The REM Trials

Chapter 16

Two Months Later

My head throbs and aches from the glow of the gym's florescent lights, and I rub my temples in the hopes to alleviate some of the pressure that's lingering from the lack of sleep and continuous glare. Maybe Dad's right. Maybe I can't keep this routine up for long.

I let myself slip as I look over to Peter and Ned, who I've been mildly avoiding these past two months. It's been harder than I thought it would be, but what else was I supposed to do? Lie to them even more everyday? Because I certainly can't tell them about being Phantom, or that I'm a Stark, and I definitely shouldn't say anything about my feelings for Peter.

No, it seemed better to leave them alone.

My focus is broken as coach stops the video saying "So apparently, this guy is an international war criminal now, but I'm required to show it by the state." I look at the screen, where the image of Steve in the Captain America suits still lingers.

If only people knew the truth, maybe they would take a moment to reconsider putting that label on him. Or, perhaps they wouldn't care enough to put the effort into thinking about what their opinions should be. It probably wouldn't matter to them that there was a larger threat occurring at the time.

I pick at my sleeves and feel the spots where the long-faded bruises still seem to ache. Maybe it really is better that people don't know the entire truth. At least that way, they aren't constantly worrying or looking over their shoulder like me.

"Okay, everyone, hit the mats. We're starting with sit-ups." Coach shouts, which makes me nearly ready for a fight at the sudden noise. Luckily, neither him nor my approaching group of "friends" seem to notice as they form their usual cluster with me in the near center.

"What about you, Lia? Has anyone asked you?" Betty asks with a devious grin tugging at the edge of her lips.

I shake my head to dispel the lingering fog, "Asked me what?"

Giggles erupt at my question as they seem to find some humor in it that's lost to me. "Asked you to homecoming, obviously." Liz chimes and nudges my shoulder with the look that's silently asking if I'm okay.

"Oh, um, no. No one has asked me." I tell them and tug at the edges of my sleeves. It takes everything in me to not look towards Peter on instinct. Of course, he's the one I would want more than anything to ask me, but that's highly unlikely seeing as how he's completely infatuated with Liz.

"But there's someone, right?" She asks seeming to pick up on how I curl in on myself. "Is this that mystery guy you're always talking to?"

"No, that's my best mate from home. It's someone else."

"So there is someone you're crushing on." Seymour teases as they lean on their elbows. "Spill, who is it?"

"Guys, just leave her alone. It's none of our business." Betty interjects when she notices me twisting and pulling at my sleeves like I always do when I'm anxious. "Don't let them pressure you."

I meet her eyes with a tight-lipped smile, and she merely nods softly in affirmation as she rejoins the conversation as it shifts to other trivial things. "Okay, eff, marry, kill—Avengers edition."

The words make my stomach drop to the gym floor with a resounding thunk as I try to hide my dismay and disgust. "I'll start!" Seymour cheers as he happily lists off the heroes in his preferred order—one of whom is my dad, and it takes every ounce of my self-control to not gag or visibly cringe.

"C'mon, who would you eff, marry, and kill?" Liz asks as she nudges my shoulder with a well-knowing smile. While we haven't talked too much about superheroes—for obvious reasons—it hasn't stopped her from trying to pry information about crushes of any variety.