The teenager watched in horror as Tony was grunting from pain on floor, not being able to handle this situation anymore she ran away as fast as she could without looking back, Tony glanced at her running away before calling out to her,
"No, wait!" he exclaimed as he tried to get up,
"Tony.." Steve put a hand on his uninjured shoulder and shook his head, "...let her go, she needs some time alone." He completed his words as he was staring at the direction she went.
"you alright Buddy?" Banner asked, helping him as his eyes were still lingering to the exit,
"what do you think?" Tony replied signing.
"well, that was a close call." Clint said as Natasha bent down to pick a blade up,
"just what are these things?" she asked examining one in her hand as everyone's attention was shifted to it now,
"looks like you got your sample." Banner told Tony.
"you should treat that wound of yours first." Thor suggested.
"Look it up quickly before it disappears." Tony told Banner before walking away to do something about his injury.
Banner took the piece and turned to look at the damage, half of the lab equipment were destroyed but he could work with what remained.
Natasha was helping Tony by cleaning his injury while he was pinching bridge of his nose with closed eyes in frustration, he wasn't angry with anyone but rather angry at the situation that was created, he wasn't even worried about his wound because he had been through worse but the thing he worried about was that he couldn't protect the girl he was taking care of, yes she was back with him but she wasn't exactly safe, not from someone else but from herself.
.
Walls were never more interesting to me now that I had been string at them for straight 4 hours. My one arm was tucked under a pillow while my other hand was clenching bed sheet as I was resting on my side with my back facing the glass wall. My mind was just a blank paper, not a single expression, if I wasn't blinking once in a while, one could assume I was dead, but come to think about it there was no one to see it anyway. Not that I wanted to meet someone of course, I couldn't hurt anyone accidentally or intentionally if I was alone.
It was when this overwhelming feeling took over me and made me sit up and look around the room. Did I mention I've been still like this for last 4 hours? I couldn't even feel any cramp anywhere, my pupils were dilated from thinking too much, I didn't bother turning on the lights making my room darker than the night sky outside. Sleep seemed to be on strike tonight. I wished this darkness would consume me forever saving me from this misery.
Before I could find myself in this sitting position for more one hour I got out of bed and stood up thinking what to do now? Go back and see what more damage I've caused? No. I didn't have the courage, not anymore. But staying inside this room like this was suffocating me.
I slightly opened the door to peek outside making sure no one was there, when I thought the cost was clear I made my way out silently, everyone should be asleep by now. Hopefully.
Whole building looked empty as if no one lived here, I wouldn't be surprised if they all left at this point. I would leave too. This place was looking so gloomy it was hurting to see.
.
"you see this formation?"
"Tetrahedrally arranged carbon atoms, it's just like diamond."
Tony and Banner were still in lab working on the crystal sample, they didn't know how much time had before it would de materialize so every second was valuable,
"so is it?"
"looks like it, but much stronger. Thor's hammer didn't put a scratch in it."
"but why diamonds? Enhancing should increase already existing human capabilities. We didn't see any physical change in her body, but this is just something else." Banner questioned.
"maybe we should see that footage again." Tony suggested and opened the footage when Diya touched the scepter, they looked at it very closely many times thinking they were missing some detail, that is until Tony's eyes wandered to her hand that touched the scepter with, he zoomed in hoping he was right about this hunch, he was able to make out something he'd seen before.
Her diamond bracelet on her wrist, although the footage blacked out for few seconds they could see something going on right before, it was not clear but those small diamonds sure were glowing faintly.
"are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"depends on what you're thinking."
.
I could feel the cold air touching my face as I was standing on rooftop, my arms were crossed on railing as my head was resting on my arms. It was cold but it felt nice, everything below me looked so small, even late this night this city was so active and busy, cars and people passing by looked like small dots. I envied them for they weren't involved in a mess like this. I had no idea what to do anymore. I couldn't return home in this condition nor could I meet anyone's eyes here after my horrible mistake.
There was a weight on my heart I wasn't able to lift off, when was the last time I was feeling this lonely?
Maybe after I parted my way with Khushi and went to yet another school but I was so optimistic it would be alright, I would go there and a friend circle would introduce themselves to me and I would slowly find myself in a new group of friends. Boy, was I wrong. I was not able to make a single friend in that school, because of it being a popular school known for making toppers and everyone were in this race of ranking for the first place in class and all the teachers weren't any welcoming either to the students who didn't follow this very mindset. Not to mention bullying became a normal thing in my life. it was perhaps the worse year of my life until now, I remember feeling lonely but it wasn't the first time I felt loneliness. there were many other times I had this feeling, long before coming in high school.
2011
the sun was getting low, it was summer time making the atmosphere a bit warm but cool wind was blowing from time to time because of evening time, it was the perfect time to play outside but there was a reason I was super exited for today.
I grabbed all the snacks that mammi prepared and took a water bottle before taking a picnic blanket all at once in my small hands and going downstairs.
It was a big garden outside our house covered with coconut trees, a lots of them, but this one spot was empty, it didn't have trees except one Neem tree in the middle of open space that had small rocks and pebbles covering the soil beneath. The Neem tree had a swing on one branch that my papa made for me, I came here to play almost everyday.
We didn't own this place, it was a quarter provided to my family because my parents were teachers. We were the only family living here though, this village we lived in was very small, it was a rural area with very small population, most of the people were farmers and uneducated, my parents taught in small schools of these rural villages, they were well respected in this place actually.
One thing I couldn't do was to cross the gate and go outside of this place but it didn't bother me most of the time because boy was this garden big and I didn't try to break this rule even once. Although it was kind of boring since I was the only kid here but I have always been the only child and learnt to have my fun alone.
But today, it was going to be special. My school friends promised they were going to come by to play with me, I was always jealous of them because they were all allowed go outside their home and meet each other outside of school hours and I wasn't. they all could spend more time making each other closer than me but hey, I could spend time on my own too and enjoy my own company, I did that all the time. But today wasn't going to be like that, they could be arriving any minute now.
I walked under the Neem tree and laid the picnic blanket down before putting down my snacks and water bottle on top of it, now all I had to do was wait. Any minute now.
One hour later,
I was laying on the blanket staring at leafs of the tree, until I got bored and sat on the swing and started rocking back and forth slowly. They must be on their way.
30 minutes later,
I ate some of the snacks while waiting more, I didn't' finish it though because I wanted to share it with them. They were probably finding their way through since they never came here before. I should keep some patience.
30 minutes later,
"the famous player Diya has taken her position on the field.." I said out loud commenting to myself, "will she make this shot?" I said taking a small rock from the ground and got myself ready to throw it on the other side of a high wall,
"we shall find out today.." I threw the rock high in the air as it made it's way on the other side of the wall like I intended, "...and boom! Homerun! A new world record has been made by none other than this young champion here, give her a big hand." I said clapping to myself before bowing in front of an imaginary audience, "we knew she could do it, she's just that good."
"who the hell threw that rock!" I heard someone yell from the other side.
"oh scrap." I said before running away.
30 minutes later,
"we are back with our young champion and her quest of doing the impossible.." I was swinging with a high speed and got ready to make a jump, "...will she do it?"
I jumped from the swing and landed on my feet on the ground almost tripping,
"and once again a new record has been made, securing her position on the first prize."
I grabbed my water bottle and shook it before opening the lid pretending it's a champagne bottle then took a sip and bowed in front of yet another imaginary audience in a big stadium,
I looked around and noticed the sun was setting and it would be night soon, I signed looking at the gate and realized they won't be here now. I had to go back now because mammi told me to come back before it would be dark, my shoulders dropped down as I started to fold the blanket,
"unfortunately our champion must return back to headquarters to complete her important mission with your friendly neighborhood spider man. But do not be sad for she will return tomorrow." I said to myself and went back upstairs with unfinished snacks. I'll just play hide and seek with papa at home again.
I chuckled at the old memories and closed my eyes feeling the cold air kiss my skin, I hid my face in my hands signing deeply before looking down again. This was a very tall building, and I mean very tall, if someone were to fall down from here chances of survival would be zero.
Zero chance of survival.
I kept thinking about it while staring down, I was doubting about going back home with this cursed self but how long could I stay here either? I'm being a burden to these people, I've hurt them while they took care of me. I'm stuck at this situation and I didn't know where to go anymore.
Zero chance of survival.
If I can't go anywhere I should just stop. right here. right now.
I stepped closer and held railing tightly before lifting my leg to one bar.
Zero chance of survival.
It's not like I'm going to leave anything behind, I had achieved nothing in my life so far. I had been failing all my exams of just first year of college, I kept recalling faces of my parents upon hearing this. The disappointment in their eyes was visible. Disappointment because of me.
I lifted my second leg as well climbing on it while clenching the railing tightly. Image of Mr. Stark came in my mind, right after I hurt him in that lab. Accident or not it was my fault, image of him working on my case, working overnight even if he was dead tired, image of the avenger looking at me with concern, probably afraid of me. All of this just because I exist.
I kept my eyes down while I climbed higher as I had a straight face on.
They might miss me, but they would get over it. Everyone did. That's how life worked, they would have so many problems in future they would forget I even existed, we didn't know each other for that long of a time. They would get over me.
My heart beat increased in a blink of time and my palms were getting sweaty second by second. I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid but there was nothing to look forward to anyways. I was standing alone here with no one to stop me. rest of the background noises disappeared for me and all i could hear was my heart beating in my chest rapidly.
I closed my eyes and made my decision.
This ends here.