GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

8

After realizing that picking up and dropping off Olivia from school meant staying incognito and hidden inside the car, the list of Avengers demanding to have a turn on the expeditions drastically reduced. Bucky casually offered to go with Aurora to pick up Olivia that afternoon if she wanted the company. She agreed.

That first day of school felt incredibly long for Aurora. By the time 2:30 came around, she was in the backseat of the car and ready, fidgeting around with her hands while Bucky tried to calm her down from his seat next to her. Happy watched their exchanges with a sigh, but also hidden amusement.

They got to Maple Elementary School and Aurora got out of the car quickly. She tried to compose herself for a moment, standing there on the sidewalk.

"Aurora."

She spun around to see Bucky had rolled his window down.

"Yeah?"

"She's okay, go in there and find her." He said comfortingly.

Aurora nodded, straightened and took a deep breath before entering the school. She had arrived a bit early due to nerves, so she stood outside the classroom with some of the other parents. Upon seeing them standing in the hallway, she felt nervous. Would they even like her?

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Hopkins?" A concerned mother asked.

"Oh, sorry, no, I'm here to pick up my daughter." Aurora said.

A couple of the moms there gave her some judgmental looks.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The mother said.

"You're a very young looking mom." One of the snobby looking moms commented.

"Yes." Aurora agreed, refusing to let them get to her.

One of them snorted. A father gave that woman a disapproving look, but didn't say anything and avoided even glancing at Aurora. She internally sighed and leaned against the wall casually. A lot of the parents were on their phones. Aurora realized she'd never had a phone. She used her parents house phone before, but not once since then. Chris never gave her one, not that surprisingly, and she was forbidden from even touching his to move it while cleaning. Maybe she should ask Tony for a phone, it might come in handy.

One minute before dismissal, a woman arrived at the classroom, looking a bit frazzled.

"Sorry! Am I late?" She asked as she approached.

Most of the moms ignored her. The disapproving father from before shook his head slightly, but Aurora was the only one to speak up.

"No, we've still got one minute left." She said, shooting the woman a smile.

The woman gave her a grateful look.

"You'd think she'd know the schedule by now." One of the moms mumbled, not so subtly.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met before? I'm Tara Fadler!" The new woman introduced, swiping blonde hair out of her face before offering a hand to shake.

"Aurora Stone." She smiled, shaking Tara's outstretched hand, "Today's my daughter's first day."

"Oh, how wonderful! Welcome to Maple Elementary!" Tara smiled warmly.

The bell ran and the children began to file out of the classroom. Aurora's eyes scanned the sea of little faces for Olivia. When she saw her, her heart beat stopped beating so erratically and she relaxed a bit. Olivia grinned upon noticing her mom and ran to hug her.

"Momma!" She exclaimed happily.

"Hey there, Livi, how was your first day?" Aurora asked.

"It was amazing! I love school!" Olivia said, pulling the paper crown she had made during the school day off her head to show her mom, "Look what I made during art!"