Rise || Marvel

《18》Social Awkwardness? Check!

(Song: Touch The Sky - Julie Fowlis)

《 Tia's POV 》

*Nearly Two Months After the 'Civil War' Between the Avengers*

It was a truly beautiful day. The afternoon sun was streaming down on New York city, casting golden rays everywhere I looked. The only signs of clouds were wispy shapes of fluff on the distant horizon. All around me, students were rushing out of the school grounds like there were caught in a river, every single one of them chattering excitedly about after-school plans. Myself, being the amazingly fabulous person I am, was standing off to the side (I hadn't been bothered to make friends yet. I swear I will... soon. Maybe...), on the phone trying to convince dear ol' Tony 'Stank' to let me "go to a friend's house". Note the air quotations.

"So, you're asking me if you can go over to a school friend's house to study?" Tony's voice asked skeptically from the other end of the phone.

"Yep, that pretty much sums it up!" I chirped.

"Don't you actually have to have made friends to be able to do that?"

"Yes."

I could almost feel Tony raising his eyebrows disbelievingly.

"And you've made a friend from school?" He stated.

Haha no, hell no.

"...Yes."

There was a pause, then Tony sighed, "I find that highly unlikely. Whatever. Just be home by 5pm, and DON'T, for the love of everything in this world, cause any trouble."

BLUFF MY WAY TO VICTORY!

"Copy that! I'll be home by 4:30!" I grinned victoriously, "Don't worry! I won't cause trouble!"

"I feel like I should be worrying..." Tony's voice muttered, "This is you we're talking about."

"Rrright, aaaand hanging up now," I groaned. He hung up first, before I got the chance. Dude, are you kidding me. Any who... Technically, I am going over to friend's place...!

Making sure my glasses were settled comfortably on the bridge of my nose, I stuffed my phone back into my jacket pocket and hurried to join the stream of students exiting the school grounds (still smiling widely like a serial killer).
The majority of kids quickly dispersed to wander down the many streets, each seemingly to be in their own individual groups of friends.

While, me, I am too majestic for people to handle!

I tripped over my own shoelaces.

Well, majestic to some extent, at any rate.

"Um, excuse me? Are you alright?" A female voice said tentatively, and I felt a hand tap my shoulder.

"I didn't trip!" I announced loudly, jumping back to my feet, "Absolutely didn't happen!"

I stared at the girl who had paused next to me. She was giving me an 'Oh really' look with raised eyebrows. She had short, dark brown hair and sea green eyes.

"This is why I don't have any friends, right?" I remarked in a monotone voice. The girl snorted and shook her head disbelievingly.

"Well, you're in several of my classes, so I thought I better actually talk to you at some point during the school year..." The girl shrugged, turning to go, "The name's Valerie. See you tomorrow!"

She hurried away, dark curls bouncing as she ran.

Did I just make a friend? Is this how friendship works?

I half-raised my hand to wave, but the girl- Valerie- had already disappeared into the pulsing crowd. I hesitated for a moment, grinning stupidly (as I always do), then hefted my bag into a more secure position over my shoulder and slipped backwards down a side alley.

The last time I had tried this, I had somehow ended up in New Zealand, in the middle of a tavern in 'Hobbiton'. (A/N: It's a real place, I've been there! It's the set where they shot Hobbiton sequences in 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings', and you can go there to check it out. It's really cool!)

Long story short, I got a cool selfie in front of Bilbo Baggins's door and a free poster before managing to get back to Stark Tower. (The poster is now hanging on my wardrobe).

ANYWHO...

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was looking down this suspicious little alleyway at me, then pictured the familiar grassy plain. Flames momentarily obscured my vision.
A second later, I felt the scenery change- the deafening New York chatter vanished, the air became fresher, and grass brushed against my jeans.
My flames dissipated, and I nearly started dancing around like a lunatic as my inner fangirl self started to have a field day.

IT WORKED!

Cheering internally, I skipped towards a small cluster of cottages, to the side of which, a large rhinoceros was dozing peacefully. Far beyond this, a city loomed high, gleaming proudly in the open sunlight.

Wakanda.

"You, stop right there!" A voice boomed sharply. Still having a private celebration in my head, I happily spun around to find the owner of the voice.

"Hello!" I beamed to the approaching male, who I now recognised as W'Kabi, Okoye's 'beloved', "I love your rhinos!"

W'Kabi apparently didn't appreciate my compliment. Rude.

"Who are you and how did you get here?" He demanded instead.

"Well, I know T'Challa!" I flapped my arm vaguely in the direction of the city, "He's cool, we fought on the same side a while ago against some friends! It was pretty weird, but y'know, relationship problems, am I right?"

W'Kabi just looked utterly confused, "What?"

"I know T'Challa, and I wanna talk with him," I clarified. W'Kabi eyed me suspiciously for a moment, then turned away and raised his wrist (with the beaded device on it).

"Okoye, I've apprehended an... 'intruder'..." He murmured, shooting a suspicious glare at me, "She claims to know T'Challa. I'm bringing her up to the Palace now."

He straightened up and turned back to me.

"I know I probably look weird, but I swear I'm not going to do anything that could sabotage Wakanda's secrecy," I sighed.

"...You will follow me now," W'Kabi seemed to have completely ignored my statement, and was fingering a large spear menacingly. I swear to Pluto, if he attacks me...

"Yep, I can do that," I nodded.

"You will NOT try anything funny, or I will be forced to resort to more... difficult... actions," He continued, angling his gaze very deliberately to the elegant spear leaning against the side of the hut.

"Alright, got it," I nodded again.

He faltered for one, long moment, "Very well. I will take you to T'Challa."

YYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSS!