A Different Call

School Daze

A.N. Time for some Auntie Nat before we go back to Avenging. Also, my ages with Lila and Cooper have gotten a bit when paired with my inability to tell what age kids are by looking at them so for clarity sake - mainly my own- Cooper is 11 and Lila is 9.

Natasha's P.O.V.

I walked into Waverly Middle School, which was the first time that I had ever stepped foot inside of any form of primary school- younger children were too well known for getting misplaced and teachers were more likely do head checks with them than they would for teenagers. The mix of art pieces and educational crafts that acted as décor for the walls seemed to be a carbon copy of what my mind had created. The only thing that I hadn't prepared myself were the voices that seemed to emanate out of the closed classrooms, which created an eerie feeling given that there were no human bodies occupying the hall.

I wasn't here to set up an urban horror movie though, I was here because I had gotten a call from Laura informing me that Cooper had gotten in some sort of trouble and was currently sitting in the principal's office and since Laura and Clint were still in Des Moines, I had to step up and see what the problem is. I was shocked that it was Cooper that got in trouble, he was the calmer of the two siblings, although I'm not sure if Lila's behavior is just due to her young age or not.

I stepped into the main office, which had a more professional air than the hallways but still obviously belonged to a school, based on the colorful signs that hung on the wall. I looked to my right as I walked in and saw Cooper sitting on a wooden bench with what looked like the beginnings of a black eye appearing on his face, meanwhile to my left there was another slightly older boy sitting in a what looked like an old plastic chair, that was also sporting the beginnings of a black eye in combination with a split lip.

"Who are you are you here for ma'am?" The secretary asked, looking up from the computer that she had been typing in.

"I'm Cooper's stand-in guardian. His mom is busy, so she sent me instead."

"Ah, well we are still waiting for Timothy's parents so you may take a seat and wait until then."

I nodded and took my seat on the opposite side of the bench from where Cooper was sitting.

"I'm so sorry Aunt Nat, I swear that I had-" I could that he was trying to hold back tears that were forming in his eyes, tears that I was sure were not from the blemish on his face.

"Hush, птичка. I'm sure that I'll find out what happened when we talk to your principal."

The pre-teen just looked down at his hands which seemed to be having a fight with one another, that I'm sure resembled what was currently going on within Cooper's head. I wanted so badly to just wrap the boy up in an embrace but refrained from doing so, at least until I got the whole story.

After around ten minutes that other boy's – what I assumed was- mother showed up and all four of us were escorted into the principal's office. Both boys took a seat in front of the desk that seemed to occupy most of the room, while us adults took a stand behind the wooden backed chairs. The situation resembled some odd form of court and based on Cooper's posture it seemed as though the death penalty was on the line.

"I'm sorry that we had to gather under such unfavorable circumstances, Mrs. Jonson and Ms.?"

"Bennett, I'm Cooper's aunt."

"Well, nice to meet you Ms. Bennatti. So boys, would either of you like to tell me what happened?" The principal, Mr. Morales based on the name placard that sat on this desk, asked.