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“Oh, I’m mad at you,” Trey said. “And I know you feel guilty, but I can’t help but think that it’s guilt about getting caught more than anything else. If we hadn’t come over here today, when would you have told us about any of this?”
“I don’t know,” Dad whispered. “I—”
“We’re not stupid,” Jazz muttered. “We’ve lasted this long, haven’t we?”
“Of course you’re not stupid,” Miles said gently. “But you’re only sixteen years old. All of you are, except for Gibby, and she’s only a year older. I’m not going to speak for Trey and Aysha because I don’t have the right to, but you, Jasmine? You’re damn right I’m going to speak for you, because you’re my daughter. Have you really thought this through? Any of you?”
“We have,” Gibby said firmly. “And we’ll do what we have to in order to protect our friend.” She glanced at them before looking back at her parents. “We’re Team Pyro Storm. We’re Lighthouse. Seth needs us as much as we need him. You can try and break us apart, and maybe you’ll succeed, but we’re not playing around. We know this isn’t a game. We take this as seriously as anything we have before. We need a new form of justice, and I want to be part of that change. Iampart of that change, because it’s what you taught me.”
“Lighthouse,” Aysha murmured. “And you—what, sit down in the basement on a computer, feeding him information about crimes in progress? That’s all well and good, Gibby, but what happens next year? You’re going to be leaving for school. You got into Howard, sweetheart. That’s hundreds of miles away. Isn’t it better to have a clean break now, so you can focus on your future?”
The air was sucked out of the room. Nick snapped his head toward Gibby.
“What?” Jazz whispered. “I thought—” She looked at her girlfriend. “You’re leaving?”
“Dammit,” Gibby muttered. “I wasn’t going to—” She shook her head angrily. “I haven’t made any decision yet.”
Trey and Aysha exchanged a look that Nick couldn’t decipher. “What do you mean you haven’t made any decision yet?” Trey asked slowly. “Gibby, Howard is an amazing school. You’ve worked so hard getting the grades you have, and you’re ranked first in your class.”
“You’rewhat?” Nick asked.
Gibby rolled her eyes. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
“It is,” Jazz said in a hushed voice. “Just because you didn’t want anyone else to know doesn’t make it any less true. I’m proud of you. Everyone else should be too.”
“You’re leaving?” Seth asked, dumbfounded.
Gibby glared at the floor. “This isn’t how I wanted this to come out. I’m still deciding what’s best for me. And since it’smyfuture, I get to make that decision.” Her parents started sputtering, but she overrode them. “I know you think I need to go to an HBCU like you both did, but there’s more to it than that. And it’s not just about Jazz. Or Seth. Or Nick. Or even Lighthouse. It’s aboutmeand what I want.” The fight went out of her voice, and she folded in on herself. “Doesn’t that matter at all?”
“Of course it does,” Aysha said. “And we’ll support you no matter what you decide, but Gibby, I need you to think—really think. You say it’s notjustabout Jazz or your friends. That plays a big part in it, though, doesn’t it?”
For a moment, Nick thought Gibby wouldn’t answer. She did. “It does. It’s … we’re making a difference. We’re helping people. That counts for something, right?”
“It does,” Trey said. “But so does your future. Say you stay in the city and go to school here. Are you going to be able to focus on your studies while still being part of Team Pyro Storm? And how long is that going to last? A year? Two years? Ten? Gibster, this isn’t your system to fix.”
“I know it’s not,” Gibby said. “But I want to. Because if anything is going to change, it has to start somewhere. Why can’t it start with me?” She leaned forward, gaze leveled on her parents. “You told me the only reason change happens is because there are people willing to fight for it. I can’t just sit by and let that fight go on without me, not when I can help make things better.”
Trey looked stricken as he said, “I can’t let anything happen to you, honey. I just can’t. You areeverythingto me.”
“I know, Dad,” she whispered. “I love you too.” She sat back in her chair, and when she spoke again, her voice was stronger. “I don’t ask you for much. I never have. And I’ve never given you areason to doubt me, which is why I’m asking you to trust me with this. We’re young, yes, but we’re doing good. We’re making a difference.”
Trey sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I want to trust you. I really do. But I’ve been around a hell of a lot longer than you have. I know how these things go. I’m not going to promise anything right now because that’s not fair to any of us. I need time to think.” He glanced at Aysha, who nodded. “We both do.”
“She shouldn’t make any decision based on this,” Seth said. “Gibby, I—” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know if this is even whatIwant. I can’t be a hero forever.”
Martha put her hand over her heart. “Seth? What are you talking about?”
He shrugged awkwardly, looking impossibly young. “I don’t know. I just … There has to be more than this. I made the decision to become Pyro Storm because someone I cared about needed a hero. He didn’t know that he was alreadymyhero, and I wanted to do anything I could to make sure he never got hurt that way again. And it sort of steamrolled from there, because someone always needs saving, and if I could help them, then I had to. They were—are—my responsibility.”
“You do what you need to do, Seth,” Bob said gruffly. “And if that means hanging up the costume and just being a teenager, then so be it. The city survived long before you came into the world, and it’ll be here well after we’re all gone. Your aunt and I, we’ll have your back, no matter what you decide.”
“Let’s take a step back for a moment,” Miles said. “We need to think clearly about this, and I don’t know if we can right now since we learned about all of it ten minutes ago.” He jerked his head toward the boxes. “Jasmine, only the best, right?”
She nodded, though her face was pale. “Only the best.”
Miles stood from the couch. “Well, let’s see what we have, huh? Might as well make sure everything works like it’s supposed to. What do you say, Trey? Feel up to helping me haul some boxes down to the basement?”
For a moment, Nick thought no one would move. He was surprised when Trey stood, sliding the sleeves of his thick sweater up his forearms. “Can do. I’m not much for computers and junk, but I know how to follow directions and plug things in.”
