(On Hold) Stepping Stones | Avengers FF

1- A Five for Tony Stark

The sound of chairs scraping against the floor smothered everything else as the end of school bell rang. Schools out and everyone was excited to get home and start the weekend, except me because now it's time to go back to hell.

You may be thinking, 'hey Riley, I thought hell was the fiery pit of death dead people go to'. To which I'd respond, that's one of the best ways I've ever heard Mother Eleanor's Home for Lost Girls been described. There's 9 of us in total, I'm 15 and there are 2 girls older than me, Roxanne and Isabelle, Mother's favorites, and 7 younger than me, whom Mother deems brats and leaves me to take care of their problems. I arrived around 2 years ago half dead and tied up. As bad as the orphanage is They were worse.

Right now I'm heading to the junior school campus with 13-year-old orphan Charlie Miller to pick up the rest of the girls and then rush home to avoid an ass whooping. Excuse my vulgar language. Charlie's a chill girl, she's been at the orphanage since she was 8 and has pale blue eyes and long grey hair. She dyed her hair last year and got sent to the cages for two whole days, Mother looked as though she had a spasm attack when she first walked through the door to see her hair. It was funny, until you think of the repercussions.

Me and Charlie had been walking in silence for nearly 10 minutes before we arrived at the junior school. 5 of the 6 other girls were waiting there, 2 of them are 10, Jayla and Grace. 2 are 8, Ava and Caitlyn, and lastly little Iris who is 6.

"Afternoon Charlie!"

"Afternoon Riley!" They chorused

"A good Afternoon to all of you," replied Charlie, "today we are picking up the pace, another close call like yesterday and Mother will blow her top." And with that we started walking home aiming to be there before the 4:00 deadline.

"Wait, where's Marlee?" Grace asked.

"She's right, where is she? Riley what do we do?!" Charlie said while looking back franticly at the usual meeting spot.

"You go home, I'll get her" I said, there is no way I'm risking everyone's hides. I started walking back to the school to find Marlee. Whoever's late gets a beating but no girl is ever left behind.

"Don't be late, you know Mother dislikes you the most!" Ava yelled.

"If I'm not back by 4:05 assume I'm dead" I replied over my shoulder and began sprinting. No way I'm getting another beating from Mother so soon. I ran past all the parents reuniting with their kids after 6 hours apart and rolled my eyes, surely you can't be THAT attached to someone. Then again me and my father were as close as Bert and Ernie before he gave me to his friend's science department when I was 7 and then proceeded to go to jail. I still don't know why he was even arrested. I'm joshing you it obviously had something to do with what his friends science department was actually doing. Biopharmaceuticals my ass.

"GET OFF ME!" I heard a girl shout and picked up the pace knowing it was Marlee having trouble with the bullies again. Can't keep her mouth shut that kid. I rounded the corner of a building to see 3 boys around Marlee, one had her arm, one had her collar and the other was grinning like a creep while watching.

"You shouldn't have snitched on us Marsee"

"Don't call me that you cremated ass head" I was trying to be silent, but I couldn't hold in my laugh at that, the insult didn't even make sense but that made it 10 times better. Hearing my muffled laughter, the bullies turned around and their eyes widened when they saw me. My time to shine.

I stood up straight, squared my shoulders, tilted my chin up and glared at them. They were still looking at me like they had been caught watching por... Portuguese news, so I added the finishing touch, "Get the fuck away from her before I beat your asses." If I didn't need to hold up the act I'd be laughing my ass off at their faces, they went pale and I wouldn't be surprised if one or two of 'em had pissed their pants, they scurried off quickly, one even shouting for their 'mommy'.