40|Clark Kent

                                    

                                          
Ava sobbed loudly as soon as she was in her room, after getting home. She was glad her parents were out so they didn't ask what happened. She phoned Mason as soon as she'd stopped crying and told him what happened. She spent the night crying herself to sleep. 
                          
When Ava woke up in the morning the first thing she thought was that she couldn't go to school. A lot of people had arrived at the road last night and she just knew rumours would be spreading around about her.
                          
"Ava." Scott said the next morning as he walked into her room and tried to pull the covers off of her.
                          
Ava grabbed her quilt and fake coughed. "No, I'm... I'm sick. I'm sick."
                          
"You're not sick." Scott said. 
                          
"Yeah, I'm like deathly ill." She said. "It's serious. I think... I think it's the flu."
                          
"It's not flu season." Scott told her.
                          
"Uh, then I probably have pneumonia." Ava said.
                          
"Ava, you're a werewolf. You can't get pneumonia. But you know what you can get is in trouble for being late to school. So come on, let's go." Scott said and quickly pulled her covers off of her, so he could actually see her.
                          
"I don't think I should go to school. Or outside. Or anywhere. Ever again." Ava said and pulled her quilt back over her head.
                          
"It doesn't matter what you think, okay? Because you gotta go." Scott told her. "Now all you do is pretend like nothing happened."
                          
"Pretend? I'm just supposed to pretend?" Ava demanded and sat up pushing her quilt away.
                          
"Think of it like when Superman gets caught with his glasses off. You know, he doesn't give up." Scott said. "He puts them back on and says I'm still Clark Kent."
                          
"You want me to wear glasses?" Ava asked confused.
                          
"No!" Scott exclaimed. "I want you to go to school, okay?" 
                          
As he said this, Scott grabbed her ankle through her quilt and dragged her off her bed and she landed on the floor.
                          
"And be Ava Dunbar. Just like how Superman has to be Clark Kent, like Spider Man and Captain America..."
                          
"Captain America is just Steve Rogers." Ava said and Scott looked confused. "He doesn't have to pretend. Everyone already loves him. Unlike us, who everyone hates. They hate us for trying to save their lives."
                          
"You're right." Scott said and crouched down in front of her. "We are trying to save lives. Which is why you're gonna get up and go to school and pretend like nothing happened. Because if you don't, more people could die."
                          
"Because of me." Ava said and Scott saw the tears filling her eyes. 
                          
He moved to sit by her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 
                          
"I didn't really know Brett or Lori. Well, not like you did. But I know you." Scott said. "And if you're afraid of seeing more of your friends die, you'll go. Just know I understand, and you come to me whenever you need."
                          
Scott hugged her tightly then left her room so she could get dressed.
                          
Ava got to school and when she walked through the doors, it seemed okay for the moment.
                          
"Okay. Not bad so far." Mason said walking up to her with Theo. "This might be easier than we thought."
                          
"Maybe." Ava said nervously.
                          
"Have I missed something?" Theo asked confused.
                          
The three carried on walking through the hallway and everyone around them seemed to sense Ava's presence as they all turned to look at her.