September 7, 1991

Dear Friend,

I do not like high school. Dean snorted at this, "Yeah who does?"

The cafeteria is called the "Nutrition Center," which is strange. There is this one girl in my advanced english class named Susan. In middle school, Susan was very fun to be around. She liked movies, and her brother Frank made her tapes of this great music that she shared with us. But over the summer she had her braces taken off, and she got a little taller and prettier and grew breasts. Now, she acts a lot dumber in the hallways, especially when boys are around.

Natasha shook her head at this but didn't comment. Thor on the other hand just looked confused.

"Why does she do this? Is it some kind of human mating custom?" The Winchester brothers couldn't help but snigger at this while some people, Tony, laughed outright. John cast an uncomfortable glance at Sherlock before speaking up,

"That's just how kids, and even some adults, are. Especially at that age they feel a pressure to fit into the common mold and find a significant other or else they will be termed a loser or social outcast. High School can be especially brutal in that regard."

"Well, that's stupid." Tony said rolling his eyes. Steve tensed up and said,

"What do you know about it. Didn't you graduate college when you were fourteen or something? You've never been to High School."

"Yes, I know, I'm a cut above the rest, but that doesn't mean I've never been made fun of for being smart and I didn't cave to peer pressure."

"Give her a break, she's only fourteen-" But before the Captain could continue this line of thought Natasha broke into the conversation,

"It's different for girls. Women and girls aren't expected to care about anything but looking desirable and getting a boyfriend. Especially at that age there is tremendous pressure to get a boyfriend and if you don't have one it is either implied or stated outright that you don't have any meaning or purpose. I know not everyone feels this way, not really. But it is still a collectively ingrained image in people's mind that girls are supposed to be pretty and boy-crazy and their only interest should be what gets them those two things. So yeah it may sound stupid to you but look at it like this, if she doesn't pretend to be something she's not there is a good chance she will be laughed at and ridiculed and nobody wants that. Whether it's fair or not the fact is women just don't have as many options as you." Everyone was silent at this. Fury did not like this conversation. He didn't think it was fair what women go through just for deserved respect but there was nothing he could do about the double standard so he would prefer it to be ignored. In an effort to do just that he kept reading aloud.

And I think it's sad because Susan doesn't look as happy. To tell you the truth, she doesn't like to admit she's in the advanced english class, and she doesn't like to say to me in the hall anymore.

When Susan was at the guidance counselor meeting about Michael, she said that Michael once told her that she was the prettiest girl in the world, braces and all.

"Aawww. Se we're not all a bunch of dill holes!" Tony said to diffuse the tension. Fury hurried on before any could keep that conversation going.

Then, he asked her to "go with him," which was a big deal at any school. They call it "going out" in high school. And they kissed and talked about movies, and she missed him terribly because he was her best friend.

It's funny, too, because boys and girls normally weren't best friends around my school. But Michael and Susan were. Kind of like my Aunt Helen and me. I'm sorry. "My Aunt Helen and I." That's one thing I learned this week. That and more consistent punctuation.

"Nerd." Dean laughed with a pointed look at Sam who just said primly,

"Well proper pronunciation is important." The Doctor laughed and clapped Sam on the shoulder,

"Too true. And how sweet is it that he considers his Aunt his best friend. If only all relative could be so respectful." he said, thinking of his own Mother and Father-in-law.

"Sure, or it could be completely lame and sad. I mean his Aunt's dead." Dean said shaking his head.

I keep quiet most of the time, and only one kids named Sean really seemed to notice me. He waited for me after gym class and said really immature things like how he was going to give me a "swirlie," which is where someone sticks your head in the toilet and flushes to make your hair swirl around. He seemed pretty unhappy as well, and I told him so. Then he got mad and started hitting me, and I just did the things my brother taught me to do. My brother is a very good fighter.

"Go for the knees, throat, and eyes."

And I did. And I really hurt Sean. And then I started crying. And my sister had to leave her senior honors class and drive me home.

Everyone looked at each other, perturbed by this strange scene. Steve finally gathered his breath and said in a strained sort of voice,

"That's a...different way to react to a fight. I mean…" He let loose his breath and looked around. Tony took up the slack and asked,

"I mean he won right?" Everyone nodded. "So why is he crying?" Nobody had an answer for that.

I got called to Mr. Small's office, but I didn't get suspended or anything because a kid told Mr. Small the truth about the fight.

"Sean started it. It was self-defense."

And it was I just don't understand why Sean wanted to hurt me. I didn't do anything to him. I am very small. That's true. But I guess Sean didn't know I could fight. The truth is I could have hurt him a lot worse. And maybe I should have. I thought I might have to if he came after the kid who told Mr. Small the truth, but Sean never did go after him. So, everything was forgotten.

Some kids look at me strange in the hallways because I don't decorate my locker, and I'm the one who beat up Sean and couldn't stop crying after he did it. I guess I'm pretty emotional.

There was some general chuckling at this.

It has been very lonely because my sister is busy being the oldest one in our family. My brother is busy being a football player at Penn State. After the training camp, his coach said that he was second string and that when he starts learning the system, he will be first string.

My dad really hopes he will make it to pros and play for the Steelers. My mom is just glad he gets to go to college for free because my sister doesn't play football, and there wouldn't be enough money to send both of them. That's why she wants me to keep working hard, so I'll get an academic scholarship.

So that's what I'm doing until I meet a friend here. I was hoping that the kid who told the truth could become a friend of mine, but I think he was just being a good guy by telling.

Love Always,

Charlie

Everyone was still smiling and looking amused by the end of the letter.

"This kid is too much." ony burst out and Thor quickly agreed,

"He is very amusing with the heart of a poet. A child of extreme good fortune."

"What's that mean?" Dean asked Sam. Sam rolled his eyes but before he could answer Sherlock chimed in,

"It's a flowery way of saying the boy is blessed or has many talents. While true enough in terms of his intelligence, he certainly seems to have above average intelligence, something is definitely wrong with him."

"Wrong?" John said, confused. But Sherlock refused to elaborate and everyone was looking forward to the next letter. They all, even those not admitting it, wanted to find out more about this weird but sweet kid.