14: Tutoring- Steve/Jane

High School AU: Jane has no right to even look in Steve's direction. Or does she?

Jane Foster was a nerd. She knew this because she was reminded at least five times a day. Sometimes more depending on how many cheerleaders and textbook 'popular' girls there were diligently not studying in the library that day.

"Nerd," they'd fake whisper as she walked by with a stack of books. Like this was supposed to send her into hysterics because… whatever their names were didn't like her.

But then Jane's chemistry teacher hit her with a new kind of assignment: tutoring the school's star quarterback/most popular boy/hottest eligible bachelor who still didn't have a date for homecoming, Steve Rogers. Apparently, the golden boy, who was not stupid by any means, had been floundering a bit in his most recent tests. The C grade wasn't good for his college prospects. Time for the nerd to shine. Jane had agreed to help Steve out for the rest of the year. One week in and she was already regretting it.

"You know you have no business talking to him," said the fifth nameless cheerleader to corner Jane by her locker. "He's way too cool for someone like you."

"No one here is going to remember you five years from now," Jane said. It wasn't the wittiest comeback ever, but it did wipe the smile off the girl's face, and that was good enough.

She met Steve in their usual corner by the computer lab. He had all his books out and papers covered in neatly organized chem notes. Just like she taught him. Like magic, all insecurity and doubt drained out of Jane the moment he smiled at her.

"Hey Jane," he said, "glad you could make it."

"I see you've started without me." She nodded at Steve's open textbook and the incomplete proofs scribbled in the margins.

"Barely," Steve said sheepishly. "I'm not exaggerating when I say I have no idea what I'm doing."

"That's what I'm here for."

After looking over and correcting his work (he was on the right track and she couldn't be prouder), Jane gave him a condensed, easy to follow version of the day's lesson. While she had always liked their teacher and enjoyed his class, she could concede that he often didn't realize he was teaching apathetic high school kids and not doctoral candidates. It wouldn't be a stretch to say she was the only kid in class who actually cared about chemistry, even though her chosen field was more on the astronomical end of things.

Jane observed Steve's progress as he worked out the problems. It was close to three before she realized the table across from them was occupied. Four cheerleaders, her latest attacker included, glared at her with the heat of a thousand suns. Jane looked away, more out of pity than anything. Did they really have nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon than sit around being mad that a girl they decided was beneath them got to spend time with a guy they thought they were entitled to? Didn't they have homework or cheerleading practice?

"You okay?" Steve asked. He looked over his shoulder and the girls were suddenly all smiles. They switched right back to rage as soon as Steve's back was turned. "They're not bothering you, are they?"

Jane shrugged. "They don't like that I'm tutoring you. I'm too far down on the social ladder to even be talking to you right now."

Steve thought about that for a second. "You want to take this somewhere else?"

"There's only one library."

"How about the pizza place?" Steve leaned back, his hands behind his head. Something about that pose… did things to Jane. "We could share a pie."

"That's more like a date than tutoring," Jane joked.

"Sure is." He stood and reached out a hand. "You in?"

'Holy shit I think he's serious.' Jane stared at Steve for what felt like a lifetime, her fingers clenched around a pencil. She somehow let it go long enough to gather her things and follow him out of the library.

He held her hand as they passed the cheerleaders. All four of them were a spectacular shade of puce Jane didn't think she'd ever see again.

"What do you think you're doing?" one of them snapped at Jane.

Before she could answer, Steve stepped in. "I'm sorry, you're not cool enough to talk to Jane."

Her jaw fell, as did the other three girls. They were frozen in horror and indignation, but Jane couldn't care if she tried. She was pretty sure she'd just fallen a little bit in love with Steve Rogers. If this date went well, she had a feeling she'd just fall further.