A.N: Okay so I've been wanting to do a high school AU for a while but just never got around to it but I had some free time to day to write the first chapter so I hope you enjoy.
"There is no way I'm going to high school," Natasha said her red hair bouncing as she shook her head furiously.
"I'm afraid the state requires it and I am not in the mood to argue with a 15 year old about this-" Fury started only to have Natasha but in.
"Can't I just work for you? I have the training, I'm not a child Director Fury," she said looking at him with serious eyes.
"I'm sorry Natasha you're just too young," he said shaking off her desperate gaze "besides it might be good to learn a little something about Americans before you jump right back into the field."
"Whatever," she said getting up and pushing aside her chair, flinging her backpack across her shoulder, just as she was about to leave his office he spoke up.
"Your new apartment is in block E, I trust you'll be able to find it," he said before returning to his work.
Natasha nodded and walked swiftly down the corridor without making a sound, she found the exit to the building and left searching on the map of the army base for where block E was. After a minute of scanning it she found it in the bottom right corner. "Aha," she muttered to herself as she made her way across the tarmac where planes and missiles where being hauled across to various locations. Once she was there she tried the door which was locked, remembering the keys that Fury had given her earlier she dug around her pocket and pulled them out.
Just as she was about to unlock the door a boy opened it for her. He had blue eyes which she could just see behind his shades with short brown hair and held a soldier like composer. "You must be Natasha Romanova," he said holding out his hand for her to shake.
"It's Natasha Romanoff now," she said shaking his rough hand wincing slightly as his grasp was a little too strong, "what's your name then soldier," she said laughing silently to herself.
He didn't seem all that amused "Clint Barton," he answered taking off his sunglasses "you should find your apartment next to the weird 1940's guy," he said smiling for the first time "also if possible try and avoid bumping into Bruce," he said leaning in closer "he gets nervous easily around new people."
She nodded in understanding and walked by him making her way up the stairs, she didn't know why but she felt she was going to be very good friends with Clint. Fury had told her that all the kids were on the top floor, in theory she could have taken the lift but for her there was something relaxing about taking the stairs. It was really the only time she got to herself in the red room. Once she got to her floor she found a blond boy with his hair combed to the side holding a box, although he was clearly very strong he had very nervous air about him. Clint had said something about a 1940's guy, whatever that meant.
"Hey," she said watching his head snap around as if she were some sort of murderer "are you 1940's guy?" she asked.
He laughed but she could tell it was hollow and full of sadness "I guess you could call me that," he said putting the box he was holding down "I'm Steve Rodgers by the way," he was walking over to her now "and you must be Natasha right?" he said raising an eyebrow.
"Yes that would be me," she answered giving him a reassuring smile "why did Clint call you 1940's guy?" she asked genuinely curious.
"Oh," he said as if it was a topic he would rather not bring up "I used to live in that time period before I crashed a plane and they dug me out of the ice," he said hoping that would be enough for her.
"Wait, you're Captain America," she said not being able to hide her surprise "I'm sorry I guess they kept it all hush hush when they found out you were still alive," she said, he looked so young, he couldn't have been more than year older than her "you're pretty young to be a Captain don't you think," she said sceptically.
"I was only 15 when they injected me with the serum," he said his face quite solemn.
Well I was only 5 she wanted to say but restrained herself "I'm very sorry," she said trying to remain emotionless.
"I guess you should probably get to unpacking," he said "I only got here a week ago but school starts for all of us tomorrow," he said turning to the box now "you should find a box like that outside your door, it has your uniform in it."
"Thanks," she said making her way to the next door down from his.
"Don't mention it," he said picking up his box and walking back inside.
She picked up her box and rummaged about for the keys, she found the right one and opened the door stepping inside her new home. It was as you would expect any S.H.I.E.L.D apartment to be, sterile, averagely sized with only the essentials. The rest she would have to get herself with her allowance which was $200 a month. Despite its plainness it seemed like a nice place, there was only one bedroom and bathroom, a living room with a tv, couch and chairs and a coffee table with a laptop lying atop it. The kitchen was relatively big, the cupboards and drawers stocked with dishware and cutlery. The fridge was refilled every month with just enough food for her to get by on. There wasn't a dining room but in the living room there was a table with two chairs sat next to it, just by the window where she supposed she would eat.
The bedroom had white covers and a wardrobe in the corner which was more than big enough to store the few clothes she had and a plain bathroom with only a shower, a sink and a toilet. She couldn't help but love it, for the first time in her life she could be alone in her own little place. She smiled as she opened the closet and hung up her three shirts, one jacket and one pair of jeans, she would have to go shopping soon. She slid off shoes and lay back on the surprisingly soft bed, realising she was more tired than she thought she took off her trousers and let them fall to the floor. She tucked herself under the covers and turned off the bedside light, she fell asleep almost instantly.
Natasha's eyes blinked open, she stared at the digital clock by the side of her bed which read 6.02am. She got up to go have a shower and switched it up to the highest setting. Peeling her top and pants off she stepped inside loving the feeling of scalding hot water on her skin.
When she got out she wrapped herself in one of the fluffy white towels that lay strewn aside. She opened the box that had her uniform in it, and set it aside as she examined what she would be wearing. There were three white blouses, a blazer, two skirts, a tie and several pairs of tights, along with the schools polo shirt for P.E and a swimming costume. The uniform mostly consisted of the colours purple, navy blue, and white. The blazer was navy blue as well the skirts , the polo shirt and the swimming costume. The tie had all the school colours and the emblem sewn on at the bottom. The blazer, the polo shirt and the costume were similar with the emblem which read Avengers Academy sewn on at the right breast. She just knew she was going to look ridiculous, digging around in the box again she found a pair of black leather shoes, the kind you saw primary school children in.
Seeing that she didn't have any choice but to wear all the godforsaken things she got changed as quickly as she could. She left her room and grabbed a poptart on the way out as she didn't have much time for a proper breakfast. Once she started eating she realised how hungry she really was, she hadn't eaten since she was on the plane at lunchtime yesterday and she had barley eaten anything then, she hated airplane food. She grabbed her backpack and left feeling for the first time in years, self-conscious. The only thing she really liked about the way she looked was her hair, which stood as vibrant and as red as it had always been.
As she locked her door she noticed a guy with messy hair and tired eyes leave his apartment. Clint had said to her earlier that there was a boy called Bruce who she was to avoid, she decided to ignore that advice and go talk to him.
"Hi," she called over to him, he waved an untrusting hand before it settled by his side and curled into a fist "Are you Bruce?" she asked him walking over steadily so not scare him.
"Y-yes," he stuttered, his hands shaking so much that he dropped his keys, he bent down to pick them up and put them in his pocket.
Natasha resisted the urge to hug him and tell him I'll be okay "I'm Natasha," she said moving to his side watching as he flinched slightly before relaxing.
"I-I know," he said in return.
"How long have you been here?" she asked, desperately trying to keep the conversation going.
"I got here two weeks ago," he said "after the accident," he added, and looked away as if bitterly recalling something.
Natasha knew now why he was so tetchy, he was Bruce Banner the genius who experimented on by his father. Something had happened to him, she recalled seeing it on the news, he had destroyed a factory and they were calling him "the hulk", she felt really sorry for him, it can't be easy carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders at such a young age.
As they walked further down the corridor she noticed Clint, Steve and a girl she hadn't seen before were chatting whilst waiting for the lift. Steve looked away from Clint as he noticed her and Bruce walking towards them.
"Hi," he said beckoning them over "the car that takes us all to school comes in ten minutes so we'd better hurry up," he said just as the lift pinged and the doors opened "oh and that's Maria," he said just before they all went in, the girl smiled over to her. Steve started taking to Natasha about a movie he watched last night called breakfast at tiffany's, she hadn't gotten to watch that many movies where she lived, she nodded while he told her how much he enjoyed it and all she could think about was how she would cope with going to school.
They got out of the black nondescript car and made their way along with several other annoyed teenagers up stairs and into school. The school itself had a charming look about it with its sandstone bricks and beautiful carvings she grew to like it quickly. The door was a large wooden masterpiece with brass handles and polished wood that shined brightly against the morning sun.
They stepped into the school which was cool and just as charming as it was on the outside.
"I rather like it," she said breathing in the musty, yet inviting air.
"It's okay," Clint said with a half turned smile "I guess I could get used to it."
A.N: I hope you liked it, the next update will probably be Tuesday thanks for reading :)
- Anna
