Tony's (not so) Little Girl

11: School Talent Show

(Minus the random dudes dressed in black. But if you watch the video you'll know what they're doing)

The whole school was buzzing with excitement. Everything was a flurry of costumes, vocal warm ups, stretching and last minute practices. The school was in a kind of flurry I had only ever seen at the dance consert.

The sun was hot on my back as I walked out of the girls toilets and towards the gymnasium in my first costume of the day. I had a group I was performing with and then was also participating on my own. Somehow, I don't even remember how, I had convinced Will, Jamie, Charlie and Emily to join me in a rousing routine done in rendition of Todrick Hall's "Spell Block Tango".

When I finally made my way across the school grounds I noticed that all my friends were already inside. I smiled at the four and pulled them each into a hug. Each except for Will. Will wasn't a hugger amd so instead I slung my arm around his shoulders for a brief second.

"How are y'all feeling?" I asked
"Nervous," Emily admitted "I don't usually do this kind of thing."
"None of us do," Jamie went to say, before correcting herself and saying "Well, you and Jackson don't at least."
"It's just pre performance jitters, you'll be fine," Bri huffed, unusally grumpy

"Lillith! There you are! You guys were needed onstage yesterday!" Called the drama teacher, Mr Collins

Mr Collins was the one who had orchestrated it all in the first place. The school hadn't had a tallent show in years, he had complained. Eventually the other teachers had begrudgingly agreed.

"Sorry Mr Collins," I apologised

Getting up there and practicing on that makeshift stage for the first time was something none of us could have ever imagined when we were practicing in loungerooms and backyards. It was such an amazing feeling, getting up there with friends. As each of us did our seperate parts and then the choruses together I felt am exhillirating rush that I never got when dancing. And when Mr Collins agreed to be the anouncer dude at the start (just as long as he didn't have to get all dressed up, he laughed) I was euphoric. I was happier then I had been for days.

After that practice I had to dash back to the toilets, thanking the gods that the ones actually in the gymnasium weren't that crowded. I quickly changed out of my Queen of Hearts costume/Cosplay and into my new pointe shoes and the lilac and silver tutu I had made. As I was tying the ribbons of the pointe shoes the ribbons turmed silver and the shoes themselves the same shade of purple as the tutu. I didn't question it and instead ran back to the stage just in time to go on for my solo practice.

And wasn't that a gem. Just for this occasion I had taught myself the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, watching video after video of so many other women dancing so many variations of it and then incorporating everything I learned into the one dance. As I was practicing I noticed a familiar flash of red from the corner of my eye and when I had a chance I stole a glance mid dance, only to find that the Black Widow had joined the various teachers and students littered around the place. That made me nervous and I wobbled slightly, mid arabesque, eyes widening.

When all of that was over and I was stumbling down and off of the stage the red haired, scary as all shit woman aproached me with a sort of smile on her face. It was almost sad... reminiscent. When I tilted my head in questioning she just... stayed as she was. All Scary reputation but smiling face.

"I didn't know you could dance like that," she said in a way of greeting "My name is Natasha."
"I taught myself," I said proudly "I made the tutu, too,"
"I was in the audience last weekend. Before that Tony had told me you couldn't dance," she said
"I wouldn't say that I couldn't dance. I would say I was more of an average dancer," I explained "But I like performing. It's fun and relaxing."
"I used to dance," Natasha said, almost distantly, and from the tone of her voice I knew that was all I was getting from her on that particular topic
"Cool! I'm willing to bet you were really good," I said with a smile "Now, I'm sorry to rush off on you, but I have to go and get changed... Again..."

Out of all of the Avengers I had expected to see again, Black Widow was not one of them. But there was something odly comforting about being in her presence. It was like my brain instinctively knew that she wouldn't let any one give me shit.

Later that day, probably about 3:30 in the afternoon, everything was over. Not only had my group won in the groups catagory but I alone had also won in the singles category, much to the chargrin of the kid whose grey led pencil I had turned into a flute. He cornered me when almost everone had left, after I had changed into normal clothing once again.

"How did you do it?" Sean sneered "Did you use your freakish powers? Is that how you won instead of someone who actually deserved to win? Someone like me."

Sean, bless his trying heart, had attempted a comedy skit all on his lonesome and had placed, well, in complete honesty he hadn't even placed. I could easily see why he was annoyed and frustrated, he had obviously worked so hard to be good at what he did. What he didn't realise was that I had worked hard too.

"What's going on over here?" Natasha asked, swooping in and standing just slightly behind my shoulder like a slender, red headed guardian angel
"Nothing," I sighed, not wanting to cause a scene "Everything is perfectly fine."
"I'm sorry but did you know that Lillith was a freak?" Sean asked, voice laced full of fake sweatness "And not just because she doesn't like guys, but because she has freaky powers?"

If looks could kill, the poor bastard would definitely have been dead. Natasha was glaring at the kid, but he didn't seem to know how to take a hint and leave.

"It's not that I'm not into guys," I sighed, finally squaring my shoulders and tilting my chin up "But that I wouldn't touch any of the guys around here with a ten foot pole."
"And after everyone knows just how much of a freak you are thet wouldn't want to touch you, either," Sean spat, glaring at me
"Are you really thst thick or did you just not hear what I legit just said?" I asked, pursing my lips briefly "Why would I care what you children thought if I didn't. Like. You?"

With that Sean lunged at me, a punch ready. I dodged under it and held out my hand. The silver bangle that I had been wearing suddenly turned into a dagger with the dame desigm on the hilt of it as the bangle it had once been. The next time Sean lunged at me I grabbed his arm and twisted it around, pressing it into his back as I pressed the dagger into his neck. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood but it was enough pressure to let him know that I was serious.

"Try and hit me again," I growled into his ear "Go on, I dare you."

Sean squirmed, making me put more pressure behind the dagger and more pressure on his arm. Even from my limited view of him, I could see him wince.

But then he pulled out his get out of jail free card.

"Principle Smith!" Sean called, catching the attention of the principle "Principle Smith! Lillith is threatening me again!"

And stalk over did he, Mr Principle Smith. Before I could re-make the dsgger into the bangle it was originally the principle was well on his way over, moving quickly from where he had been stationed by the door to where we were by the stands and he didn't look happy.

"What's going on here?" He asked in his slughtly gravelly voice
"Lillith threatened me," Sean lied, sickly sweet and innocent faced once again "She punched me, and when I tried to get away she did this."

Sean knew he had the upper hand here. I couldn't say anything, not without being seen as a liar and digging myself furthur into trouble. I was always seen as the one at fault after all it was never the bullie that got in trouble, but the one that faught back.

"That's not what happened," Natasha said, stepping up and putting a hand on my shoulder "Sean here has been bullying Lillith for quite some time, judging from what Bruce Banner himself told me the other day. After verbally attacking her Sean went to punch her. Lillith was just acting on self defence."
"That's not what I saw," The principle argued "Sean would never bully anyone. I don't know who you are but Lillith Schott you are expelled from our school. Go and collect your things. I'll be calling your mother."
"Yes Sir," I sighed, hanging my head

With that the principle walked off and I dropped my hold on Sean, turning the blade back into a bracelet as I did so. Turning around, Sean raised a hand, almost as if to slap me, but I caught it before I could.

"Fuck off," I growled "Just because you got me expelled doesn't mean I'm going to let you hit me."
"What kind of a hero are you... if you can't save youself?" He asked