Toss Up (Danny Rand)

Cirque Aigile

"So, Parker, who're your friends?" I asked peering over at him.

"These are the new students that transferred here a few days ago-"

"The day after those guys attacked the cafeteria, right?" I cut in. "That was the day I had to leave early for work."

"It was a good thing too; a lot of people could have gotten hurt if Spider-Man hadn't shown up," MJ says, earning a snort from the shorter male of the group. From the corner of my eye, I see Peter send a glare his way.

"Anyway . . ." Peter starts. "Ari, meet Danny, Ava, Luke, and Sam," He gestures with his hand to each of them and I politely smile back at them.

"Nice to meet all of you, I'm Ari Kateri as you might have heard. Welcome to Midtown High."

" . . . So about those pancakes?" Peter asks earning a slap to the back of the head by MJ.

"Peter!"

"What! I'm hungry!" I snicker as MJ began to chew him out and it seemed to amuse the new kids as well.

"No worries, I always manage to make too much food anyway," I say heading into the kitchen.

"I'll help." MJ offers, following at my heels.    

"It won't be easy making enough food for these bottomless pits," Ava smirks, much to the guys' chagrin.

"Hey!" I managed to hear Sam croak out before I fire up the electric griddle.

*******************

"Man, I'm stuffed!" Peter sighs while rubbing his full stomach. After breakfast, we all headed out to school, while I manage to walk along with everyone else without tripping into any garbage pails. It happened once and Peter never let me live it down. I started to stare ahead in a daze before a voice pulls me back to reality.

"Are you alright?" I blinked a few times, shaking away the drowsiness to turn to the calmest member of the group. Danny was it?

"Eh? Oh, yeah," another yawn escapes my lips. "Just sleepy." I stare at him for a bit before smiling. "You have a nice aura."

"Huh?" before I could give him an explanation we already pass the gates to our school.

"Is it me, or did I feel like we got here way too fast?" Peter blurts out just as the first bell rung.     

"Well I have English Lit," I say raising a hand in a small wave.

"Don't fall asleep again Ari!" MJ called out.

"Yes, mom!" I grin earning a mock glare from her. Weaving my way through the bundles of teenage hormones, I faintly hear my name being called and stopped to scan the crowd. "Danny?" he gave me a lazy grin and scratches the back of his head.

"You know, for someone so sleepy you walk pretty fast."

"Sorry, I don't really like the crowds, you have English Literature too?"

"According to this schedule, I do." I quirk a brow as he falls into step with me.

"Oh, a funny guy, little tip; Mrs. Hanson doesn't like funny guys," I whisper over to him as I lead him to the room. Since no one sat next to me this class, Danny took it upon himself to take it, seeing as the looks he got from some of the girls in class equaled a pack of starving jackals eyeing a piece of meat.

"Better watch out, or they'll eat you alive," I say as he waves weakly at his forming fan club. At the attention, a few of them began to squeal amongst themselves.