Ion Heart

Chapter 33: Colliding Worlds

And it's Monday morning... again. As I sit in homeroom, it's not difficult to tell who was at the party on Saturday. Most of them are still looking pretty rough, a couple still look hungover. Chatting whispers reverberate through the walls, sounds of excitement from the weekend and dread for the long week to come. At least the weather is warming. Spring will be here soon. 

 'So Kate...' Lorna leans over to me.

I really wish people would stop calling me that. 

'Are you good at keeping secrets?'  

'Em... yeah.' I do it all the time. 'What's up?'

'I heard that Jamie is going to dump Alice. Apparently he's been chatting up that brunette who we didn't recognise on Saturday.'

'That's awful.' I glance around the room. 'Do you think we should tell Alice?' 

'Well, that's why I was telling you. Because I think...'

And that's how homeroom went that dreary Monday morning. With the decision to tell Alice so she could break up with Jamie first. Just normal teenage problems. 

"Remember, it's ok to be a teenager sometimes."

I'm trying to be. I'm really trying. 

'Welcome everybody to another day of Science!' Mr Harrington says rather enthusiastically. 'Before we get started, I want to point your attention to the trip next Thursday. We will be going to a local science exhibition.'

I turn to Peter. 'Sounds lame.' I yawn. 

'I think it will be fun.' He says optimistically.

I shrug. It's not going to be SHIELD, Stark Tower or the Avengers Facility so I doubt I'll find it that interesting.  

'The details are on the letters, please have the permission slips in by Friday.'  Mr Harrington scans the class. 'Now,' he says, clasping his hands together, 'unlike last term's individual assignment, this term's assignment is a group project.'

Everyone starts cheering. 

'You will work in pairs with the people sitting next to you. The project needs to be connected to something you've learnt or will learn in this class. It will be a presentation, but this can be either a poster or a model or a...'

I don't like the sound of a 'group project'. It's not that I don't like Peter, I just prefer working alone. Glancing over at Peter, I can tell that a million thoughts are racing through his mind. 

'So I was thinking,' Peter starts later into the class, 'last term we looked at reusable energy and it might be fun to incorporate that into the Avengers Tower or something. I mean, Mr. Stark discovered a new element after all and that formed the basis of renewable energy in the tower and...'

I stare at Peter in disbelief. Did he really just say Mr. Stark? Does he really want to do a project on the Avengers tower? I helped design that tower. I came up with the reusable energy used in the tower. I-

'Katherine?' Peter pulls me out of my thoughts. 

'What?' I jump.

'We can do something else if you want.' 

He seems disheartened. 

'No, no it's fine.' I really don't want my private life to seep into this one. They're separate and shouldn't be mixed. But how would I say that I don't want to do this to Peter? I force a smile. 'It sounds like an amazing idea.'