Average | Natasha Romanoff

31. Counting

Doctor has cleared you to remove your sling but still no strenuous activities were allowed. Your ribs were healing well and there's no major implications.

It's been a long day at school again, but it's the last week till final examinations. Until you're all done.

Teachers were going through the final revision and were asking if anyone needed extra consultations after class. You desperately needed all the help you can get so you signed up for all of them, despite the teasing you get from Liz. You know she's going to get it later.

You ended up staying late in school since the teachers had other consultations to go to before they got to yours. You texted Nat that you'll be staying behind and she does not need to pick you up.

After clarifying all the queries you had with your teachers, you finally left school. It was late, but it was not that late. There was still some light out and you took a nice stroll back.

You had done all the homework you had in school while waiting for your teachers, but they gave you extra work seeing you needed more help to catch up. This was what you get for missing so many lessons.

This repeated everyday during the week, staying behind to wait for your consultation slot and going back to do extra work. Sometimes you wondered why you signed up for this torture...

Everyday you walk back as if life has been drained out of you. Nat did volunteer to drive you back, but you knew she had work to be done during that time. You have a cold shower before tackling your work again, but the concentration did not last very long. You started sighing a lot more and daydreaming while doing your work. 

You didn't even know Nat had come into your room until she knocked on your table, startling you.

"Oh! Hey! What are you doing here?" You widened your eyes as she stood beside you.

"Are you tired?" Nat asked you straightaway.

"Noooo." You pulled your eyebrow closer.

"Alright. Then come and sit here with me." She sat at the edge of your bed, and you followed. Not knowing where this is heading.

Facing you, she held your hands and spoke. "Close your eyes, I'll count to ten then you can open your eyes."

"Why are we doing this?" You asked curiously.

"Just do it."

You raised an eyebrow and obeyed.

"1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10..."

Nat finished counting but you didn't open your eyes. Your head already collapsed onto Nat's chest. Nat had noticed the past week you were working late into the night and waking early in the morning for school. There was no way you could keep that up the entire week without it having an effect on your body.

She picked you up and tucked you comfortably in bed. You were sleeping so soundly that you didn't feel anything.

---

The next morning, you jolted awake, finding yourself in a different position than when you left yourself. You came to a conclusion that Nat must have moved you after falling asleep. Since you woke up early, earlier than your normal days, you decided to have breakfast which you normally skip.

Just a simple breakfast, tea and bread, you really don't have much of an appetite in the morning.

Nat was surprised to see you sitting at the counter eating your breakfast as she was normally the first one to be awake.

"Thanks for yesterday." You spoke with your back facing her as you heard her footsteps.

"How do you know it's me?"

"Who else wakes up so early here?" You replied nonchalantly, sipping your tea.

"Today's your last examination?"

"Yeah."