cameras flashed, and one of the photos—the one showing Nick and his people as they walked down the stairs together—would be on the front page of theNova City Gazettethe next morning under a single word:SURVIVORS. But that would be on the bottom half of the front page.
The top half would be something else entirely.
Nick flinched when people began to whisper, students and teachers all staring at him, eyes wide as Pyro Storm gripped his hand, holding it tight. The whispers grew louder, saying,That’s himandIt’s Pyro StormandDid you see what they did?andIs Nick Bell an Extraordinary?andNo, it wasn’t him, it was the other one, the one in black, the one who could fly.
Once upon a time, Nick would have given almost anything to have this. To have people think he could do something extraordinary. And he had; they all had. His friends. Their parents, Martha and Bob. TK and Mateo. And maybe he did feel strong for a moment, powerful. But this was tempered by the fact that Ice andSmoke had been sent for them. If it wasn’t for Nick, if it wasn’t for Seth, none of this would’ve happened. Sure, the blame rested solely on Simon Burke and his lackeys, but all that had happened had beenbecauseof Nick and Seth. If they hadn’t been here, the dance would’ve gone on, the night filled with music, dancing, laughter, and happiness, without a care in the world. Any sense of victory he might’ve felt was quashed under how close it’d been, how many more people could’ve gotten hurt. Or worse. And for what? To let Nick and his friends have a moment where they could be like everyone else?
They weren’t. They hadn’t been for a long time.
Being a hero was vastly more complicated than he’d expected, and he didn’t know how to reconcile it with all he’d thought it’d be. It didn’t help that everyone was staring at them with a look of fear tinged with wonder. A part of him wanted to bask at the attention, to allow himself to fill with joy at what he was capable of, what they could do when they worked together.
But a bigger part of him was strangely realistic, knowing how much everything would change from this point on. He’d dreamed of this moment for so long, and now that it was here, he realized that some dreams were infinitely more complex, even when they came true.
He cringed as the voices rose around him, as the cameras shuttered and clicked, as everyone tried to look at him, standing on their tiptoes, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of him. He tried to curl in on himself, but it was no use. He was here, exposed. In front of everyone.
“It’s all right,” Dad whispered in his ear. “We’ll deal with it. Let’s get you out of here, okay?”
Nick nodded blindly, squeezing Seth’s hand like a lifeline. He stepped forward again, only to stop when Seth did. He looked back as people began to crowd around them, cops appearing and pushing them back as everyone screamed for them, sayingNick, Pyro Storm, what happened? What did you do? What are you?
“What is it?” Nick asked, voice trembling.
Seth smiled. “You told me you loved me.”
Nick gave a watery smile. “Yeah. I guess I did.”
“And you meant it too.”
“Every word.”
Seth nodded, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slow. “You and me.” He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Nick’s.
“You and me,” Nick whispered to him. “Always.”
Seth pulled back, but not before he kissed Nick’s forehead. He turned toward his aunt and uncle and said, “It’s time.”
Martha covered her mouth with her hand, eyes shining.
Bob put his hand on Seth’s shoulder. “Are you sure? You won’t ever be able to take it back.”
Nick had no idea what they were talking about. He was about to ask when Seth said, “I know. But remember when Gibby’s and Jazz’s parents came over to the house? Nick told them he was Pyro Storm because he wanted to protect me. He did it without thinking. He only cared that I was safe. That’s the kind of person he is. I have to do the same for him.” His voice broke when he said, “Are you going to be mad at me?”
“Never in your life,” Martha said, dropping her hand and pulling Seth into a hug. “We’re so, so proud of you. My brave, wonderful boy.”
“We’re with you, no matter what,” Bob said roughly. He sniffled and wiped his eyes. “Knew this day would come. We’re ready if you are.”
“Detective Bell, you need tomove,” one of the cops called, trying to hold the crowd back.
“We gotta go,” Dad said, trying to lead Nick away.
