Friend
“As others saw--I could not bring,
My passions from a common spring...”
-Alone, by Edgar Allan Poe
“Hey Happy,” I said, tossing my backpack into the backseat as I sat in the front.
“Hey Harley,” Happy said, pulling the car out of the school parking lot. “How was your first day at school?”
I thought back on the day and had no hesitation to proclaim it as good. I told Happy about how I already made a good friend who cared about me before he found out who my guardians were, and I already had a project to complete in my science class.
“That’s great Har,” Happy smiled, not looking away from the road as he drove us out of the city.
“Are we going to the compound?” I asked, after taking note of the road we were on.
“We are, and everyone owes me ten bucks.”
“Why?”
“We had a little bet going on about how your first day at school will be. Pepper, Stephen and I bet it would be good, but Tony and Rhodey were convinced something was going to go wrong and you were going to call us at any minute in tears.”
“So why would Pep and the Doc owe you money too?” I pried more into the fact that he said everyone.
“They bet it was going to be so good that you joined a club. I thought that was moving too fast, especially for you.”
I nodded, wondering to myself if Flash was in any clubs. If he wasn't, I would probably end up not joining anything either, since I didn't want to be alone.
Happy and I sat in a comfortable silence for a few minute after that, then I turned to him and said, “I met Peter Parker. That one intern that you and Tony talk about so much.”
“Did you now?” Happy’s face both seemed excited and filled with dread. “Are you two friends now?”
“Not really,” I shrugged. “We only said a few sentences to each other, and it was super awkward.”
We returned to silence. I listed to the sound of the wheels on the road to keep myself occupied as Happy combed through my words in his mind. He told me once that sometimes when I’m speaking, I go too fast and he has to mentally slow time down to process whatever I’ve said. I guess I had been going way too fast, because he didn't end up saying anything at all.
“What’s his job at Stark Industries again?” I broke the silence.
“He’s an intern that does a little bit of everything. Like a temp, if you would. He works a lot of special security though. The day Tony proposed, Peter was there because he was being offered a promotion.”
“Security?” I asked The boy was taller than me, and he looked like he could hold his own in a fight,but at the same time, he didn't look strong enough to stop a bad guy or have the stomach to pull the trigger on a gun.
“A special security unit, yes,” he clarified. “I’m actually Peter’s supervisor. The boy knows how to take and give a solid punch. Do you remember that fiasco last year with the guy who called himself the Vulture? It’s okay if you don't, you weren't really all there during that time.”
“I kinda remember it,” I nibbled on my lip. “Spider-Man, that guy Tony got help from during the accords, he was the one that took him down, right?”
“Right. But he never would have been able to do that if we didn't have Peter Parker on the special security. He figured most of it out a month before we even knew we were in any trouble.”
I looked straight ahead at the road again. Peter being involved with the Vulture incident explains why he had gotten in the car and heard Tony talking on the phone with my doctor. A lot had happened in those few month after the accords. Everyone was regretting signing them, they felt betrayed the the rogues who called themselves heroes, so what happened to me was like a cherry on top of a burnt pie.
Tony was extremely temperamental after I was hospitalized, very easy to anger. Spider-Man had gotten in some deep trouble because he did something stupid that Tony told him not to do, and it struck his last nerve.
Happy pulled into the Avengers Compound, stopping up in front so I could get out and he could go park the car. I grabbed my backpack from the back seat and began my climb up the steps to the front doors. No one was waiting outside, so I just let myself in with the help of my Stark Watch, which had Friday programmed into it.
“Honey, I’m home,” I shouted into the empty space, looking around for my guardians.The halls were so empty my voice seemed to echo back at me for an eternity. I never really liked being in the compound. It was too monitored, I felt like I had to apologize to security cameras just for breathing a little too loud.
“They're not back yet Mr. Harley,” Vision’s voice didn't startle me. I had been moved to New York before Jarvis had become Vision, so I was used to that particular voice speaking out of nowhere.
“Hey Vis,” I turned to him with a fond tone. Before Jarvis became Vision, my nickname for the AI had still been Vis. I think something held over from the AI’s memories, because the nickname always made Vision smile so wide I was fooled for a second into believing that he wasn't a maroon colored Synthezoid, but a human man who was speaking to an old friend he hadn't seen in a longtime.
“I heard from Friday that you are going to a public school in the city, how was your first day?”
“Can we talk in the kitchen?” I asked. “I’m starving.”
Vis made me a sandwich and some tea, practically hanging off my every word. He told me that one of these days after school I should invite Flash to the compound so that everyone could meet my new friend.
“You seem really happy about me getting a friend,” I noted with a laugh, sipping my earl grey.
“I am,” he said. “It is nice that you finally have a friend. You always seem so lonely.”
I looked down at my cup and realized something. I had been lonely.
I always knew that I didn't like being alone, and I acknowledged the fact that I always was, but I had never actually thought of myself as lonely. Rhodey always told me that I needed to try to account my emotions and thoughts more instead of compartmentalizing them, I guess this was a perfect example.
“Hey Vis, can you explain being lonely for me?” I asked, not looking up.
“It’s a sort of subcategory of sadness. You don't feel right, like you could fade away because you have no one around you. Some people feel lonely even when they are in a room filled with people they love, because it’s not who they want to be with at that moment,” Vis gently took my hand. “But Harley, you don't need me to explain it, do you?”
I shook my head and bit my lip. I knew exactly what lonely was, I just didn't want it to be quiet. When it’s quiet, I think, and when I think, I get paranoid. In the few second of silence, I remembered how Flash joked that he was always late to class, but I was like an alarm clock. I remembered how he punched my arm jokingly, but immediately started to apologize and make sure I was okay. I thought of how when he walked off to the bus, there was something in his eyes that worried me. He looked lonely the second he started to walk away.
I knew what lonely was, and Flash did too.
Something odd though, was when I remembered P.E. and the way those three people looked. They were best friends,that was clear to a blind man, but it was just like Vis had said, you could be with the people you love and still be lonely,because you weren't with the person you want to be with at that moment.
“Vis, what do you know about the Stark Intern Peter Parker?” I asked.
Vis thought for a moment with an expression that told me he knew more than he was allowed to say. Gosh, this was as bad as googling him, but also somehow worse.
“He started working for Tony and Pepper a little after the accords incident,” Vis started. “A few months ago he denied a promotion because it would mean less time with his friends and at after school activities. He lives with his Aunt, May Parker, in Queens and has foremost of his life. Why do you ask?”
“He goes to my school,” I shrugged. “Him and Flash… they kinda knew each other I guess? I didn't really ask too much about it, but he and his friends seemed odd.”
“Ned Leeds and Michelle Jones,” Vis said, making me look up in shock. He laughed at my expression, “They’re all on a decathlon team together that made the news a few months ago. Michelle became the head of it a little after the Vulture incident.”
“Wait, that's the decathlon team that almost died in DC? When the elevator broke? That was the team from my school?” I asked.
“It is,” Vis nodded. “If my search is correct, your new friend was also on the elevator. On his social media accounts he was raving for over a month after the incident about how amazing Spider-Man was. He still posts Spider-Man appreciation posts, and gets into regular online debates about the accords.”
I had to let all of that sink in. My new best friend turned out to be obsessed with the same superhero I was. And for a very similar reason.
~~~
I could already tell I was going to hate weekends.
It wasn't even the weekend yet and I knew this, but it was Friday afternoon, and the weekend’s darkness was just four more hours around the corner.
Flash and I were sitting outside during lunch, watching as rockets launched into the air as high as they could. Neither of us had actually eaten,we both had a bad habit of doing that. We talked about the test in math, the latest drama online and weird crap that happened throughout the week. Oddly enough, I didn't feel the need to fill the silence when it came like I usually did.
“Do you want to hang out after school today?” I asked, looking away from the neon colored rocket and its plastic army man that had a parachute on.
Flash looked shocked by the question, like it had never been asked before. I waved a hand in front of him to snap him out of it, and repeated the question.
I would love to Harley, you know that, but, I have a decathlon meeting today. I’ve skipped way too many already,” now it was my turn to be shocked. Vis had said Flash was saved by Spider-Man in Washington, DC, but I hadn't really thought about the possibility that the reason he was in the elevator was that he was an academic decathlon member.
“That’s okay,” I smiled. He looked happy to show off how intelligent he was, and I was proud of him.
We looked back up just in time to see the plastic army soldier detach from the rocket, his parachute opening to rescue him. Flash and I burst out laughing when a pigeon hit into it, poking a hole in the center of the circle of plastic.
Suddenly, Flash’s eyes lit up and he turned to me grinning, “You should join the Decath. Team!”
I blinded for a minute, trying to process what he had said. I was definitely smart enough for it, and competitive enough. Being on the team would give me something to do after school besides talking to Vis about the same things every day. Plus, it meant more time with Flash, and a lot of worry off of Pepper’s shoulders.
“Maybe I should,” I whispered, looking down at the grass. This would also mean more eyes on me at all times. I didn't even know if the accords allowed this kind of thing for me. And what if they ever needed my help back at the compound?
Finally I said, “I need to make a phone call,” and told Flash I would see him in our next class. I speed dialed Happy,but he didn't answer, so I knew he was probably driving. I tried Pepper, but she was in a meeting. Stephen was still in Hong Kong with Wong going up against who knows what life threatening being this time. After a little bit of debate, I settled on calling Rhodey.
“Hey Har, what’s wrong?” he asked after picking up on the first ring. His voice was tinted with worry, but he tried to hide it.
“Nothing,” I said, adjusting my backpack strap on my shoulder. “ I just had a quick question about some stuff.”
“Go ahead,” his voice relaxed.
I bit my lip nervously, “So, my friend Flash is kinda in this club, and he thinks I should join. I don't know what the accords say about that kind of thing. I also wasn't sure if it would be okay for me to do something that public in general, or if my doctor said anything about extracurricular activities after what happened a few months ago.”
I could hear Rhodey sit down on the other end and pull out a notepad to jot down what I asked. He thought for a while before saying, “well, first of all, the accords allow clubs as long as it doesn't conflict with hero schedules.Since you aren't a hero, that part is perfectly fine. Your doctor did say that you couldn't do anything like marching band or track, pretty much anything that could cause a shortage of breath or major adrenaline spike. What kind of club is this?”
“Academic Decathlon.”
“That won't be a problem on that end then, you would just need to take your medication as always and stay calm during competitions. The very broadcast nature of the club may be a problem with tabloids and the press, but it won't hurt anyone if you join the team.”
“So can I join?” I asked, almost bouncing.
“I think that would be a great thing Har,”I could hear him smiling. I happily jumped and pumped my fist,thanking him over and over, which he just laughed at. Once I was calm, he said that he would text Happy, Pepper and Tony about the change in schedules and told me to have fun at my first meeting.
After hanging up, I practically ran to Flash, who was walking to our next class and rushed to tell him I could join. He got about as excited as I had, and lead me to Mr. Harrington, the Decath. Team's head and my science teacher, to tell him I wanted to join. Mr. Harrington was overjoyed to have me on the team, and didn't even make me go through the application process.
Throughout the rest of school I watched the clock excitedly. Flash explained the rules and how the team worked in between classes, until finally it was time to go to the auditorium where meetings were held.
“MJ,” Mr. Harrington flagged down the girl I remembered to be Michelle, from my first day of school. “I would like you to officially meet our newest member, Harley Rhodes.”
“We briefly met on Monday,” she said,then held out her hand. “Michelle Jones, my friends call me MJ. I have been the captain of this team ever since a month after homecoming of freshman year. Meetings are every day of the week after school along with Saturday mornings during the time school would usually start. Saturday meetings last from two to three hours,Wednesday meetings are half an hour shorter than any others. Ten unexcused absences get you kicked off the team. You need to keep up around her, and to keep up you need to know a lot of stuff.”
“Flash already told him about all of that,” Mr. Harrington cut in.
“Oh,” she smiled, slightly sarcastically and turned back to me. “Then welcome to the team. If you need anything, come to me.”
“Thank you,” I smiled.
Flash and I took our seats in the mostly empty room and watched as two members practiced a match, ringing their bell to answer questions and make sarcastic comments at each other. Several times I had to stop myself from laughing so I didn't disrupt the match, but it was hard when everyone was so damn snarky.
The first person to notice my new face in the back of the room was a blonde girl who didn't look like she was a part of the team. She ran over to me and Flash, not paying attention another boy who told her to leave us alone.
“Hi,” her welcoming, enthusiastic grin was almost blinding. “My name is Betty Brant, I’m one of the anchors of Midtown High’s new cast. I don't believe I’ve seen you around here before.”
“I just started here Monday,” I explained. Outwardly, she reminded me of some classic mean girl in a bad teen tv show, but her presence felt calming, like a breath of fresh air.
“Your accent is really cute,” she commented, sitting down with us. By this point half of the room was looking at us, but we ignored them.
“Why thank you, but I’m sure there's better accents out there than rural Tennessee.”
“I don't think so. I think you hit the jackpot with the southern style. Your hair is really nice too. I wish mine would curl like that.”
“I wish mine would stop.”
Betty and I laughed together, and I felt warm.
“Dude, stop flirting with the news anchor,” Flash teased.
“I ain't flirtin’’,” I rolled my eyes. “I’m gay Flash. I’m just being talking to the nice girl.”
“Don't worry Flash, I have no plans on stealing him from you,” Betty giggled, then added, “Yet.”
Flash snorted, while Betty and I continued to laugh with him. Now the entire team was looking at us and my face went red.
“You should probably get used to the stares if you like having Betty around,” Flash noticed my embarrassment. “She gets everyone’s attention without even wanting it. That’s why she’s the best anchor woman in all of New York.”
It was Betty’s turn to have a faint blush and she jokingly hit his arm, “Eugene, when did you become so nice?”
“I guess it was this guy,” he gestured to me. “He likes to act all stoic, but he’s a big softy. Kinda rubbed off on me.
Betty decided to do the impossible in making me flush even darker by standing on her chair and announcing, “Attention Midtown Decathlon Team! Harley Rhodes is my new best friend. If any of you are too hard on him, I will not be happy! Clear?”
“Crystal,” everyone replied in unison like this had happened before, and it dawned on me that it probably had.
“Thank you!” she sat back down grinning, “So Harley, Flash, what are you two to after this?”
“Dinner at Harley’s place, some studying and a movie,” Flash said.
“You should join us,” I added.
Betty leaned back in her chair, “I should.”
And with that, our duo became a trio and I officially had my first two friends ever. A bully in recovery, and a popular news anchor who had everyone in the palm of her hand. Oh wouldn't my mama be so proud of me.