Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Worst comes to worst, my Dad can get it off. I knew what I was making when I made it, even if I didn’t have words. I’m positive it wasn’t meant to hurt me.”
    “We can mark off ‘malevolent,’ but we’re still left with ‘inscrutable.’“ Ray chuckled.
    “Maybe your powers don’t have to do with inventing in general, but with this—” Claire started to suggest, but she suddenly stopped. Half the conversations in the cafeteria stopped when some adults opened the doors.
    Not just any adults. My Mom and Dad. Brian “Brainy” Akk and The Audit didn’t have much of a secret identity, so a lot of the kids knew on sight that these were my parents.
    I ought to have been mortified and terrified, but instead I had trouble keeping my expression solemn and apologetic like itought to be. I stood up, grabbed my book bag, and walked around to the door to meet them. Nobody in the crowd said anything mean. Maybe they knew, in some secret mob psychology way, that this was my moment of triumph rather than shame.
    Ray and Claire fell in behind me. I wanted to tell them not to. As much as I no longer cared, there might be serious trouble on the way. I’d like to have kept Ray and Claire out of that, but that would be taking away their chance to share my triumph.
    No teachers waited with my folks out in the hallway. Superheroes had to be trustworthy, right? Mom and Dad were trying to look noncommittal. They didn’t know what was going on, yet. Mom’s poker face is amazing, but Dad looked worried. “Penny, we got a call from the Principal’s Office. You told them you missed math class because of some kind of nervous collapse.” My heart thumped in my chest. He had the most serious expression in the world, and the sharply planed face for it. I had the best parents.
    I couldn’t leave them in suspense. As solemnly and respectfully I could, I explained, “It’s true. I’ve been going crazy with stress, but I think that was a side effect. I had to get a little crazy to make this.” I held up my wrist and grinned. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. They’d understand, now.
    They knew what it meant, but they didn’t want to just leap to the obvious conclusion. “You built this yourself? What does it do?” asked my Dad, taking my hand and holding my wrist up high so he could peek in at the machinery.
    He ought to have turned around and told me what it did. That he didn’t got my Mom’s notice. “Even if it’s just jewelry, Brian, that’s not middle-school level craftsmanship. That’s not even prodigy-level craftsmanship.” Her eyes turned on me with her professional look. Yikes, now I knew why criminals sometimes surrendered without a fight. I felt like I’d been disassembled and weighed and every part tagged. “What tools did you use, and how long did it take?”
    “I had power tools from the shop, and about half an hour?” I glanced at Ray and Claire for confirmation, and they nodded.
    “Less than forty-five minutes, Mrs. Akk. We got Claire back to class before the bell,” Ray agreed.
    “Even if it’s junk…” Mom began. She didn’t get to finish.
    “Stop fighting the obvious, Beebee. Your daughter’s powers have arrived! Congratulations, darling!” Claire’s Mom squealed. I was suddenly engulfed in platinum blonde hair and strong, slender arms. Only Mom had seen her coming. Well, only Mom didn’t look surprised.
    “We don’t know anything for sure yet, Misty,” Mom argued. Even she was starting to crack a smile. This argument was lost before it started.
    “Can you think of any explanation that does not involve Penny having super powers?” The Minx shot back. She set me down, but gave me another quick hug. “This is the proudest moment of your life so far, Penny. Throw caution to the wind and enjoy it.”
    “As for you two…” Claire’s Mom went on, rounding on Claire and Ray. She gave both of them a playful hair ruffle, and praised, “You two are such good friends. You’re not in