I DO NOT OWN STARGIRL. SHOUTOUT TO ANIMALCRUNCH12 FOR THEIR SUPPORT. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS TRANSPHOBIC SLURS, READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Blue Valley, Nebraska. A week later.
After Uncle Bob returned from Omaha, he began to change. Slowly, he stopped interacting with the family, starting to spend more and more time in his study alone. This was a good thing for Zach, offering him a much-needed reprieve from his uncle's trans phobia and his belt. As for his wife and son, the change wasn't welcomed. They've tried to figure out what the hell is going on with Bob, but he would always have a lame-ass excuse. Such as needing privacy or feeling ill.
Another good thing in Zach's life is the constant presence of Courtney Whitmore. She and her friends always go out of their way to include Zach in what they're doing. Most of the time, anyway. By now, he's starting to develop quite the crush on the beautiful Courtney, but he's still insecure about being trans. Which meant not saying say anything about his aforementioned crush. In the eyes of everyone else, he and Courtney were strictly platonic. However, a different bright spot would soon blaze into his life.
It'd started one evening after school. Zach was serving detention for fighting with another student after their purposeful misgendering. Once he served his time, Zach got the hell out of there, almost zipping off of school property when a group of jocks, all decked out in their Letterman jackets, cornered him.
"What do we have here, fellas?" One of them snarled, buff and tall with copper hair. "If it isn't the tranny of Blue Valley High."
The others laughed like their friend invented comedy, clutching their stomachs and offering approving high fives.
Zach sneered. "Screw you, dick!"
A few of them oohed in response.
"I bet that's what this is all about, ain't it?" the same jock egged on. "You dress up as a guy so you can sneak into the boy's bathroom and take a peek at our junk, huh?"
"Please, I would need a microscope to see your wieners," Zach smirked, which had been short-lived as a punch landed swiftly into his gut. A pair of hands grabbed each side of him, restraining him despite how much Zach squirmed for freedom.
"Maybe your pussy needs a grab, you freaky bitch!" the same asshole declared.
He rewound another fist. Zach shut his eyes, expecting the knuckles to indent his jaw... But it never came. Instead, a strange sound caught their attention. Turning behind them, a beautiful blonde-haired girl in a mask and star-spangled spandex stood. She wielded a peculiar, golden staff radiating light and power.
"Hey, why don't you jerks pick on someone your own size?" she said with such authority, yet freshness one would expect from a teenage superhero.
The group of jocks blinked. A cacophony of laughter bellowed into the night sky as they stupidly dismissed her.
"Back off bitch," someone new finally said, jet-black hair and a crooked nose. "This doesn't concern you."
Obviously, Miss America didn't listen to them. She jumped in, knocking one of Zach's tormentors with her staff right to the knees. They did their best to hold their own, but she dispatched them with some sweet karate moves that Zach didn't think an ordinary person could master and her staff.
The jocks were no match, laying out on the ground, unconscious.
She helped Zach to his feet. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. Damn, that was freaking amazing." Zach brushed himself off, catching her eyes. "You're freaking amazing!"
Zach's blue-starred savior glanced away, blood filling her cheeks underneath her mask.
"It's nice to know when a superhero's work is appreciated," she grinned.
"It is." She reached and squeezed his hand. Zach must have lost balance, or maybe the Earth did for a second, as he flitted his eyes to their hands to her gaze again. "Thank you," Zach murmured.
She nodded once, moving to leave. "If everything is good here, I'll get going."
"Wait!" Zach exclaimed. She turned back to face him, smiling softly. "Wh... Who are you?"
"I guess the costume didn't give it away," she mused with an adorable chuckle. "I'm Stargirl."
Stargirl winked at him, hopping onto her golden staff, flying along with the other stars in the sky. Stargirl? How come Zach hasn't heard of her before? Surely, he would've heard of her. She just felt like someone you didn't forget, someone who you should talk about.
"Stargirl," Zach repeated out loud, still staring up at the sky with the same awed expression as he walked home. "This crappy town doesn't deserve such an awesome superhero."
WILL ZACH RUN INTO STARGIRL AGAIN? REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.