A Need, not Want | Kate Bishop [1]

Chapter 1

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September 2014

Payton walked the streets of New York City, car horns, muffled conversations, bells on doors as they opened, and squeaky breaks filling the air. She missed her home, her friends, the familiar streets, sounds and people.

Like Mrs. Watson; neighbour and owner of a diner in the French Quarter located between a voodoo shop and bakery. Every morning before school, she made Payton her favourite —french toast with powdered-sugar and a 20 oz. styrofoam cup of sweet tea— at no charge. So long as she remained in school and kept her grades up, Mrs. Watson allowed it.

From public school to an all-girls private school, from south to north, Louisiana to New York —Payton couldn't wrap her head around it.

  From the apartment building she, her parents and paternal grandparents reside in, Spence School was only a few blocks.

Payton pulled at the white collar of the uniform, then pulled down on the dark green and blue plaid skirt, uncomfortable. "How does anyone find this comfortable?" she murmured. "I traded jean-shorts and a tank-top for this."

  She soon approached Spence School and was in corridor. She swept her grey eyes all-around. How can this many people pack inside a hallway?, she wondered.

  "Hey, new girl." Payton stopped, and looked to the left. Shorter than herself, blonde-haired and flanked by two girls —one brown-haired with unnatural curls, the other blonde with pink-dyed tips. "I'm Amber. This is Samantha—" the blonde-haired girl, Amber, pointed to the brown-haired one before pointing to the other, "—and this is Becca."

  Uninterested, Payton nodded once. "Uh, cool." She rounded Amber, but Becca and Samantha stepped in her path.

  "Where do you think you're going?" Amber came around her "friends?", and Payton heavily sighed. "You need to—"

  "I don't 'need' to do anythan'." And with that, Payton continued to the classroom she was initially headed to. She entered the classroom, made a b-line for the back, and took residency in an unoccupied desk.

  "No one's talked to her like that," said the raven-haired girl, in front of her. She was turned sideways, studying Payton with her green eyes.

"Who, Amber? Girl needs to learn some manners." Payton looked around, nervous. How her parents could afford tuition for an all-girls private school, she will never know, and already she hated —seemed like money well-wasted.

"So, you're the new kid," the raven-haired girl stated, confidently. Payton just looked at her. "Nobody has hair as bright as yours." She referred to Payton's natural, fiery red hair that stuck out like a sore thumb. "I'm Kate. Kate Bishop."

Payton's brows furrowed, as she spoke slow and unsure. "Payton." She smiled, more comfortable and confident, "Payton Cooper."

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November 2018

  As the years continued, Payton's "new girl" reputation around Spence School worsened. She became bitter and sour, and fell deeper down the rabbit hole after Thanos happened.

Walking down the corridor —shouldering the worn and tattered backpack she's had since the 7th grade—, with her chin held high, she looked around. No one, all except for Kate Bishop, met her stone-cold eyes. Payton approached and slammed the raven-haired girl's locker shut.