I woke up the next morning with a headache. I turned on the lights and rubbed my eyes. I picked up the new phone from the bedside table and switched it on. It was 8:23. The phone was empty except for the preloaded apps and contacts. I quickly downloaded a news app, wondering if even after a week, the Sokovian fight would still be plastered everywhere. It was. I groaned and chucked the phone on the bed. I hoped in the shower, still not used to the technology but getting there. I still hoped i wouldn't need to get used to it. I washed my puffy face, hoping it would rid the redness- it didn't. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt Pepper had bought me. The jeans were baggy and blue, the top was just plain black. When i walked downstairs to the smell of cinnamon buns, Pepper's face lit up from where she sat at the table. "Oh your wearing the clothes! I had to guess the sizes so i hope it is all ok." I sat in one of the chairs at the table. "Ye, they're good. Thanks." I muttered. Tony passed me a plate with a pastry on it and i immediately dug in.
"How's that new phone working out for you?" He asked. I took another bite and nodded. "Ye, it's good." I replied. An awkward silence fell over the table like usual. Pepper and Tony shared a glance. "Erm, so Clara, good news." Pepper started. I gave her a look that made her shrink back slightly. "Alena, I'm sorry." She corrected herself. I looked up at her with a suspicious face. Good news was never good news. "We got you enrolled at MSST." I furrowed my brows. "What's that?" I asked. "It's the local high school. The beginning of term starts in 2 weeks so you can start your junior year at the same time as the other students." She had to be joking right? "What!" I exclaimed. Tony leant back in his seat and raised his brows. "I told you she wasn't gonna like it." He told Pepper who glared back at him. "Ok well she has to go to school, what else is she going to do, run around all day with the avengers?" I scoffed. "I wouldn't want to do that either." I muttered. Pepper looked back to me. "Look, i'm sorry but you have to go to school." I knew when there was no way out and no point fighting so i sighed but didn't argue anymore.
The next two weeks felt like years. I didn't leave my room, hardly even my bed for the most of it. I stayed in my room for most of the time thinking about Pietro whilst trying not to think about him. I only ever left Stark tower to visit Wanda and Natasha at the avengers compound. Except for Pietro's burial.
Sokovia was destroyed, we couldn't bury him in his home country, so we buried his body in new York central park. I think he would have liked Central park, it had lots of space to run in. The avengers came to witness it but no one spoke at it, only me and Wanda really knew him and neither of us could bring ourselves to talk about him. I don't like to think about it, when i do remember it i just get this feeling of despair. I remember after the burial, i sat on a bench by my self, not really sure how i was meant to feel. Clint came to sit next to me and at first i just wished he would go away, but in the end i was grateful. He told me he didn't know Pietro but he knew he was one of the bravest people he had ever met and that he saved his life. He told me Pietro died the way he would have liked, helping people. That gave me a small amount of comfort.
I woke up filled with dread on the 1st of august. I dressed in jeans and an ordinary t-shirt. I stared at my self in the mirror. I wasn't looking to make a good impression, in fact I wasn't even planning on showing up at all. I hoped I would be able to disappear down the street once happy had dropped me off. I grabbed the school bag full of school supplies Pepper had bought for me and slung it on my back. I trudged down the stairs. "Great your ready." Tony said. Happy was already here and chatting to Tony about something. "Oh wow you look great." Pepper exclaimed. "Well erm, have a good day." Tony uttered. "Don't get into trouble." He added. Happy took me downstairs and out to the car. I sat in the back like i had for the past few weeks. The journey only took 15 minutes. Students stared at the swanky car that pulled up outside the school entrance. I spotted a boy awkwardly waiting by the curb and i groaned. "What is he doing here?" I asked.
"Peter is in your year and just a heads up, Tony asked him to look after you." I rolled my eyes and groaned again. "ok, bye Happy, i'll see you at 3 I guess." I said, opening up the door. I had gotten on with Happy in the three weeks i had known him. I liked how he only talked when necessary. "Ok and try to be nice to Peter." Happy called after me as i exited the car. He drove away and left me on the pavement. Peter smiled when he spotted me. I guess there was no way of escaping now. "Come on then Spider boy." I said as i started to walk towards the doors. He walked fast to keep up with me. "Well actually, it's Spiderman. But people don't know i am Spiderman so you can't say anything." He said in a low voice. "Ok, whatever." I muttered. I could already feel people's eyes on me, their quizzical faces trying to work out where they had seen me before. "I already got you your timetable." Peter said, passing me a slip of paper. I scanned it quickly then shoved it into my pocket. "Your in most of my classes." He spoke as if that was meant to relieve me. He pushed open the front doors and we walked into the school. The corridors were filled with excited students discussing their summers and less excited students who looked like they were about to fall asleep.
Peter led me down a corridor and stopped at some lockers. "This is my locker and this one is yours." He pointed to the locker right next to his own. "So you can put your books and stuff in there." He told me. He pulled a small key from his pocket and held it out to me. I took the key from him and shoved it in my pocket. "I prefer to keep my stuff on me." I told him. Peter nodded awkwardly. "Oh erm, i think it's a good idea if we swap numbers just incase you get lost or something." He suggested, smiling sweetly. I didn't return the smile. "If i get lost i can ask reception or a teacher or another student." I told him. Peter shrugged and pulled out his phone. "Ye, but i just think it will be a good idea anyway." I narrowed my eyes. "Tony asked you to get my number didn't he." I guessed. Peter nodded after a while. I rolled my eyes. "He thinks i need keeping an eye on." I muttered, pulling out my phone from my back pocket. His eyes widened and i furrowed my brows with confusion. "Is that the iphone X?" Peter asked with awe. I shrugged. "I don't know, Tony got it for me." I replied.
"Woah! That is so cool. This isn't meant to come out for another month." He spoke with excitement. Tony must have lots of connections to things like this seeing as he was a multi billionaire. Peter gave me his number and i added it to my contacts. He looked over my shoulder and groaned. "Oh, it's flash." He muttered. I looked over my shoulder and saw a boy with dark hair and tanned skin walking towards. "What's up Puny Parker?" He called as he strutted towards us. "Who is the new chick?" He asked with a smile plastered on his face that probably made other girls swoon. He ruffled his hair and furrowed his brows. "Hey, don't i recognize you from somewhere?" He asked. "No." I answered quickly. Flash smirked. "You're European?" He asked. "I'm Flash Thompson, and you are?" I didn't return his smile and i could see this frustrated him. "That's a stupid name." I told him. He tried to not less this falter his smile. Peter quickly jumped in. "Erm, Alena. Her name is Alena." He told Flash, emphasizing my name in a way that suggested he was trying extra hard to show me he wouldn't be the one to break the story. He glared at Peter and then looked back at me, smiling. "You don't want to hang around with Parker, come on let me walk you to class." He said, placing a hand on my arm.
I swiftly grabbed his hand with my free hand and twisted it hard. Pain surged through his face despite his attempts to look cool. "Don't touch me." I said slowly through gritted teeth. Peter's eyes flashed with alarm as he hurried to separate us. "Woah woah, Alena let go." I twisted harder. I held on for a few more seconds and then sighed and let the boy go. Flash rubbed his wrist and swiftly exited. "Alena, you can't do that. We are at school." Peter told me. "Ok, i'm sorry." I said half heartedly. "I've just never been to school before." I explained. "Wait really? Like not even before..." He lowered his voice and looked around to make sure there was no one in close range. "Like not even before Hydra?" I shook my head. "Before hydra i was trained as an assassin" I said casually. Peter looked slightly freaked out. "Ok, but didn't you live with your mum before that?"
I sighed, hating all the questions. "Yes, until i was 8. But she home schooled me." I explained. Peter nodded slowly. "Ok, ok, that's fine. Just act normal like a normal teenager." He suggested. I looked over at him and narrowed my eyes and furrowed my brows. "Peter, i am a trained assassin with super powers , ok? I don't know how to be a normal teenager!" I reminded him in a hushed voice. Peter thought about my words, "Ok, fair enough." He replied, looking slightly awkward. "Peter!" Someone yelled. Peter turned around and smiled and rushed up to the boy. "Ned!" I watched as they did this weird sequenced handshake. "Who is she?" Ned asked as they walked back to the lockers. "This is Alena Rose." Peter told him. "You were at Sokovia weren't you." Ned realized with an excited grin. I sighed heavily. "Can we not draw attention to that." I muttered.
The bell rang and the students started to fill the corridors, making their way to classes. "Oh ok, we have homeroom first, we all have that together." Peter and Ned started to walk down the corridor. "What's homeroom?" I asked. Ned furrowed his brows. "She has never been to school." Peter explained to Ned. Ned looked comically shocked again. "It's basically just like registration, it's only 15 minutes and then we have our first class." Peter said. The corridors were packed full of students hurrying to homeroom and i could feel all of them staring at me. Maybe it was because i was new or because they recognized me, but probably both. "Alena?" Ned asked. "Do you have powers? I already know Peter does so i wont tell anyone." He said in a hushed voice. "Experiments were unsuccessful." I muttered, sticking to the story Fury had told the world.
"Alena, there is a seat next to me." Peter called enthusiastically. I slid into the desk next to him and Ned. Students chattered around us while the teacher attempted to quite everyone. "Ok, come on, i'm sure you can talk about your summers later." The teacher spoke over the talk. "Everyone quite down." Eventually everyone did become silent. "Hello students, welcome back to school." The male teacher was dressed in a very boring brown suit. His hair was curly and his beard messy. "We have a new student so please all give a warm welcome to..." He looked around and triumphantly grabbed a piece of paper and read from it. "Alena Rose" He looked up at me and recognition registered on his face. All the eyes in the room fell on me and more chatter started. "Isn't that one of the girls from Sokovia? I think i saw her on the news." I heard one girl whisper to her friend. "The one Tony Stark took in." Her friend whispered back.
"Ok, quite down students." The teacher said again. "Alena, is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself?" The teacher asked me. I stared blankly at him. Nothing about my life i would want to share. "No." I answered blankly. "No?" The teacher questioned. "Ok, well maybe you can tell us about your summer." He suggested. He quickly remembered where they all recognized me from and told me not to bother. He took registration and after that we all left. Students swarmed me in the corridors, all speaking at the same time so i couldn't hear them. "Are you like a refugee?", "You are that girl from Sokovia aren't you!", "Were you experimented on too?", "Are you an avenger now?" "You sick bitch! You helped Ultron! You killed all those people." Some boy yelled over the rest. "Ye don't you feel guilty about what you did?" Peter jumped to my aid, saying that he was pretty sure i was helping the avengers. The questions came thick and fast. I pushed through them all and followed Peter to my first class. "Do you have abilities too? Like the twins, oh what were their names?, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff?" One girl called after me. I stopped in my tracks, Pietro's name ringing in my ears. I could see him in my mind again like i could every night. "Alena? Are you ok?" Peter asked with a concerned tone. I quickly regained my step and nodded. "Don't worry, everyone would have moved on in a week." Peter assured me. It was all over the news, of course people were going to know, what else had i expected, that i would breeze through this year, unnoticed.
My first class was english with Peter. Like in homeroom, we sat next to each other. Like every other class, people stared and whispered. I was so far behind in every single class, not having being taught anything besides how to attack people, since i was 8. I tilted my head down, not wanting a teacher to pick on me. I didn't know about any of these things that the teachers were jabbering about. Fortunately, Peter did come in handy and helped me. Somehow, things clicked in my head quickly- especially with science. Tony was, in fairness, a genius- so maybe that gave me an edge. By lunch time, the whole school had heard about Alena Rose- the sokovian refugee (some people were referring to me as) or Tony Stark's new apprentice. In his dreams.
I bought a sandwich for lunch and started to head towards an empty table where i could sit alone. "Alena! Over here!" Ned called from where he sat with Peter and another girl who was in my homeroom. I rolled my eyes but decided to sit with them. "So, your the talk of the town." The girl said. She was mixed race and her hair was brown and curly. She had dark eyes and was dressed in very casual clothes. "Honestly the people here are like kids at daycare, your the new shiny object to play with." She said nonchalantly. So much for trying to get through this unnoticed. "I'm MJ." She said. I smiled slightly at her. "I'm-" I started to say. "Ye, i know who you are. Alena Rose." She said my name with this fantastical tone, like I was some sort of myth.
I didn't mind MJ as much as the other people here. She seemed down to earth. She leant forward in her chair. "So what's with the accent, I thought you were from Sokovia." She asked. "My mum is English- I grew up there until..." I trailed off. The others looked away awkwardly. "Can you speak Sokovian?" Ned asked, intrigued. I shrugged. "A little, Pietro taught me." And his name in my mouth made me feel everything again and I had to squeeze my fist to stop the feeling. "I can speak other languages too." I said quickly. "Wait can you really?" Peter asked curiously. I nodded. "Italian, French, Spanish, German." I listed, skipping past the most obvious one. Russian was practically my mother's tongue but if people knew I spoke it, it would only link me to the girl in Russia. I needed to get away from her. "Where did you learn all of them?" Ned asked. I looked down at the table and replied. "My mum taught me." I replied. It was a lie of course. Languages were one of the things we were taught in the red room. If you could speak a man's language, they were more likely to trust you. But I liked the idea that my mum taught me something, that she gave me something from her own mind.
"What's your next lesson?" Peter asked me. I pulled out the slip of paper with my timetable and red across to the 4th period. "American History." I told him. "Well i am going to be great at that." I muttered sarcastically. "Oh, i don't think I'm in that class." Peter said, avidly checking his timetable. "Ok, well i'll see you later i guess." I said, starting to walk towards the stairs. He hurried after me. "Do you want me to walk you to class?" Peter asked. I raised my brow at him. "Just to help you find the classroom, you know, incase you get lost or something." He added nervously. I sighed and allowed him to.
We walked up to the 4th floor and reached room 435a. "Ok, well this is you so, bye i guess." Peter smiled awkwardly and shuffled away. I turned around and walked into my class. "Hey, European girl!" I rolled my eyes and reluctantly turned around. It was that idiot Flash. I'm surprised he was even talking to me after i almost broke his wrist this morning. "What's up with you and that Peter kid?" He asked, ruffling his hair again. I narrowed my eyes. "What's it to you?" I shot. I took a seat at a desk and to my annoyance, Flash sat right next to me. "Just a tip, don't go out with a guy like him, he will ruin your popularity." I scoffed loudly. "I seriously wasn't planning on it." I muttered. "I'm only hanging around with him because he is like obsessed with Tony and does what ever shit he tells him to do and therefore will not leave me alone." I ranted. I pulled the textbook from my bag and chucked it on the desk in front of me.
"Tony Stark?" Flash questioned. I exhaled in frustration. "He's taken me in." I explained. "Just because I don't know anyone else in this country." I added, attempting to derail any suspicion. Flash leant on my desk and I regarded him with distaste. "So are you like a refugee?" Flash asked and I scoffed. "I guess so." I muttered, sitting down at the desk. Which I sort of was. I'd floated from Russia, to America, to Sokovia- never legally. I didn't even own a passport. I probably didn't even have a birth certificate- it was as if I didn't have a real identity. "What about your parents?" I tensed up slightly and gripped the desk with my hand. "Were they European too? Did they live in Sokovia with you?" My head flicked up towards Flash. "Can you stop asking me questions?" I demanded. Flash put up his hands defensively but backed away.
By this time, the rest of the students had filed in and so the teacher started the lesson. "Ok, class!" She called. "In our first unit we will be learning about our very own Captain America." I laughed under my breath. Steve was really in my history lessons? I zoned out for most of the class, hearing things here and there. Things about the super soldier serum and the ice. The day went by slowly but finally the bell rang at three and i quickly rushed out of my class. I was walking down the corridors when i bumped into Peter again. "Hi. Did you enjoy your first day of school?" He asked as he walked out of school with me. "Not in the slightest." I told him.
"Oh ok." He replied. "Well, i gotta bounce, got some Spiderman stuff to do." He said proudly, lowering his voice. "Tony sends you out on missions?" I asked. Peter rubbed the back of his neck. "Well not exactly. I kind of just do some friendly neighborhood stuff whilst i'm between missions." He explained. "But do you think Mr Stark will start to send you on missions?" He asked. I shook my head. "I'm not doing this whole superhero thing." I said in a lowered voice. "Really? But your so good. We could use you." I spotted the car across from the school. "Well Happy is here so i need to go now." I said quickly, making a swift exit. "Oh ok. Well i'll see you tomorrow!" Peter called after me as i hurried to the car. I opened the back door and jumped in. "Hi Happy." I said, slinging my bag off my shoulder. "How was school?" He asked. I sighed. "Crap." I said blatantly. "People already talking?" Happy said, reading my mind. I shrugged, "School kids are so boring and predictable."