Weaving through traffic, Steve Rogers glanced at the clock on his car radio. It was nearly 8 o'clock! Sif hated when he was late, and he rarely was. She'd understand, but he still didn't want to disappoint her. He grinned. Just the thought of her drove him to pure happiness. Two years they'd been together and he may have been young, but they were the best two years of his life. He'd decided just recently, at his Fourth of July party that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. The party was for his 18th birthday as well and having your birthday fall on the same day as Independence Day certainly had its perks. His football teammates threw him one of the largest parties imaginable. He was grateful, but leave it to Stark to bring enough liquor to quench the thirst of a thousand Vikings. The memories alone had him laughing all the way to Sif's home. It wasn't that far a drive so he arrived on time like he'd hoped and his love was already waiting for him on her front porch with the most gorgeous smile known to mankind. God, he was smitten.
Sif got into the car and Steve leaned over to kiss her. She beamed, as always.
"Someone's particularly happy this morning. Is it because it's finally football season, Captain?"
Steve smiled. Sif was the first person he'd told of his promotion to team captain. It was truly an honor that Coach Castle found him responsible enough to lead the team. But then again, Tony and Thor were also captains, so maybe not so much.
"Well, there's that. And then there's the pretty girl sitting in the passenger seat of my car."
"So charming. No wonder I love you so much."
They shared one last kiss before Steve put the car back in drive and headed off to school. Steve Rogers, captain of the Shield High Avengers. Senior year was already great, but boy, was it about to get better.
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Natasha Romanov was many things, but on this morning … she felt like everything. It was finally football season. Finally. She was considering just going to school with her cheerleading uniform already on, but she feared that may be a bit too much. But who cared? She was fucking Natasha Romanov; Tash to close friends. And she only had two of those; Maria Hill and Phil Coulson. An unlikely trio they made, but they'd know each other since the eighth grade. They were the only two people in the world who didn't care that she was the most popular girl in school. They were the only two who could handle her bitchiness and tell her with a straight face to bring it down a notch. She especially loved Maria. That girl had been like a sister to her since the day they'd first met.
Natasha's father had decided it was time to leave New York and start life on the West Coast. That had really pissed her off. She had many friends at her old school and leaving them behind heated her up. Her first day of school, she picked a fight with the first girl she'd met on the bus ride. Maria had been so tiny back then. Her jet black hair cropped around her face, which honed a fierce expression in contrast to a frail appearance. She'd been laughing with another dark-haired boy, whom she'd later been introduced to as Tony, about some slam dunk or another. When Natasha purposefully bumped her, she expected the girl to cower away in fear; that's what the girls did at her old school. But Maria was tougher than she'd estimated and before she knew what was happening, a fist was slamming into her face as the other kids on the bus cheered on in anticipation. The two of them fought that day. And the next three weeks of detention she'd shared with Maria began the beginning of a friendship as tough as nails. Nobody messed with them. Natasha was made head cheerleader junior year, the same year Maria was made captain of the varsity girls' basketball team. Phil called them social overachievers. They called him water boy. Laughing to herself, Natasha settled for a pair of simple black heels, skinny legged jeans, and a black V-neck shirt. It didn't matter what she was wearing. She'd look good regardless. And that was all that mattered.
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Coach Frank Castle looked stressed and Phil Couslon could fully comprehend why. It was week one of football season. The boys had been working their asses of day in and day out since late July and the team actually looked promising this year. But Coach was concerned and probably a little afraid that this season might end just like the ones previous; with the worst record in the district and with no trophy to put in the empty trophy case just outside his office. Phil shook his head. He'd gotten to school an hour early because Coach needed him to organize some paper work. It was part of his duty as team manager. He hated when people called him a water boy. His best friends Tash and Maria did it way too often. He won't even touch a bottle of water in the presence of the team; the jokes were old and he'd grown tired of them quickly.
"Coulson," came a gruff voice from the office just behind him. "Round up the boys after school lets out. Tell 'em not to suit up today. We're having a meetin'."
Phil nodded his affirmative and left the man's office. He had a calculus exam today and no doubt Thor Odinson would be sitting either beside or behind him to peek at his answers. He was prepared for that this year, though. He already discussed with Coach Castle a plan he'd take into action during this football season; a tutoring program. Thor was his sole motivator. He never failed his classes, but he struggled. And it wasn't that he was dumb, he just didn't want to focus. He was too busy complaining about how dull it was. As manager of the team, he already had a list written up of who needed tutoring and what for. Now all he needed was tutors. That shouldn't be too hard. Who wouldn't want to teach a few knuckleheads who felt compelled to walk over any and everyone just to prove they were better? Yeah… he had his work cut out for him.
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"Damn Jane, the first bell hasn't even rang and you're already in a classroom. When are you going to get a life? A boyfriend, maybe?"
Jane Foster didn't even look up from the microscope she was peering into when Darcy Lewis, her cousin who'd come to live with her this summer, walked into the chemistry classroom. The sophomore had been complaining since she'd gotten here about how boring Jane was and how her obsession with Science was affecting her social life. Or lack thereof.
"When you quit bugging me about it. How did you even know I was in here? I don't have this class today."
She broke away from the microscope momentarily to jot down a few notes. Darcy had come to sit beside her.
"Some kid told me he saw you in here. Knew it must have been important the way you rushed off in the parking lot. You looked like an Olympic runner!"
Jane rolled her eyes. Darcy could be so dramatic.
"I needed to get this research done before Dr. Stern's first period class got here. Why aren't you with, what's his name? Your new best friend…?"
"Who, Clint? He's locking lips with some chick in the hallway. Told him I'd meet him in Driver's Ed."
Jane wasn't surprised. Clint Barton was a cutie for a tenth grader. And he loved girls. It didn't matter who, when, or how old; if they were into him, he was into them. Often literally, she thought with a shake of her head.
"Well, go do that. I have a calc test this morning. I'm going."
Packing up her book bag, she left Darcy to her own devices. Jane already knew she'd pass this test with flying colors and earn her A properly. Unlike a certain blonde, British, football player who would fail, yet probably still come away with an A in the class. She hated that he charmed his way through school; it just wasn't fair! While people like her had to actually work, all he did was flash a grin and some stupid compliment and he was scott-free. By the time she got to the classroom she was seething on the inside. Something about Thor Odinson just made her… angry. But damn, he was good-looking. That may have been what Jane Foster hated the most.
((A/N: Haha! Did you guys notice The Leader reference? Oh. Me too. And yes, Frank Castle aka The Punisher is the football coach. Because he is made of awesome. These first two chapters were just sort of character introductions. I guess something like a two-part prologue. I'm having fun with this; hopefully you guys will also! Now the real fun can begin. ^_^))
