A.N: So I said I was going to update on Monday but meh. Anyway I didn't introduce Loki in the last chapter but I am now, also Thor and Loki's names are Tom and Luke in this for reasons that will be explained later. Hope you enjoy.

"Hey what've you got first period Natasha?" Steve asked.

"I think I've got English, you?" she asked, she loved English, well mostly she just loved reading, she hadn't really gone to school before so she was curious as to what people actually did in there.

"Maths," he said "or at least that's what Clint's told me."

"Huh," she muttered, she wasn't really that interested, Steve was a nice guy but they didn't really have anything to talk about.

She turned around to walk over to Bruce and bumped into a guy with a vicious face and piercing green eyes "I'm sorry," she said.

"Perhaps you should watch where you're going," he said, his voice like venom.

She didn't say anything else only watched him strut past her without looking back.

"What's his problem," said a boy with a cocky grin that was standing next to Clint.

Natasha shrugged "I'm Tony," he said "Tony Stark."

Clint spoke up "wait as in the Tony Stark, Howard Stark's son."

"The very one," he said obviously flattered by the recognition.

"Who's Howard Stark," she said, wondering if she was supposed to know who he was.

"I've met Howard Stark," Steve said, recalling something, she thought it was best not to ask him to elaborate.

"Well I," Tony said gesturing to himself "have not met you."

"I'm Steve Rodgers," he said.

"Oh I know you, you're the popsicle my Dad always talked about," he said grinning at his joke.

Steve looked about ready to punch the boy, Natasha grabbed his hand to calm him down.

"What's with the hand holding?" he asked he smile growing, Natasha was beginning to dislike Tony.

"Would you please shut up," Natasha ordered rather than asked.

Tony put his hands in the air "Sorry birdy," he said.

"Don't call her that," Clint said his eyes saying more than his words.

"I don't like this atmosphere," Tony said "I might as well introduce you to the big guy here," he said dragging over a tall, muscly guy with an expression which was between wonder and happiness.

"I am Th-Tom," he boomed nearly knocking them all over.

"Well," Natasha said "I'm Natasha that's Clint, she's Maria, he's Steve and that guy over there in the corner reading, that's Bruce."

"Why isn't he with you guys," Tony asked, moving Tom out the way.

"He prefers to be by himself," Clint said before Natasha could say anything.

"I'm gonna go talk to him," Tony said and before anyone could stop him he was making his way over to Bruce.

"Shit," Natasha said looking at Steve for help.

Bruce seemed to be fine though in fact he was actually smiling for the first time since Natasha had seen him. They must have a lot to talk about Natasha thought.

"Well this is an unexpected turn of events," Clint said watching as Bruce got up and walked over to them with Tony.

"Hi Bruce," Natasha said steadily.

"Hey," he said as Tony leant against the wall next to them.

"D'ya know what guys I actually have to go now but we should meet up for lunch," she said waving goodbye. That was weird she thought as she made her way to English. Just as she made it up the stairs the bell rang, she was still confused of the whereabouts of her class. She looked again at the timetable which said she was in wing E room 302 which meant she had to go up to the 4th floor and find the second room down, she looked at one of the signs which said wing F. She was in the wrong place.

Great it was her first day and she was already lost and late. By the time she had found her class she had missed 10 minutes. She babbled out some excuse to the angry looking teacher and went to sit down. She looked around; all of the seats were taken except for the one next to the rude black haired boy she had bumped into in the corridor. She groaned, she would have to sit there for the rest of the year, seeing no other alternative she sat down with a grim face.

He didn't say anything, she didn't even think he had noticed she was there until half way through the period when he said "you just can't keep away from me can you?"

"You know, if you keep your mouth shut this year will go a lot faster for me," she said without looking at him.

She noticed that the teacher was handing out books now, Merchant of Venice. She smiled, she loved Shakespeare. The boy remained silent.

"I didn't get your name," she said turning to face him.

"It's Luke," he said, she recognised that was all he was going to say.

"I'm Natasha," she said in return.

He simply nodded as if her words were useless drivel, in his eyes she was entirely worthless.

The teacher spoke now "If you'll please open you books to Act 4 Scene 1 and turn to the page where Portia begins her quality of mercy speech," she scanned the classroom for a while before resting her eyes on Natasha "can you read out the quality of mercy speech please," she said to her.

Natasha looked around before realising she was speaking to her, she smiled and closed the book, she knew the speech of by heart "of course," said standing up.

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd," she began watching as the whole class began to murmur "it dropeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath; it is twice blest: it blesseth him that gives and him that takes: tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown; his sceptre shows the force of temporal power wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings," Luke was paying attention now, his narrow features and thin lips slowly turning up into a smile "but mercy is above this sceptred sway; it is enthroned in the hearts of kings, it is an attribute to god himself; and earthly power doth then show likest gods when mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, though justice be thy plea, consider this, that, in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy," she said gesturing to the rest of the class "And that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much to mitigate the justice of thy plea; which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there." She finished leaving the class in awe.

A red haired girl that was sitting in the front was the first person to break the silence, she stood and clapped and the rest of the class followed, even the stern looking teacher joined in. Luke however sat where he was, being the stubborn and arrogant person Natasha believed him to be.

When everyone finally sat down, though still staring at her with mouths a gape, she noticed Luke's face, he looked strangely nostalgic and sad, a difference from his usual annoyed and patronising self.

She was going to ask him what was wrong but the bell rang and the red headed girl from the front of the class approached her. "Wow your speech was amazing, you should hang out with us at lunch," she said and the girls that surrounded her nodded "I'm Pepper," she said her hair bouncing excitedly "this is Jane, Darcy and Betty," she said pointing at the rest of the girls.

"I'd love to but I agreed to sit with my friends," she said apologetically.

"Why don't they come with us as well," said Jane.

"Uhm sure," said Natasha not sure how they were going to take it "I had better go," she said "I don't want to be late for Physics," she laughed as she left the class. She never thought that making friends would be this easy, it never had been before. She was beginning to like high school.

She took her lunch and looked around the main hall for everyone; she found Steve and Maria talking at one of the tables.

"Hi," she said waving over to them. She sat down and dumped her bag on the floor.

Maria spoke to her for the first time "how are you finding high school then?" she asked her kind face almost disguising the sadness in her behind her deep blue eyes, she had found that with most of the people she'd met.

"Yeah it's pretty cool," she replied.

"I heard you recited a Shakespeare speech in English," she said "it's all everyone's talking about."

"I really don't think it's that interesting," said Natasha honestly.

"I think it's pretty impressive," she said he mouth opening to say something else when Tony interrupted them.

"They party has arrived," he said as the rest of the group approached the table they sat down at the table, placing they're lunch trays down with them.

"Oh," said Natasha before they could start taking about god knows what "I invited some girls from my English class to come and sit with us."

"Are they hot?" asked Tony.

"Uggh," Natasha groaned in annoyance "just be nice," she said looking at the girls who were coming to sit with them.

"Hi Natasha," said Pepper smiling, she couldn't help but notice Tony gawking at her, if that sleazeball hurt her she would slap him into yesterday.

"Hey Pepper," she said "take a seat."

Almost immediately Tony started talking to her paying no attention to all the others. Natasha smiled at them helplessly.

For once Bruce initiated a conversation with someone, and that someone happened to be Betty. He was looking at her the way they did in the books she read, with hopefulness and longing, it was kind of sweet really, Jane was taking to Tom who was being rather strange saying things like "Sweet maiden, never in all of the nine realms have I ever seen someone as lovely as you," and she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. It even looked like Clint was coming on to Maria, she turned to Steve who looked just confused as she did.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" she asked him desperate to get away from the love table.

"Yes, I'd love to ma'am'" he said making her smile. Who else would call her that except Steve?


A.N: Hello again I hope you liked this chapter I'll update again soon.

- Anna