Avengers: Choose Your Path

A Slip Up Already

Second and third period passed by very slowly. After all, history and pre-calculus were a bit underwhelming after getting to explode things. Lunch period was broken into sections and Lila had the first section so she headed for the cafeteria. 

It was a large room, long tables spanned most of it. At two doors the staff was handing out food. Despite all of the bustle, she managed to snag a seat on the side and pulled out a squished sandwich. Scanning the room she saw a few kids, including Peter and Ned, from her other classes.

It took a couple minutes for the table to fill out. The kids sitting there seemed pretty young and from the looks of it she was probably intruding on their table. There seemed to be that there were invisible rules to the lunch room and she had stumble upon this one.

Okay, stay cool, just mark that one down. Rule #1 sit with people you know so it isn't awkward.

She got up in a hurry through the dwindling crowd to sit down with Peter, Ned, and a curly haired stranger. They were huddled in the corner of the room. Backs nearly pressed to the wall and backpacks were placed in front of their space to hide them from view.

"Hello, I'm from their Chem class. You guys don't mind if I sit here right?"

They nodded and she swore she saw something red and blue get stuffed into a backpack before they slid them down to fit her. A few notebooks spilled out of Ned's backpack and she reached to help.

Unfortunately, Peter who was on the other side of him, reach over at the same time. Their hands hit each other and both recoiled awkwardly.

"Sorry-", She started but was interrupted.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Peter said in haste.

They both acknowledged the apology while Ned gave and glance and shuffled the papers into his bag quietly.

He looked over to MJ and whispered, "Now we have two Peters."

And boy, did he have no idea how true that statement was.

Lila started to feel her skin get tingly but ignored it. As lunch progressed she felt her palms get sweaty and stomach start turning, but wrote it off as nervousness due to the social situation.

Unfortunately, MJ took notice and spoke up, "Are you okay? You look a little sick." She went to wave her hand in a dismissive way but her fork came with her flinging a chunk of food in the air.

Her face flared up in embarrassment as she just as quickly put the fork down, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

All three of the people her table gave her a questioning look.

The tingling turned into itching. She couldn't focus. She had to leave. 

Abruptly getting up, the tray came with her, the uneaten green beans spilling onto her shirt. Despite wanting to sink far into the earth, she started speeding towards the lunch room door. The sheer amount of people was too much and their sound pounded in her ears. As the door slowly creaked closed she slumped down in the quiet hallway.

The feeling wasn't going away. Then a hand on her shoulder.

A voice was speaking to her. It wasn't yelling. It was a nice soft voice. But she couldn't hear it over the rhythmic beat of her heart and the noise still leaking from the cafeteria.

The voice stopped and a hand tilted her chin up to meet eyes. The mouth moved and she could make out some words.

Calm down. Safe. What. Go. Wrong. Thing started clearing up. She registered that it was Peter talking to her. He let go once he could tell she was fine.

"Lila, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, After I sat down I started feeling weird. My fork and tray wouldn't stop sticking to me. And things got too loud like my senses were turned up to a hundred."

He blinked.

"Oh. . . uh, I- I need to talk to you about that. But first, are you okay?"

"I think so. It's still too much."

"Just focus on one sense okay? let your eyes drift straight forward and close them. There now breath in. Breath out. You're doing good. Relax your shoulders. Now your arms. And now your hands."

Lila heard a clatter as the tray and utensils fell to the ground.

"Now, come back and meet me after school okay?"

"Yeah, can I have a minute alone."

"Sure."

Just as soon as he came, he left.

Her breathing slowed and she slowly stood up. Lunch was most certainly almost over so she picked up her tray and brushed herself off.

Then slowly brushed again. There was a crinkling sound in her pocket.

Reaching in she pulled out a small note like that of the others she has read.

Hey Lila,

I know you're still pretty confused. But I promise things will make sense very very soon. You've already met the right people and I'm sure you'll settle in with the right crowd.

Bye for now,

S

A/N Sorry it took a while.

Next decision:

Should she finish last block and than pull Peter aside, skip to talk to Peter, not talk to Peter at all, and/or try out her powers?