As they walk into her house, Mina seems to really breathe for the first time since her attack. Ryaan may not be on his home turf, but he feels at home here as well. He’s been upset since he failed the test but today wasn’t a bust. He was actually able to help someone. Without his mind being torn between ten things, he notices Mina’s turning into a very pretty girl.

He hasn’t seen much of her lately but he’s always thought of her as his kid sister’s friend. He’s not seeing a kid now. She has long black hair and a slightly lighter complexion than he does. Her eyes are a pretty hazel color and she has a really nice smile when he finally gets to see it.

She offers Ryaan a bag of ice which he sticks under his shirt. The cold feels weird on his ribs but it offers relief. They sit down to relax but after a few minutes Mina’s gaze returns to the blood on his shirt. “Why don’t you give me your shirt. I do most of the laundry since my mom and dad work a lot. I’m good at getting stains out.”

Without thinking Ryaan takes his top off. It doesn’t take long for him to regret it. He feels incredibly awkward standing there without a shirt in front of Mina. She blushes, trying to look away. After a moment she takes the shirt and heads to her laundry room. Ryaan uses her absence to grab his regular shirt out of his backpack. He manages to put it on before she returns. When she comes back and smiles at him, suddenly all the pain he’s felt today is worth it.

They return to the living room where Ryaan can sit and keep the ice pack from moving around. Mina sits in a chair across the room and stares at him. She keeps doing that. It doesn’t take long for them to both realize they have no idea what to talk about. Mina says, “Your shirt will be clean in thirty minutes or so. I can dry it too if you want but that will take longer.”

Ryaan tells her that will be okay and thanks her for the help. Now it’s Mina’s turn to laugh. “I think if anyone owes a thank you it’s me. You saved me from those guys. I can’t believe you’re trying to be a vigilante though. That seems really dangerous. None of your family knows?”

Ryaan shakes his head. “I’d appreciate if you don’t tell them. I know you and Nadia still hang out some but I don’t want her to worry.”

“No problem, I’m not going to blow your secret. I think you should tell them though. At least Nadia. She’d be really supportive. Plus, you know she’d make you a better outfit than what you’re wearing. Did you make that yourself?”

Ryaan confirms that he did. His feelings are slightly hurt but she’s not wrong about Nadia and clothing. She’s always done a lot of patching and repairing of their clothes. Something she picked up from their mom. When they first moved to the US they had almost no money and mom made most of their clothes. When he started school he remembers how embarrassed he was when he realized none of the other kids wore homemade clothes. His parents, always trying to be American, somehow came up with the money to buy him a cheap new wardrobe.

Mina crosses her legs, putting her head in her hands. “Are you going to take the vigilante test again?”

He opens his mouth to answer but nothing comes out. He realizes he hasn’t really considered the question. He has to, doesn’t he? As much pain as he’s in, today taught him that helping isn’t a choice. He saved someone in trouble and it feels amazing. He wasn’t registered when he did it though.

He definitely wants to keep going but waiting a month for the test sounds like torture. What if he does this without registering? What will happen if he gets caught? Mina runs over to her computer and a quick internet search gives them an answer. Since the passing of the act the only punishment for vigilantism without registration is being required to register. They must have come up with that one before the test was required and not changed it. Unless something changes, he’s not even taking a real risk by skipping the test. Plus, he doesn’t have to use his fake ID to be a non registered vigilante.

Looking over Mina’s shoulder, a smile starts to spread across Ryaan’s face. “I’m just going to help people. I’ll worry about registering if someone catches me.”

Mina’s face lights up with excitement. “I like it, you’ll be kind of a rebel and do your own thing. That’s really cool.”

Something clicks in Ryaan’s head and reminds him of one of his favorite songs. “That’s what I’ll go by, I’ll be the Rebel.”

The look on Mina’s face is priceless. “You mean I get to name you? That’s awesome!” She starts to go in for another hug before remembering how much that hurt him last time. She stops herself, looking sheepish. “Ryaan, I won’t tell anyone about you either way but can I help you? I want to repay you for saving me.”

It’s Ryaan’s turn to want to hug her. “That’s really nice of you Mina but this is really dangerous. I know how to fight thanks to my parents. Unless you have some kind of training, you’ll just end up getting hurt.”

Mina’s mouth is practically gaping at this point. “I’m not going to be running around the streets in a funny outfit Ryaan. My parents would kill me. I can still help you though. If your clothes get bloody I can clean them. If they get damaged I can fix them, maybe not as well as Nadia but I can handle some basic sewing. I might even be able to make you a better costume as a thank you.”

“Okay, so you can help with the costume?” Ryaan processes his options. This is the best he could manage after a lot of effort and it’s not great. A good costume goes a long way to being taken seriously as a vigilante. If she can do better, he knows taking her up on the offer’s a good idea. Ryaan reaches out his hand. “Sounds like a plan. I can’t wait to see what you can do.”

Mina grabs his hand and shakes it hard. As she does so, in the background the washer buzzes loudly to tell them his clothes are clean.