Can't Ask, Don't Need, Won't Acknowledge

Chapter 24: Masking the Moment

Wanda stared at the clock, she was willing the minute hand to move around the face. This day was dragging on, she tapped the pen in her hand onto the table restlessly. She looked back to the whiteboard in front of her attempting to pay attention to the words that were being written on it. English literature was her least favourite class. Maths she could manage it was a universal language. Her english was not poor by any standard, but she lacked the nuance to be able to dissect the greats works of literature. In her mother tongue she had excelled, but now she found herself struggling towards the bottom of the class.

This point irked her, as if english was some superior language that the rest of the world had to obey. She glanced down to the book in front of her “The merchant’s Tale.” It wasn’t even really english it was medieval english. She cursed Chaucer under her breath, as she struggled to understand the language, though it pleased her to see her contemporaries also struggling to make sense of the words on the page.

Wanda glared back at the clock on the wall, how had less than thirty seconds passed. She had nervously watched Steve leave that morning. Natasha had even kissed him longer than they usually did when they parted. Wanda sensed the tension, the underlying fear. She could not focus on the lesson. Her stomach was in knots as she struggled to cope with the anxiety that grew.

The bell rang, as she exhaled heavily in relief. She gathered her books and threw them haphazardly into her bag. Wanda rushed to the faculty staff room and knocked on the door. An older teacher she didn’t recognise came to the front, “if you need to speak to a teacher you need to catch them in the classrooms not here.”

Wanda sneered at the woman, “I need to speak to Mrs Rushman.”

“She is entitled to a break from students.”

“Would you just shut up and get her,” shouted Wanda in annoyance her emotions coming through.

Natasha hearing the noise made her way to the door, “Maggie everything ok?”

She pulled open the door and took in the sight of her emotional teenager, “Maggie Can I borrow your office?”

The older woman nodded and Natasha led the teenager into the office shutting the door firmly behind them.

“What’s wrong Wanda?”

“Have you heard anything from him?” asked Wanda.

“No not yet Wanda, It’s still early. You need to calm down sweetheart.”

“Can we just go home?”

Natasha shook her head, “You can worry at home or you can worry at school. At least here you have work to take your mind off it. Focus on your school work.”

“I can’t focus on anything Mama!”

Wanda wrapped her arms around the woman and rested her head on Natasha’s chest.

“Relax baby… Now go get some lunch. Everything is going to be fine…”

……………………………………………………

Wanda rushed out of the car and bombed straight into their little house. She entered the kitchen and smiled when she saw Peter and Steve sat at the table. Wanda threw herself into his arms burying her head into his neck.

“I’m fine Wanda, it all went fine.”

Wanda didn’t reply she just inhaled his scent deeply. She took a few minutes before turning to face Peter.

“Hey Parker.”

Wanda took in the tired sad expression on the teen’s face and finally released her grip of Steve. She walked around the table an embraced the boy, “I’ve missed you spider-boy.”