Seventeen year old genius with a well-known father. Just entering college at such a young age, Tony Stark felt some relief to be out of the house. He was enjoying the freedom of living in his own apartment (of course, with Happy), but most of all, Tony was glad he wasn't around his father anymore.
"Move out of the frame, Anthony."
"I'm working. Not now."
Tony felt like a disappointment. The neglect that he always felt somehow lessened now that he was on his own. He had the chance to make his own inventions without his father criticizing or telling him that "he could do better." Tony felt proud of his inventions, proud that he created something he was finally satisfied with.
And he didn't need anyone's approval.
Tony was walking to one of his classes when a redhead bumped into him, causing his things to fall to the pavement. Cursing under his breath, he shook his head and kneeled down to pick up his items.
"Seriously? You couldn't watch where you were going?" Tony said, grabbing his binder.
Though, when he looked up to see this beautiful young woman, he smirked. Happy had been telling him that his smirk was getting better. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that."
Pepper looked at him with an appalled expression once she handed him a few more of his things. "It was an accident, I'm sorry. But seriously, you really don't have to scold me for something I had no control over."
Tony stood, noticing her long, slender legs, her slim figure, her strawberry blonde hair that was tied into a neat ponytail, and then he noticed the freckles and her icy blue eyes. Tony was captivated.
His smirk only widened once she spoke. She was feisty, and he liked it. "Me? Scold you? Oh, please. Just make sure you don't bump into anyone else today. I'm saving everyone else the trouble."
Pepper rolled her eyes. "You know what, you are rude. I bumped into you accidentally. I apologized. I'm sorry that bending down to pick up your things was such a hassle."
The young woman continued walking, not wasting any more of her time on this young man who decided to pick a fight over something so stupid. Though, she couldn't help but wonder how familiar he looked.
Tony watched her for a moment before entering his class. He wanted to see her again, annoy her, and watch her get riled up. Tony was hoping that he would somehow catch her at the right time.
Once his class was over, he began walking to his car. Though, Tony noticed the same woman from earlier enter the library. Smiling to himself, he went towards the building. Today, Tony was going to make a friend.
He watched her take a seat at one of the empty tables, making his way to one of the isles and grabbing a book mindlessly. Tony cleared his throat and sat in front of her as he began to set his things down. He couldn't take his eyes off of her– it was something he never felt, or experienced before.
"Why are you following me?" Pepper asked, lifting her eyes to meet Tony's.
"Who said I was following you? This is a library. I'm entitled to come here. It's just a coincidence that you're here too. First, we bump into each other and now we're meeting at random places. I'd say we're made for each other," Tony smirked.
"I would hardly say that we're made for each other. You don't even know my name."
She was right. Tony didn't know her name and he wondered if it was a bad idea to ask. So, instead, he leaned a bit forward to stare deeply into her eyes. Pepper felt herself being lured in by his brown orbs, but she knew better than to get attached. She stared at him with an uninterested look on her features, crossing her arms on the table.
"And by that look, you don't want me to know your name. So, how about I just call you Pepper? You know, you have tons of cute freckles peppered along your face. It fits."
She rolled her eyes. "No. My name is Virginia–"
"Bingo! Got your name. I'm Tony."
Once he raised his voice, the librarian immediately shot a glare and held up a finger to make him realize where he was again. Nodding in apology, Tony turned his attention back to the woman in front of him.
"Well, Tony, I'm trying to study here and you're kind of interrupting that." Pepper motioned to the book she was reading, tucking a few loose strands of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.
"Get dinner with me and I'll leave you alone."
"What? No way."
Tony narrowed his eyes for a moment before standing, and instead of leaving like Pepper was thinking, he sat beside her. He turned his body to face her, resting a hand on the book she was reading to get her complete and undivided attention.
Tony could charm his way to having her accept his attempt at a date.
"I can take you out to a five star restaurant. Buy you whatever you want –"
"Okay, stop there. If you think I'm anything like those type of girls, then going to dinner with you would have been a big mistake. By the way, I think you have charm and bribery mixed up. Have a nice day, Tony. It was nice meeting you."
If Tony wasn't going to leave, then she was. Packing her things, Pepper stood and looked down at him. "Trying to get me to go to dinner with you by bribing me isn't going to work."
And once again, he watched her walk away.
"Damn it. Way to go, Stark," he murmured under his breath. Standing a few minutes after she left, he made his way back to his car and headed home.
