Only a Memory | Bucky Barnes

Chapter 26: Arrested?

Should have never titled my chapters because now I'm having such a hard time thinking of anything good. . .

**

Bucky first thought to check the library, but Rebecca was not there.

There was a bad feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't exactly explain it, but it made his heart pound and his palms sweat.

Every time he passed someone with dark hair, his head shot up, but it was never his sister. Who he did see, though, was Stacy. When she spotted him a smirk settled on her face, and she leaned forward to whisper something into her friend's ear.

The friend was just as bitchy looking, with frizzy red hair and an expression like there was dog shit under her nose. Bucky already hated her, too.

He tried his best to not look in their direction as passed, but even with his poor hearing he couldn't miss Stacy's loud voice.

"I heard that a college boy got her pregnant."

Bucky didn't need to her Rebecca's name to know who this 'her' was that Stacy was talking about. What Bucky felt towards Stacy was ineffable; it was this hatred that he couldn't describe.

What she was claiming was beyond ridiculous, so entirely unbelievable that it was laughable. But Bucky wasn't laughing, and instead his blood was boiling. He didn't think he could ever hate some little, immature girl so much. He hated Stacy so much that his fists clenched, and he was worried for a moment that he'd turn right back around and do something stupid. It was this close to becoming the Pierce situation all over again, yet this time the consequences would have been much more severe.

He got himself in check and then continued on, hoping to play it off as if he had never heard her. Her heard derisive laughter of which he could not place, as if some test to see if he would turn back.

Bucky was in a little bit of a rut, entirely unsure of what the actual best thing to do was. To say that dealing with Stacy would end every single problem was chimerical, though it was still impossible to not be even a little bit hopeful. That was where he thought he was being selfish. He couldn't deny that he wanted everything to be worked out so that they didn't have to move, but he did also care for the well-being of his sister.

That was when he found himself heading to the principal's office.

Bucky never thought of himself as one to tattle, but it was different when it was for his sister. Regardless of whether or not they did move to Russia, this issue with Stacy did need to be resolved.

As soon as Bucky was face to face with Principal Fury his cheeks reddened. He was brutally reminded of their little encounter only just a few minutes ago, and the look that Fury sent him back was one of thorough amusement.

"Uh— er— s-sir—" Bucky stuttered helplessly.

"If you're here to apologize, I don't—"

"No!" Bucky intercepted. "No, sir. It's actually about my sister."

Fury raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Do you know of a girl named Stacy?" Bucky asked "She's in ninth grade. I can't remember her last name."

"I know of her, yes."

"Well, you see. . ." He wasn't exactly sure how to go about the whole ordeal. He realized then that he hardly had any proof, or anything at all to justify that his sister was being bullied by anyone. But he was here now, and he wasn't going to give up just yet.

"I don't have all day, Mr. Barnes," Fury said, staring into Bucky's eyes like he was staring into his soul.

"I have reason to believe that she's bullying my sister."