Hello,

So...This is my first author's note here because I'm a nervous wreck and just been publishing without looking back. But I really wanted to thank those who are reading this story and hope you're enjoying it so far. I haven't been writing or publishing my writings in any way forever and I've been wanting to get back into it. In a morbid situation, this pandemic has pushed me to do so because I have nothing to do.

Besides the point,

I've had the story idea 'Gidget' since the first episode of My Hero and it's just been rolling on my brain since then. Morphing and progressing into the story that I have now. It's one of my favorites, and Samantha is kind of my baby.

I know it's taking a bit to get to the fun parts of the story, but I'm holding myself back from rushing because I want to make sure things flow somewhat well. I want to make sure people can get a grasp of Sam without me just throwing it out there. As well as build the world and viewpoint she's apart of. I love getting to the nitty-gritty but appreciate a story that flows into it better.

Also, this whole beginning is depressing af. I was expecting that, but after re-reading holy cow. But, this is how Sam's history turned out, and emotional manipulation/abuse is not an easy subject.

But soon it won't be as depressing!

I think...No promises.

I hope you guys enjoy this story and all future installments to come. I'm excited to give Gidget the life it's deserved for a long time.

Stay safe, wash your hands, stop buying so much shit if you don't need it, and of course,

Enjoy

-Midnight

Ps. I really hate filler chapters. This was the bane of my existence.

Ch. 4: Consequences

Sam woke up with the worst headache she'd had in months.

Like an angsty teen, Sam's body was rebelling against her. Her shoulder was still throbbing. She felt like she'd jumped in a garbage bin. Every inch of her body was stiffer than a two by four. Yeah, been a while since she felt like this.

Laying in bed, she stared at the bluish light coming from the blinds. She could hear the chirps of birds mingle with the soft voices and shuffling downstairs. She turns her head. There's a desk covered in sketchbooks and pencils with a single photo. A tiny girl gives Sam a giant grin while another man hugs her. The light brings out the copper streaks in their blond hair, brown eyes shining like tigers' eyes. A phantom of who she used to be.

Sam was back home.

The teen lets out a groan and rolls on her stomach. Her hand flails about the nightstand next to her until she feels her phone and pulls it over. The bright numbers read '6:50 am.' Sam glares at the insufferable thing like she could make it burst into flames.

It was too damn early for Sam's body to be doing this to her.

Phone tossed aside, the teen shifts to get up. No matter what happens, if Sam was home she'd have to attend her classes. Her mother may have said it would be ok to stay home, but she knew it would look bad at her next visit with her probation officer. Knew it gave Mike more grounds to lock her away.

She rips through her closet like she was throwing Mike out a third-story window. At this point, Sam wasn't paying attention to the clothes. Her mind kept trailing back to the night before.

Sam's mother was in hysterics when she came home. She kept sobbing 'don't ever do that again, please, never again,' while clinging to the girl. At that moment, the blond could only stand there. She felt numb, and yet, emotional to the point where saying a single word would break the dam.

Even when Mike rounded the corner with a Police officer, she did nothing. Even when Mike told her that this was her last chance, and next time she'd be treated like the villain she was, Sam said nothing. Even when her siblings and Mother watched it happen, She felt nothing.

She ended up walking to her room while Mike was scolding her. His yells following until she had shut the door. She locked it by tying a jacket to the doorknob and a heavy shelf next to it. Then, she fell on her bed and passed out in seconds.

Snap.

Sam is jolted by the sound. The coat hanger snapped because of Sam's death grip on the shirt it held. The blond sighs decide the shirt is good enough and tosses the hanger. Grabbing a pair of jeans and rolled up bandages, she starts getting dressed.

The hardest part was the bandage. Sam would rather wear a long sleeve and her regular fingerless glove, but the heat was getting to her. So she chose to wrap her left arm shoulder down to the halfway point of her hand. When it was secured -not too loose but not too tight - she threw on the striped tee and acid wash jeans. Sam then gathered her things into her backpack and threw on a pair of boots.

Now for the bathroom.

She knew her mother and Cal were downstairs but scanned the hallway anyways. She didn't know if the rest of her siblings were still 'visiting' or had gone back home. Either way, it was empty. Meaning Sam could go to the bathroom.

The sight she saw when inside was gruesome. Sam didn't just feel like she'd jumped into a garbage can, she looked like it too. Her hair was oily and even wilder than usual. There were heavy bags and dark circles under and around her eyes. Her face looked greasy, and while the cuts were healing they still clung to her skin in scabs. Sam lets out a sigh and begrudgingly gets out of her clothes and bandage again.

She needed a shower.

Sam's mother refused to let her walk to school. So she ended up thirty minutes early. Thirty minutes to either hideaway in a classroom or deal with shitty people.

Oh, the joy.

She trudged across the campus, avoiding any and all eye contact. She just wanted to get the art classroom, sit in her secluded spot, and give off enough 'don't fuck with me' vibe to keep everyone away. But life never was on her side.

"Samantha, hey, wait up."

Well, it could be worse.

Sam turns around to see a smaller boy come running at her. He was giving her a smile so wide it showed every bracket in his braces. Now she may be a cynical bitch, but Sam wasn't heartless. And maybe she did have a soft spot for the nerdy freshman.

"Sup, Kev," she says as the boy comes closer.

"I'm good, but what are you doing here so early."

Sam shrugs, "Mom had some time and dropped me off, nothing exciting enough for you to be running at me for. Seriously, how much energy do you have."

"I'm currently running on five red bulls in the span of twelve hours."

Ah, that explains why he's literally rocking back and forth on his feet.

"I am very concerned right now,"

The boy shakes his head, "Don't be, it was so worth it" his eyes lit up, "which is even better now because you have time to check it out."

One could swear Sam's eyebrows rose so high they disappeared into her hair.

"Check what o-UT" Sam's arm was yanked forwards. In a split second, she was no longer standing and was now being dragged by a hipper active freshman.

Dear Lord, what did she do to deserve this.

Kevin slammed the classroom door open. Several heads whipped towards them to which Sam gives them an apologetic look while still being dragged away. The only one who didn't seem surprised was the robotics teacher. The man had seen enough shenanigans in his life that a sugar high teen slamming his door open was like a daily occurrence. Sam should know. She'd not only heard but seen the shit that these kids make.

The blond was shoved into a chair while Kevin ran about the room gathering parts. There was no telling what the boy might show her. He was moving so fast that Sam could barely get a glimpse of whatever next object he had. Then the boy shouted,

"I found it,"

Rolls of large paper and a hunk of metal were placed in front of her.

No, not a hunk of metal...

"Holy shit," Sam grinned like a mad man, "you made Wilbert."

Wilbert started off as a concept idea for finding survivors of major catastrophes such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Kevin saw Sam working on the blueprints one day and became obsessed with both Wilbert and Sam's skill. At the time - and still even now - Sam wasn't allowed to work with mechanics. She worked on concept ideas all the time, but it was more a soothing pastime. The moment she saw Kevin's excitement though, the girl couldn't help it. She gave him whatever information and sketches she had worked out.

Now the small metal dragon stared back with large black eyes.

"It took me forever," Kevin looked down, cheeks red but a smile ever-present, "but I finally figured out how to get the heat scanner to connect with the computer and couldn't stop after that."

Sam stood up and examined the creature. It wasn't as detailed or complex as Sam's original design, but there was no way a kid like him was going to get such complex machinery. But the fact that Wilbert was still amazing with what little supplies and experience he had-

"Kev, this is amazing. I mean, damn, you managed to take a bunch of junk and make this," She wraps an arm around him, still grinning, "you did an amazing job."

"Only because of your design,"

Sam starts to retaliate his claim but is cut short.

"I don't know why you didn't make it yourself or work on it with me though. It probably would have been so much cooler. I mean, it can't fly as we wanted it to, and the scanner isn't as advanced."

"But it still does its job and functions," Sam ruffles his hair, to which he swats at her for.

Sam really did have a soft spot for the kid. She gave him the blueprints for Wilbert's part to get him away and partly because she found his excitement endearing. But then the kid kept coming back. Kept asking her for ideas, or help with certain parts. At some point, she'd just accepted his presence. Acceptance turned into a precious friendship.

Maybe it was because he never focused on her quirklessness. Maybe it was because his excitement for engineering reminded Sam of herself. Maybe it was because of his intelligence and sweet nature. Maybe it was because of Sam's innate nature to teach and help. No matter the reason, he was important to Sam. Plain and simple.

"And while I would have loved to work on it with you, I barely have time for a social life. And I don't think I could have done much better."

Kevin rolls his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Just take the compliment already."

Sam laughs just as the bell rings. Like that, her mood is crushed.

"Well, I've got to go,"

Sam started to turn away but noticed the crestfallen look on Kevin. She bites the inside of her cheek in thought.

"But maybe if I have time after school we can test it out yeah."

This brings back his sugar-crazed state.

"Sweet, meet me by the south gate after school."

"Yeah, I'll let you know then if we can or not." Sam waves a hand and walks out of the classroom.

Both unknown to the familiar face that sits in the back of the class, grinning from ear to ear.

Farther into the future, and much farther away, the blond girl was shifting through and unloading cardboard boxes. Heavy bags clung to her eyes and clashed with the serene smile she wore. In the midst of her unpacking, she found the first sketch she'd ever made of Wilbert. It was nothing like the finished project, with incorrect theories on how to make him work. But it brought back warm memories.

Sam puts the drawing down to grab her phone. It was 3:00 pm, which meant it was an ungodly hour back in America. She sighs and puts it down. She'd have to call and check on Kevin later. At the moment though, Sam had a ton of unpacking to do.

As the blond stands up, she catches movement outside her window. About two dozen students were walking down the pathway and towards the dorm rooms. It made Sam's heart flutter and sink at the same time. She had only met two students that day, and they both were both the best and worst Sam had expected getting here.

"It's going to be ok," Hand over heart, Sam takes a deep breath and smiles. She was right, everything was going to be ok.

The loud blond and the events that followed from this morning replayed in her mind.

"As long as I don't have to judo flip another dude."