It was the weirdest thing, as Anna stayed over almost every night a week there was no crimes anywhere in Swellville. Maybe she was our good luck charm? I could barely focus on Algebra as she was on my mind. Walking out of the classroom I was wrapped in a bone crushing hug from Charlotte.
"I'm so glad you're back." Charlotte said.
I looked to see Jasper walking away from us giving me a look and I just hung my head. I felt Charlotte's hand on my arm and she smiled at me. "He'll come around, he just doesn't know how to help you."
"Henry, can I talk to you?" My teacher asked.
"Yes?" I said.
"Now, I know you've had some troubles these past couple weeks but you missed a very important project. I'm going to have to ask you to make it up." The teacher said.
"How?" I asked.
"You can stay after school to help with the musical, talk to the stage director." That was just great.
I walked onto stage and was a bit overwhelmed by all of the students. People pushed past me with large carts holding set pieces and costumes as I attempted to get to the stage director.
"Hey." I asked grabbing the next student who passed me.
"Yeah?" He asked clearly looking busy.
"Where's the stage director?" I asked and the kid pointed me to a girl. I thanked him and the kid rolled his eyes, but I focused my attention on the girl with the large headphones around her neck talking to like four different people.
"Um cerulean blue rather than baby blue for the sky, make sure the bells are gold not yellow and put the church on the left side of the stage for the beginning of the second act." She said and it amazed me as each person left with their question answered.
"Hey." I said pulling her aside.
"What do you need help with, love? Colors of costumes, placement of pieces, delivery of lines?" She asked.
"First of all thank you. Second of all, I don't really have anything to do." I said, and she laughed. I laughed too, in a state of slight embarrassment but she placed her hand on my shoulder and I didn't feel so bad.
"I call everyone love don't take it personally. What's your name?" She asked flashing me a smile.
"Henry." I said.
"I'm Sky." She said.
"Nice to meet you Sky. It looks like you could do with some help." I said smiling.
"Really?" Sky said.
"Of course. Helping people is what I do." He said proudly.
"All right, Superboy follow me." She asked, winking her left eye.
"Sounds like a plan." I said, snapping my fingers.
"Here wear these, they make you look more like a director." She said, taking a pair of headphones and putting them around my neck.
I almost got hit a couple of times on my way, with so many people shouting at me to get out of the way where was I supposed to be.
"Do you know how to paint a castle?" Sky shouted at me.
"I know what a castle looks like." I said.
"Close enough." Sky said tossing me a brush and I fumbled to catch it. Once I did I spun the brush in my fingers but it dropped on the floor.
"Don't strain yourself there Superboy." Sky laughed and so did I as I picked it up and followed her to a blank canvas. After about a half an hour later, there was a beautiful castle on the canvas and my hand cramped.
"I feel like a giant bug stepped on my hand." I said laying against the tile floor on my back.
"I'm surprised no one came in here." Sky said laying out on her side.
"Yeah. Where's all the raging students about shirt colors and missed entrances." I said and Sky laughed.
"We're not all that bad. It's just your first time." Sky said.
"I guess." I shrugged.
"Hey Henry." Sky said.
"Yeah?" I asked sitting up.
"You've got something." Sky said.
"Where?" I asked bringing my hands up to my face.
"Right there." Sky said dabbing a bit of paint from her hand onto my nose.
"Hey no fair." I said reaching over but Sky dodged me. I sat up on my knees to lunge forward but she had scooted away from me.
"Gotta catch me first." Sky said, standing up to run to the other side of the art room. I stood up and chased her around until she tried to swerve one of the pieces and I was able to grab her by the side.
"Gotcha." I said.
"All right, you've got me." Sky laughed as I grabbed hold of her. I liked to hear her laugh so I enjoyed this small torture I was putting her through.
"Yep and now its' payback time." I whispered with my face in the crook of her neck as I began to poke at her sides. I tickled and she giggled, and it was an endless cycle until someone knocked on the door.
Looking up there was a man who looked similar to Sky, except he was much more serious. Sky brushed off her clothes and blushed toward me. "Henry, this is my dad."
"Hi." I said but he didn't look very friendly.
He motioned his hand and Sky followed him out of the room. I waved but it was no effort as the man was not very pleased with me. I brushed myself off and decided to head home. Well, my new home but then again going to Ray had always felt like home.
Sky followed her father out of the building until they reached his car. With a turn of the key they were outside their building and she followed him silently down the elevator to where his lair was. The more the silence held on the more nervous she got.
"Please talk to me." She said whining.
"I enrolled you in school so you could identify Kid Danger quicker, but instead you spend your time lollygagging around musicals and messing with some boy in the art room." He said.
"Dad, wait!" She said reaching out for his arm but he whipped around and smacked her hard in the face.
"I told you not to call me that." He said angrily.
"Sorry sir." She replied.
"I made you especially equipped to deal with pestering superheroes like Captain Man and his little sidekick, so that we could find my sister and turn her, but unfortunately that came with the side effect of human emotion. So I would prefer if you kept to managing your teenage hormones on your own time, not mine." He said angrily.
"Yes sir." She said.
"You're dismissed to rest." He said and she left.
I skipped happily into the apartment and noticed Ray waiting nervously by the elevator as I stepped in. I threw my backpack on the chair and he walked over and gave me a hug.
"Wow, Ray. Did you not get my text about staying after?" I asked stumbling backwards.
"I did, but then you didn't respond to the one about you being okay." Ray said into my shoulder.
"Sorry I got caught with the stage director Sky, we were painting sets." I said and he pulled away quickly. He had a smirk on his face.
"I see. My man!" Ray said slapping my back a little too hard.
"Why are you two so loud?" Anna asked coming into the room.
"Because Henry's met a girl." Ray said.
"Oh really?" Anna asked.
"Yep, her name is Sky." I said proudly.
"Sky, why does that name sound familiar?" He asked.
"I don't know." I said shrugging.