The Other Stark

Breath

Breath. That's all I tell myself as I look in my mirror. You are right on track. I kept telling myself that my father is proud, after all when he was seventeen he also was graduating cum laude from MIT. This was a big day for me and yet I felt sad. I feel like I am alone, as I iron my hair and apply my make up I couldn't help but feel like something was missing. I bet all the other girls that are graduating with me have their mothers, aunts, sister around them. Helping them get dressed for this life mild stone. My mother never had the opportunity to see me graduate from college or anything. She never helped me get ready for any special event. I wonder what she would of done with her life. I feel my eyes begin to water up. I look down at my cell phone and see some text messages from Pepper, my dad's personal assistant. I take one last look in the mirror and flatten my black knee length dress, and strap on my black four inch pumps and head the entrance of my dorm. I couldn't help but look at the cold room. Everything was packed into boxes, with only larger items out. Just another temporary home, no point in staying in the past. Before I open my door I look in yet another mirror by the door grabbing my keys and putting my bitch face on, watch out bitches Toni Maria Stark is coming for you.

The best part about my bitch face is after tearing up a few girls when I entered this college at fifteen everyone knew I was a force to be recon with. Unlike others here I don't rely on anyone. I didn't call daddy every time something didn't go my way. Most of college, and my life, was just doing my work, interacting with my peers as little as possible and keeping to myself. A few people got up and said, "Hi, Toni" but I didn't even bother to stop, all I did was nod and continue on my walk. I don't know what it is about my family, but I come from a long line of people with style. That's why I wasn't surprised when I made it right outside that a limo rolled up and Happy walked out to great me.

I really love Happy and I can't help but actually act my age around him, I instantly ran to him and gave him the biggest hug I could muster, even before he could make it to my side of the limo. He grinned and whispered, "I have missed you so much kid, but I am also really proud of you" When we finally let go he handed me a card and told me, "Now it won't be as nice as your fathers gift but still I had to get you a graduation present. Now speaking of your father, him and Pepper are waiting for you at the hotel" I ran to the side of the limo and let myself in the passenger side. I carefully opened the card and a small charm bracelet came out. It was beautiful and all the charms had memories of the places I had gone with Happy when I would go home to New York for the break while I was in boarding school. I always felt connected to that place. My father and I would travel all over and barely stay in one house for six months but New York City was what I considered my home. It is where both my father and I were born.  Happy glanced over and said, "You are almost an adult now, soon you will be traveling the world and making it a better place, just think of it as a little reminder of where home is" I just smiled and felt the feels as I slid the charm bracelet on, admiring it in the sunlight that shone in threw the window.

When we got to the hotel and waiting in the elevator to take us to the top floor is when I began to get nervous. See my dad and I have always had an awkward relationship. I was a bastard. He knocked up an old friend of his from MIT and when she came out and told him he flipped out. I'm pretty sure he may have pushed for an abortion, but at least my grandparents knew about me because they supported my mom in keeping me. Maria and Howard Stark are more likely the reason I am alive than anything. I literally owed two people my life that I never even met. In fact my mom was in the car with Howard and Maria stark when the accident happened.  At the ripe young age of twenty one my father lost all of his family, except for a baby that he didn't even know if it would make it. That's how he started to keep his distance, he didn't want to love something that would just die on him, or at least that is what I tell myself, but eventually I did become a healthy baby. I guess technically he is a single dad, but he always had loads of nannies, boarding schools, tutors, and a whole staff to help raise me while he took control of my grandfather's company. As soon as I turned seven a man came to my door, Charles Xavier, it wasn't long after his visit with my dad that I was sent to Charles Xavier's school for the gifted. I stayed there until my education was complete, which did not take long at all, but taught me everything I feel like I need to know about this world. The good and the bad. Everything with my father was crazy, no one place that was a home, but in a upstate New York mansion I found friends and people like me. 

We reached the top floor and Pepper stood right at the entrance greeting me with a smile and basic small talk. She opened the door and sure enough there he was, it may be my graduation day, but he is always the man of the hour, Sir Anthony Stark. With of course a drink in his hand. Instantly he gripped me in a hug that lifted me off the floor. "Oh Baby girl! I have missed you so much. Have you been growing still? I really thought I told you to stop." When I was back to stable ground he took my face in his hands, then I really could smell the Scotch on his breath, "Look at you, you are basically a little me. That is the best present ever after all who doesn't love more Tony Starks. And think after this you will come back home, work under Pepper, help me in the Lab we will be an unstoppable team!" I just rolled my eyes till he started talking about me working for him. See dad didn't even want me to go to MIT, as I went to school on the east coast my whole life and he has been staying in Malibu, California. Tony Stark almost had two personalities, one where he acts like father of the year in private, and the other that acts like a playboy single man in public. I just didn't have the heart to tell him that I wanted to go to graduate school. He grabbed my hand and rushed to the bar, pouring two shots of whiskey. Pepper began her nagging about how early it was and that I was only seventeen. He did his ever famous eye roll, "Well sorry maybe if she wasn't such a genius then she would graduate when she is twenty one, but see Pepper that is the problem, we don't punish those with high IQs in this family" I took the shot with my dad and tried to make it so he couldn't see the wince I had on my face. Happy soon walked over and suggested we left now for the ceremony so we did.