Phoenix [1] Peter Parker

Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen:

The city lit up the night, it was Saturday which meant a lot of people were out. Hazel walked aimlessly among strangers, she had to get out of her house. A change of pace for her attitude, her personality. Everything.

The small shell she had escaped from was rushing back into focus, closing back up. Caving back in. Before Hazel had moved into a better neighbourhood, people thought she was strange. Strange because how could a child- a teenager be so quite in a city so loud?

Her parents divorce certainly didn't help. New school, new people, new everything. Then, Hazel slowly started talking to more people, first a girl she couldn't even remember her name, then Michelle who Hazel still wonders why she started talking to her because Hazel was a little weird. She'd always wanted to try to talk to Peter but he started to disappear then he came to school one day with a black eye and he limped for about a week. He said some guy named Steve had beat him up, that before he went down Peter got a few punches. After that, Hazel didn't bother trying to talk to him. Michelle said to stay away so she did.

Michelle had been her only friend for years until Liz sat next to her in the cafeteria and demanded to talk to Hazel about her design for some welcoming assembly.

Hazel frowned, she'd never thought about any of this in detail before. Just that it had happened and that she'd moved on or forgotten about it.

Someone ran into her, she stumbled back before regaining her balance.

What would it do, remembering. It can't change anything, no matter what, her mother was still dead.

Her dad had told her just two hours before. Hazel trotted down the stairs staring at her phone. Her dad stood in the kitchen leaning against the counter, her little sister waiting patiently at his side. He made them both sit down and as soon as Hazel's butt it in the chair he just blurted it.

"Your mother's dead." He told them, "Died in a car accident, downtown."

Hazel's mind went wild, emotions flying around everywhere. She didn't believe it.

"When?" Hazel had asked, "How? I thought she was in Florida!"

"When you were at your dance." He whispered, "The security tape from the street corner shows a man falling from the sky wearing some big contraption." His voice broke, shaking his head. "It sounds ridiculous."

Hazel shook her own head, standing up she refused to believe it.

"He landed on her car, crushed her to death."

"Why was she in New York?" Her sister whispered, not really understanding the situation.

"For a visit." He looked down at his youngest daughter, "To come surprise you guys. She hadn't seen you in years."

Hazel took a deep breath before rushing to the front door, she grabbed a sweater that hung loosely on the rack as she swung open the front door. Leaving it open she stumbled down the porch steps and shoved her hands into her pocket walking in a random direction.

Now she was here. In the heart of the city, walking from corner to corner looking for any sign that might make the news any more real. Her phone buzzed for awhile, but it ran out of power hours ago. Her dad attempting to call her, probably wanting her to come back home.

Frowning Hazel crossed the street, her third favourite sandwich shop sat in between a laundry mat and small art shop. Hazel slipped in and sat at the counter, sighing she placed her elbows on the hard surface and watched out the large windows.

"Can I help you?"

Hazel looked up, a small woman stood there staring her.

"I don't have any money." Hazel said rubbing her eyes, she hadn't blinked in awhile because it helped with her crying in public problem that she swore she'd never do anymore.