Breathe in. Breathe out. You got this.
Carina wished that she could say she doesn't get nervous easily, and while that may be the case at times, this isn't one of those times. Lead a team? She can do that. Run training sessions? Easy peasy. Be in the public spotlight as a 'junior member of the Avengers'? Not as easy, but definitely do-able.
Standing in front of a class of ordinary students after having no real interactions with peers her own age and only knowing how they might be based off of 00s teen flicks? She was starting to regret asking to attend public school. At first, it seemed like a fun idea to maybe make normal friends and not be cooped up in Stark Tower or any other miscellaneous headquarters for once. Now, looking at all these faces, she was having doubts and wanted to ditch and go home.
"Class, this is our new student, Carina Muñoz." The English teacher named Mr. Blofis introduced her as she stood there, looking at everyone. She tried to keep her expression pleasantly neutral, to act like a normal new student that wasn't nervous at all. Yet, she was almost certain she nervously popped her fingers at least five times on the way from the office and was biting her tongue to keep from doing it again.
The whispers from the students already began to ghost along her hearing range, already picking out sentences amongst their excited chatter.
"OMG, I just read about her in a magazine! Wasn't she adopted by the Avengers or something?"
"I literally saw pictures of her online of her with Captain America. I can't believe she's at a public school."
"Dude, she's pretty hot! Think if I ask her out, I can meet the Avengers, too? Talk about a girl with perks!"
She definitely wanted to go home but she already made it this far. And signed the paperwork. And went through all that trouble of begging Steve to let her try it out. She may as well stick to her guns and bear with it.
"Settle down, class." The teacher said and looked at Carina with a warm grin. "Today, we'll be reviewing a book we went over last week, so you can either choose to participate for today or sit back and watch. But this is just for today. You can have a seat next to Percy Jackson." He said and gestured to a boy that looked like he may have been mid doze and tuned out the excitement. "Percy!"
The boy's slightly tilted head that was propped up by his hand immediately shot up, blinking in high alert confusion. "Huh?"
Mr. Blofis sighed in slight exasperation but didn't seem too upset. "I know you're tired, but try and pay attention today."
Carina took this as an opportunity to look at her new seat neighbor while she walked down the aisle to sit at the desk next to him. She made sure to not look like she was staring or gawking, however.
From first impressions alone, he was the picture perfect, deluxe hot 'Bad Boy' that nearly every teen girl that has ever touched a YA novel has fantasized about meeting. He was tall with a tan complexion, along with the fact that he had messy black hair and bright sea green eyes still somewhat blurred from sleep, and from what she can initially tell, he was toned. He also had a rather brooding disposition that made it seem like he doesn't want to be bothered.
Clearly, the type of guy any school based teen flick or YA novel would cast as the main love interest. Or the introduced main villain that happened to be hot. She would see where it goes later on, if it goes anywhere. For all she knows, he just might be a hot classmate.
After she sat down, she glanced over at the boy again and he gave her a curious look before a crooked grin adorned his face. "I'm Percy." He whispered/introduced himself, offering an outstretched hand across the aisle and she smiled back and took it, shaking his hand. His grip was calloused. Warm and firm. Nice.
"I'm Carina." She whispered back and pulled her hand out of his grip and went back to focusing on the review lesson of the book they were studying. Call of the Wild, from what she found out, and lucky for her, she already read it. It's been a few years, but she can easily do a refresher.
The rest of class went without any issues and when the bell rang, she started packing away her stuff when a shadow loomed over her desk. Looking up, she saw Percy standing there, bag slung over his shoulder.
"What are you doing for lunch?"
