thirty-four

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T H E L O N E L Y
BY
CHRISTINA PERRI
"I'm the shell of the girl that I used to know well."

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Inhale.

Hold.

Exhale.

Beth's body ached with every breath of air she forced into her lungs. She opened her eyes to stare at herself in the mirror. Her body had begun to get thinner, her face hollowed, her eyes dull. Peter's sweatshirt that she wore now swallowed her small frame.

Inhale.

Hold.

Exhale.

Her hands gripped the cold rim of the sink as she sucked in another breath. Beth stood a little straighter, plastered a fake smile onto her lips, and put the hood of the sweater over her head. She gave herself one last look in the mirror before exiting her bathroom.

She walked through her apartment, grabbing her bag before heading out the door. Beth kept a tight grip on the straps of her backpack as she could already see the flashes coming from the outside of her apartment building.

Ever since the news of Tony Stark's death made the news, her family had been followed non-stop by news outlets. Peter was questioned whenever someone would stop him on patrol. Her mother and baby sister were photographed wherever they went. And Beth was followed around, cameras shoved in her face and questions were thrown around.

Happy stood at the front entrance of her apartment, waiting for her. "You ready to go?" Beth only gave him a small nod of her head as she placed sunglasses over her eyes.

Inhale.

Hold.

Exhale.

The silver bands seemed to dig into her wrists as she stepped outside the door. It was only a few short seconds that it would take to get to the car that was parked on the side of the street. But more people kept flooding forward.

Beth could feel her powers swirling through her veins, but they were never to be let out. Always caged up, even if it hurt her. She's never taken her bracelets off since she first put them on.

'Bethany! Are you going to take over for Stark Industries when you turn eighteen?'

'Bethany, will you continue Iron Man's job?'

'Where were you when you vanished?'

Her name was called out to her repeatedly, like a broken record. Happy was in front of her, pushing through the crowd as she trailed behind him.

Deep breaths, Bethany. You got this.

Once they got to the car the sooner she could get to school. The sooner she could hide in the arms of one of her friends. The last day of school. Tomorrow she wouldn't even be here. She'll be in Europe. Reading a book in Venice with MJ or going to the Eiffel Tower with Peter. Beth just needed to hold onto those thoughts as she moved through the crowd.

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