Red Line

Part 6- She's Kinda Hot

"Yo, did you see Y/n's hair?" One boy loudly whispers to the boy next to him.
"Who?" The second boy asks
"That girl you said was hot the other day."
"You're going to have to be more specific."
"The one with the emo girl."
"Oh her." The second boy scoffs, "No, I said she could be hot, if she wasn't so boring."
I roll my eyes, teenage boys are so disgusting.
The second boy turns and looks at me and then back at his friend, "Ew dude she looks mad weird."
The first boy laughs, "what'd she cut her hair with, a lawnmower?"

We could snap his neck with our pinky finger. She says in the back of my mind.
I shake my head. We don't do that anymore.

MJ kicks the boy's chair, "Shut up Jason."
I smile at her gratefully. She's a good friend to me. I wish I didn't have to lie to her.
"What? Am I hurting her feelings?" He mocks
I stretch back in my chair, "You look like a chewed whad of gum, I could care less about your opinion."
MJ laughs and holds her middle finger up at him.
He rolls his eyes, "you-"

"Something you'd like to share with the class Mr. Lerroy?" Mr. Greene interjects
Jason's jaw clenches, "No."
Mr. Greene points the marker at him, "if I hear one more word from you I'm sending you to the office."
Jason nods and Mr. Greene goes back to teaching.

Peter taps me on the shoulder, "I think you hair looks good."
I smile, "thanks."
I've been having a harder time getting to know Peter than I thought I would. He's super nice, but so awkward. It's hard to have a conversation with him, especially if Ned and MJ aren't involved. He obviously wants to be friends I just have to figure out how to get through to him.

After another 30 minutes the bell finally rings. I was barely paying attention, I don't think I would've made it otherwise.
"One more class" I say to MJ at the door.
We always hung back to wait for Peter and Ned to get out.
She sighs, "yeah, but it's gym."
"Not so bad."
"Because you're athletic."
I never considered myself to be particularly athletic in the fact that I didn't enjoy sports, but I guess by normal standards I would be due to my physical advantage. I had always been exceptional at any physical activity I tried due to my enhancement. I don't even remember a time prior, however I have a vague memory of hearing I learned to walk before my brother.

I shrug, "you build a lot of muscle living on a farm."
"I bet you'd have captain America shaking in his boots." She kids
I chuckle along even though a knot forms in my stomach. Something about MJ always makes me feel like she knows, even though I know she couldn't.

Peter and Ned trot up next to us.
"One more class to go." Peter says happily
"Yeah, but it's gym" Ned complains
"That's not so bad."
"because you're athletic."
MJ lets out a small laugh.
"Deja vu" I say quietly

"What?" Ned asks
"Y/n just said the same thing." MJ says
A smile crosses Ned's lips, "we got lucky she's in our classes."
Yes, lucky. Tony didn't make sure that I would be.

"Maybe Peter will finally have some competition" MJ muses
"No, he's-" Ned starts before glancing at me, "just really fast."
He's not so great at keeping secrets, but he tries. If I weren't me I don't think I would notice.
"Then he'll have someone to impress."
Peter's face turns a lovely shade of pink before going back to normal. I've noticed that he gets embarrassed rather easily.

Third person pov
13 years ago, Russia
TW violence

They observed the children playing on the floor with their blocks. They stacked towers and knocked them over time and time again, a few squabbles in the mix.

"Я думал, что попросил тебя только об одном (I thought I only asked you for one.)" the commander observed.
The man shrugged, "У женщины были близнецы. (The woman had twins.)"
"Почему вы принесли и то, и другое? (Why'd you bring both?)"
"Допустим, женщина неохотно отказывалась от них. (Let's just say the woman was reluctant to give them up.)" the man pauses to think for a moment, "Вы можете получить дополнительную плату на случай, если что-то пойдет не так (You can have an extra in case something goes wrong.)"
To these men the children were disposable, just something to be practiced on and discarded if needed. All they cared about was their monetary value.

The commander nodded slowly. "Какой ребенок более эффектичен? (Which child is more efficacious?)"
The man sighs, "Трудно сказать в этом возрасте. Девочка начала ходить первой. (Hard to tell at this age. The girl began walking first.)"
"Я возьму их (I'll take them.)"

The man held out his hand for payment, after this he would be set for life; and that's all he cared about the children.
The commander reached into his pocket, seemingly for payment, but faster than the man could even process the commander pulled out a gun and shot him twice right between the eyes.
The man quickly slumped to the floor. Blood and brain matter spilled out around him. The children cried but guards took them away before they even had time to process what the loud noise was.
At only three this was the end of their childhood and the beginning of their training.