Better Days

NATASHA POV:

It had been an eventful past few days. Wanda had gotten caught skipping school, I had punished her, listened to her cry about not wanting to go back to school which absolutely broke my heart, sent her to school anyways even though it made me want to cry, helped her with her homework, and then sent her to school again.

She sounded like she really hated school so I finally caved and told her that if she could make it through to the end of the year, that we could discuss different options for next year. I didn't want to torture her by sending her to school everyday. Yes, she needed to learn, but there were other ways to do that. Especially if she was getting bullied.

Wanda could not understand her homework. I 100% understood why. She hadn't been to school in years, it made perfect sense how she couldn't just pick up all of the work right away.

We spent hours together, trying to get her homework done after her first day back at school. Math definitely took the longest. I tried to explain it to her in several different ways but no matter what I tried, she just couldn't grasp it. 

I was totally calm and patient with her but I could see her frustration growing by the minute until all of a sudden, she burst into tears, crying about how she couldn't do this and how she was so dumb.

I calmly explained to her that she was not dumb and that she wasn't expected to understand all of this right away, she was way behind the other kids in her education. They had all been going to school for the past several years while she had spent that time on the streets, trying to stay alive. It wasn't fair to hold her to the same standard of all of the other kids. I sure wasn't.

She eventually calmed down but we moved to another subject, deciding to just take a break on her math. She seemed extremely confused still and getting her worked up wasn't going to aid in getting the work done.

Fortunately, she seemed to understand the other subjects a lot better and we were able to finish all of that work in a lot less time. She had some trouble understanding English as well but that also made sense because English wasn't her first language. She managed to get all of her worksheets though. I was so proud of my girl. She was doing so good and I was proud to see her at least trying in her classes.

I made sure when I dropped her off at school that I watched her walk all the way in. I knew that she could easily turn around as soon as I left and walk right back out of the school but hopefully her punishment would deter her from doing that. I trusted her, she was a good kid.

She seemed to be fine with it until the second day. As I was dropping her off, she climbed out of the car before I had told her that I loved her so I raised my voice a bit to make sure she heard me before she left. 

She smiled at me at first and then looked to her left and turned back to me, waving and closing the door before stalking off to school. I looked to the left as well to see what was going on but there were only a few kids walking in and they didn't look like they were doing anything. 

Maybe she had just gotten distracted and thought that she said that she loved me. Maybe she didn't do it on purpose. 

I brushed it off given those reasons as I watched her walk to the school. She turned around before she got to the door and as soon as she saw me, I was able to see her expression change. She looked mad as she turned back around and stormed into the school. 

I didn't know what I did. I thought back to the last few minutes, trying to see if I did anything wrong. Nothing had happened. She had spent almost the entire car ride reading her English textbook and then I told her to have a good day before telling her I loved her. 

I didn't see anything wrong with that. 

Confused, I drove away from the school, heading back home. I wanted to text her and make sure she was okay but I figured that she'd tell me if I did something. She was 16, she didn't need me checking on her every second. 

I was just worried. Yes she was 16 but I still viewed her as my baby. She hadn't really gotten a proper childhood. When she had first gotten here, Cho had told me that there might be some parts of her that acted younger than she was. She also told me that she may act older than she was in other situations.

How she explained it to me was that Wanda had gone through a lot of trauma in her life, losing her parents, living on the streets, being experimented on, losing her country, and then losing her brother. That was a lot to go through for anyone, let alone a teenager. She was 10 when this had all started, meaning that she was still very young when this all happened. 

When those traumatic experiences happened, it forced her to grow up and act older, having to live only with her brother on the dangerous streets right after losing their parents. That alone was enough but then throw in getting experimented on and forcefully being given powers and you've added even more into the mix.

Cho had explained to me that this would make her act older in a lot of situations. Whenever she was calm and thinking straight, she would seem a lot older than she actually was due to her having to learn to act this way when she was by herself. She also explained that when Wanda gets upset or emotional, that she may act a lot younger than 16 due to her never being able to express those feelings when she was actually a child.

It made sense, she was never allowed to cry as a 10 year old, lost in the world. Now that she had somewhere where she felt safe, there was a chance that she would, in a way, revert back to the emotions she needed to feel at 10. 

All this meant was that her emotional moments may be more intense than others. Cho told me that it wouldn't do any harm to her and that she would just be more vulnerable in certain situations.

At the time that she informed me of all of this, I was worried. I didn't think I would be able to care for a child, let alone a child with a traumatic past. As we spent more time together though, I grew to love her and I also knew that she needed an adult in her life who would take care of her, whether she wanted one or not. 

Luckily, we got along most of the time. Sure we had our arguments and issues but we always came around. I just hoped that whatever was going on with her right now in the school wasn't something that was going to drive us apart. 

WANDA POV:

The next morning I woke up slightly early and instead of trying to get more sleep, I silently crawled out of bed and got to work on my math worksheets. 

I tried for a good 15 minutes before I gave up. They made no sense and I needed more help so I put those back into my folder and pulled out my history worksheets. I knew I could do those by myself without Nat's help.

I felt embarrassed that I needed help with math but I told myself that I hadn't been to school in a long time and that it wasn't my fault that I wasn't understanding it. I just needed to work a little harder and keep going and hopefully it would start to make sense. 

Yesterday, I had been extremely nervous about going to school and was dreading it, today though, I feel a lot more confident and comfortable with going. I had gotten caught up in most of my classes and due to waking up early this morning, I had enough time to finish all of my history work. Now that I was where the rest of the class was, I was feeling a lot more comfortable with attending classes. It also helped that the teachers had just thought that I was sick and that they had no idea that I ditched school for the entire time I was gone. 

Once Nat got up, it was time to get ready for school.

I was quick with eating, getting dressed, and packing my bag. I wanted to have some extra time this morning to at least start on the reading for English. She hadn't given me a set time for when she wanted me to finish all 13 chapters but I don't think she wanted me to take too long. 

Luckily, I finished getting ready with enough time to start reading before we had to leave the house. 

I had managed to make it through two chapters by the time Nat called me, telling me it was time to go. I grabbed my stuff and ran to the car, figuring I could do even more reading on the way there. 

Driving to school took about half an hour so I had plenty of time to continue reading. I noticed while reading that my skills weren't perfect as I stumbled over several of the words in the reading. I tried my best to not let it frustrate me but it did. I should be able to read just fine. 

The small words were easy, it was just some of the bigger words that I hadn't heard before that gave me trouble. 

Somehow, I had managed to read another four chapters by the time Nat pulled up to the school, leaving me with seven more to go. Sure I didn't finish it before her class but she can't get that mad at me, I had other classes to work on and I had at least started the reading.

"Have a good day at school sweetheart, remember, I'm just a text away," Nat told me as I climbed out of the car.

"Love you," she shouted right before I shut the door. 

I smiled and went to say it back when I noticed a group of girls laughing at me, walking into school. I blushed and gave Nat a small wave as I shut the door and went into the school, keeping me head pointed towards the ground. 

Right as I was about to enter the school, I glanced behind me to see that Nat was still there, waiting for me to go all the way in, just like yesterday. I blushed again, realizing she was treating me like a baby, watching me walk into the school. 

I tried to push down my anger as I walked into the school. It had never bothered me before but watching those girls laugh at me made me hate the way that Natasha treated me.

I wasn't a baby but yet, Nat insisted on treating me like one. It was pissing me off. As I walked to class, I thought of all the things that she did that I doubted any of the other kids' parents did.

She slept with me, held me while I cried, made sure I ate at every meal, watched me walk into the school every day, still gave me hugs, said she loved me, and spanked me. I didn't know for sure since I hadn't had a family in a long time but I was pretty sure parents stopped doing this by the time you got older. I was 16, I needed to act like an adult.

I knew that it wasn't all Nat's fault, I did a lot of things that made me seem like a baby. I cried nearly every night, cried during the day several times in a week, accepted the hugs that she gave me, and told her I loved her back. I needed to start acting more like an adult.

I was determined to start acting like an adult. 

School went by quickly and before I knew it, it was time to go home. I had been thinking of all of the ways to act like an adult during the day that I had barely even realized that the hours were passing. I had still managed to get most of my work done but I had some homework in math and English.

I got in the car silently, deep in thought. 

"Hey honey, how was your day?" Nat asked me. There it was again. 'Honey.'

"Good, and my name's not honey," I told her calmly. 

"What?" she said with a small laugh as she glanced over at me. 

"You always call me honey, that's not my name. It's Wanda."

"I know your name," she told me. "What, do you not want me to call you honey anymore?" she asked with an amused tone.

"No, I don't," I told her simply.

I glanced at her face to see it fall and look slightly confused. She thought I was kidding but I was dead serious.

"Why?" she asked, sounding completely confused.

"Because it's not my name," I told her. 

"I know that, but I've always called you honey."

"Yeah, well it's not my name and I don't want to be called that anymore."

"Okay," she told me quietly as she continued driving. I felt proud of myself. Now I was one step closer to being an adult.

"Do you have homework?" Nat asked me as soon as we got home.

"Yeah but you don't have to check that for me. I can do it myself. You don't have to check to make sure I'm doing it, I'm responsible."

"I know you are," she said, looking at me with a slightly confused expression. "Do you need any help with it?" There she goes again, trying to treat me like a baby.

"No, I've got it," I told her with a tight-lipped smile as I climbed out of the car and headed to my room. 

I still had no idea how to do my homework but I didn't need help from Nat. I could figure it out myself. I could always Google it if I really need help.

I managed to finish my English but then sat there staring at my math for over an hour.

"Wanda, dinner is ready!" I heard Steve yell from down the hall.

"Coming," I yelled as I set my pencil down and headed down the hall to the kitchen. The entire team was there, eating while chatting.

I went into the kitchen to serve myself and Nat met me in there. "More," she said after I had finished serving myself.

"I have enough," I told her. "Oh, and can you sleep in your own room tonight?"

"What?" she asked as she dropped the serving spoon back in the pot. 

"Yeah, I'm too old to be sleeping with someone."

"No you're not," she told me. "I still sleep with someone," she smiled at me lightly. 

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well we're too old." I then turned around and headed to the table.

I smiled as I started eating. I was acting like an adult. Now the kids wouldn't laugh at me anymore. I watched as Pepper sipped on a glass of wine and it gave me an idea. Alcohol was something adults drank. 

I thought of pouring myself a glass but I had a feeling Nat wouldn't let that slide. I would just have some later. 

Nat came to the table shortly after and stiffly sat down. She looked lost in her own head as she started eating, not participating in any of the conversations. 

I was slightly worried that I was the cause for that but I hadn't done anything wrong. I had been respectful. 

I left dinner as soon as I finished and headed back to my room. I had heard kids at school talking about social media. I wasn't exactly sure what it was but I googled it and downloaded the apps. 

Soon, I had an Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Twitter account. I don't know if that was all but those were the ones that the kids at school were talking about. 

They seemed pretty boring when I scrolled through them but I didn't care, at least I had them now. Now I could be cool at school.

I heard a knock on my door while I was in the process of following people on Instagram. "Come in," I called out.

Nat opened the door and walked in. "Hey," she said.

"Hi," I told her. "Are you here to grab your stuff?" I asked. She kept all of her clothes in her own room but she had a blanket and a pillow in here as well as some things on the nightstand. "I put your phone charger and your water bottle over there," I told her as I pointed to the dresser near the door.

"Um, thanks," she told me. "Hey Wanda, did something happen today?" she asked me as she came further into my room.

"No," I told her. "Why?"

"What's with this change all of a sudden?"

"What change?" I asked her.

She raised her eyebrow but said, "All of this, wanting to sleep alone, not wanting to be called honey, doing your homework by yourself, not listening to me at dinner when I told you to get more food." Her voice got stern at the last one.

"Sorry about that," I told her sheepishly. "But the other things are nothing, just normal stuff." I was honestly kind of scared to sleep without Nat tonight but I felt excited knowing that it was one step closer to being an adult.

"Okay, are you sure you don't want me to sleep in here?"

I was about to say that I was sure when I realized something. This did nothing to prove I was an adult to the girls at school. They didn't know that she slept with me so one more night wouldn't hurt.

I didn't want to just ask her to sleep in here though so I tried a different approach. "If you really want to sleep in here, you are welcome too." I watched a small smile play on her lips as she closed the door and walked in.

"If it won't bother you, I would love to sleep in here."

"Okay," I huffed as I plugged my phone in. Inside, I was relieved. I was slightly terrified to sleep by myself but I had wanted to do it to prove I was an adult. I felt slight regret as I watched her climb into the bed but at least she made me feel safe. I told myself that I didn't have to transfer to an adult overnight, I could take a few days.

"Goodnight hon- Wanda," Nat told me. For some reason I felt a stab of pain when she prevented herself from calling me honey. I should be happy! I shoved down the feeling of pain and sadness and said goodnight back before rolling over and trying to go to sleep.

o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o

I had woken up from a nightmare last night but had cried into my pillow, silencing the sobs. I had desperately wanted Nat to hug me but that's not what an adult would do so I hugged my pillow and managed to fall back asleep.

The next morning was fine. We got up, got dressed, ate, I got ready for school, and then Nat drove me to school. I avoided talking in the car by reading my English textbook. I was almost done with all 13 chapters and luckily, she hadn't assigned any more yet.

I had gotten out of the car and heard Nat start to say that she loved me so I quickly closed the door, glancing around to make sure no one heard. The group of girls from yesterday were walking in again today but it seemed like they hadn't heard because they were busy talking to each other.

I turned back to the car to see Nat's face of hurt. I quickly turned around and left, walking towards the school. 

As soon as I had gotten into the school, I headed for my class as always. 

On my way there, I wasn't paying close enough attention and slammed right into some girl. "Hey, watch it!" I heard her yell. I had knocked her books out of her hand and bent down to help her pick them up.

"Sorry," I told her.

She turned to face me and said, "Hey, you're the new girl right?" 

"Um, yeah, that's me."

"I heard you ditched like two weeks of school!"

"What?" How did that get out? 

"That's so cool," she told me and it seemed genuine.

"Really?"

"Duh, most of the new kids who come here are so timid and shy and goody-two-shoes. It's so annoying! I'm glad this school didn't get another one of those babies and instead got a badass like you. I'm Blair by the way," she said as she held her hand out for me to shake.

I took it and shook her hand. "Wanda," I told her. Had I just made a friend?

"Cool name. Hey, you should come hang with me and my friends at lunch!"

"Okay," I told her. 

"Cool, we sit by the water fountains, you have first lunch right?"

"Yeah, I do," I told her.

"Awesome, see you at lunch."

"See you at lunch. Bye," I told her.

She waved bye as I went to math. She seemed so cool, maybe I could gain a good reputation by hanging out with her. I sure hope so because up until this point, I've been the joke at this school.

My morning classes passed by slowly. I couldn't wait to get to spend more time with Blair.

The bell rang signaling the end of the period. Finally, it was lunch time.

I headed to the water fountains and saw Blair, two guys and another girl standing there. 

"Hey!" she said as she came up to me. "Meet my friends, Wanda, this is Ashley, Bri, Aidan, and Zack. Guys, this is Wanda."

"Hi," I said as I looked at all of them. They all looked like popular kids, not people who I would normally hang out with.

"Okay cool, now that your friend is here, can we go?" Aidan asked.

"Go where?" I asked. I would never tell my friends but I was kind of scared they meant leaving school. I didn't want another sore bottom.

"You'll see," Blair said as she led the group outside. We were walking towards a gate that left the school but she turned instead of heading straight, now going towards the bleachers.

All of them climbed over the bars under the bleachers, heading towards the middle. I followed, wondering what we were doing.

They all stopped once they got to a certain section. Ashley dug around in her backpack for a moment before pulling out a small box and a lighter. 

She opened the box and passed around sticks. I had no idea what they were, I had never seen them before. Ashley handed one to me and I took it. 

"What do we do with these?" I asked when they were all just standing there, not doing anything.

"You don't know what a cigarette is?" Bri laughed.

"What? Of course I know what a cigarette is," I laughed, still having no idea what a cigarette was.

"Lay off her Bri, she's from a different country," Blair said. I blushed slightly. "You smoke it, watch," she said.

She lifted the stick to her lips and Bri lit the end of it with the lighter. She pulled it out of her mouth a few seconds later and smoke came blowing out of her mouth. It smelt horrible.

"Here, you try," Blair said as she handed me hers. I had my own so I didn't know why she was handing me hers but I didn't argue. All she had done was put it in her mouth and then blow.

As soon as I put the cigarette up to my lips, I sucked in a tiny bit of air and then started choking and gagging. Everybody was laughing as I tried to catch my breath. It had tasted horrible too.

They all lit there's up and expertly put it to their mouths and blew out smoke. I tried again, trying to look as cool as them.

It took me a few tries but by the time lunch was over, I was successfully smoking a cigarette. I was slightly nauseous but as I headed to my next class, I also felt a small wave of calmness wash over me. It was nice.

I was excited to tell Nat, show her how cool I was. After lunch, Blair had told me that she'd see me tomorrow. I was now excited to go to school.

As soon as the bell rang, I ran out to the car, wanting to tell Nat what I had done at lunch. 

I climbed in the car and sat down, wanting to tell her about the cigarette. Before I could say anything though, she looked over at me with a confused expression. "Have you been smoking?"

"What?" I asked her, slightly upset that she had already figured it out. 

"Have, you, been, smoking?" she asked me much slower this time, her voice turning stern. That's when I got the idea that maybe it wasn't a good thing that I had been smoking. Maybe it was a bad thing.

"No," I told her slowly, waiting to see her reaction.

"Then why do you smell like a cigarette?" she asked me. She looked mad.

"What's a cigarette?" I asked. I hadn't known what it was earlier so it wasn't that bad of a question.

"Don't play dumb with me Wanda!" she snapped at me. "Were you or were you not smoking?"

"I wasn't!" I told her. I had thought that this was a cool thing but apparently not. I was kind of glad I didn't get the chance to tell her. Then I would be in some trouble.

"Let me ask you again then, why do you smell like a cigarette?"

"I don't know," I told her. I hadn't realized that the smell was that intense. 

She seemed to believe me. "Okay, I don't want to ever see you smoking though, you'll be in serious trouble, got it?" 

"Yeah," I told her. I felt some relief pass over me at the fact that she hadn't caught me. I was going to have to do my research when I got home. 

"Okay, anyways, how was your day?"

"Good," I told her. Maybe I wouldn't tell her about Blair just yet. 

We got home and I told her that I had a ton of homework as I went to my room. Truth was, I did have homework, but only a few sheets of math, not a ton like I had told her. Really, I just wanted to do some research on cigarettes. Blair had given me her number too so I would ask her.

I sent her a quick text, asking if smoking was considered a bad thing and then I started my own research. From what I could see, smoking was not great for you. It could cause lung problems, heart problems, and some other things. I didn't really care though, I felt fine and my new friends were doing it. I couldn't say no and look like a baby.

I was going to have to be more careful about hiding the smell of smoke if I kept going. I couldn't get caught by Nat. Maybe I could just tell her that my friends did it, that's why I always smelt like smoke. I couldn't get in trouble for something my friends were doing.

I felt happy with that fact, I could still be the cool kid at school without ever getting in trouble for it at home. That was a plan that should definitely work. Finally, I was going to be cool and treated like something other than a baby.