Middle School Heroes

Chapter 9 - Pinecones and Circus Clowns

When their alarms went off, both Skye and Wanda woke quickly. Skye dressed herself in leggings and a red shirt, then pulled her hair up into a pony tail, remembering that she was going to have to run a mile at PE today. When they were both ready, they headed out the door with their backpacks and went to breakfast.

The cafeteria was much different than the one at the school. It had smaller square tables that could be pushed together to make bigger tables. It had more of a homey feel to it than the school cafeteria, and no strange imaginary line down the middle. There was a door to enter for the food line, and the drink fountains sat in the middle of the room. Skye chose toast and what appeared to be some kind of breakfast burrito. They sat at a table with Fitz and Jemma and Skye ate quickly so that she could get to Homeroom early. As they ate, Peter and Loki walked over and pushed a table next to them. Skye handed Peter, Fitz and Loki the cookies that she saved for them and Peter grinned.

"I knew she'd leave you cookies. She did the same for me when school started." He said, as he ate his in one bite.

Noticing the time, Skye grabbed her bag. "I have to go! Professor Coulson is expecting me in 15 minutes." She stood up and walked off quickly, throwing her trash away on the way out.

After walking out of the front door. Skye froze. It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea where she was going. They had passed the school last night, and she knew that it was a short distance away, but it had been dark, and she wasn't sure which path to take to get there.

She was about to go back inside to ask someone when the doors opened and Sam walked out carrying his backpack. "Hey Skye! Everything okay?"

"I need to go meet Professor Coulson, but I have no idea how to get to the school from here," she replied sheepishly.

"Oh great! I'm headed there too for some extra help with science. Let's walk together and I can show you."

They headed off and Skye made sure to note which way they went. The path turned out to be pretty easy. It was well paved and lined with big thick trees.

"So how do you like the school, so far?" He asked her as they walked.

"I am actually surprised at how much I don't hate it. I've been to a lot of schools and never really felt like I fit in at any of them. Here, I at least feel like I have a chance, so far."

"I was a nervous wreck when I started here in sixth grade. Between you and me, I sometimes still feel that way. There are people who have these amazing abilities and even though I'm in my second year, I still wonder if I really belong here sometimes." A pinecone flew passed Sam's head as he talked, causing him to look up at the trees above him. He shrugged it off.

"What are you talking about? You can fly! Like really fly!" Skye stared at him in disbelief.

"True, but I need my wing pack to fly." Another pinecone came soaring at him, this time catching him in the shoulder. He stopped and looked around again, but seeing nothing, continued talking. "I'll grant you that not everyone has the skill to do it, but I still need the wings, and not everyone does." A third pinecone came out of nowhere and caught him in the chest. This time he stopped and thoroughly searched the surrounding tress, before beginning to walk again without taking his eyes from the trees around them.

"I think that you are very brave to even try it. I'd never get off the ground, but if I did, I am sure that I'd constantly end up stuck in a tree." Realizing what she just said, she gasped and tried to backtrack. "Not that getting caught in a tree is a bad thing. Errr......I'm sure you at least had a nice view!"

Sam laughed at her attempt to cover. "It's alright. Things like that happen occasionally." A fourth pinecone came speeding toward him and caught him right on the forehead. This time, Sam was ready. "Sometimes you just get caught in trees!"

In one swift move, he reached down, grabbed the pinecone that just hit him and threw it as hard as he could at a tree some distance in front of them. The leaves rustled as the pinecone hit, and they heard someone yell, "ouch!"

They both ran to the tree where the noise came from and looked up. Clint Barton was sitting on one of the highest branches, holding a large pile of pinecones, and trying his best to look innocent.

"Seriously, man. You are a jerk. Get out of your nest and get down here." Skye laughed as Clint dropped the entire pile of pinecones on Sam's head, in response.

"That's why you love me." He grabbed a branch below him and flipped over it, before landing on his feet next to Sam and Skye.

"And he sticks the landing!" Sam clapped his hands together excitedly.

Clint added, "The crowd goes wild!"

Seeing Skye's confused look, Sam tried to explain. "Hawkeye here has a thing for heights. He likes to find a perch and watch what's going on around him. We, in turn, like to tease him about being in his nest."

"I see better from a distance," Clint grinned, "and I never miss."

She laughed at them both. "So I've heard. And the acrobatics? Planning to join the circus after school, Clint?"

"Already did. What do you think I was doing before I got sent here?" He and Sam both started laughing again. He grabbed his bag and they all resumed walking together.

"Wait, really? You were in the circus?"

"Yep! With my brother Barney. He got in some......errr......legal trouble, and I came here."

Skye couldn't help but be impressed. "Can you teach me to walk on a tight rope, or dance on the back of an elephant?"

Clint's smile was wide. "Sure thing, but if you want to learn how to be a clown, you need to talk to this guy right here." He slapped Sam on the back of the head and started running.

Sam took off after him, leaving Skye to just roll her eyes. "Ugh. Boys!"