Chapter 1 : Mirandas Life

Original Post: September 18, 2021Edited: August 24, 2024 ______

"You don't understand how unfair this is!" I shouted, frustration boiling over as I glared at Alex, my best friend since I was seven.

"You really think you need to tell me that? I know!" she shot back, her voice edged with exasperation. "I get that Iron Man had to stop Thanos, but come on—couldn't Marvel have found some crazy way to keep Tony alive?"

"I know!... Did you see how Pepper, Peter, and Morgan reacted? It was gut-wrenching!" I was practically tearing my hair out as Alex navigated us through the city streets, heading back to our apartment. "Morgan just wanted a frickin' cheeseburger! And 'I love you 3000!' Ugh!"

Alex and I met in foster care when I was seven, and she was ten. We've been inseparable ever since, even after she was adopted by a kind but extremely religious couple. Now, we're 19 and 22, living together in a small but cozy apartment. I work as a mechanic, while Alex is juggling college life, majoring in nursing. She's the brainiac between us. I mean, I'm no slouch, but college just wasn't in the cards for me financially. I excelled in school, even got accepted into a few colleges, but the scholarships were never enough to stop me from worrying about money.

"I just don't get how they could kill off Loki, then Iron Man, AND make Cap old. PLUS Nat!" Alex ranted, her words tumbling out in a passionate rush. "And Thor as a fat man! The horror!"

I love watching Marvel movies, but I usually keep my feet planted firmly in reality. Still, this—this hit me hard. It was like they lined up all my favorite characters just to knock them down one by one.

"You know what's worse?" I added, my voice thick with resignation. "Marvel movies are basically over for the Avengers now. Everyone's either dead or no longer an Avenger. There's no one left."

"I don't even want to think about that. The only silver lining is that the Spider-Man movie is next. If they mess that up, I'm suing Marvel!" Alex declared, her face set in determination. For as long as I've known her, she's never been able to pick a favorite character—she loves them all with the same intensity.

"What if he dies?" I teased, a half-smirk on my face. She shot me a glare that could melt steel. "Kidding, kidding. He probably won't die. I just wonder how he'll cope now that Tony's gone." I bet Tony left him something; he treated him like his own son.

"He's probably devastated," Alex sighed as we pulled into the parking spot in front of our apartment. "By the way, James is coming over later if that's okay."

James is Alex's boyfriend of four years. Their parents introduced them, and they've been inseparable ever since.

"No problem. I've got to head to work anyway. One of the newbies called in 'sick' again," I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

Alex chuckled. "They always do. But you're ten times better than them anyway! You could be the next Tony Stark!" Her optimism was infectious, but sometimes I wondered if she was a little too imaginative.

"Yeah, right. I'm about to go whip up an Iron Woman suit and fly around," I joked, rolling my eyes. I mean, I'm a damn good mechanic, but nowhere near the level of engineering genius Tony Stark was. And even if I had the skills, the materials to make a suit like his don't exist in our reality. I would know—I tried drawing up plans for one after watching Iron Man in high school.

"Cool, make me one too!" Alex laughed. I love her so much... as a friend. That's all we could ever be; I wouldn't risk our friendship. "What time do you have to be at work?"

"I need to leave in 20 minutes to make it on time. I probably won't be back until close, unless by some miracle the guy gets cured from his mysterious illness."

"Want me to drive you?" she offered, ever the thoughtful friend. I do have my license, thanks to her parents, who helped me with everything. But I don't have a car.

"Nope, I'm biking. I need some wind in my hair," I said, and she nodded as we walked into the building.

Our apartment isn't much, but it's home. It's small, but we've made it our own with a mix of thrift store finds and hand-me-downs. Alex headed straight to the fridge, rummaging around for ingredients to make dinner for James and herself while I went to my room to change into my work uniform. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail, but even then, it still brushed against my mid-back, so I twisted it into a bun.

"Mir!" Alex called from the kitchen, her voice echoing down the hallway. "Do you want me to make you a sandwich, or are you eating when you get back?"

She's like a big sister and a mother rolled into one—I can never tell where one ends and the other begins. "Can you make me a sandwich?" I called back.

"Obvi!" she shouted, the clatter of cabinets accompanying her words.

"Thanks!" I slipped on my work boots and clipped on my name tag before heading to the kitchen.

"I added chips and yogurt—put it in the fridge when you get to work," she said, sliding the lunch box across the counter to me. "And I might have thrown in some baby carrots."

Ugh, carrots. I don't hate them; I just don't like them. They're bland, and the texture makes me cringe.

"Don't give me that look. They're good for your eyes," she chided, shaking her head.

"I'll make sure they're eaten," I promised, though I was already planning to pawn them off on a coworker. "I'll see you later." We exchanged waves goodbye.

With my lunch in hand and my bag slung over my shoulder, I headed to the bike rack. Thanks to Alex's parents, we live in a safe neighborhood, so I don't have to worry about anyone stealing my bike. The ride to work was refreshing—the wind tugging at my hair, the city lights blurring into streaks as I sped through the streets. No one tried to run me over, which was always a plus.

"Miranda!" My boss greeted me with a smile as I walked into the shop. "Thanks for coming in on your day off. I'm so sorry about this."

"No problem. More hours mean more money, and more practice doesn't hurt either," I shrugged, trying to lighten the mood.

"As if you need more practice. I could blindfold you, and you'd still outshine everyone here," he laughed. I knew he wasn't wrong, but I wasn't about to brag.

"Anyway, once you've put your stuff away, I need you to start on that red Mercedes in the waiting zone."

"Got it, boss." I headed to the back room, stashed my lunch in the fridge, and hung up my bag and jacket in my locker. Mat, one of my longest-serving coworkers, was already there, sipping on yet another energy drink.

"Hey, Mat!"

"Hey, Miranda," he smiled, pulling the can away from his lips. He's one of those 'need an energy drink every hour' types, almost like Tony with his coffee and alcohol. "Did Henry call out again?"

"Yep. I'm just waiting for the boss to finally give up on him," I laughed. Henry, the newbie I'm covering for, is the boss's cousin or something. He's not a bad mechanic, just young and kind of like Stark before he was kidnapped—cocky and unreliable.

"By the time Henry gets fired, you'll be the one running this place," Mat joked.

"If I ever run this place, I'm firing everyone except you—you're the only one who actually gives a damn," I smirked, pulling on my fingerless glove.

"Good to know where your loyalties lie," he chuckled. We said our goodbyes and headed out.

I grabbed the Mercedes' paperwork and keys, then drove it into the shop. The notes said the wheels needed fixing, so I pulled it onto the scissor lift. I plugged in my earbuds and cranked up my favorite 60s and 80s tunes. I'm an old soul with a love for classic music. Sure, I enjoy some new stuff, but most of it just repeats the same lyrics over and over.

As I listened to Dion and removed the car wheel, I couldn't help but sulk over how easy this job was. You'd think by now my boss would know I don't like simple tasks. I was already almost done—it had only been eight minutes—when my boss tapped my shoulder, startling me. I pulled out one of my earbuds.

"Hey, Henry's here. You can head home once you finish this car," he said. Wow, how did he manage that?

"Oh, sure. I'll be done in three minutes. How'd you get Henry here?"

He smirked. "I called his father." Oh, he played the father card. "I'm an ass, but I'm also his boss. It's time he learned some responsibility," he shrugged.

"Yeah, but I didn't know you had it in you," I laughed. "I'll be done soon."

He nodded and walked away. I spotted Henry emerging from the front desk, looking annoyed, with papers and keys in hand.

I went back to work, thinking about how nice it would be to get home early. Maybe I'd call Alex to see if she and James wanted a date night. Just as I was finishing up, a black pickup truck barreled into the neighboring car lift, shaking the one holding the Mercedes. The next thing I knew, I was crushed to the ground, pain ripping through my body before everything went black.

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