Dark Secret

Mine

A few weeks after I head been discharged from the hospital, I had cut everyone off completely.

I refused to return Steve's calls or Stephen's.

The Daily Bugle ate up my story about going 'undercover' for the Avengers and how Alexander Pierce was working for Hydra. Since he was dead, he could no longer collaborate his side of things.

They let me come back to work as head editor. It was a very cushy and nice job. But it was hard starting over, getting a new apartment since the other one was long gone. Buying a brand new wardrobe, mainly sticking to jeans and tee shirts with my converse.

When I walked into the office every morning, everyone looked at me like a total bad ass. Not like a broken woman holding onto her life with everything she has.

One of the new temps had come into my office during lunch and invited me to get drinks with them tonight.

"Um I am not sure about that..."

"Come on! Think of it like a team building exercise. So we can get to know you better," he smiled at me, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"All right Peter, I'll think about it. What bar?"

***

I had clocked in late hours at the office to catch up to tomorrow's deadline. Pushing the sleeve of my jacket back, I saw it was only 9 pm.

"Fuck it," I slipped on my beanie as I walked out of the building, saying my goodbyes to the night guards. I walked down the street to the bar where the temps liked to drink at.

I walked into the bar that was lit up with purple and blue neon lights, giving off a very BDSM vibe. I could feel the stares of some of the men in the bar, but I walked right past them as if they didn't exist.

My heart ached because I missed Steve.

I knew I shouldn't miss him.

But I did.

"Ava! Over here!" Peter waved me over to a small group that were standing around a high reach table. Peter grabbed a stool from near by and offered it up to me.

"Thanks."

"So what are you drinking? Sex on the beach? Tequila sunrise?"

"I'll have a double of titos on the rocks."

"Wow, you don't play around." Peter disappeared into the crowd of people, running up to the bar to get drinks.

I tried to enjoy the conversation going on with the temps, but after everything I've gone through, nothing seemed important anymore.

Once Peter mad it back to the table, I was babysitting my drink for most of the night and he must have noticed.

"Is everything okay Ava?"

"Yeah I just have alot on my mind."

"Must be stressful to be a powerful woman in the business."

"Ha! I don't know about that."

"Oh hold on, you have a tag on your shirt."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment, I turned to see a plastic tag sticking out the collar of my shirt.

"Oh my God, how embarrassing."

"I'll get it for you."

Peter leaned in, just close enough that I could smell the cologne on his jacket, but respectful enough he didn't lean into me more than he had to.

He ripped the tag off, he then fixed the collar of my shirt.

"Good looking out, Pete," I pointed my glass in his direction as I saluted him. What was wrong with me, why couldn't I be normal?