Chapter 10
Maria and Natasha were busy preparing the equipment they need for a shoot while Wanda was organizing things in the studio when she heard someone come in.
“What can I do for you?” Wanda looked up and asked. “Uhmm, is Nat here?” Steve asked. “Yeah at the back,” Wanda said while pointing at the back.
Steve nodded and smiled at her and went his way on the back where he saw Natasha busy fiddling with her camera. He was about to approach her when he saw a furious-looking Maria on the side. He stepped back a bit and hit something which made a noise and that finally caught Natasha’s attention and she gave him the sweetest smile she could muster.
That made Steve’s heart skip a beat but he was snapped out of his head when he heard her say “Hey, it’s you again Steve right? Are you here to pick up the photos?”
Steve was confused for a second but eventually remembered the shoot they did yesterday. “Oh yeah, the photos.” He just uttered. Natasha went to her desk and got an envelope and handed it to him. Steve reached for it hesitantly and said “Actually I’m here to ask you if you’d want to have coffee with me?”
Natasha was shocked but eventually recovered from it and told him “oh, I’m sorry I can’t, as you can see Maria and I have a photoshoot to go to and this might take a while.” She informed him regretfully.
Steve gave her a small smile and just said, “Oh, maybe next time then?” he asked hopefully and Natasha answered him with a shy smile and “maybe next time.”
That gave Steve hope and he also offered a hand to load the equipment on the car. He started carrying the things in the car and behind him were Nat and Maria giving knowing looks at each other.
They let Steve go back and forth for all the things they need for the shoot.
When Steve was inside getting the last equipment they need Maria nudged Nat’s shoulder and playfully said “Hey Nat, remember when I said I wanna punch him so badly? Mind giving me a moment to do that?” Natasha laughed at that and just answered her “He’s all yours” giving her a wink.
“Well, I think that’s the last of it” Steve declared and the women just smiled at him. “Great!” Natasha exclaimed, “I’ll be back in a bit, I have to tell Wanda something.”
Natasha went back inside the studio and left the two. Steve stood beside Maria awkwardly silent when he felt that strong punch in his gut.
He grunted from the pain and uttered “Okay, I deserved that” while clutching his stomach. “Shit! That hurt” Maria exclaimed while soothing her knuckle. “And yes, you do!” she said angrily. “She can’t remember you Steve so why are you onto her again?” she asked him. “I just want to make it up to her, I wanna make things right with her,” Steve explained. “Yeah?! and how exactly are you gonna do that huh!?” “Just don’t go near her or even get close to her again when you’ll just drop and leave her the moment the situation gets too hard for you. Don’t you dare hurt her again you have no idea what she went through because of you? You have no idea what she’s done just to get where she is now. You broke her Steve and her having amnesia was a blessing so don’t ruin this for her.” Maria stated pleadingly.
Hearing this from Maria pained him, but he’s determined to make things right with her. “I swear to you Maria, I won’t let that happen again. I’m sorry.”
“It’s her you should ask forgiveness for, not me.” She said dismissively.
Steve looked at her pleadingly “I will, I swear I’ll even beg if I had to I will do anything just to deserve that forgiveness just give me a chance to prove it.”
Maria could see sincerity and determination in his eyes. She could tell that he was genuinely sorry.
Wanda and Nat saw what Maria did to Steve and high-fived each other, Maria after all got to punch Steve. She said goodbye to Wanda and headed back to them.
“What’s going on here?” She asked innocently as if she didn’t see what had happened. “We were just talking,” Steve replied but couldn’t look at her. “Liar!” Nat thought to herself “So, we ready to go?” she turned to Maria giving her a knowing smirk. Maria got in the car and she followed forth, but before closing the door she turned to Steve and gave him a sweet smile and thanked him. Before Steve could even reply and offer them his help once again she had shut the door already and off they went.
Steve noticed that it was just her and Maria so he decided to go and follow them, having thought that they’ll be left to carry all the equipment for the photo shoot.
When they arrived at the location Natasha was opening the trunk of the car when she heard Steve.
“Hi, it’s me again,” he said waving at her. She was still recovering from her shock when she heard Maria.
“Wow, you’re fast,” she told him. Steve scratched his head and explained. “Well, I noticed it’s just the two of you I wanted to ask if maybe I could help you out today?” before Nat could even answer Maria shoved the equipment to Steve not so gently “Good, you could start with this one,” she told him while pointing at the peak of the building telling him that’s where the shoot will be.
Steve was carrying most of the stuff while Maria and Nat at back are holding back themselves not to giggle loudly for they were about to start messing with Steve.
They reached the top floor and were greeted by a busy crowd setting up different sets for the photoshoot. Nat and Maria started heading to the first set with Steve on their tail, they began setting up and so does the plan.