A loud bang shocked Taylor awake and she jerked her head up. Blinking the fog from her eyes, she found the classroom dead silent, and every gaze pinned on her. No one murmured, laughed, or whispered comments. Not in this class.

Rubbing her eyes, Taylor tilted her head back, staring up at Mrs. Hall. The woman's normally severe face looked even more threatening, pinched in anger. The lines around her eyes cut deeper and framed her hard, black eyes.

"Ms. Barnes, is my class so easy you think you can sleep through it and still succeed?" she snapped.

Taylor sighed. "No, Mrs. Hall."

"Then I am sure you have a good excuse for showing me this much disrespect."

Taylor believed she did, it involved a fire and the number of hours of sleep she could count on one hand, but that would make no difference. Mrs. Hall ran her classroom as if she were at a military school. Disrespect, such as falling asleep, deserved the highest form of punishment. Taylor said nothing, knowing any defense would only prolong the conversation.

"If you will not share with me, I have no doubt you will be fine sharing it with the principal."

There was no need for her to say when this conversation should take place, the immediate dismissal was implied in the edge of her tone. Taylor flipped closed her notebook, noticing the damp spot that said she had slept deep enough to drool. In any other class she would be mildly concerned about photos, but not in here, not with Mrs. Hall's hawk-eyed gaze.

After packing up her backpack, she stood and slung it onto her shoulders. Mrs. Hall watched her departure with as much contempt as one person could hold. The class didn't breathe, knowing that that wrath could easily be turned on them. Only when the door swung shut behind Taylor, did the tension begin to ebb away.

As Taylor made her way to the office, she tried to rid the gritty feeling from her eyes. If it hadn't been for her mother waking her up and checking in that she was moving, Taylor wouldn't have even come to school.

The efforts of last night had left her feeling wrung out, more than most incidents caused. Part of the problem could be the constant ache in her face from where she had been punched and where an ugly bruise now lived.

With the mantra of 'get to the school office, get to the school office' running in her head, Taylor rubbed her eyes again and blindly collided with the office door. She stumbled and managed to right herself, surprised that she arrived faster than she planned. Shaking off the collision, she stepped inside.

Along the wall of glass - that looked out onto the hallway, there was a row of chairs. Already seated was a boy with dark brown hair styled to a perfect mess, a face with the jaw of a greek god, green eyes, and a physique honed by sports: Dominic Parker.

Despite never having had a conversation with him, Dominic stared at her. Taylor ignored his attention and plopped into one of the chairs, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes.

When a hand landed on her arm, she started. The air around her seemed to freeze. Confused, Taylor looked from the hand to the arm to the body it was attached to.

"What did you just do?" Dominic asked.

Taylor shook off his hold and the odd sensation in the air vanished.

"I fell asleep in class," she said.

Dominic opened his mouth as if to say more but the door to the Principal's office opened and Principal Kent stepped out.

"Dominic, come in," she said.

Dominic looked at Taylor once more, then followed the Principal inside. Left in the quiet office, Taylor sank into her chair, waiting her fate. It was fifteen minutes later that Dominic emerged and Taylor got called in. As she passed Dominic, he studied her as if she were something unknown. Unable to make sense of the look, she pushed it aside.

Kent's office had the generic look of any school official, diplomas saying that she deserved respect and filing cabinets that said she held your past and future.

"Taylor, sit down," Principal Kent said, gesturing to the chair.

Taylor did as instructed and leaned her head against her fist.

"Why don't you tell me why you're here," Kent said, lacing her fingers over her stomach.

"I fell asleep in Mrs. Hall's class, an act of terrorism if ever there was one."

At this Principal Kent's lips twitched at a smile. "Yes, Cynthia does have a fierceness about her teaching that is...forceful. But as far as her lessons are concerned I know she can keep a student engaged, so it couldn't be boredom for why you fell asleep."

Taylor crossed her arms and sank lower. "I had a late night, that's all."

Principal Kent silently regarded Taylor, seeming to weigh a million things in her mind.

"You know I am aware of the incident of this summer," she said. "I am also aware that this dozing off isn't the first occurrence. I know going through what you did can have a serious effect on one's dreams. Are you sleeping all right?"

Taylor palmed her eyes. "Some nights. Most are pretty broken."

It was the truth, or as close to it as she could get without spilling her guts.

"I see," Principal Kent said, with an understanding smile.

Before she could say more, the door opened and Taylor's parents hurried in. Standing side by side they struck an odd pair. Her father: tall, broad-shouldered, and dark in contrast with her mother: petite, blonde and pale. The one similarity about them was their concerned expressions.

"Mr. and Mrs. Barnes," Principal Kent said, rising. "I'm pleased you could come on such short notice. Please take a seat."

Taylor's parents took chairs on either side of Taylor as if to show how she had come to be with her slim build and light brown skin. Even knowing that with her more forgiving skin the bruise on her face was less visible, Taylor rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and covered it with her hand. A pair of sunglasses and a quick getaway that morning had meant that her parents didn't see the results of her late night failure with Vincent.

It meant that what she could do was still a secret from them.

"I wanted you both here," Kent said. "Because not only has Taylor had incidents of falling asleep in class, but her grades have been gradually slipping. Not by much, but enough that if this rate progresses she could fail Senior year."

The shock on her parent's faces made Taylor want to disappear into the chair beneath her. Already her life was complicated enough. This was just the sour cherry on top of it all.

"Taylor has just been explaining to me that nightmares have been causing poor sleep," Kent said.

When her parents turned to her, Taylor was tempted to vanish. Hurt and sadness played across their features at the truth that she had been withholding this from them.

"Sweetheart," her mother said. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"We could have helped you," her father said.

Taylor's secret knocked against the inside of her chest, pushing to be let out. She looked between the two worried faces, seeing all too clearly the age written there in their deep wrinkles.

"I didn't want to burden you about it," Taylor said.

Her mother stroked Taylor's tangled dark hair, brow troubled. "Oh, honey we want to know about these things. I know a lot of ways we can help your sleep."

Taylor knew this but the one solution was one her mother didn't have and that was stopping criminals from making a mess of the city.

"Thank you for calling us," Taylor's father said to Kent.

Kent dipped her head. "Of course. As for Taylor's grades-"

"I have a solution for that," Taylor said, not wanting to prolong this meeting. "Mr. Wood offers tutoring after school."

It was true, but Taylor hadn't thought about going. Now it seemed she would have to.

"Great," Kent said. "I will be watching to see how you improve. Know that if you need assistance that I'm here to help."

Taking this as a dismissal, even if it wasn't a complete one, Taylor stood.

"Thanks," she said.

Her parents followed, her father stopping to shake the Principal's hand before heading out into the main office.

"Tonight we'll try some chamomile tea and see how that helps," Taylor's mother said. "I'm glad Mr. Wood-"

"Taylor, what happened to your face?" her father said, startled.

No longer having a reason to have her hand to her cheek, her bruise was on full display. Her mother let out a gasp. Seeing her parent's concern was a physical stab to Taylor's chest.

"You know they should really put warnings on locker doors," she said, infusing a light note into her voice. "Those things can be deadly."

Her mother's lips twisted in sympathy, a bit of her shock subsiding. Taylor was waiting for the time when one minor injury wouldn't send her parents into a state of worry, but it had been six months and that was still the gut reaction. Part of her understood, what had happened to her hadn't been minor and neither were the results.

"I'm fine, mom," Taylor said.

"Maybe we should get your eyes checked out. We don't know if they could have been damaged by..." She paused, pain filling her eyes.

"Mom, it's fine. My eyes are just fine. It took me by surprise, that's all."

Though it wasn't technically a lie, that didn't seem to matter to the gnawing feeling in her stomach. When her parents exchanged a glance, Taylor went on.

"It's been six months," she said, waiting to forestall a pointless trip to an optometrist. "I think we would have seen signs of serious eye damage before this. I'm fine. It was just a surprise attack."

Again the twist in her chest didn't budge at the half admittance. Her father gave her a small smile.

"We want you to be safe, that's all," he said.

"I know. But I'm okay."

She didn't know if that was true, but she needed them to believe it. The bell rang and classroom doors crashed open as students flooded the hallway.

"I need to get back to campus," her father said, the tide of students reminding him of the ones that needed him. He kissed Taylor's head. "I'll see you at home. Know that whatever help you need, we're here."

"Thanks, dad."

"Do you need to come home?" her mother said, cupping Taylor's face. "I can cancel my clients for this afternoon."

"It's fine. I don't want to make anything worse by missing a class."

"Okay. We'll see you later. We love you."

Her mother kissed her cheek and Taylor felt like the scum of the earth for making them worry so much.

"Love you too."

When they left, Taylor stood there feeling the weight of more challenges resting on her shoulders. On top of tailing Vincent Fitzpatrick for Detective Weston, getting her grades in order, finding time to sleep, Taylor realized she needed to learn some form of self-defense. Last night wasn't the first time she had been caught by surprise and paid for it but she needed it to be the last.

Looking out on the glass wall, Taylor caught sight of Dominic. An idea sparked in her mind. As she approached Dominic, she realized a girl with glossy black hair, porcelain skin, and beautiful features talked with him. The girl leaned towards Dominic, her mouth curled in a teasing smile.

"Dominic," Taylor said, grabbing his attention.

The girl stopped talking, looked at Taylor, and flicked her hand.

"Go away," she commanded, with an air that said she planned on being obeyed.

"Wasn't talking to you," Taylor said, eyes on Dominic.

Dominic held her gaze, a strange intensity in the look though his posture was relaxed and self-assured.

"You are interrupting something," the girl said, icily.

"Don't care, I only need a minute."

Around her, Taylor heard as conversations lowered, students attune the sound of conflict. The girl took a step towards Taylor, hand on her hip.

"Seriously?" the girl challenged.

"Yeah, seriously, it will only take a minute."

Before the girl could lash out on Taylor, Dominic spoke.

"Elena, it's fine. What do you want?" he asked, bored.

Elena spun on Dominic. "You're joking? Make her go away."

"Chill, I'm just asking a question," Taylor said. "After that, you can go back to flirting with him."

Face flushing at the snippets of laughter, Elena strode away, fuming. Taylor ignored the crowd and Elena's dramatic exit.

"I want you to teach me how to fight," she said, answering Dominic's question.

Taylor had no time for edging into the matter and figured she was better at hurling a question at someone than easing in. Dominic raised an eyebrow, aware that people were watching their exchange.

"Is that so?"

She had no response since she felt she didn't need to repeat herself, her straight forward gaze sufficient.

"Why do you think I can teach you?" he asked.

"Everyone knows you've taken classes or whatever to help improve your response time on the field. It's the reason other guys have done it as well."

"Ah and since I'm the best you came to me." He smirked, but Taylor didn't react. "Why not just take a cute little self-defense class at the women's gym?"

"I don't have time to waste on other's not understanding the lessons. I need private and I need to learn fast."

Dominic stretched, completely unconcerned with Taylor's need and seeming bored of the conversation.

"Look, I don't have time to teach you some moves so you can beat up your ex-boyfriend or whatever. Find someone else to bother with your problem."

Before Taylor could come up with a counter-argument, Dominic walked away, quickly surrounded by his friends. Taylor stood scowling at the wall of lockers, trying to form a new plan.

A hand resting on her arm startled her from her thoughts. Tensing, she spun around. A vaguely familiar boy with bronze skin, a defined face, dark chocolate brown eyes, and short auburn hair was stood near her. Though he was a few inches taller than Taylor, something in his quiet countenance made her feel as if they were on equal footing.

"Hey," he said. "I'm Clint. We have Calculus together."

That at least explained the familiarity.

"Okay, hi Clint."

Clint stuffed his hands into his pockets as if he didn't know what to do with them.

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with Dominic," he said. "This might sound odd but I could teach you to fight. I've been learning martial arts since I was little. My family owns a gym, I can teach you there."

Taylor studied him then. Contrary to his unassuming air, he was fit. His arms were toned and the way he wore his t-shirt she could tell the rest of him matched.

"What's in it for you?" she asked, cocking her head.

He shrugged. "It sounded like you could use the help, that's all." The statement was countered as he glanced at her bruise. "Also I have four older sisters and I figured any girl who wants to be able to protect herself should be able to."

"And that's just it? You'll train me because I simply need help."

Clint rubbed the back of his neck, not meeting Taylor's gaze. "One of my sisters might have also pointed out that I have a lack of female trainees and mocked me for being scared to train a girl."

Taylor nodded, hearing the ring of truth. "Well, thanks."

"If you want, we can start after school?"

Taylor didn't have to think about it, the pain in her face meant she had no other choice.

"Sure."

The bell rang, reminding them where they were and where they should be. With a nod, Clint walked off. Taylor felt a fraction of relief. At least next time she faced an attacker she would be prepared.

Now all she had to do was balance training with homework, eating, sleeping, breathing, and saving the world.

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

To the Bat Cave!

Sidekick Sunshine Girl waiting for your report on the chapter! What do you have for me? 🦸🏻🦸🏾‍♂️🦹🏽

Yes, get used to this because I'm going full on superhero - nerd - weirdo on this book! My author's notes are going to be so full of superhero lingo we will be able to form our own Avengers/Justice League by the time we're done!

But let's settle this once and for all right now: are we Avengers or Justice League?

I gotta say I'm all for Avengers!

OOHHHH!!! If I'm the sidekick does this mean I can be Shuri from Black Panther!?! Technically, she brings sunshine where she is because she's happy and brilliant! (Also we'll just ignore the fact that sadly I'm white)

Pick the Avenger that you are!

Vote, comment, follow, but only if you stand for the common way of life!