We all split off from the living room, quickly gathering anything that we need for our next mission. I had decided to sit this one out, there's nothing I can do to help.
The Vision was now standing in the hallway, gazing once again outside the window and out to the city. I stood down the hallway, keeping my distance. I didn't know what to think of this guy.
"You don't have to be afraid of me, Jessica" his voice startled me. So much for my ease dropping. I slowly came from around the corner and stood in the middle of the hallway with hands linked behind my back "I'm not going to hurt you"
"I'm not scared of that" I made my way over to him, shoving my hands deep in my sweatshirt pockets which bore my school logo on it "and I'm not scared of you... I'm scared of what you can do" I glanced over to him, trying to read his piercing eyes "Do you even know what you can do?"
"Not the slightest clue" He raised his hands up slightly and looked down on them "I don't know what I am, or even who I am. I don't know my purpose"
I chuckled softly, nodding my head "yeah, I understand"
"Understand what?"
"I guess you could say that I know what you're going through, in a way" I shrugged, thinking back over my long fifteen year old life "I don't know my purpose. I don't think I ever have. Every time I think I'm coming close to figuring out why I was put on this planet, life just seems to shove me back to where I was. It's as if God, or whoever is up there, doesn't want me to know who I am, or why I was born. Everyone has to be born for a reason, right?"
"I suppose so" was all he said.
"Hey" Steve appeared at the end of the hallway, he was poking his head around the corner "we're leaving now" he informed, and then disappeared.
"Well" I sighed "you better get going"
"You're not coming along?" He asked, turning away from the window.
"No" I shook my head "I'm no help. I tried to back in Korea, but it didn't really work out" I shoved my hands back in my sweatshirt pockets "You know" I looked over my shoulder to him "you don't have to do this" He narrowed his eyes, almost looking confused. I went on "We're not forcing you to do anything, you are your own person... or alien... whatever, you know what I mean? Don't bow to our whim"
He nodded his head, and started for the door that led to the terrace where the Quinn jet was located "Ultron is a threat to the world" he said to me just before he exited the room "and I will do everything in my power to stop him"
***
I walked down the sidewalk that morning with my book bag hanging off my shoulders. I wore a black and white striped shirt with a camo green cargo jacket and blue jeans. I tried my hardest to look as not tired as possible. My school building was right in front of me.
My friend June sat on the school steps along with some of my other friends. Liz, another friend of mine noticed me and called my name. June saw me and shot me a big and bright smile. I waved, slowly loosing interest and then dropped my hand back to my side.
Her and my other friends started to make their way over to me. I took a deep breath, forcing the most normal smile on the earth as they approached "Hey Jessi!" June hugged me swiftly "It's been like forever, you weren't at school yesterday, or the day before that, OR the day before that" she pulled back, holding me at arms length.
I shoved my hands in my cargo jacket pockets, rocking back on my heels "I've uh, I've been sick. I'm good now though"
"You sure?" June asked as we entered the school building.
"It wouldn't have to do something with the whole Avengers thing that took place in Korea yesterday, right?" Liz asked from beside me, she was always the one friend who likes all the juicy details.
"Guys" I rolled my eyes and stopped at my locker. The group halted and waited for me as I spun the combination "All because my Dad is Iron Man and goes off on Avengers missions, doesn't mean I have anything to do with it" which was a total lie.
These guys are my friends, but I'm not going to blab my whole life experiences to them "My Father barely tells me anything" which was (in a way) true because he failed to mention Ultron before things went to shit.
"But what happen in Korea?" June asked, standing behind the door of my locker.
I closed the door, giving a small shrug "I don't know..." I said the first thing that came to mind "bad guys"
"Oh" all my friends said in unison, their shoulders literally dropped. I could tell they all wanted to hear something juicy and exciting.
Across the hall, that Peter Parker kid was making his way down the hallway. He wore a plaid shirt and a dark red jacket with jeans. He held his books tightly to his chest, trying his hardest not to bump in to anyone.
"Hey Peter!" I called, wanting to get away from this group of girls. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and made eye contact with me, not knowing what to do. I made my way over to him, squeezing under some jocks who were totally checking me out but I ignored them "Hey" I greeted Peter again, coming to stand at his side.
"Oh, uh... Hi there, uh, what's up?" He asked awkwardly, tapping his fingers along the edges of his binders.
"Not much" the two of us started walking down the hallway to our first class which was Algebra. The bell rang, letting everyone know that it was time to get to class "Did I miss anything in Biology while I was gone?" I asked.
"A quiz, and uh, two homework papers. Also class work and stuff"
"Great" I groaned "why does everything happen while I'm gone?"
Peter bit his lip, letting out a small smile. I smiled back at him.
He didn't, and almost never makes eye contact with me. But it felt good knowing that I made this awkward boy laugh, even if it was just for a split second "Hey um, c- can I ask you something?" He suddenly spoke up out of no where.
I swear I physically tripped when I realized that Peter Parker, quiet nerd boy who sits in the back of the class actually gained the courage to talk to me and ask a question "Of course! Yes! Ask away!"
He cleared his throat, stopping at the bottom of the stairs that would take us to the second floor of the school building "I hope this doesn't sound rude, but... why are you talking... to me?" Anyone one else would have probably been offended. They would have snapped or yelled at this kid, but not me. I understood.
I nodded "Fair question. Why is this popular daughter of the billionaire Iron Man talking to you? Why isn't she off hooking up with druggies, or hanging out with her high on weed friends?" I asked rhetorical questions.
"Because, well... I don't really know. I guess you could say that I feel almost normal talking to you... We don't talk that much Peter Parker, but when we do, I quite enjoy it"
Something changed in his eyes, as if the word normal came as a slap in the face for him. He paused at the door of our class room "Jessi, I-"
"Mr. Parker, Miss. Stark, I would like to get started with class now so if you don't mind coming in to the classroom!" The piercing voice of our math teacher yelled from inside our room. We both froze and looked in the classroom.
I knew he was about to say something, but we didn't have any time now. If only there had been more time. He let me enter first and I made my way to the desk.
My friends were already in there, sitting in their desks. I slid to my seat and pulled out my notebook to get ready for note taking. Just as the teacher began to speak, my phone vibrated in my back pocket. I looked around, making sure that nobody heard it before reaching back and pulling it out. It was a text message from a private number.
Unknown : come outside.
I hid the phone under my desk and narrowed my eyes to the text.
Unknown : come outside, now!
Me : new phone, who this?
Unknown : somethings never change I suppose
Me : seriously, who is this?
Unknown : All you have to do is come out here Jessica and I will explain.
I lowered my phone between my legs and glanced up to my teacher who had not noticed my phone yet. I turned in my seat to look at the clock on the wall. First period literally just started two minutes ago, how am I suppose to leave now?
"Excuse me" I rose my hand, clearing my throat "Ms. Tanner?"
My teacher sighed and spun around to face me "Yes, Miss. Stark, I am trying to give a lecture, and-"
"I don't feel good ma'am, can I go to the clinic?"
"The clinic?"
"Uh, yeah. Like my stomach hurts and stuff, also my head hurts, so do my... feet. So, can I go to the clinic?" I clutched my stomach, pretending to be sick.
"You look fine to me Miss. Stark"
"On the outside" I stood up from my seat, pushing my chair back "on the inside it hurts... do you really want me to get sick right in this room?"
"Alright, fine" My teacher pointed to the door, using her other hand to rub her tired eyes "Please, if it's an emergency just go"
"Thanks man" I grabbed my book bag and headed for the door of the room. The phone in my pocket buzzed again.
Unknown : Parking lot
I read the text and stuffed my phone back in my front pocket. Whoever this is, is really good at creeping me out. I poked my head around the corner and looked out the window that displayed the parking lot. A black car sat in the empty bus loop. A shadow of a person was sitting in the drivers seat.
I peered out the window, trying to see who it was. Voices sounded down the hallway. If someone caught me out in the hall during class time, they would probably send me back to class or to the office. I slipped down the hallway, pressing my back to the lockers before glancing around the corner.
The main entrance of the school was right in front of me. The two people, two assistant principles, made their way to the office and disappeared inside. I made sure that no one was around before tiptoeing to the main doors and pushed them open.
The black car was still sitting in the bus loop. I reached down to my black boots and slipped my hand inside. Natasha always advised me to to keep a weapon on me, no matter where. I wrapped my fingers around the tiny pocket knife and pulled it out from my boot. The knife was attached to a strap that was wrapped around my ankle, hidden in my boot. It's genius.
I cautiously made my way to the drivers side door, only to find it empty.
I sighed, dropping my arm from the door handle "oh, wonderful"
"Nice, isn't it?" A mans voice said "not as pretty as Lola though" I whipped around, feeling the knife slip from my fingers, but I didn't move to catch it. The knife clattered against the parking lot "I didn't think you were aloud to bring weapons to school"
It was as if I couldn't blink. My heart pounded in my chest a mile a minute. I was totally seeing a ghost, I had no explanation for this. He is dead, but now here he is.