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She sighed deeply and crumpled against the pastry case. Even their music today reflected her mood—maudlin folksy songs about heartache.

It all made complete sense, and yet didn’t. So many of the stories Joan had told her fit the bill for Spark: destroyed parts of her hometown, couldn’t hold a real job (what with all the melting), her found work family, problems with the Supers…

But someone who broke into banks and stole things wouldn’t be giddy about making plans for a food truck, right?A food truck, of all things. A food truck named—hello!—Hot and Cold.

And she wouldn’t be so invested in Sadie’s dreams. Sure, Joan could throw some money at a café, but it really seemed like she wanted to be a part of it. That she genuinely believed in Sadie.

And Sadie really had felt safe with Joan. Taken care of. She’d been startled by seeing fire in Joan’s eyes, but who wouldn’t be if they weren’t expecting it?

You got to know the real me. Youknowthe real me.

Yes and no. She knew Joan, but there was a whole unfamiliar side of her. Sadie had spent a large chunk of yesterday watching videos of Spark. The body shape, the lips, theeyes… They were all Joan. Even bits and pieces of things she’d yelled at the Supers had been in Joan’s husky voice.

And then it’d been videos of Catch. Shorter, slightly curvier Catch. With a curt way of speaking about justice. Joan never talked like that.

Then Sadie had rested against her apartment door, half hoping to hear activity from Joan’s place. Not that she could hear much over her own sobbing and hiccups and heavy moans coming from the depths of her soul.

Still, she had to begrudgingly admit she maybe possibly should have watched Catch videos with a more critical eye after meeting Joan. It was so obvious now they were not one and the same. She’d made a huge assumption—which Joan absolutely should’ve corrected—going fromMy new neighbor has nice eyestoShe’s a Superheroin sixty seconds flat.

And of course Joan would say negative things about the Supers. Of course she’d claim they never helped citizens after battles.

Though Lunk had crashed through Vector City Coffee only to make a halfhearted apology and run off. Joan had never wavered from insisting she’d been the one who paid for the repairs.

Okay, so maybe the Supers had been a bit more destructive than… But that didn’t mean they… And it didn’t mean the Villains were better than…

Her eyes clouded over with fresh tears. She straightened and drew in a deep breath. Work would distract her.

Amit came from the back carrying plastic sleeves of paper cups. He took one look at her and said, “You know I don’t like to pry.”

“Ha.”

“You’ve been out of it all day. Everything okay?”

His concern pressed the tears closer to release. “I screwed up again,” Sadie said.

“Uh-oh.” Amit set the cups on the counter.

“Joan.”

“What about Joan?”

“She…” Sadie cleared her throat and waved at her eyes. “She wasn’t who I thought she was.”

“What did she do?”

“She lied to me about her job.”

Amit raised an eyebrow. “And…?”

“And what?”

“There’s usually more.”

“Her job’s a really big part of who she is,” Sadie said. “She led me to think she did something else.”

“Ah. That sucks.”

He went quiet after that. Amit never went quiet. “What?” Sadie said.