Peter Parker Imagines

69. Begin Again - Part Seven

a/n: lol

warnings: angst (which is a given at this point), language, death mentions/allusions, ptsd/anxiety, underage drinking and...👀

my requests are CLOSED

Mr. Parker and Miss L/N,

We are pleased to inform you that your submission for Nostalgia - a Photography Competition, has won first place! 

The price includes a gift certificate and an offer to present your winning piece at the showing next weekend. If you decide to come you will receive a certificate outlining your award as well as opportunities to meet with leaders of internship programs and jobs looking to hire creative college students over the summer.

We invite you to bring your family and friends...

That was where you stopped reading.

You stared at the email while chewing your bottom lip, already feeling the anxiety rising in your chest. Screw the lame gift certificate, winning in general meant a lot to you - it would look great on resumes if your parents ever let you go into photography as a career. Plus getting the opportunity to show your work to internships and jobs? There was no reason to pass it up.

Except one, of course.

But there was no way you were going to let Peter get in the way of what you wanted just because you didn't want to stand next to him for a few minutes and present your project.

With a sigh you shut your laptop and grabbed your bag, scrambling to find your phone. There was only one person who could probably cheer you up, and if someone told you a month or two ago that person would be Harry, you would've laughed in their face.

He was nice. And funny. And more than eager to be your friend. 

You weren't exactly as close with him as you had been with Peter, but you were fine with that. It wasn't easy being friends with someone again when you weren't sure if they were gonna snatch their friendship back like Peter did, so you were careful to not get too invested and dependent on Harry, even though you had only really started being friends with him a few weeks ago.

Though in all honestly, you might have done anyway - you knew how he felt about you, and it didn't seem like that would change anytime soon. The last thing you wanted to do was accidentally lead him on by getting too close.

But you knew he would be excited about the news of your project winning, and you needed someone to be happy for you today. Your parents probably wouldn't care less, and your other friends weren't as excited about photography as you were. Peter would absolutely not say anything, and you didn't think you would want him to anyway, not anymore.

Your thumbs typed a few words into your messages with Harry, seeing if he wanted to get lunch and you were dying to get out of your room. He was quick to reply and say yes, so you grabbed your bag and shoved your phone in your pocket, grateful for the excuse to leave.

-

He responded just like you thought he would.

"That's great, Y/N, I'm so happy for you," Harry gave you a wide smile, shaking your shoulders a bit while you laughed. "You should be really proud of yourself."

"Thanks," you smiled back, glad that you told him. He always managed to match your cheery mood, something that Peter didn't usually do. Not that you were making comparisons, or anything.