Her hands trembled as she read the note on her windshield: ‘I know your secret.’ Nervously, she scanned the parking lot filled with regular people. Who could possibly know?

Gia crumpled the small note and shoved it into her jean pocket before rushing inside her car. The door slammed shut and she started the engine.

“No one could possibly know,” she muttered to herself. “Seriously, how could they?”

“Take a deep breath, Gia. No one knows,” she reassured herself, though she wasn’t convinced.

BONK BONK BONK

Gia nearly jumped out of her seat and looked out the window. Her heart beat started to return to normal when she saw it was Matthew. She rolled down the window with a sigh.

“What?” she snapped.

Matthew’s eyes widened, and Gia felt an instant pang of guilt.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s been a long day.”

Matthew leaned on the car door, his curiosity piqued. “Wanna talk about it?”

Gia fumbled with her seatbelt, which seemed to be stuck in a loop of mischief. “Matt, just go away!”

Hurt flashed across his face before he masked it with annoyance. “Fine. I’ll text you later, I guess.”

He walked away, leaving Gia feeling like she had just ruined her only friendship. But if that’s what it took to protect her true mission, so be it.

Gia rolled the windows back up and reached into the glove compartment. She pulled out the crinkly silver package and stared at it.

Inside was a perfectly intact Pop-Tart, which she had no intention of eating. Her job was not to indulge in these pastries but to defend them from anyone who might misuse them. She was the guardian of Pop-Tarts, not their consumer.

So if losing Matthew was the cost of keeping her Pop-Tarts safe from a world that didn’t understand their importance, then so be it. She could handle the loneliness as long as her Pop-Tarts stayed out of harm’s way.

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I kind of hate that way I wrote this but… yeah. I won’t be offended if you don’t like it :)