Hi all! Welcome to the first installment if my Peter Park/Stark!OC series The Stark Girl.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! The next one starts right now.

To recap if anyone is confused: Pepper is not her biological mother, but as she's the only mom she knew - think "baby gets left at the doorstep by Inhuman mother incapable of taking care of her Baby Daddy" style - she calls Pepper "mom" with no hesitation (she was legally adopted by Pepper between Iron Man 3 and Age of Ultron). Baby Stark has battled depression and anxiety for awhile but it got worse after Civil War, especially since the man she considered an uncle and hero was separated from her, and her dad feels betrayed by his only daughter. There's still love, no abuse, but sometimes when two people have similar attitudes things get worse before they get better. I hope you can see her feelings are justified - still not completely right, but for her make sense. As someone who had a similar relationship with her own father and also deals with anxiety and depression, I hope you the reader understand this comes from a genuine place, not a need to damage my character. Because anyone with mental health issues isn't damaged, even if they think they are. I'm also not making her a victim of her problems. She's fighting through her feelings, and is trying even though her mind is holding her back.

As always, I only own my character and certain plots. Everything else is Disney and the MCU.

There's nothing like a new routine to distract you. Nearly two weeks have passed since I transferred into MSST, made some new friends, and joined the cheer squad. I'm finally living out every teen film I've watched. I feel normal. You know, despite the fact that flowers are literally blooming if I don't keep my powers in check. Winter is supposed to be coming, not spring.

But yeah, I've been focusing on controlling what I can do. It's more than just growing things. It's that buzzing under my skin, the life I feel inside me as a result of the energy in the natural world around me. I think I've got it under control. For the most part. It helps that I've finally got the right medicinal cocktail for all my personal mental issues. Therapy, too, since I don't want to just rely on pills. I've seen that become a slippery slope, and I love my mom too much to make her witness anything like substance abuse again. I will not be completely like my dad.

MJ and Betty quickly became "my girls". We walk the halls together, they spend the night whenever their allowed - which is a lot, since I'm a Stark and apparently that's impressive. They distract me from everything. I still miss my family, but… I don't feel quite as empty any more. Don't get me wrong, I'm still angry and irritated and jealous of Peter and my dad, especially since the two are in constant contact and Spidey is off saving the world with daddy's intel.

But I have two amazing best friends, plus Ned and Happy. May visits constantly, and she'll take me to get mani-pedis or go window shopping. My mom visits, too, nearly every weekend if she can get from work. If she can't, we FaceTime constantly, and I never feel like she's gone, especially when I get random texts from her everyday.

My dad and I, though. Well, it's complicated. Because I am angry at Steve for lying. I don't blame Bucky and to be honest I don't miss my grandfather any more than I did before, probably because I was barely a year old when he died and dad never talked about him. Plus, you know, HYDRA is always the real culprit. Bucky was a victim, too.

I get my dad's anger about his mom, though. I grew up loving the late Maria Stark. She's the reason my dad isn't completely like his father, and if my parents were taken from me like that - obviously not my biological mom, since as far as I'm concerned she was an Inhuman who wanted an army but not a kid - I'd be more than hurt if a close friend lied about what really happened.

Still, Steve's my family. I lived under his care for a year, dad wanting to keep me safe and the safest place was the compound. When I was living in the Avengers tower with dad, he looked after me even when he was training. I understand why he lied. It wasn't right by any means, but I get it.

But I think what I'm really feeling is guilt. Guilt towards my father. He may have stopped loving me, but I never stopped loving him. And I keep making it worse by not talking to him, I know that. But I'm scared. I can fight all the livelong day, yet I can't call my father and say, "I'm sorry."

God, I'm pathetic. No wonder he likes Peter more. Peter listens to him, admires him, hardly talks back. They're always on the same side, never really at odds. He's easier, is what I'm trying to say. Less issues, less problems to deal with. He's got this indomitable will and this optimism I wish I had. He's… he's pretty perfect, in an imperfect way.

And I'm me. Broken, freaky me. So I've resigned myself to trying to be as ordinary as possible, starting with waving pom-poms around. Just like I am right now.

Amanda finally shuts off the music, clapping. Her ponytail bounces and her skirt twirls. "Good job, girls! I think this is a good place to end!"

"Damn, that was rough." Beth comments next to me. I laugh quietly and pat her shoulder.

"I heard that!" Amanda calls, but there's a grin on her face. "Okay, don't forget, the pep rally is tomorrow at 2:30. That's when Homecoming king and queen will be announced!"

Number 6 from the tryouts - Marissa - leans over to speak into my ear. "Yeah, like we could forget. The whole school's been announcing it."

I snort and dig my white shoe into the mat beneath me. "Yeah. Here's hoping the poor girl doesn't end up stuck with Flash Thompson."

Chloe hears me, and turns around to nod in agreement.

Amanda just sighs. "Yeah, yeah. Tyrant needs a break. Hit the showers, my loves." She dismisses us and I grin, linking pinkies with number 10 - Isabelle - as we walk into the private changing room to get out of our sweaty uniforms.

"So, are you going to the dance with anyone?" Jane asks me after I've gotten out of the shower and started redressing.

Martina nods. "Yeah. Peter Parker seems interested."

I laugh and shake my head. "No, MJ and I decided to go stag."

Kristen and Nora start talking to themselves in that weird, toxic-gossipy Mean Girls style. Subtly turning on P.O.P., the AI amplifies what they're saying in my ear.

"I can't believe she's friends with that freak."

"Jones is so weird. Do you think she knows they used to date?"

"That would be so awkward."

"I just don't get why Parker would ever think she's interested."

"Right? Such a dork."

"I get his uncle died, but that's no excuse to spread his nerd-germs throughout the school."

"He and Jones are perfect for each other! The nerdy sad boy and the freak bitch!"

I slam my locker door shut and turn to Martina and Jane, standing there in only my bra, boots, and black leather pants. "What the hell is your guys' problem?" I shout, the two girls jumping apart and blinking up at me. "Do you think it makes you cool, talking about other people like that?"

Martina looks embarrassed but Jane presses on despite her red cheeks, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "Please, it's the truth." She flicks her hair behind her shoulder. "You're a Stark. They're literally nobody."

"And I'm sorry, who are you?" I ask.

"My daddy holds shares at Amazon." Jane counters, standing up. Everyone is taller than me, but I feel larger than her with the amount of anger flowing through me. "I mean something here."

I snort. "Okay."

She rolls her eyes again. "You are so irritating. You put on this appearance like you're totally normal, like your dad isn't Iron Man. You should be using that. What's the point of having power if you aren't going to use it?"

"What is going on here?" Amanda asks, staring at us in confusion. I look at the rest of the crowd.

"Difference of opinion between one rich girl to another." I tell her, going back to my locker and pulling on my tanktop and MSST blue hoodie, also grabbing my bag and dirty uniform. I close it and walk to the exit, but not before Jane calls out,

"I bet poor little rich girl is going to hang out with her freak friends! At least Betty's normal, though how desperate do you have to be, to date a fatty like Ned!" She laughs to herself, but Martina just looks more and more uncomfortable. I drop my bag and leap at her, but luckily for the now screaming plastic Nora, Beverly, Renee, and Megan all catch me and usher me out of the changing room, kicking and screaming.

"Let me at the dumb, stupid bitch! I'll show her a real freak!" I scream, getting the attention of everyone in the hallway.

"Jane's a bitch. Calm down." Beverly begs, but I keep shaking.

"That son of a bitch is going to pay! Let's see if daddy can buy her a new nose after I'm done beating her face in!"

All of a sudden a particularly well-muscled arms wraps around my middle and tugs me with them, kicking and screaming some more the whole way down the hall and out of the school. Clawing at the arm I manage to escape, only to be tugged back by my arm and spun right into Peter Parker.

"Brooklyn, stop. Take a breath."

"No, no! I have-have to -"

"Brooklyn." He repeats, voice going deeper and snapping me out. "It's okay. You don't have to fight anyone. Please, please just take a few breaths."

I finally nod and listen to him, turning to look behind me when I hear the door slam open. MJ and Betty are running over to me, closely followed by Ned.

"Megan told us what happened, are you okay?" Betty asks, running her hand through my still wet hair.

"She told you? Everything?" The two girls nod at my words and I tear up, angrier. "I should have beat Jane into the ground."

"Oh boy." Ned worriedly murmurs.

"She deserves it, for talking about you guys like that. No one gets away with being a bitch to my friends." I growl, rushing back towards the school. MJ and Betty stop me this time, jumping on me in a hug. I had been under the impression that the former wasn't very good with displaying any type of affection, but clearly I was wrong, because her long arms are squeezing me tightly.

"We're okay. I've heard worse."

"That isn't right." I tell her. "God, I should have beat her up."

"Then you would've been suspended. Or had charges pressed against you." Betty gently tells me.

"What's the point of having friends if I can't protect them? I can't lose… I can't lose any more friends." I quietly admit.

"Hey, you won't lose us!" MJ tells me, smile on her face. "We're too stubborn to go anywhere. Trust me, if we wanted to be gone we would've left you the first day we met."

I smile, and the girls back away so Ned can hug me. He's so warm and soft, and instantly I feel better. "Thanks, though, for defending us."

"My pleasure, buddy. I love beating people up." Betty shakes her head at me. "I don't?" Amused, she rolls her eyes.

Ned releases me. "How about we go to my place, order some take out, and watch some movies?" They all nod and cheer, and I look back at Peter, whose arms are crossed once more. "You're invited, too. Unless, you know, you have stuff to do?"

He shakes his head. "No, I'm free. I'll come, if you're sure it's okay."

I nod and walk up to him, holding out my hand. "We, uh, we got off on the wrong foot way back when. I'm sorry about that. I can't promise I won't be chill, but… I promise to try."

That innocent smile of his breaks through, his eyes brighter. "And I promise to be less critical."

We shake hands, grinning at one another. It may just be me, but my whole body feels like it's glowing.

What is this boy doing to me?