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ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING
xv. MODEL STUDENT

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  RILEY HAD TO ADMIT: she was just a little surprised when she was called into the principal's office. If anything, Warren deserved to get hit! At work, people got hit all the time! Why was it such a big deal? Then again, she did almost knock him unconscious.

   She sat in Principal Morita's office with one leg crossed over another, arms folded. Eyebrows scrunched together, Riley's mind had still been racing. She didn't let it show, though, especially with Principal Morita's eyes locked on her.

   "I... don't understand," he finally admitted. He leaned back in his office chair, it squeaking slightly due to its age. "I've heard nothing but good things about you, Ms. O'Dair. Your grades and extracurriculars are evidence that you've been a model student. What caused this change?"

   "Well, Warren is kind of a jerk," Riley said, shrugging. "He's done nothing but bully and harass practically anything that breathes. If anything, I'm shocked it's taken this long for someone to punch him."

   Nodding slowly, Principal Morita said, "I suppose I can... empathize, but fighting is not the equivalent to a heroic sacrifice or act, Ms. O'Dair." Riley nearly laughed out loud at his statement. "I'm afraid I have no choice but to give you detention. Your legal guardian will be here any moment to further discuss with me your behavior and how we can fix it."

   Her eyes widened. No... Her legal guardian? As in... Tony? No, no, no. If Tony was actually coming to Midtown, then she was going to have to tell him everything. He'd undoubtedly ask for updates. She was doomed!

   Riley blurted, "Wait, what!? My behavior? Principal Morita, you said it yourself that I've been a model student!"

   "Well," a new voice chimed in, almost on cue, "model students don't just smack down their peers." Riley tensed upon hearing his voice. Slowly, she turned around to face Tony Stark as he flashed a smile at the girl. "Isn't that right, Muhammad?"

   Principal Morita rose to his feet to greet Tony, but rather than shaking his hand or anything similar to the sort, Tony said, "Actually, Principal M, can I have a moment with my daughter?"

   He just nodded and mumbled a few incoherent words before exiting his own office. It was fascinating how Tony was able to enter a room, say a few words, and captivate every single audience member in the general proximity. Riley had always wondered how he did it.

   "So..." awkwardly trailed off Riley as Tony sat down beside her. She gently punched his shoulder almost in a playful, please-don't-be-mad-at-me manner. "How was the traffic?"

   Tony crossed one leg over another, attempting to make himself comfortable while also looking chic. That was his favorite move when it came to confronting people—Riley would know. She was notorious for following him around in her invisible state when he was doing missions.

   "It was alright. Happy actually took Queens Boulevard this time, so that's a plus. You know, I was actually having a pretty good day," Tony began, proceeding to build up tension.

   "...Really?"

   Nodding, Tony confirmed, "Yeah. Woke up before my 8am, made a somewhat nutritious breakfast, even had time to pack you lunch." He pulled out a small package that he had been holding, handing it over to her. "I packed strawberries."

   Riley stared at him suspiciously, opening the package and locating the food. "Tony, I appreciate the notion, but you know how much I hate when you go into Iron Man mode." Nonetheless, she pulled out the box of strawberries and fork, stabbing one and sticking it into her mouth.

   "I know," Tony admitted. He stood up, looking around at the little knickknacks on Principal Morita's desk. "Anyways, today was going pretty lit as you kids call it—"

   "Oh, I'm gonna pretend you did not just say that."

   Snickering, Tony continued, "but then I got this curious little phone call from your principal saying you punched a kid. And I immediately thought, 'No way... My Riley would never'—Well, that's not true. My Riley definitely would, but not while doing undercover work. But I heard the man out and now, I'm here. And on the way here, I just couldn't stop thinking about it. After all, why in the world would my Riley act out while on a very important mission?"

   Riley nearly swore under her breath. Tony really knew how to drag something on long enough to get the opposing party to confess whatever it was he wanted to hear.

   In the midst of chewing another strawberry, Riley almost eagerly demanded, "Do you want me to tell you or are you gonna keep stalling?"

   "That'd be ideal," Tony casually answered. He picked up the globe, spinning it around.

   Riley sighed. "So... Peter... kinda... figured out everything." Tony's eyes fell on Riley, his eyebrows shooting upward. "And he's really upset with the both of us. I think he's more upset with me than you, actually. I honestly have no idea how he did it! And I've been meaning to tell you, but I really didn't know how to. I just hate disappointing you, and I feel awful and—"

   "Tink, I'm gonna have to stop you there," interrupted Tony. He leaned against the desk. "You did everything you were asked to do. You got me intel about Mr. Parker and you did your part. Don't beat yourself up. You could never disappoint me, understood?"

   Riley stared at him for a moment. "You know, I don't think I'm used to you going full Dad mode."

   "Would you just let me be nice to you?" Tony immediately replied, causing her to laugh lightly. "Thank you for doing your part." He cleared his throat. "Now, I'll just get the papers together to have you pulled out of school, so we can get you moved back into the Headquarters upstate—"

   "Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down," interjected Riley. "That's it? You're just gonna pull me out of school?"

   Tony shot her a look. "You remember you graduated at a high school level, like, five years ago, right? You only mention it a million times a week—"

   "Well, yeah, but..." She chewed on the inside of her mouth. "I just... Peter's really upset with me. And I want to make things right. It wouldn't be right if I left without fixing everything."

   Tony paused, almost as though he was absorbing this information like his brain was a sponge. Then, he nodded. "I'm proud of you, Tink. I really am."

   She smiled up at him, feeling a little bit better knowing that he wasn't disappointed by her accident.

   She was going to make things right.

○ ○ ○

   "Focus guys!" urged Liz Allan later that day during Decathlon practice. She stood before a podium, flashcards in her hands while the others sat in pairs at tables on the stage. "Chemicals developed to adhere to specific sites on or within a fungal cell to kill or inhibit its growth is called...?"

   Walking into the room, Riley easily answered, "Antifungals." She smiled at her teammates, adding, "Sorry I'm late. I was in the principal's office."

   "Oh, we know where you've been," a dark-skinned boy name Abraham said. "I can't believe you punched Warren!"

   "He deserved it," Cindy said from beside him.

   Liz nodded toward Riley with her usual friendly smile. "Glad you made it," she greeted while Mr. Harrison spoke privately with Peter Parker. "Next question. What is the heaviest naturally-occurring element?"

   "Hydrogen's the lightest!" Charles immediately yelled, his hand smacking the silver bell in front of him. His smile fell quickly, realizing, "That's not the question."

   At the other table, Abraham pressed the bell and said, "Uranium."

   "That is correct. Thank you, Abraham," Liz said. "Please open your books to page 10."

   Riley locked eyes with Peter, who quickly looked away from her to continue speaking with Mr. Harrison. She took a seat similar to Flash, pulling out her textbook and flipping to page 10. She had been so caught up with doing such a simple task that she almost didn't hear Cindy ask, "Wait, what's happening?"

   Sally, who had been laying on the floor with papers scattered around before her, stated, "Peter's not going to Washington."

   Riley snapped her head upward as the others broke out in shouts.

   "No. No, no, no!"

   "What, why not!?"

   "Seriously? Right before nationals?"

   "He already quit Marching Band and Robotics Lab," Michelle Jones said from one side of the room, causing everyone's attention to move towards her. She shrugged. "I'm not obsessed with him. Just very observant."

   Sighing, Liz said, "Flash, you're in for Peter."

   Flash hummed. "I don't know. I gotta check my calendar first," he started. "I got a hot date with Black Widow coming up."

   While Riley rolled her eyes at Flash's comment, Abraham rang his bell. "That is false!"

   Mr. Harrington looked back at the boy. "What'd I tell you about using the bell for comedic purposes?" asked the teacher.

   Abraham just sunk back in his seat while Riley stared at Peter, trying to understand why he would suddenly pull out of the Academic Decathlon. Then, she noticed how Peter continued to check his watch for the time, and it all made sense.

   Peter wanted to quit in case there was an Avengers emergency.

   Riley shook her head and leaned back in her chair. She had no idea how she was going to convince Peter not to give up his life to be a hero. Coincidentally, she had no idea how she was going to get Peter to forgive her.

   Internally groaning, Riley frowned.

   She was just going to have to hope for the best.