The Confidential Files of A Superhero

Onyx: THREE

Allison’s Point of View

Moving day came too quickly. Standing on the front steps of Gibson Hall had my heart racing in my chest. Alex and Kyle had already carried all of mine and Joey’s belongings into my dorm room, making it look like a breeze. For them though, with their super abilities and all, I guess it really was. A squeal came from behind me, my best friend suddenly throwing her around around my shoulders and pulling me backwards into some sort of death grip or hug. My entire body rattled as she simultaneously hugged and jumped around in a state of pure glee.

“Can you believe this day is finally here?!” Joey squealed into my ear and I couldn’t help but share in the excitement. I’d been waiting for this day since I was just a little girl. So no, I couldn’t believe it was already here, but I also felt as if this moment had taken forever to come. We had finally made it.

“I’m so excited,” I squealed back to her as the two of us jumped around a little. I was finally moving into university with my best friend and I would finally be starting my health sciences degree. Today was day one on my progress towards my lifelong goal of becoming a doctor just like my dad, and I couldn’t help but feel a little proud of myself. Truth be told, I had given myself pause at the end of my final year of high school. Truly I wasn’t sure Alex and I were going to make it out of high school alive, but somehow we had, and now things were better than ever for all of us.

Alex and Kyle were just strolling out the front doors, a grin on their faces after making record time moving everything in to our tiny room. I was sure that all the other families had been beaming at them with jealousy as they one by one carried each box into our rooms, not even breaking a sweat.

Alex leaned against the open door, his arms folded over his chest and a grin beaming in my direction. There he was, the man I’d spent the last year falling so deeply in love with. Any evidence of the weirdness looming between us earlier in the lab was long gone now. Just like always it came in little waves, but now that we were going back to a normal routine again, I only hoped everything else would go back to normal too and the weirdness would be gone for good. Plus, maybe I’d stop overthinking everything so much now that my mind would be preoccupied with something else.

My smile stretched wide back to him, but I couldn’t ignore the slight pinch in my chest. I’d been basically living with Alex all summer, and as excited as I was to be sharing a dorm room with my best friend, I was also really going to miss my time with him. Crime had really been picking up in the city this summer, especially with all the news articles out there theorizing about Onyx’s disappearance. Ben had been doing his best to keep the criminals in line, but honestly they just weren’t as afraid of him as they were of Onyx. I only hoped that once Onyx returned to the city skyline, crime would slow down again.

I was certain that once Alex put his suit back on then he’d be busy all the time again, or at the very least for the next few months as he got the San Francisco crime rates under control again. It had been really nice having him all to myself this summer though, and not having to be worried that he was out there putting himself right in the line of danger. I knew it was selfish though to keep a man like this all to myself, so I gritted my teeth and kept my mouth shut. I tried to focus on the positive. This was a new chapter for us, a big chapter. It was the start of the rest of our lives together. Besides, this is just for first year. By this time next year, maybe Alex and I would be moving into our first place together.

Alex was the first to step forwards, pulling me into the crushing hug that I’d been dying for ever since we arrived on this campus. I definitely wasn’t anywhere close to being ready to say goodbye to him, but regardless that terrible moment we’d been dreading all summer had already arrived.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” I whined into Alex’s shoulder as I squeezed him harder. I blinked my eyes hard, forcing back the tears that tugged at their corners. Alex chuckled, his lips warm as they pressed gently against the skin of my neck. It was clear he was definitely taking this better than I was, but then again, one of us had to be the strong one right now.

“Perks of dating a superhero honey, I can visit anytime you want me to. Guess I am back to sneaking into windows though,” he joked. My eyes darted briefly over to the window in our door room as I laughed. I wondered if Kyle would be sneaking in through that same window too. Our room was on the second floor, but all of us knew that wouldn’t be a challenge for either of our heroes.

When Alex put it that way though, it certainly did make saying goodbye a lot easier. “Promise me you’ll visit?” I repeated back to him and Alex gave me a look that told me I was being absolutely ridiculous. Of course he was going to visit. Alex and I had practically been attached at the hip since he first snuck into my room all those months ago, and I didn’t even know his real identity at that point.

“Not even a question babe. I promise,” he assured me, his hands coming up to rest on either side of my face. The brown iris’ of his contacts were shining back at me as he smiled. “You are my everything, I’ll be here as often as I can,” he added and I knew whole heartedly that he was telling me the truth. I only hoped that his life didn’t get too busy for me once his superhero career took off again.

My heart still pounded in my chest at the thought of Alex returning to the skies tonight. He was so excited to get back to work though, I could see it in his eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out he’d already packed his suit into the backpack, praying he’d get his first call the second he drove away from this place. I forced back the wall of anxiety coming over me, reminding myself one more time that what happened last summer was a fluke accident. Alex had been a superhero for years and never had any other encounters like that. He was going to be just fine out there, I had to believe in his abilities. So I pushed all of the doubt out of my mind, refusing to let me own fears ruin our last perfect moment together before we had to part ways.

Alex tilted his head down towards me, leaning in until his lips met mine. They were soft and gentle but also strong. I never wanted to let him go, but the both of us knew this couldn’t last forever. Our perfect summer was only temporary, and the time had finally arrived for the two of us to make our return to reality.

A quiet but oh so familiar beep sounded in the room, and Alex’s wrist began vibrating furiously against my shoulder as he still cradled my head. He pulled back, his eyes widening on mine in surprise. Apparently reality was far too eager for the two of us, the both of us quickly realizing it had been a very long time since either of us had heard that sound. Alex pulled back slightly, flipping his watch over and looking at the alert that had just been streamed through the echo sphere. He wasn’t even technically back to work yet but already the world was calling him. San Fransisco needed their hero back, even if I still wanted to keep him all to myself.

Alex and I barely had time to react before our friends were bursting through the open doorway. “We have to go,” Kyle came rushing into the room, already blurting the words out. Joey was tucked into the curve of his back, her hand resting nervously on his arm as she peered out around him. Her eyes locked on me with alarm and instantly I realized the two of them had been called together. A code red calling both heroes into action, while neither of them were supposed to be on duty right now. This definitely couldn’t be good.