This is just a single one-shot. I'm not starting the third story yet, but I have been planning it, and the third story will involve Avery feeling extreme emotions for reasons I will not yet reveal. The third story will dig down deeper to the source of her social anxiety, and this one-shot will show you why she has it in the first place. Don't worry, it ends on a happier note. Also, in case you were wondering, this one-shot is based off of something similar that happened to me when I was young. Of course, this is a little more extreme, what Avery does in this story I never did. I thought about doing it, but I never actually did it. I was actually a little older than Avery is in this story, but for me, it was around second, third grade when my own anxiety developed. I figured this would be a good time to write about it since August is always a scary month for me since I'm going back to school in a few weeks, so I could use that fear to really get a good story going. So, let's get to it!
It is recess, sever year-old Avery is walking around the playground alone. Her long blonde bangs irritate her eyes, she pushes them aside and keeps walking. Her classmates all give her odd looks and laugh as she passes them. Avery keeps walking, shuddering. She pulls the hood of her Mickey Mouse hoodie over her head and keeps going, trying her hardest to keep her cool.
Avery: (under her breath) Just ignore them, Avery, just ignore them.
Chris: Talking to yourself again, I see.
Avery: Why do you care?
Chris: Because you're a serious weirdo! I mean, you have no friends, you always talk to yourself, and leaves, and stuffed animals, and buttons, and whatever else you happen to find!
Avery: Inanimate objects are better friends than you'll ever be! And in case you need me to dumb that down for you, (picks up leaf) this dead leaf is more understanding than you or anyone else in school, and it doesn't even have ears!
Chris: And another thing, in class, you cough constantly, it's so annoying!
Avery: I have nasal drip, I can't help it!
Chris: What does that even mean?
Avery: I'm not telling, there's enough rumors about me as is, I don't need the whole school thinking I drink my own...never mind.
Jewel: Hey Chris! Ooh, what am I missing?
Avery: Nothing, 'cause I'm out of here! (tries to run, a groups of kids block her path) Get out of my way! (runs the other way, more kids block her, she keeps trying until she finds herself in the center of a circle of her classmates) What do you all want from me!? What did I ever do to you!?
Jewel: Tried to be our friends when you're just a creepy, slimy, bratty, disgusting, snake!
Avery: Uh, snakes aren't slimy, worms are, snakes actually have scales, and they're awesome!
Classmate 1: Who cares?
Classmate 2: Besides, you always act like you're better than all of us because you know a bunch of science stuff!
Classmate 3: But really, you're just some sort of freak. You've broken every school rule at least once but never gotten in trouble because you hypnotize the teachers!
Avery: Are you kidding me? It's not my fault I'm smarter than all of you! If you guys actually worked harder, you'd be smart too! And hypnosis? Seriously? I haven't broken that many school rules, and even then, the stuff I do is all out of self defense, protection from all of you!
Classmate 4: You're gonna need it, little girl, you're not so tough! You're nothing but a big baby, I mean, look how short this kid is!
Avery: Do I know you?
Classmate 4: No, but my brother's in your class, and he told me to scare you for him.
Avery: Well it's not...(notices the crowd is getting larger, nervously) working.
Avery turns around and looks at the students surrounding her, all shouting a bunch of insults at once, louder and louder. She starts to break down, pressing her hands against the sides of her head and falling on her knees, terrified and overwhelmed. She contains it for as long as she can in order to keep things from getting worse, until, she can't take it anymore. Avery let's out a high pitched scream, making her classmates step back from the sound. She stands up, shoves them out of her way, and runs to the soccer field. Sitting on the bench, watching her run, are Katrina and Lindsey.
Lindsey: Who's that? Why is she screaming?
Katrina: I think her name is Avery, and judging by the circle of kids behind us, I'd say they were giving her a hard time, but why?
Lindsey: I don't know.
Katrina: We should go talk to her!
Lindsey: Whoa whoa whoa! Kat, trust me on this, the last thing she'll want after being picked on is for people to pester her, even if said people are trying to be helpful, she'll still hate it.
Katrina: No offense, but you don't know much about other people. After being treated so poorly, she'll want someone by her side encouraging her, making her feel better.
Lindsey: Fine, go help her.
Katrina: (running after her) Hey! Wait up!
Avery: GO AWAY! (keeps running)
Katrina: Wait, I just wanna talk to you!
Avery: WELL I DON'T! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU AND YOUR AWFUL FRIENDS!
Katrina: What?
Avery: Just stay away from me! (runs)
Lindsey: Don't take it so hard, I think I know what's up with her.
Katrina: She has an anger problem?
Lindsey: Maybe, but I was thinking something more along the lines of fear. She's afraid of people, but she doesn't want to admit it, so she gets mad to cover it up. I mean, look, she obviously seems upset, but the only reason she shouted at you is because she didn't want you or anyone to know the truth.
Katrina: I'm confused.
Lindsey: She just needs time. It might not look like it yet, but I see a new friend in her, we just need to show her we aren't like those other kids, then she won't be scared off. We just have to take it slow, talk to her a little every day, push her slightly out of her comfort zone, and then she'll open up to us.
Katrina: Uh, we might wanna speed up the process, she jumping the fence!
Lindsey: Oh my gosh, we have to stop her! Last year, two fifth grade boys jumped the fence and never came back. They say a horrible monster lives in those woods back there, and any kid who goes back there becomes prey to it.
Katrina: Let's get a teacher!
Lindsey: No, if we tell on her, she'll get in huge trouble, and she'll never like us then. We have to save her.
Katrina: (nervously) O...ok. Uh, the gate's locked.
Lindsey: Yeah, that's why we're jumping the fence.
Katrina: But I'm wearing a skirt!
Lindsey: So? Who cares?
Katrina: I wanna save Avery too, but I am NOT jumping the fence!
Lindsey: Alright then. (pushes Katrina over the fence)
Katrina: Ow! Hey!
Lindsey: That works too! (jumps the fence) Come on, let's find her before that monster does!
Avery walks through the woods, looking around. Meanwhile, Hiro, who is visiting her town, wanders into the woods from the other end. The two meet in the center and both scream when they bump into each other.
Hiro: Hi, uh, you startled me.
Avery: (laughing) I startled you?
Hiro: Ok, we were both kinda shocked! What are you doing out here all alone?
Avery: I came here from my school. Everyone there hates me, so I figured I'd come out here.
Hiro: You ran away?
Avery: Yeah.
Hiro: You shouldn't have done that, do you realize how worried your family must be?
Avery: I doubt anyone knows I left. Besides, it's just me and my mom, and she's at work.
Hiro: So, all you have is your mom?
Avery: Well, I have other family members that live far away. My parents are divorced, and I have a twin sister, but I've never met her.
Hiro: Oh. You still have better luck than me. Both of my parents died when I was young.
Avery: I'm so sorry, I guess I don't have it so tough then. You're right, I'm being a drama queen, I should go home.
Lindsey: No! Avery! (runs) Oh my gosh, Avery, you're alright!
Avery: Who are you? are you here to make fun of me too?
Lindsey: No way! I came here because I didn't want the monster to get you! But apparently, it's just this kid.
Hiro: Sorry, I was just exploring. I'd better go before my aunt finds out I left.
Avery: I guess I should just get back to my school, in case there really is a monster out here!
Lindsey: There you go! And don't worry, when we get back, I won't tell anyone we were out here.
Katrina: Ahh! It's got me!
Lindsey: Katrina! Come on Avery and what's-your-face!
Hiro: It's Hiro.
Katrina: No! No! No!
Lindsey: Kat, that's not a monster, that's a bush.
Katrina: Oh look, it is!
Lindsey: Let's get out of here.
Katrina: (whispering) Hey, who's the forest cutie?
Lindsey: (whispering) I don't know, I found him with Avery.
Hiro: I have to go, goodbye! (exits)
Avery: So, you guys really cared enough to come after me?
Katrina: Well sure! I mean, we saw what happened earlier, and we felt bad. I tried to talk to you, but, yeah.
Avery: I'm really sorry, it's just, I have a hard time fitting in, and everyone at school hates me.
Lindsey: I only just met you, but I can't think of a reason they'd hate you. I mean, I bet they're just jealous of your awesome bangs!
Avery: Ha ha, I don't know why, they're so long, I'm thinking of growing them out, I can barely see!
Lindsey: I like 'em, they make you look mysterious!
Katrina: Let's go back, hey, we'll make history as the first kids to go back here and come back alive! As long as that monster doesn't show up and Lindsey throws me over the fence again, we're home free!
All three laugh and exit.
There you have it, Avery's backstory. I decided to put Hiro in here to explain the scene in the first story where they remember each other in a sense without really knowing why. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Jewel and Chris are cousins. I never really brought it up since they're minor characters, but I figured I'd reveal that before I forget. Anyway, I do have a quick preview for the third story right here! *Minor Spoilers*
Big Hero Miraculous is in for their toughest mission yet when they travel to an uncharted island in search of Mrs. Agreste! While Hiro and Tadashi upgrade Vortex's portal into a teleportation device, Marinette and Adrien uncover some surprising secrets about the Miraculouses, including the fact that Master Fu has chosen three new heroes, and who better to mentor them than Ladybug, Cat Noir, and Apidae? The team, along with their new friends, use the portal to find Adrien's mom, and two new enemies waiting for them. What new threats are in store for Big Hero Miraculous? Find out soon!