Live, Love, Lies

And the Father of the Year Award Goes To...

Lia spun her pencil idly, thoughts drifting as sluggishly as the murky clouds in the afternoon sky.

"—especially as his blue shirt is obviously a symbol for his hidden sadness," Mrs. Willmore explained, waving her hands dramatically.

Obviously. Lia rolled her eyes. Or he just likes the color blue, she thought with a sigh.

Her dull train of thought was derailed when her S.H.I.E.L.D. sanctioned watch vibrated on her wrist. She turned it on, and it flickered red. Red meant Avengers, and blue meant S.H.I.E.L.D. She tapped it. Anything was more interesting than hearing Mrs. Willmore's droning voice. TEAM flashed across the tiny screen in bold letters.

Lia blinked. Since she'd been hired by the director over a month, the whole team hadn't gone on a mission again yet. She'd healed some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and she'd healed a bullet wound for Clint about a week ago.

The mission's date displayed boldly on the watch, and, after cross-checking it with today's date, she realized it was a little over two weeks away. Lia grinned. She didn't have work that day either. Perfect.

The ringing of the bell shocked her out of her reverie. Clamor from the halls seeped through the closed door, growing louder with each passing second.

Mrs. Willmore clapped her hands, drawing the attention of the chattering students packing up. "Read through Chapter Twenty-Three tonight!"

Lia cleared her desk. Sure. Because everyone does their reading homework, she thought with amusement. But good try, Mrs. Willmore. She slung her bag over her shoulder as her peers chatted excitedly around her, their energy suddenly skyrocketing now that the weekend had officially arrived.

She ducked into the hall, glad as always that her locker was on her way out. Having to fight the mob of students stampeding out of this jail would probably leave her with more bruises than fighting an MMA champ.

She would know.

Talia let the flow of the crowd control her until she reached her destination. She stopped and swung her metal locker door open, forcing those behind to go around her.

Like a rock in the raging river.

Lia resisted the urge to groan, realizing that she had been in English class for far too long. She caught her breath before switching out her books. She hated the crowds in high school. It was suffocating and made her a little nervous, not that she showed it. That was the fast track to a high school career of bullying. After the horde had mostly dispersed, she shut her locker.

"Bye, Lia!" Marcy called enthusiastically from her gaggle of girls. Lia smiled and lifted her hand in a wave. After a few other greetings, Lia hit the streets and headed to pick up her kid brother.

As a first-grader, Kyland went to Brooklane Elementary, Oakridge's younger counterpart, which was only a five minute walk from Lia's high school.

Ever since he'd started attending Brooklane, Lia almost always picked him up. They'd go to her job together or to the library on days she didn't have work. Luckily, on the day Director Fury had kidnapped her, she'd already had plans, so a nanny had picked her kid brother up.

Noises drifted from around the corner. She turned to the street, and the noises became clearer. Kids' laughter mixed together, along with the occasional sounds of rebukes and car horns. Lia couldn't help the smile that had settled onto her face. The children's happiness was infectious.

"Lia!" her brother called, waving his short arms. Lia's smiled widened, and she picked up her pace.

She reached his side and bent down to hug him. "Ky."