All conversation ceased as President Lund cleared his throat and took his seat at the table.

"I hope you all found your mentors' explanations enlightening. Please don't hesitate to ask them any questions throughout the rest of today, as well as before and after the procedure tomorrow."

Tomorrow. I swallowed around the massive lump in my throat, suddenly feeling unsure. Was this really happening? Would I really go through with this? Yes. I would. This was what I wanted.

"Now please direct your attention to Miss Sharp."

Miss Sharp thrust her shoulders back and stepped to the left to reveal a presentation easel someone had set up during our time with the mentors. A bulletpoint list was scribbled on the paper, notes to keep her focused during her talk.

"Well, I am just so honored to be here with you history-makers," She began, flashing a perky grin. Her voice was prim and somewhat melodious. "I'm here to tell all of you about the ceremony. Protonet and ten other tech corporations will hold a reveal ceremony that will take place three days after the procedure. Thousands of VIPs will be there. Billionaires, tech presidents, celebrities, fashion designers. Everyone will be watching you."

Thousands. I shuddered. How could I look over a sea of people - famous people no less - without freezing up? Cy was a total extrovert. He could make friends with anyone. Me? I was the most awkward human I'd ever met.

"This is your chance to meet some of the most important people in the world. In three days, you will be household names, and everyone will want to work with you. You will be celebrities."

The two hyenas grinned at each other, did a silent fist-bump.

"We will have a lot to do before the ceremony. Filming for the reveal, fitting you all for your outfits, training for etiquette and proper stage presence - that sort of thing. Very easy, but extensive. Your mentors will assist you in etiquette; our designers and stylists will primp you for the ceremony."

She continued into details regarding the ceremony, the filming, the training and our schedule. After taking a few questions, she congratulated us on a job well done and President Lund dismissed us for the day.

"Be prepared for tomorrow," He reminded, "You're about to make history."

After we made our way to the lobby, Sunshine skipped ahead of us, waving her phone. "I want a picture with all y'all. Just a memento."

We huddled in, a rather tight pinch, and Sunshine snapped a selfie. Everyone shook hands and gave hugs, and Sunshine promised to send us the photo, then we disbanded and left for our last-day ventures as normal humans in New York. In celebration of our final night before the superhuman procedure, I invited Cy, Brynn and Lulu to the restaurant Cy had chosen the evening Lulu arrived. They eagerly accepted, and Brynn smiled, which made my heart feel lighter after the dazed events of the day.

We met each other in the lobby that evening, crammed into a taxi and arrived at the restaurant within minutes. I opened the restaurant door and allowed the ladies and Cy to file inside.

"Oh, you're such a gentleman!" Lulu giggled, "Isn't he, Brynn?"

Brynn cracked a shy smile. "Definitely."

"Your face is red." Cy whispered as he walked past me.

I rolled my eyes, shrugged off his comment even though my face was burning from Brynn's cute smile. Then I remembered he was the one who had suggested I invite her. And that he had urged me to bring Lulu to New York. And had excited me with the thought of being a superhuman. And he'd told me about Protonet in the first place. I frowned, my mind wandering through my thoughts. Was Lulu right? Had Cy dragged me along, blind and willing, into his plans?

"Hey, you alright, buddy?" Cy's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm good." I shot him a thumbs up, he patted me on the back and we walked inside.

No. I resolved. Cy's my friend. And I wouldn't go along with him unless I wanted to.

A waiter escorted us to the same balcony, to the same table. Cy winked at me as we sat down. I stared at the vast city that lay beyond the balcony. The gals giggled together like old friends as Lulu recounted her first day in New York and coming to the restaurant in her "new dress with tons of sparkles on it."

"Hey, Cy," Lulu beamed, "Did you bring flowers this time too?"

A secretive smile crossed his face; he reached into his jacket. "I did indeed."

Like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, he pulled a yellow rose from beneath his coat and gingerly handed it to Lulu. He's just full of surprises. He turned and gave me a half-smirk, half-quizzical look. "Aren't you gonna give Brynn her rose?"

I stared hard at him, wondering what he meant. I didn't have a rose to give. He knew that. I knew that. I also knew he wouldn't embarrass me on my first almost-date. Which meant...

I reached into one side of my jacket. Not there. The other side. My fingers felt along a slender, moist stem; I carefully grasped the flower and removed it from my jacket pocket. Not quite as magically as Cy, but it would do. Brynn grinned like a kid at Christmas as I passed the rose to her. Her eyes gleamed, and she gently touched its lavender petals as if the flower were made of crystal that would shatter at a touch heavier than her own.

"Thank you. I didn't expect something like this." She looked up at me; I smiled to mask my own surprise.

Neither did I.

Lulu and Brynn turned back to their cheery conversation, twirling the roses in their hands. I glanced at Cy, tried to figure out when he had managed to sneak that rose into my jacket. In the lobby? In the taxi? At the restaurant door? I shrugged my shoulders at him, hoping for an answer. He only winked.

After our grand supper, Lulu hailed the waiter, who strolled to our table in a rather dignified manner. She flashed her best smile. "Sir, would you mind taking a few photos for me? Oh, thank you. I so appreciate it."

She handed her shiny pink Polaroid to him, then we huddled together around the table, smiling as the waiter held up the camera. My eyes saw white and blue shapes for a few minutes after the flash went off.

"Thank you very much," Lulu took her camera and the images it had spat out; the waiter nodded and left, "He's getting a tip for that."

She handed each of us an image, still creamy in color. Brynn grinned wide, squinting to watch the picture slowly appear. "I love these things."

We spent the taxi ride back to the hotel laughing and showing off our Polaroid pictures to one another. In the years since, I still smile every time I remember that night. I had a number of good times afterward, but that night is the one I love the most.