Wrong Number, Kid

Dinner With the Avengers

<<Delilah>>
I can't believe that I am sitting at a table eating dinner with the Avengers. I don't know what to say. They're all talking about their own things, and I'm kinda just here. I know who everyone is, but at the same time, I only know what you can find on the internet, so I don't really know them. I mean, I know Peter, but that's about it. It's weird to be sitting with so many people eating. It's a little like the lunch period at school, but different. These people actually matter.

I just sit at the table and eat silently. I'm sitting kind of in the middle of the table, so there are a few different conversations that I can hear. Sitting right across from me is Natasha Romanoff! I didn't realize who she was before, but now that I know who she is, I'm embarrassed about how I acted yesterday. She is talking with Dr. Bruce Banner, whom I have already met under not so nice circumstances, but it is what it is. He may not be a real doctor, but he knows more about medicine than any of the other Avengers, I guess. They seem to be having a casual conversation, but I don't want to eavesdrop because that's rude.

I'm sitting next to Peter on one side, and Ms. Maximoff on the other. They're both talking to whoever is on the other side of them, so it doesn't really seem like anyone is paying attention to me. I kinda like that feeling. Being ignored is something that I'm used to, but also is the only thing I really know. I don't know how to respond to attention. It's weird. The dinner is really good. I'm pretty sure Mrs. Potts made it. It's spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and salad. This is probably the best meal I've ever had.

<<Tony>>
I look over at the kid, and she seems to be happy, but she hasn't said anything since we left the lab. I told Peter to sit next to her since they know each other, but he's talking with Barnes rather than with Delilah. Wanda is next to her as well, but she's talking with Barton. It almost seems like everyone is turned away from her, but she doesn't seem to mind. It may not have been my smartest move putting her in the middle of a dinner with the majority of the Avengers right after she had a panic attack.

She seems to be glancing around, but always ends quickly by looking down at her plate. I know that she recently got out of a situation, but I'm starting to realize how serious it might have been. The only way she has started a conversation had been by greeting me, but only acknowledging that I'm there. Not so much in a letting me know that she is there way. I think I'm going to try to look more into why she is going to be gone on Friday. She told Mr. Parent that she had to go to court, so I'll look up the schedule for that.

I look over at Delilah, and she is sitting, just looking at an empty plate. Everyone else has already finished, and some of them have gone to put their plates away. Delilah looks at them to see what they are doing, and it looks like she is about to get up, but she doesn't. I get up and go over to her.

"Hey," I say. "You okay?"

She looks up at me. "Yeah."

"I can take your plate if you're done."

"Its okay. I can go put it away. You don't have to."

"Delilah, you don't have to do everything. You are our guest. I can take your plate."

She doesn't argue this time. "Okay. Thank you."

I take her plate and put it in the dishwasher. I look back at her, and she is still sitting at the table, but now she's alone. There has to be something going through her head, right? She definitely isn't used to people doing something for her, but in my experience, people like that are excited when someone offers to do something. She almost defends herself like she has something to prove. I'm about to go over to her and start talking with her, but Pepper beats me to it.

<<Pepper>>
Delilah has been silent this whole dinner, and something just seems off. I was skeptical of her at first with the texts, but now that I see her, she needs something more than she is getting. I'm not sure what she needs exactly, but I want to help any way that I can. I go over to where she is sitting and sit next to her.