“Have fun?” Dennis settled on a movie and set the remote down.
“Yes. You’re welcome for the free concert from Emy the Great.” I grinned and sprawled on the floor with both hands behind my head.
“If you could really call it that.”
“I told you your singing was killing everyone.” Ari laughed as I waved both middle fingers in the air, one for each of them.“Oh, I love this movie.” She fixed her notes into a pile before pushing them aside.
“You like this kind of stuff?” Sean asked.
“I love horror movies. We both do.” She gestured toward me and settled in beside him. “It’s our favorite.”
“Especially the ones with action.” I rolled to my feet and jumped over the table, making swooshing noises while I held an arm out and ran across the room. I can’t be a superhero without the proper sound effects.“Fighting crime!” I turned and struck a magnificent pose.“I have reached my final destination of the corner of the wall—”
“What are youdoing?”
“Saving you!” I saluted Ari and switched poses.“I’m watching over the city and wait! No.” I gasped and dropped the pose.“I’m gonna be a villain instead. I should dye my hair red. That rhymed. And I should do a handstand!” I started to go into a handstand, but then I remembered something and stopped moving.“False alarm, I can’t do those. Everyone can sit back down.”
“But no one’s standing up?” Sean furrowed his brows as I sat beside Dennis.
“Also, you can do handstands,” Ari said. “You learned in middle school.”
I titled my head. Can I? I can’t remember. “I’m gonna dye my hair red. Do you have any red dye?”
“I like the purple and black. It suits you.” Dennis took the lock of hair Iwasexamining.
I smiled as he started playing with it. I left it curly after my shower to see how I like it. Ari’s waves are always pretty. I can ask her for tips to avoid frizzing.
“Do you guys want us to go home early?” Ari asked. “I can take her with me and bring her back when she’s normal. I honestly won’t feel bad and she probably won’t even remember. I know it’s a lot.”
“It’s okay,” Sean said.“It’s not bothering us. Does she really not notice it’s happening?”
“Notice what? And what’s a lot?” I stopped watching Dennis play with my hair to look at them. And then I got bored. “I’m gonna go for a jog.” I stood and started stretching.
“Right now?”
“Right now,” I answered Ari. “Probably ’til the sun comes up. It’s only a few hours and I can easily run for that long. I do it all the time.”
“You don’t go for runs. I’ve literally never seen you go running. You hate running for exercise.”
“We’ll agree to disagree.”
“But it’s a fact—”
“I’m gonna run through the night,” I carried on over her pessimism, “and I’ll come back slightly before sunrise so I don’t melt and die. That would suck.” I laughed and glanced at the time before heading for the door.
“You don’t want shoes?”
“Shoes are for the weak. I’m not a weak shoe wearing bitch.” I cackled as Ari’s mouth dropped. “What’s your problem? I’m just going for a run. Do you wanna come?”
“No,” she said softly. “Be safe, okay? You promise you’re only going for a jog?”
“Yup! I promise. Only for a jog. I’ll be back in a few hours.” I skipped out the door and into the night, ready for my usual evening run.
Alone
I threw the front door open and tossed my suitcase across the room for funsies.
“You’re gonna break all your stuff trying to show off.” Ari nudged the door shut and followed me in.“Since you’re so strong now, you wanna take this up to my room?” She dropped her bag in front of me.
