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Ada stares off into space, eyes unseeing and unblinking. She doesn't even know what she's thinking about. Everything, nothing, take your pick. She's only snapped from her frozen state when the lady behind her gently touches her shoulder.

"It's your turn," She tells her with a smile. Ada's glad she got in front of the lady, anyone else could have been so rude. She's not sure she could handle that right now. She'd either snap at them or leave in tears.

"Sorry," Ada sends the woman a small smile before stepping towards the counter. It hits her then that she had meant to be deciding what she wanted but her mind had wandered. Now she's standing here, looking like an idiot because she doesn't know what she wants to drink.

"Can't decide?" The man, no boy, behind the counter questions with a grin. Ada turns her blue eyes to meet his hazel ones.

"Uh," She trails before closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"It's okay, I'm super indecisive. Drives my mom crazy," He shrugs his thin shoulders casually, his light grey T-shirt shifting under his apron at the movement. "You like coffee?"

"Not really," Ada finds her voice. "But I need the caffeine."

Humming, the brunette boy nods his head. "You like chocolate?"

"Yeah," Ada answers slowly.

"Perfect," The boy, Jamie, his name tag reads, taps the counter, smile still in place. "I just so happen to be great at making coffee that doesn't taste like coffee." He tells her and Ada lets her lips turn up at his enthusiastic behavior. "You good with iced? It is warm out though I've seen much crazier things than someone drinking hot coffee in eighty-degree weather."

"Um, iced is fine," Ada mumbles when she can find no other words.

"Great, will that be all?"

"Yeah," She nods slowly. She wonders if he's had one of these coffees today, his energy level could challenge Peter's.

"Alright, name?"

"Ada,"

"Ada," He repeats, his smile softening. "Pretty," Clearing his throat as if he hadn't meant to say that out loud, the boy shakes his head. "Uh, your drink will be ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you," Ada fights her smile and steps off to the side, allowing the person behind her to order. She pulls out her phone while waiting. She's meeting MJ after she leaves here. The girl herself turned down Ada's offer to get her anything.

When her name is called, Ada slips her phone into her back pocket and walks back over to the counter. The same boy as before is standing there, her drink sitting in front of him. "Thought I'd see if you like it. If you don't, I'm allowed to give it to you for free."

"What if I lie, say I don't even if I do so I don't have to pay?" Ada asks as she picks up the cold drink.

"Well, I..." He trails off, smile growing as he looks to the side and shakes his head. "I have faith that you'll tell the truth."

"That's a lot, to have faith in a stranger."

"Eh, what can I say? I like to think there are some decent people left in the world." He shrugs. "You seem like a decent person."

"Thank you?" Ada furrows her brows but brings the straw to her lips and takes a small sip of the drink. He was right, it doesn't taste like coffee. "I don't like it," She chuckles when his face drops.

"Oh, very funny," He mumbles when he catches onto the joke.

"No, I applaud you. Many people have tried to get me to like coffee and have never succeeded."

"I feel accomplished," Placing a hand over his heart, Jamie nods seriously before once again breaking out into a smile. "Glad you like it. That'll be three dollars, please."

Snorting, Ada takes another sip of her drink before pulling out a five-dollar bill. "Keep the change," She says as he opens the cash register.

"Much appreciated." Jamie nods as he places the bill in the correct spot. "You wanna know what that drink is for next time?"

Pausing, Ada looks down at her drink then back up to the teenager. "You plan on quitting any time soon?"

"No," Jamie shakes his head slowly.

"Good," Ada nods. "Then uh, I guess I'll just have to get you to make it for me again if I don't know what it is."

"I guess you will," He nods, smile returning to his face.

"Guess I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, see you later." Spinning on her heels, Ada marches out of the little shop and onto the sidewalk, smile still on her face.

"Need any help?" Pepper looks over her shoulder at the sound of her teenager's voice. The young girl stands on the edge of the kitchen, wringing her hands together and looking unsure.

"Sure," The woman nods with a smile, waving her over. "Would you mind cutting these peppers?" Ada nods and takes the vegetables with a quiet giggle. Pepper couldn't very well cut up other peppers, could she? It's a stupid joke, the teenager thinks. That's why she doesn't say it out loud. "How as your day with MJ?" Ms. Potts asks after a moment of silence.

"It was good," Ada says, keeping a close eye on the blade slicing right next to her fingers.

"Good. What did you guys do?"

"Just...stuff," Ada shrugs. She doesn't know what else to say. They just hung out, went to different places, did different stuff. It was nice, made Ada feel like a normal teenager again. "It was fun."

"Didn't go too crazy, I hope," Mr. Stark appears, kissing his fiancée on the cheek before grabbing some food and throwing it in his mouth, ruffling Ada's hair when he walks by.

Huffing, Ada tries to fix her hair to no avail. It was already messed up from wearing her hat every day, there's really no point in trying to tame it. After rewashing her hands, Ada leans back against the counter and pulls out her phone. There are two separate notifications. She has an alert set up. The news caught wind of...everything. Slower than they'd thought, honestly. Not that they were complaining. Tony Stark takes in an orphaned teenager, it's bound to draw some attention. Ada only wishes they would mind their own damn business. Pepper was doing a good job at getting them to back off, though.

Clearing them away with little intention to look at them later, Ada puts her device down and rejoins Pepper, helping her until dinner is ready. The conversation doesn't hold Ada's attention for long. She nods or puts in a word every once and a while to sate Tony and Pepper.

When she's climbing into bed for the night, she opens the nightstand drawer and watches the bottles roll around in the otherwise empty space. Her gaze zeros in on a certain one but when she thinks back on her day, she closes the drawer and turns her back to it.

Her dreams chase away her appetite for breakfast. Pepper leaves after the woman herself eats, off to work. Mr. Stark himself has things to do so Ada leaves him be. She knows if she asked, he'd drop whatever to spend time with her but she hates to be a nuisance. Instead, she heads to Queens. Ned is going away with his family, so they're all going to see him before he leaves.

Whilst walking towards the train, Ada passes by the coffee shop from the day before. Her steps falter. There are windows, allowing the people outside to look in and vise versa. Ada twists her head against the sun's glare and tries to see the people working behind the counter.

The lanky boy, Jamie, smiles as he hands his latest customer his drink. Ada thinks for a moment, fingers twitching before she continues on her way. A headache grows during her journey to Queens. The two Tylenol she takes help very little.

Unsurprisingly, Ada is the last of their group to arrive at the cafe. She slides into the booth next to MJ, placing a hand over her sweaty head but she doesn't remove her hat. "I'm here, hold the applause." Peter snorts while MJ's lips twitch up. Ned beams across the table at her. "Got you a little something, Edward," Shifting over, Ada pulls something out of her pocket and slides it towards the boy.

Picking up the small box, Ned opens it excitedly. His grin grows when he sees the tiny R2-D2 charm attached to a chain. "It's not as good as the real thing but," She shrugs, expression softening when the boy looks up to meet her eyes. "So you won't forget us for the whole two weeks you'll be gone. Or replace us with some other dysfunctional teenagers."

"Who are you calling dysfunctional?" Peter furrows his brows with a mock offended look.

"You," MJ states blankly, drawing a snort from Ada and Ned before the latter stands from his seat and opens his arm. Ada smiles and stands to accept his hug.

"Thank you," He whispers into her ear and Ada nods, rubbing his back before pulling away.

"Lunch is on me," No one argues with Ada's statement. One, because, free food. Two, they all know it's pointless. The four teenagers talk and laugh. Ada shares multiple looks with Ned over Peter and MJ's subtle flirting. Her plan of getting them together has had some setbacks but if they keep going at this rate, she won't have to lift a finger. Maybe she'll give them both a few more nudges in the right direction.

"I wish you well in your travels," Ada once again wraps her arms around Ned in parting. He does give very good hugs. She smiles at him when they pull apart and steps aside so Peter can say goodbye to his best friend.

"Hey," MJ joins her side, hands shoved in her pocket as she rocks back and forth on her heels. "You okay? You look like shit."

"Wow, okay," Ada scoffs, her lips pulling up at the girl's bluntness. "I'm fine."

"Mh-hmm," MJ drags her hum out with pursed lips, gaze on Peter and Ned as the two do their overly complicated handshake.

"Just didn't sleep well," Ada shrugs and shifts the hat on her head. Her hair needs to hurry up and grow, it's only getting hotter outside. MJ looks down at her friend finally but doesn't get the chance to speak before they're interrupted by Peter walking over to them. They all turn their attention to Mrs. Leeds's car, waving as they drive away.

"Been fun," MJ says after a moment. "I gotta get home."

"Okay," Ada mumbles and kicks at the ground. "Well, bye."

"Don't pout," MJ tells her, placing a quick kiss to the shorter girl's cheek before sharing a fist bump with Peter. "Bye."

"D'you see that smile?" Ada leans over and whispers to Peter while both watch Michelle walks away. "That was for you." She sing-songs, chuckling when Peter lightly pushes her away. "Hey! Balance issues."

"Whatever," Peter huffs, allowing Ada to loop her arm through his as they start down the sidewalk. "Want me to walk you home?" There it is again, someone calling the place she lives home. Ada doesn't correct him out loud but she does in her head. Living with Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts, as much as she appreciates them, it isn't her home.

"Walk all the way back to Manhattan?" Ada gasps, smiling wide when Peter rolls his eyes.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do," Nodding, Ada sighs and looks off to the side. "I thank you for the offer, but I'm gonna have to decline." It's nearly time for Spider-Man to make an appearance now anyway, she knows Peter has been itching to go out all day. He's always ready to help people. It's just who he is.

"You sure?" Peter looks down at her. She made her way there by herself and he has no doubt she's capable of getting back again, but he worries, sue him.

"Yeah," Ada hums. "Just gonna enjoy a nice walk and get back. Go to bed early."

"A nice walk? In the middle of New York?"

Snorting, Ada bobs her head in agreement. "Right, of course. It's...familiar." She shrugs, almost sadly. "I used to walk through the city by myself a lot. Before."

Nodding, Peter pulls his lips into a thin line a pats the hand Ada rests on his arm. "Okay, call me when you get home."

"I will, thank you." Smiling up at him, Ada wraps her arms around Peter in a hug before pulling away and turning towards the subway, her smile falling as soon as her backs to him. The ache behind her eyes is still there, throbbing away, most prominent on the right side. She wonders if the burning she feels in her scar is real or psychosomatic. Great, now she's turning into Harry Potter.

When she reaches Manhattan, Ada pauses and looks around before down to her phone. She looks in the direction of her apartment before walking in the opposite direction. She texts Peter, telling him she got home just fine.

Chris greets her with an easy smile that she struggles to return. Maisie and Lexi are there, the two boys from their previous 'hang out session' not present. Ada isn't complaining. Especially when her headache disappears. Weed, it really is a great drug. Or...whatever.

"You know what we should do?" Lexi's high, bright voice has Ada blinking her eyes open to the see the white ceiling above her.

"What's that?" Chris asks distractedly, his attention focused on the ball he continuously throws in the air before catching it and repeating.

"Dye your hair." It takes Ada a minute to realize the blue-haired girl is speaking to her. She lifts her head and raises her brows. Chris stops what he's doing and Maisie's lips are lifting up into a smile.

"Um..."

"That could be fun," Maisie says, sharing a look with her friend.

"I can call the guy who does my hair right now," Lexi pulls out her phone, already typing away. "He's usually busy but it's getting late and he'll work overtime for me."

"I haven't agreed to this," Ada reminds the girl but she only shrugs.

"Come on, Tinnez," Chris smirks at her but she looks to him with an unimpressed expression. "Live a little."

Squinting her eyes, Ada looks from him and the others, taking in their excited, hopeful expression. "Fine," She shrugs. Really, what's the big deal? It's not like she hasn't thought about dying her hair before.

"Yes!" Lexi cheers and brings to phone to her ear, chatting away only seconds later.

"This is great," Maisie mumbles and falls onto the couch next to Ada. "What color?" She asks while pulling up pictures of dyed hair.

"Red," Ada answers without hesitation.

"It's set, let's go!" Lexi grabs Ada's arm and pulls her to her feet. The others follow the perky girl outside and a few blocks over before they're entering a new building. A hair salon. It's cold, Ada notices first. Fulls of smells. She's not sure if she likes them or not. It's very clean, the surfaces shining brightly against the dark accent furniture and salon chairs.

"Oh, the things I do for you," A tall man with dark hair appears, crossing his arms over his chest while looking down at Lexi. His annoyance is obviously faked. And his facial hair is so neat it almost looks fake, Ada almost can't look away. "Is this my new subject?" His eyes land on her and Lexi nods.

"Yes, yes, she needs something red." The blue-haired girl nods, hanging off Ada's arm.

"Ooh, love a good splash of bright color." The stylist says, rubbing his hands together. "And on a new canvas, it seems. Virgin hair, am I correct?"

"Uh, yeah," Ada nods. She's never done anything to her hair other than cut it before. But she's not nervous. She doesn't really feel much. "Um, it's kind of..." She trails off as the man, Cameron, Lexi had mentioned, leads her to a chair and motions for her to sit. "A little rough." She very hesitantly pulls off her beany and runs her fingers through the much shorter side of her hair. It's longer than just a week before but it still has a ways to go.

"Don't even worry, dear," A towel goes around her neck before a shimmery, silver cape is draped over it. "We're going to fix you all up." Ada wishes a new hairstyle would fix everything. But alas, it won't.

Cameron talks with her about what she wants, about what he thinks would be good. They decide quickly and get started soon after. He sections her hair and paints on lightener in a balayage style. It sits for a while, Chris, Maisie, and Lexi stick around, talking and per Cameron's strict instructions, they don't touch anything. After the bleach is washed from her hair, it's dried until damp and the bright red dye goes onto the now blonde parts of her hair.

After another wash, Cam trims her wet hair with a razer. To give it a little more texture, he says. He doesn't do anything with the short side of her hair at her request. Ada doesn't even want to think about it, much less have someone messing with it.

Ada smiles when she sees the red in her hair lightening as it dries. Cameron styles it in loose curls. He even makes it look okay with its odd lengths.

With a deep breath, Cameron leans his head to be next to Ada's and they both look at her in the mirror across from them. "I love what I do."

"It's great, thank you." Ada meets his eyes in the mirror and he smiles with a nod. "I love it."

"That's what I live to hear," Unbuttoning the cape, Cam moves it and the towel from around her neck, allowing Ada to stand. "Another satisfied customer." He bows, drawing a laugh from the brown-red-haired teenager.

"It looks amazing," Lexi literately bounces to Ada's side. "Hair color gang."

"She's been trying to get someone else to dye their hair with her forever." Maisie pushes from one of the other salon chairs and joins the two girls. "She's just happy to not be alone."

"Yeah, you guys suck," Lexi looks between Chris and Masia, hands gripping Ada's arm. Ada herself isn't sure why she keeps letting her do that.

As the three teens start bickering, Ada pulls out her phone when it vibrates in her pocket. "Oh, shit," She mumbles when she sees the time and a single missed call from Mr. Stark. "I gotta go." Ignoring Lexi's pouts and pretests, Ada pays for her hair and rushes from the building, hat clutched in her hand.

Sliding into the elevator, Ada takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. When it opens, she nearly forgets about her hair when she sees Mr. Stark leaning against the back of the couch. His head is down, gaze glued to his phone until she stops a few feet in front of him.

His eyes shift to her shoes first before moving to her face. His head cocks to the side but and his eyebrows raise at the sight that greets him. His expression reminds Ada of where she just came from.

"Oh," A hand shoots up to grab her red and brown hair. She hadn't even thought to ask for permission. It's definitely something her dad wouldn't have ever allowed. "Sorry. Is it okay?"

Tony takes a moment before answering. "Yeah," He nods. "I like it." A relieved smile pulls at Ada's lips and she drops her hands back to her side. She grits her teeth in nerves for another reason. Maisie had loaned her some strong perfume but she can't tell if it covers the smell of smoke and marijuana or not. "Red suits you."

"Thanks." Chewing her lip, Ada looks around at the otherwise empty apartment. "Sorry I'm late, just, lost track of time."

"I can see that." He motions to her hair. There's no anger in his voice but the small pit still sits at the bottom of Ada's gut.

"I-I'm really s-sorry," She stutters. "I didn't even see th-that you called."

"It's okay, kid, really," Mr. Stark assures her. "Just...had me worried."

"R-right, I'll uh, work on t-that." She looks down and kicks her feet. "I'm gonna shower, then..."

"Dinner?" Tony finishes for her, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Without any more words, Ada moves to her room quickly, ready to shower and get any incriminating smells off of herself. She decides against washing her hair. Cameron did it twice and with the products he used, there's no way it smells of anything other than fruitiness. She should've gotten that hairspray brand.

Dinner is a quiet affair. Grilled cheese. Ada manages to eat all of hers. Pepper is gone, the apartment is even quieter than it usually is. Mr. Stark convinces her to watch a movie with him.

She wraps herself in a fluffy blanket in the middle of the couch. The further they get into the movie, the heavier her eyelids become. She finds her head leaning on Mr. Stark's shoulder somehow. She doesn't remember. But the ache in the base of her skull won't let her sleep.

When the movies over, she excuses herself to bed. She looks to her nightstand drawer before pulling the Tylenol from her purse. She takes two and buries her head into her cool pillow.

When sleep finally finds her, so do the dreams.

What do you guys think of Jamie? And Ada's knew hair along with her new friends? Or people, not sure if she'd call them friends.

Teasers: Chill's spill down her spine and the girl spins in confusion / "You did this to me." / "Yes. Ignore everything else, you're good at that." / "Ada, look at me, you need to breathe."

Maybe I should stop giving so many teasers lol. But I like them, it's fun. What do you guys think? Want me to keep it to one or more if I can find good ones?

'-'