Somber Reminiscence

CH. 4

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Song Rec. - Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller

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A loud knock from downstairs had me jumping from the bed, falling to the floor as I was already laying halfway off of the bed.

"Um, I'll be out in a minute!" I say, loud enough for it to dismiss the driver from knocking any further. "Shit shit shit." I check my phone and see it was 6:30.

Knowing I had about 20 minutes to get there and barely make the flight I scampered to the bathroom and quickly did the morning routine of cleaning off the night.

Slipping on my rug and hitting my elbow on the toilet I crawled out of the bathroom and ran to my closet to grab my uniform.

Once it was on I threw my boots on and grabbed my phone, nearly tumbling down the stairs as I hurried to the front door.

"Only took me 8 minutes. Not bad." I say impartially out of breath as I check my watch and open the door, shutting it behind me and jogging to the car.

I hop in the backseat of the government-issued vehicle.

"Someone slept in." The driver shakes his head as he steps on the gas, barely giving me time to close the door.

"Long night I suppose," I say shortly, fixing my uniform and properly tying my shoes as he weaved through the morning traffic.

"If Captain America announced his liking of me on live television then I guess I'd have a long night as well."

My hands freeze in the midst of tying my shoe.

Mouth open, I look up at the rearview mirror seeing his eyebrows raised in a teasing conviction.

"What did you say?"

The driver stops at the red light, then looks at me through the mirror.

"Didn't you see it? John Walker announced his great GREAT connection to you in the interview last night when asked about any lucky women in his life."

His emphasis on the double 'great' left embarrassment to spring from my face.

Continuing his drive he also continues to ramble, "seemed like it would've been someone else until he started to name off your powers, stating how jealous he is of such powers, oh wait wait! Listen!" He reaches for the volume on the radio, turning up John's voice in the car.

"No, she's a great person. Really. More and more I think we have something different. If she could be here today I'd take my shot right now."

The interviewer interjects, "Who wouldn't want Captain America am I right?"

"Well I mean she's quite phenomenal herself. Her ability to go anywhere and yet she doesn't use it. Like if I had her powers I'd be using them 24/7 for the greater good, or more so to fight alongside the Avengers anyways. But either way, I think we'd make a great couple in that."

The interview continued.

Baffled, I sat back onto the seat and asked the driver to turn it back down.

The driver spared a look at me through the mirror before continuing the drive.

Staring out the window, I was dumbfounded.

Not only had he announced his interest in me but he also announced my powers, and then more or less degraded me for being locked up instead of helping the Avengers on live television.

As shallow as John could be sometimes, this seemed to hit a new level. Anger welled up in my chest as I recounted his words, not only at John but at Lemar as I wondered if he had known about it the whole time.