Trapped in the Shadows

Chapter 9 - When Your School Gets Blown Up

Returning to school the following week made it clear that everyone in the school had heard about the party. It felt similarly to the day I had returned after the announcement of my family, except this time more of the boys were making lewd comments and trying to flirt with me now that I was known as a partier. Even my teachers seemed more wary of me, despite knowing that I was a strict academic.

The only thing that gave me comfort was knowing that this was the final week of lessons before finals and after that I would not be forced to spend my days with these people again. However, I knew that the entire world thought of me the same way that my classmates did and I would never be able to avoid the world. I just had to learn how to be thick skinned and wait for this to all pass over as it was bound to do. After graduating, I planned on working for Stark Industries as Tony wanted to keep me close but I wanted to hold a job other than working as an Avenger and working for his company seemed to be the perfect solution. With the position at my father's company, I knew that the people I would work with would have to respect me due to my family. But that did not mean that they would not gossip behind my back and believe all of the absurd stories that the media came up with about me.

"Hey, you seem like you're about to fall asleep," MJ nudged me as I began dozing off in English class.

"Sorry, I haven't been able to sleep much at night," I replied in a hushed voice as I repositioned myself in hopes that this position would help me stay awake. "Not to mention that this movie is not exactly holding my attention."

"What, you don't get enthralled by Shakespeare?" She smirked.

"It's not even because it's Shakespeare, it's just this horrendous acting. Also, it's Shakespeare."

"I'm going to have to ask the class to be silent, this play is educational and I don't want anyone distracting others," Mr. Wilson spoke at MJ and myself, causing me to blush lightly as I sunk back into my seat.

However as a large blast echoed throughout the school, the sleep that was closing in on me scattered away and I was the first on my feet to investigate. People all around me were asking each other what had happened, trying to assure themselves that they had not imagined the sound as an attempt to make the dull English class more interesting. However when the call for a lockdown sounded over the intercom, everyone fell silent in fear.

As opposed to moving to the corner of the room with everyone else, I suited up and headed to the door of the classroom, getting stopped by MJ as I moved. "(Y/N), you have no idea what just happened, they called a lock down, so we should stay put."

"That was an explosion, MJ. Trust me, I know one when I hear one and I am going to go track down whoever just tried to blow up the place," I argued, pulling my arm out her grip and continuing my journey. "Don't worry, I know what I am doing. Just stay with the class and make sure that everyone is safe. Call me if you're in danger and I'll come back to protect you."

With that I left the room and snuck down the hallways, careful to be on guard. I quickly hid behind a row of lockers as gunshots rang out through the halls, my suspicions of an attack being confirmed. I created my own handgun in the palm of my hand and moved towards the sounds of the bullets, knowing that I needed to step in and protect the school.

"(A/I), can you alert the Avengers to what is happening here and tell them to get off their asses and help out?" I requested of my A.I. as I tried to size up the situation.

"I was wondering if I would see you putting your life in unnecessary danger to come investigate," Peter whispered as he fell from the ceiling and landed soundlessly next to me.

"Hey, Spider-boy," I smirked at him, grateful that we had found each other before battle ensued. "I'll approach them from the other end of the hallways and we'll meet in the middle, ok? You web them up so that they can be interrogated later, I'll kill those that I run into, sound like a deal?"