Shadow Boy by R.J. Ross

quickly.”
    “Thanks,” I drawl, giving him a dirty look. “I don’t know what good it’ll do, though, me being in the public notice. The biggest part of my abilities is that people won’t see me coming, right?”
    “We want them to,” Max says.
    “What?”
    “We want people to see you coming. We want people jumping at shadows and wondering if the super villain—er… you need a name.”
    “NOT Shadowboy,” I say quickly, "anything other than Shadowboy.”
    “Or Procurer,” Max says agreeably.
    “Procurer?” I repeat.
    “It’s what the Collector called him. You don’t even want to know what it means over in England,” Max says, waving it off. “Now either you get dressed or I haul you out there in your My Little Pony boxers.”
    “I am NOT wearing—” I look down, too late. He starts to laugh.
    “Gotcha,” he says, heading for my closet. He digs through it, pulling out clothes and tossing them at me. “Weren’t you getting clothes made?” he asks.
    “Yeah, but it’s not a rush order—I should get the first set tonight or tomorrow,” I say, getting dressed. “And I don’t even own a pair of My Little Pony boxers, you know.”
    “I’m not going to say a word on that one,” Max says. “Seeing as you just went on a date with Carla—”
    “It wasn’t a date! I’m absolutely positive that if there’s a chance of getting mauled involved, it’s not a date,” I say. My mind goes back to yesterday, lingering on the run-in with my father. “Or the guy that kidnapped her,” I add a bit blandly, tying my shoes. “I mean, even if she wasn’t only fourteen, can you imagine how awkward that would be? ‘Dad, this is my date—I think you already know her, seeing as you KIDNAPPED her,’” I drawl.
    “You’re still hung up on the age thing,” Max points out.
    “Oh forget it, we’ve got classes to get to, and I’m starving,” I say, walking out of my dorm room and into the dining area. I head for the kitchen, where a handful of black suits are working on making breakfast. With Vinny, you usually don’t get to request what you eat—you just eat what’s in front of you. With these guys, though, you can go, “Can I get some pancakes, a side of bacon, and coffee?”
    One hands me a card with a number and I head for a table, waiting for my order to be up. I blink as Carla drops down next to me. “So?” she asks.
    “So what?” I ask.
    “What’s your name going to be?”
    I open my mouth, about to admit I have no clue, when Cisco comes over and drops down on the other side of Carla. I stare at him. “Hey, Cisco! Did you hear? Rocco’s going to debut!” Carla says excitedly.
    Cisco looks up at me, hesitantly. “Congratulations?” he offers.
    “Yeah, thanks,” I say a bit gruffly. I feel relief when my number is called. It’s stupid—I even TOLD myself I would get to know the kid! I, of all people, know how tough it is being the odd man out, right? And didn’t I already decide I was the outgoing, friendly guy that liked everyone?
    “Hey, Rocco!” Freddy says, making me look over. “Have you met the new girls yet?” He’s sitting at their table, I notice, and I wonder if they actually invited him to. “Come meet them!”
    “In a second,” I say, holding up my number. “I gotta get food first.” I head to the kitchen, collecting my pancakes and hesitating as I step back out. One part of me is saying I should go talk with Cisco, the other—well, it’s not that surprising when I head for Freddy’s table, okay? “Hi,” I say to the three, grinning at them.
    “This is Jennifer, Olivia, and Elidee,” Freddy says, pointing at each of them in time. I sit down in the empty chair, next to Elidee, and hold out my hand.
    “Rocco,” I say as we shake. She’s cute—
    No, she’s more than cute, I realize as she looks up with soul-stealing brown eyes. She’s beautiful—I’ve never seen a more gorgeous girl in my life—
    “ELIDEE!” I hear Carla bellow from a