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The wooden stairs outside the apartment were warm under her legs as Betty sat, slowly turning the envelope in her hands over and over. Footsteps on the steel grating broke her from her reverie and she looked up to see Bucky making his way up.
"Hey, you OK there?" He asked, offering one of his easy smiles.
"Steve's inside." She murmured, distractedly.
"I figured." A look of concern passed over his face. "Are you sure you're OK Bets? You seem a little blue."
"No, not blue. Just nervous I guess".
Hitching his trousers at the knees, Bucky sat down next to her, bumping her shoulder with his.
"Why the nerves? Hold on, is that what I think it is?" gesturing to the letter in hands, noticing the nursing school's logo on the front.
Betty nodded. "I can't open it, Buck."
"Why not?" he asked gently.
"What if I don't get in? I can't even think of what I'll do. I mean, can you imagine? Havin' to be a secretary to some pompous manager or workin' at the telephone exchange like Rita, pluggin' and unpluggin' wires all day?" Her voice hitched at the end. "It's just not me."
"Hey, hey, look at me." He turned her face to his with a gentle hand on her chin. Seeing the unshed tears in her hazel eyes he gave her a determined smile.
"You, Elizabeth Rogers, are the most hardworkin', headstrong, determined, pain in my ass. I don't have a single doubt in the world that this letter is the one you dream of getting. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if they were beggin' you to study with them.
Now get it open you coward!"
"Oh my God, now who's bein' a pain the ass?" Betty sniffed, laughing despite herself. She found herself surprisingly touched by Bucky's motivational speech not having realised that he understood her as well as he did.
"Okay, okay, I'll do it".
"I'll leave you to it then Doll"
"Doll?!" Betty scoffed.
"I heard it in a movie and thought it sounded cool. You, umm, don't mind, do you?" there was the smallest shade of doubt in his tone.
"I suppose not, I guess a cute name for the dames will get you far," she shrugged, lips curving up in a half-smile.
"Nah Bets, this one's yours only." With a chuckle Bucky bumped her shoulder again and made to stand up.
"Bucky?" she quietly asked.
He paused. "Yeah?"
"Will you sit with me? Please? I don't wanna open it on my own."
"Of course, Bets", he replied, settling himself back down and casually draping his arm over her shoulder.
They'd never really sat as close as this before, not just the two of them, Bucky realised. It wasn't as awkward as he thought it would have been. In all honesty, it was pretty nice.
"OK then." With a deep breath and shaking hands, Betty slid her thumb under the corner of the envelope and ripped it across the top. Pulling out the letterheaded paper from inside she slowly unfolded it and started reading. Bucky saw the paper jerk as one lone tear splattered on to the page. A sharp stab of concern twisted in his gut and he started to read over her shoulder:
"Dear Miss Rogers,
We are delighted to inform you..."
"I got in..." Betty whispered. Her head whipped round to look at Bucky. "I GOT IN!"
YOU ARE READING
Out of Time (Book 1)
FanfictionBucky Barnes was always a pain in Betty's ass. Until he wasn't... Betty Rogers was glad that her brother had made a new friend, someone to look out for him. Yeah, he was annoying as hell most of the time, but he could be fun, and kind. This is Bett...
