It's time for another update! Next to Monday, Tuesday is the absolute worst day of the week. It's so close to hump day, but we're just not there yet. Can anyone agree with me on that?

Chapter Thirty-Four

I sighed as I stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of me. Carlyle had assigned yet another paper, this one being on the political aspects of the Cold War. It was the dullest thing to study in human existence, so of course he would pick it.

But even the stress of another infamous Carlyle assignment couldn't keep my mind off Steve. I felt awful as I remembered how I left him sitting at the kitchen table that morning. He didn't even try to stop me as I left.

Maybe it's just not meant to be anymore.

I tapped my pencil absentmindedly against the table, the depression starting to sink in. I prayed the tears wouldn't come again. The last thing I wanted was public attention; although the soft rapping of my pencil was already starting to give me a few annoyed stares.

After all we've been through, he really just doesn't want to be my friend anymore.

I wished I could take that night back; the one where I touched his hand. I had done something to him; disgusted him, angered him, committed a crime so awful that it was unforgivable in his eyes. And now I had lost my best friend. I laid my head on my arms on the empty table space, save for the blank sheet of paper and a half-eaten burger that no longer looked appealing.

"What's wrong with you?" I popped my head up from the table and saw Derek standing there, watching me with curiosity. His hair was slightly ruffled by the wind and he had several books in his hand. He must have just gotten out of school.

"Nothing." I lied. I wasn't about to tell him about my personal life. He must have gotten the gist because he quickly changed the subject.

"I got my test grade back. Did you?"

"Yeah. You go first." He slid into the seat opposite me and leaned against the table.

"B+." He replied with excitement. "It's my best grade yet. What about you?"

"A."

"Nice!" He raised his hand for a high five. I was surprised by his extremely positive and outgoing attitude, since he was usually such a laid-back person. But I allowed my hand to awkwardly meet his with a small slap. "I bet Captain America was really helpful."

The thought of Steve made me want to bury myself under the covers again.

"Yeah, sure." I replied flatly.

Yeah, causing me absolute misery is a real help during the school year.

"So, ummm..." He glanced over to my half-eaten burger, "I see you've eaten."

"I wasn't very hungry."

He shifted in the cushioned bench, unsure what to do now. I couldn't help but notice as he decided his next move how bright his eyes were. They were a deep grey, but they had a certain sparkle to them. I had never really looked at them before because his hair partially veiled them in our usual encounters. He wasn't that bad looking either. Not that I was into him or anything, but he was a handsome twenty year-old. I was surprised that some girl hadn't snatched him up by now.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" I asked him. The words just spilled out of my mouth. I felt so foolish. Why would I ask a guy that I barely knew to go on a walk? I knew the golden rule: No strangers.

You always took walks with Steve when you were upset.

I knew the voice inside me was right. Whenever I was feeling down in the dumps over a bad grade on an exam or just a bad day, Steve would always take me for a walk. We'd talk, sometimes get an ice cream cone on him even; it was one of my biggest de-stressors.

"Sure. Maybe we can grab some ice cream if you get hungry later."

I didn't want to tell Derek no right after I had specifically asked him to come with me. Besides, maybe the walk would do me good. It might even take my mind off my biggest problem for a while.

It didn't turn out to be a long walk, but it was a good time to get to know Derek without the interruption of friends, family or class. And I found out he was actually a nice guy. He had deceased parents (like me), was going for a Bachelor's in chemistry and loved Doctor Who. I don't know why, but I never figured he would be a Doctor Who fan.

"So what about you? I don't think we ever talked about you."

I tried never to make things personal with other people. Sure, there was usual classroom chit-chat, but not much else social-wise with other students. I had learned to stay cautious of strangers. But Derek, well, he was different.

"I come from a small town in Iowa." I began. "My parents have been gone for a while. Mom died of brain cancer and Dad died in a car accident a few years later." It still stung to talk about them, but I don't think the death of your parents was something you ever entirely get over.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. They're in a better place."

"So you're religious?"

"Yeah." I hadn't gone to church in years except for a few times with Steve. We liked to go to the Christmas Eve service. We would dress up, him in his red shirt and I in my red dress, and sit in the pew to listen to the beautiful Christmas music from the choir. I couldn't help but look on the memory with a smile. I would lean on his shoulder as "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" would play, listening to the sound of his low hum that would almost lull me to sleep. We had started to make regular weekly visits, but that had fallen apart too when Steve had changed.

"What about you?" I asked with curiosity.

"I'm not much of a church-goer, but I like to believe in a higher being." I nodded in understanding. Things like the death of your parents could really make you question the possibility of a god, especially one who cared. I know I did when Mom and Dad died.

We stopped by an ice cream vendor, finding out we both liked the same ice cream (it's chocolate if you're wondering). We talked more about each other; just the general stuff, you know. His favorite music was rock and he loved to play his electric guitar in his down time. He was an avid video gamer, which explained his love for Guitar Hero. He seemed completely different from Steve. Steve hated rock music and video games. Aside from the Wii, Steve couldn't stand anything else. Uncle Clint had tried to get him to play Halo, saying it was good for training purposes, but Steve still detested them with a passion.

It was funny how I could like two totally different people. Yes, I had finally decided I liked Derek by now. Steve seemed to trust him and Derek gave no indication that he was a part of anything sinister or HYDRA-related.

"Is this your stop?" I hadn't even noticed we were standing right in front of Stark Tower.

"Oh. Yes, I guess it is." I looked from Derek to the building in deep thought. I knew I shouldn't. My uncle would kill me.

But I was having such a good time. I wanted him to come in. Knowing Steve wasn't going to be there to greet me only made me more desperate for Derek to join me for just an hour more. One cup of coffee couldn't hurt, right?

"Want to come see my floor?"

I swear his eyes grew twice their normal size.

"You mean it?"

"Yep."

He followed closely behind me as we made our way past the lobby and into the elevator.

"Should I alert Mr. Stark that a new guest has arrived?" JARVIS asked me. Derek jumped at the sound of the machine's voice and I had to stifle a snigger. People could be so easy to make fun of when they had never come into contact with an A.I. before.

"No need, JARVIS. It's just a short visit."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I told you not to call me ma'am." I reminded him again.

"As we've discussed before, ma'am, I cannot help it that I call you ma'am. " I rolled my eyes at the machine.

And yet he programmed you to make sarcastic comments.

"Who's that?" Derek asked.

"That's the A.I., JARVIS. He runs this place." I replied as the elevator doors opened to my floor. Derek's jaw dropped as he took his first steps out of the elevator.

"This place is amazing!" He exclaimed. "This can't all be yours."

"All mine." I replied as I walked over to the counter. "Want some coffee?"

I assumed that his answer was a yes as he stood in a starstruck daze and wandered around the room. He was still in the middle of his awestruck wonder when I set his cup on the table.

"Coffee's ready." I announced and it broke his enchantment with the outside view from my floor. You could see to tops of so many buildings from Stark Tower, it could be absolutely fascinating. It was also a beautiful sight at night. Steve and I had...I shook the memory away. I didn't want to think about him-not now.

"Do..umm...the other Avengers have their own floors?"

"Yep. We all have our own respective places."

He started asking me dozens of questions about them. I got a few good laughs out of him when he learned that Thor loved to play flag football and that Tony usually set the lab on fire every other Thursday (don't ask. It's just a recurring theme).

Our time was cut short, however when he looked at his watch.

"I've got to go. I've got a test in Calculus."

I was saddened to hear that he had to leave. It wasn't like Steve who had his own floor above mine and could come down and stay whenever and however long he wanted.

"Thanks for coming." I tried to keep the depression out of my voice as I saw him off to the elevator.

"Tomorrow in Carlyle's class?" He asked before the doors shut.

"Tomorrow." I agreed, feeling a bit better that I'd get to see my new-found friend tomorrow.

He left and he had just disappeared when I heard footsteps behind me. I whipped around to find Steve standing there, his arms crossed. I knew I was doomed.

Happy Terrific Tuesday, everyone!