The Avengers Weakness

Chapter Fourteen

Over the next four hours, the group had gone to several stores; so far they had gone to Forever 21-which Penny liked because of the smaller sizing of clothes that didn't put her in the kid's section, Plato's Closet, American Eagle, Spencers, Journeys, and five other smaller stores that Kate had picked out. Nat announced that they had a few more places to go to before they were finished for the day; the redhead had only bought a few things from different stores and finally stopped at a store and turned around.

"The third biggest reason we're here," she announced as she turned around to face the three teenagers.

Kate looked into the store windows and groaned, "Come on Nat.. School supplies?" she asked,

"Yes, you get shoes, clothes, and supplies." Nat responded, repeating what Tony had stated they needed earlier.

Wanda shrugged as Kate muttered something under her breath about not enjoying school, but Penny looked around the store, not seeming to care about the idea that it was for school.

"Just the basics for now," Nat told them as she ushered them into the building, "We'll come back once you guys get your classes."

"Okay," Wanda and Penny responded, both grabbing a basket from the redhead.

"Fine..." Kate muttered grumpily, she begrudgingly took a basket from the redhead and started walking around the store.

Penny walked over to blue-eyed teen, "Kate...are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine little P, just hate school." the brunette replied, flashing her a small grin.

"Oh, why?" the younger girl replied

"Why not?" she responded, "Teachers, schedules, getting up early, homework, god there's so much homework," she moaned in annoyance. "So much more rules, freedom dies, and it's the same thing every day, that changes only slightly each day, but you know what's going to happen because its still the same."

"That's why I like it," Penny responded.

She looked down at her shoes, she liked the repetitiveness of school. How she knew what was coming, that things rarely changed in her schedule. School had always been her safe place away from her aunt and uncle, other than the occasional bullies. But she always told herself if she could survive at home, then she could deal with a few comments and shoves every now and then; school wasn't that bad of a place.

"What's wrong little P?" Kate asked, noticing the younger teen grow quiet and hung her head a little.

"It's stupid." the younger girl mumbled quietly.

"What is?" the brunette asked.

"Liking school, right?" she asked, looking up at her with big brown eyes.

"Not if you enjoy it." the blue-eyed teen replied.

"I mean I like it, I definitely don't love it...I always get picked on..."

"Why?" the older girl asked, she couldn't understand why anyone would want to be cruel to the younger girl; she found her to be entertaining and sweet, she felt like they had a close relationship despite only knowing each other for a short period of time.

"I'm the youngest." the girl replied, shrugging slightly as she placed a package of pens into her bag, " I turned thirteen in the eighth grade; right at the very end of the year. Everyone else was already fourteen or fifteen, or they were turning fourteen or fifteen. I'm also a lot smaller than everyone; every school I've gone to, everyone has almost always been bigger than me. I guess it just makes sense to bully the smart kid if they're a lot smaller than everyone. Being the smartest kid in the school is never too fun, either." she replied, getting slightly lost in thought as she thought about the previous years of school.