Chapter 2 - Boom

Assuming that a room filled with old, crotchety sorcerers and witches wouldn’t create the kind of chaos going around the ground hall was a terrible mistake on my part.

After the very second that my father had abandoned the microphone, the room blew up with every camera flash available in a thirty-foot radius, nearly blinding Marcel and I. Buzz after buzz bombarded my phone, with an occasional break for an AoF notification, nearly unheard among the crescendoing whispers of the politicians surrounding us.

I saw reporters forming a line, heading behind the stage to ask pertinent questions that Marcel’s father was ready to answer as vaguely as he was allowed to. My own dad had escaped after the room refused to quiet down. I could only assume he was being led towards an unsuspecting looking vehicle by his security.

“Let’s bounce,” said Marcel. He snatched the edges of my sleeve and pulled lightly. No one noticed us slipping through the double doors into the kitchen.

“Did,” I said, speed-walking past silver countertops and dirty cutlery, “that just happen?”

“Everyone is going to freak,” he replied. We were still walking and still processing.

“He didn’t tell me..."

“Senator Warner is going to pop a blood vessel.”

“Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Yan?"

“He always asks for my opinion...”

I felt two hands land on my shoulders suddenly. Marcel paused our escape right at the front of the exit leading into the employee parking lot. “Yandel. Bro. Isn’t this the big time policy you wanted?”

Big being a massive understatement.

The door opened and a janitor walked in, letting the December cold front blast through. Outside, I could hear the staff - all Supers - engaged in fast and animated discussion over my dad’s announcement. I tuned out immediately. I didn’t have an opinion yet, and I didn’t want anyone else’s to affect my own.

This is real, was all I could think. An Avowal Bill was nothing new, but it was definitely nothing minor. Twice our nation prepared for a vote on our reveal, failing both times in a manner that most of us could only consider raging dumpster fires. Excuse me if I didn’t want my dad crashing under those same circumstances.

“I don’t know what to think. I need a snack.” I fumbled for my keys in my back pocket, hands sweaty.

Marcel patted my back, ushering me forward. “You and me both.”

Out in the parking lot, the moon was in full view, as round as it could be, and no part of me was struggling to maintain the human limbs that I’d been born with. My head, however, was a bit lost. It wasn't like I was against letting Normals, aka Full-humans, witness the whole range of our world, but I was more than a little hesitant when considering the tempestuous political climate of the regular society.

It was a shitshow down here too, don’t get me wrong. I just didn't want my family in the center of it.

The wind hit me again. Texas was unusually cold.

“Hey, man. It’s gonna be okay. Chill.”

I looked at Marcel. He was holding the keys to my car that I’d left dangling out.

“Yeah,” I said, taking them back. “If there’s anybody who can do it, it’s my dad.”

“Yeah...wouldn't want to be you, though." He cackled and wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead. "Big shoes to fill."

"Yeah?"

 "And your feet are already so tiny.”

“The hell - man - I’m average! You fucki-”

Two seconds later we were fake scuffling in front of my car.

It was nice not to worry, and I knew after that day I'd be doing a whole lot of worrying.