I Wouldn't Mind [Sky High]

First Day Nerves

The dilemma of what to wear on the first day of freshman year was not a struggle young Elodie Stronghold related to. She put on a black skirt with punk chains hanging from it with a black skull tee under a white lace camisole and she felt prepared. The unruly mess of black curls she called hair hung in her face, but she didn't bother putting a brush to them. All she'd end up doing was frizz her hair and that was the last thing she wanted to deal with. She pulled on a pair of black and white striped socks then her chunky black boots and she was practically ready to go.

She heard her father call out her brother's name from downstairs and rolled her eyes when it was followed by clanking metal. She knew exactly what her older brother was doing: adding more weights to his bench to make it appear as if he was lifting far more than a normal human should be able to. She shook her head as she grabbed her pre-packed backpack and left her room to walk downstairs. She passed her dad on the way down as he went up, smiling at him. "Good morning, dad."

"Good morning, sweetheart," he said, wearing the smile of a proud father and hero. He continued to climb the stairs, calling after Will. "Son!"

Elodie made her way to the kitchen to sit down and enjoy breakfast, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She couldn't sit there and say she was exactly very happy to have to go through another first day of school, let alone her first day of high school. She couldn't go to a normal high school either, she had to go to Sky High, the school where all the supers went to learn to be heroes or sidekicks. She had a pretty good idea of what category she would end up in, which was part of the reason her heart was pounding.

"Good morning, dear," her mother said as she took a seat at the breakfast table. Josie smiled at Elodie, admiring her daughter who just seemed to be growing up so fast. "I can't believe you're already going to high school."

"Me either," Elodie said, managing a small smile.

"Nervous?" Josie asked. She watched her daughter nod, the boundless curls bouncing around her head. "There's nothing to be worried about. Sky High is just like any other high school."

"Except I've never been to any other high school."

"What I mean is that you're going to have a great time."

The conversation wasn't helping her nerves, but Elodie nodded and smiled as if it were. Both looked up when they heard a crash, unphased and not surprised by the noise. Something was always getting broken, what with a father with super strength and all.

The crash made Elodie laugh and Josie smiled at her, going to retrieve a plate of food for her to eat. Just as she was grabbing the plate, the door opened and in walked another teenager with bright red hair and a happy smile. "Good morning, Mrs. Stronghold."

"Morning."

"Hey, Layla," Elodie said.

"I noticed you had some recyclables in the trash, so I took the liberty of moving them for you," Layla said as she took a set with Elodie. Josie walked over and set a plate down for her and Elodie's in front of her. "You hungry? I've got plenty of eggs, bacon..."

Elodie started to butter and jam her toast before folding it in half.

"No thanks," Layla answered. "You know how my mom can communicate with animals? Apparently they don't like to be eaten."

Josie stared at her for a moment. "How bout some juice?"

"Great."

Elodie looked up as her dad walked in. Steve came and sat with the girls, greeting Layla.

"Good morning, Commander," Layla said.

"Commander?" he asked, looking at her quizzically. She rubbed under her eye and he sighed, pulling his glasses, the key to his secret identity, from his vest pocket and put them on. "Thanks, Layla."