An Avenger's Tale

08|| Decathlon

For the remainder of the weekend, I was either cooped up in my room, ignoring the messages from Peter, or endlessly bickering with Loki about practically everything but all that came to an end when I walked into school the next Monday morning.

I kept my head low as I passed the students on my way to my locker. A pamflet was pasted on my locker and I eyed it curiously, before scanning my surroundings. My eyes travelled back to the pamflet and I tore it off my locker.

Decathlon.

I pursed my lips and folded up the pamflet and stuffed it into my pocket. I gathered my books for Biology and luckily ran into Liz on the way. I rushed to her side and she spared me a smile.

"Liz," I addressed her and pulled the pamflet from my pocket, "I want to join the decathlon. It says I have to sign up by you since you're the academic decathlon president."

"Of course, I'll tell Mr Harringhton. It would be so great to have another girl on the team." She smiled and we entered the classroom together. "Oh, about Alice and MJ's plan, I promise I had nothing to do with it. I didn't know."

"News spreads quickly in this school." I said as we ambled into the classroom and took our seats at the back.

"With Alice being Queen Bee, it's kind of hard not to know everything but I really didn't know what they were up to."

The first four periods of the day flew by with remarkable speed. Lunch fell upon us and I was dreading every minute of it. I could feel Peter's eyes upon me as I waited in the lunch line. I tried to shake it off - to ignore it as I took my tray from the lunch lady.

I faced the cafeteria tables, skimming across the people's head. The last place I wanted to be was amid Peter and MJ. I carefully made my way towards an empty table, passing Peter's table on the way. I avoided eye-contact with all of them seated around the table.

I slid into my seat and laid my tray on the table, letting out a breath. I noticed everyone was staring at me with a sideways glance, probably thinking I was asinine for being alone. It had to be a first for them - seeing a Stark being completely alone in this world.

"Sage."

My eyes flickered up and fell upon Peter Parker. He looked a little blowzy. He was looking at me with an ashen face and he simply seemed deprived of his happiness and humanity.

"Peter." I accosted.

He lowered himself into the seat across from me and fiddled with his shaking hands before looking up, staring me in the eye, making me want to cower away in a corner and never come out of hiding.

"I'm sorry about Friday-night. It's all a big blur actually... ummm... but I'm sorry," Peter babbled nervously, "I can't remember kissing MJ but I know I did--"

"Peter, enough." I backlashed quietly, throwing him completely off guard. "I really couldn't care less who you kiss. It's your life, don't let me dictate it."

I rose from the chair, grabbing my tray and made a beeline for the doors. Peter didn't follow me and somewhere deep inside of me, I knew he wouldn't.

Peter Parker believed in giving people their space even if it meant never seeing or talking to them again. Peter Parker believed in the fairness and equality of the battle and he morally believed in apologizing if he was wrong. It was those assets - those rare qualities - I admired most in him. Perhaps more than anything else.

I just needed some time to cool off, to surrender to the fact that he liked MJ and there is nothing I could do about it. That was exactly why I decided to join the decathlon. A weekend away would only do me good and it would allow me to absolve Peter for kissing MJ albeit I had no reason to be upset.