IT WAS ONLY TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE FIRST PERIOD and Sophia Rambeau was already struggling with this day.
"Idris! No amount of hot water can help drown out your rancid scent! Frankly, it's offensive the majority of the time. So GET OUT!" Banging on the bathroom door, Sophia could feel her face burn while listening to her brother whistle the tune of Spongebob Squarepants.
"You know what, I'll remember this when I'm hacking your instagram later today. Enjoy everyone thinking you're a furry in your free time!" Before she could listen to Idris's sudden fumbling in the shower, she rushed down the hall into her room and shut the door, glancing at the time every couple minutes as she threw on some clothes and brushed through her tangled hair.
One quick way to ruin her day—prevent her from being on time to anything. Meetings, events, school, whatever. And her brother's late start to the day completely threw off any chance at a regular morning routine. Now she would have to skip out on breakfast to sprint to the train station before she'd be late to class.
Pulling up half her hair, she pulled it back in a tight ponytail while running her fingers through the rest of it. It had nearly given her dad a heart attack the day she came home with nearly platinum hair compared to her natural brown all because Lottie convinced her she'd look fantastic with the help of some very convincing Photoshop skills. When she'd waltzed into Midtown School of Science and Technology weeks ago from summer break with the new look, it had garnered so much attention that she'd imminently wanted to dye it right back, but Lottie threw out every boxed dye she purchased until Sophia was done wasting money and kept the look. For now.
Stumbling as she threw on her sneakers, Sophia almost forgot her backpack and ran back to grab it off her bed before rushing down the stairs, dodging her half-naked brother as she did.
"If you hack my account, I'll burn all your dinners for the next week!"
"You cook for me and dad, Idris. Have fun explaining your burnt mac and cheese to him." Sophia couldn't help but mirror her brother's smile at their sarcastic exchange. Humor was how they expressed their appreciation for one another—it always had been. Along with empty threats and binging Friends during Dad's late night shifts. "If I'm late, you're buying me pizza tonight."
"No, I'm—"
"I can't hear you over the sound of me being late!"
It was at the door when a large hand reached the knob before her own, the soft eyes of the Chief of Police staring down at her, which took her back for a moment. Normally, her father was already gone at this hour. "Dad, if you can't tell from our snappy conversation, I'm running late to school."
"That's all well and good but it probably won't help you much getting there on time without this," he said, lifting her copies of Physics homework that she left on the kitchen table last night.
Snatching it out of his hand, she jumped up to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks! Am I free to go, chief?"
"Do you need a ride to school? O'Brien's got the precinct running for the next hour before I get there, so I got the time."
"Dad, the last thing I want to do is show up to school in your police cruiser. No offense."
"Ouch," he said, taking his hand off the door and setting it on his chest. "That one hurt, mi cielito. Get there safe." Kissing the top of her head, he opened the door for her. "Text me once you're on campus."
"Is that a direct order?"
"Your damn right it is."
Sophia grinned. "Love ya, Dad."
Without looking back, she booked it down the steps of their brownstone home and made it past the first five blocks to the station in record time. Though it didn't prove enough as she dragged herself onto the platform and saw her train just leaving the station.
"You've got to be kidding me. Idris is getting an extra-large tonight. With basil and every red pepper that they have."
Figuring she only had two options left (one being the less desirable option of getting dropped off by her dad and having people ogle at her on campus all day), she dialed a number and bounced on her toes, hoping to hear her best friend's voice on the other line.
"What's up, bitch?" From the sound of the music playing in the background, it seemed like she was already driving to campus.
"Lottie, I missed the train. Come pick me up?"
"Absolutely. You know me—I'm selfless in all things that I do. Be there in ten."
Chuckling, Sophia walked out to the street and waited until that familiar cherry red Ferrari Spider stopped, the top dropped back to reveal the beautiful girl sitting behind the wheel, lifting up her shades to raise her brows.
"Your Uber has arrived. I expect nothing but five stars or you aren't getting in."
"I'll do you one better and you can come over later for some pizza. Idris is buying."
"Ugh, don't mention your brother. It still hurts me every time I remember he's not straight." Piling into the car, the engine roared as Lottie tore down the street. She'd gotten her drivers license over the summer and finally got permission from her parents to put it to good use and drive herself to classes so they didn't have to. "Did you sleep in?"
"No, Idris took his precious time in the shower and I took too long waiting for him to get out. Then I almost ran out without Mrs. Potter's homework."
"That's due today? I totally spaced about it," Lottie sighed.
"You forgot homework?" Lottie was always the first to finish any assignment. It always drove Sophia and Harry crazy the way she could compose essays in less than forty minutes without so much as a break. "Is something wrong?"
"Wrong? No, definitely not." There was a tight smile on her face that scrunched her pink lips together in an unflattering way.
"What are you not telling me?"
The line turned into a full-fledged grin as Lottie giggled excitedly. "Okay, okay—I figured I'd wait once we met up with Harry to let you both know but . . . I got the internship!"
"LOTTIE! That's amazing! Oh my god, when did you find out?"
"Over the weekend! Harry's dad called me himself to let me know! I still can't believe it. Pinch me—pinch me now!" She demanded, holding out her arm as Sophia pinched the skin, making her hiss. "Rude ass."
Ever since Oscorp announced their internship program at the end of their freshman year to take in select, bright students from across New York, the competitive application process was one that nearly everyone at Midtown and hundreds of other schools applied for. Though in the end, it came down to Lottie and another sophomore, Cindy Moon, to be one of the only students possibly chosen from Midtown. The news that her best friend received the offer was nothing but amazing and showed just how brilliant and deserving her sister was. This internship would basically set her up for life once she graduated to pursue her dream of studying molecular mechanisms and evolution.
Sophia's professors pestered her to apply since the announcement, but she always politely declined. Not that she hadn't thought about it—but one stern no from her father told her that there was no way she'd be allowed to work at Oscorp Industries. It was no secret that shady experiments took place within the walls of Oscorp Tower, hidden away by money, power, and enough success that kept any secrets under lock and key. Any time she even hinted at following the application process, the expression on her father's face would always stop whatever thought she had from reaching the surface. So eventually, she stopped bringing it up altogether.
But there was no one at Midtown more deserving of this than Lottie.
"That's incredible, Lott."
"You bet it is. And we're celebrating this weekend! Help me spread the word that I'll be hosting a party at my place."
Not showing up to any party at Lottie Gray's penthouse was basically social suicide, so it was practically guaranteed that every student would be there.
"You know I will, mi perra."
"This is why you're my sister."
The girls' friendship began swift and true back in first grade when Sophia shoved Eugene "Flash" Thompson in the dirt after he pulled one of Lottie's pigtails and made the new girl cry. Another thing to instantly ruin her attitude—bullying. To this day, Flash was still wary of starting anything while she was around, keeping his harassment out of her sight.
That was the day Sophia found her forever friend. With Harry shortly joining the ranks thereafter, completing their Golden Trio.
As they pulled up to the Midtown parking lot, Sophia sent a quick text to her father letting him know that she made it as Lottie cut the engine. It was then that the final bell rang across campus, making Sophia shout.
"Bye, Lott! Thanks for the ride!"
"Five stars!"
"Five stars!"
Rushing through the empty halls, it was moments like this when she hated her English class being all the way across campus, her jog turning to a sprint by the time she saw the familiar door to Mr. Derry's class.
Another thing that instantly ruined Sophia's mood—being the center of attention.
All eyes fell onto her as she ducked inside the classroom, Sophia feeling her face heat up as she tried slinking to her seat while Mr. Derry was turned towards the board.
"Sophia Rambeau, thank you for finally joining us today."
Shit.
"Sorry, Mr. Derry. I missed my train."
"That's not my problem. Just don't make it a habit. Do it again and it'll be a one-way ticket to detention."
Biting her cheek, she made her way over to an empty seat through the hushed chuckles of the other students. Throwing down her backpack, she rested her cheek on her palm and opened up her English book.
"One-way ticket to detention," a voice mimicked from the desk over. Harry Osborn grinned, raising an arched brow. "Becoming quite the delinquent, are we? I don't need any competition in that department, thanks."
"Oh please, spare me. Being late one time doesn't exactly put me on the same level as Ultron."
"You're not Ultron? I thought—Well, this is embarrassing."
"Shut up, you idiot," she said through chuckles. "Hey, Lott is having a party this weekend."
"Any particular reason?"
"I'll let her tell you herself," she answered with a knowing smile. Harry would be absolutely floored once he heard about her acceptance into the program. On plenty of occasions, he'd offered to use his powerful pull in Oscorp to help her get ahead with a mere recommendation, to which Lottie vehemently refused, saying that she could get into any program on her own merits. Though he wouldn't admit it, Harry really admired their friend for it.
The rest of the period passed by rather quickly, as well as the one after, until it was time for Mrs. Potter's Physics class. Grabbing the textbook from her locker, a familiar pair of voices came from a few lockers down.
"Dude, I just got the complete Star Wars saga—nine discs! We got to get started on it tonight."
"No way! Yeah, man, I'll come over after school."
Without fighting it, a smile pulled at Sophia's lips.
One could compare Peter Parker and Ned Leeds kinship to Sophia and Lottie's own. Though Sophia became aware of the shy, sweet Peter the day he shared his red marker with her in kindergarten. Though they weren't exactly the closest of friends, there was an unspoken connection between the two of them over their shared loss. Sophia had been there for Peter during his parents' passing and had even been extremely close to the Parker boy at one point in their lives. But as time moved on, their paths strayed ever further away from one another. Though Sophia always made sure to keep that sweet stutter apart of her life.
"You're both nerding out harder than usual today."
"Hey, Sophia!" Ned cheered, giving a wave.
"Hi, Ned. Peter." Her eyes trail over to the boy who was adjusting his glasses, making her smile a tad wider.
"Morning, Soph."
"Have you guys turned in your permission slips for the Oscorp trip yet? I finally convinced my dad to sign mine last night." Mainly because it was a mandatory trip that counted as a grade in bio.
"Yeah, Peter and I turned ours in yesterday," Ned said, elbowing his friend.
"Y-Yeah, the exhibit sounds really interesting," Peter said.
Ugh, that stutter would be the end of her.
"Doesn't it?! The idea of crossing genetic traits from one species to another is insane! Apparently, they'll have a few of their successes on display! I can't wait!"
"Who's nerding out now?" Ned said.
"I'm allowed to nerd."
"Whoever Mr. Evers partners you with is lucky," Peter started. "It's no secret you're the best at bio."
True. When it came to biology, she came out on top across every grade. But what he failed to mention is that Peter was right there with her, as well as a crucial member of Midtown's decathlon team.
"Let's hope he puts me with you. I think we could make a lot of trouble for everyone."
The pink tint of his cheeks made her own burn. "Make trouble? T-Together?"
Her smile spread to a coy grin. "See you in class, Ned. Bye, Peter."
Turning around, she nearly had to stop herself from skipping down the hall, the woes of this morning completely gone from her mind. Though as she turned the corner to reach Physics class, her feet came to a screeching halt as a cluster of students took up the entire space halfway down the hallway. From what she could tell, some fight was breaking out in the center of the massive circle.
Annoyed at the sight, Sophia nearly turned around to take another route until catching a glimpse of whom it was in the center. One Flash Thompson and Harry Osborn.
"HARRY!" Sophia screeched as she sprinted down the hall, smashing her way through the crowd until she came to face the fight right in front of her. "Stop! Stop this now!"
But the boys kept swinging. And Sophia could already see the busted lip and bruising Harry was sporting. Out of nowhere, students began scattering as teachers approached, imminently ending the altercation as Flash gave Harry one last shove against the lockers. As the teachers were trying to control the mass of bodies, Sophia slipped in and grabbed Harry, rushing down the hall until they found an empty corridor where she could focus all her wrath on her friend.
"What are you thinking getting into a fight with Flash? Do you want to give your dad another reason to transfer you somewhere else?"
Harry's fists were clenched so tightly that the tops of his knuckles turned white. "I was talking to Cindy about the internship and Flash just—he had to make a stupid comment that he just knew would set me off."
"What? What did he say?" She asked, concern now lacing her words.
"He . . ." This looked difficult for him to admit. "He said that Lottie must have screwed around with me to get the internship. I know I shouldn't of let myself get so worked up by it, but that bastard can't just go around and say shit like that and think that no one is going to punch him in his stupid face."
"He said what? Hijo de puta—I'm gonna kill him if he starts spreading anything around about Lottie!"
"Don't tell Lottie," Harry pleaded, meeting her eyes for the first time. "It would absolutely wreck her. And she's just so happy about it right now . . . I don't want to ruin that."
Though their friend was oblivious to it, Harry was completely infatuated with the lovely blonde. He had been ever since Lottie left to spend an entire summer in Europe before eighth grade and the boy realized just how much he missed having the girl beside him when she wasn't around. Plenty of times, Sophia offered to investigate into if Lottie might feel the same way, but every time, Harry declined. It was a huge fear of his to lose her as a friend first—that was what mattered to him. If he could simply have her in his life, he could shove down whatever longing he had to hold her hand or keep her close. So long as the petite girl wanted to be near him.
"I won't say a thing. But don't go getting into any more fights. Not unless I'm there to help kick his ass. Now hold still."
"Yes, Doctor Rambeau."
"Close your eyes."
"Close my eyes?"
"Doctor's orders." Without fighting back, Harry shut his eyes. "Thank you! And don't squirm."
Raising a hand to Harry's face, her palm rested against his cheek before a familiar warmth began spreading to the surface just beneath her skin, followed by the softest glow that hardly anyone would notice if not looking for it.
There was a secret that Sophia Rambeau kept her entire life.
At her touch, bruises on his cheekbone that might have held a much deeper color lessened their shade significantly, though not enough to completely vanish and alert any suspicion. Moving her thumb just beneath his bottom lip, she willed the dripping slice to clot, stopping the blood from flowing out. That was enough to make him look presentable, but even as she called back her power, she played doctor just a little while longer to assure Harry that she'd taken her time mending him.
Yes, it was a secret none outside her family could know.
One kept close to her heart since she was four and climbed the tallest tree in Central Park only to come crashing down, breaking her arm in the fall. Her father had snatched her up and driven straight to the hospital—only for the fragile bones to mend themselves together again by the time he parked the car.
As well as the time Idris ran too fast inside their home and the corner of his head met the kitchen counter, spilling crimson down his face that wouldn't stop until Sophia sobbed at the sight and laid a hand on it to stop the bleeding, the gash vanishing completely beneath her touch. Until the moment came that the Rambeaus' knew something was special about little Sophia. Something miraculous. Something that could make her a target.
"This is a gift from the angels", Emanuel whispered to her as he tucked the young Rambeau in bed after washing the blood from Idris's head, his own hands shaking as the realization of what his daughter was capable of finally began setting in. But staring into those large, amber eyes—the same eyes that belonged to Serena—he knew this changed nothing. This was his little girl. A precious gift. "Mi cielito, you have been blessed beyond your wildest imaginations. But you must keep a promise now."
"Yes?" Her soft voice echoed in the dark.
"Never show this to anyone aside from me and your brother. People might be . . . they may not understand why you can do this. People might get jealous, yeah?"
Sophia gave a tight smile before nodding in agreement.
"So it's a promise?" He said, holding out his pinky finger.
Sophia responded by wrapping her small pink around his own.
"Captain's orders," she said with a grin.
That promise still rang true to this day. Though it didn't prevent her from helping others time and time again. When it would go unnoticed.
"There. All better?"
Sophia Rambeau could heal anything.
Reaching up to touch his lip, Harry was pleased to see no more blood coming from his swollen lip. Though he might not look his best, she'd been sure to take away some of the pain from the injuries to help him get through the day.
"You've seriously got the magic touch, Rambeau."
You have no idea.