Peter Parker & Tom Holland Imagines

beyond the lights pt.3

Monday Morning

I walk into school the same way I always do. My first period books pressed close to my chest, and eyes glued to the ground in the crazy hope that no one will look at me if I don't look at them. It usually fails miserably, but it also saves me the embarrassment and self-loathing from all the looks people give me.

Today is unusual. Nobody stops me or tries to taunt me before classes. Nope, there's not a bully in sight the whole way to my locker. That's when I realize why. Who needs to torment someone in person when you can set the trap in advance and film the whole thing, right?

Drawn across my locker—and a few unfortunate neighbors—is a rotting zombie face with the torment underneath it. My stomach churns at the sight of it, and I keep a stoic face to avoid any further enjoyment from them. They're laughter surrounds me as I spin my combination in, and the moment the door swings open, a hundred more drawings tumble out, likely with more 'creative' nicknames for 'Little Miss Emotionless.'

I brush the papers to the floor and toss in my books. "You might want to clean up before you get detention for littering, Eugene."

"Shut up, Robot." He snaps and shoves me into the wall as he walks past me.

The knobs of the locker dig into my back just beneath the shoulder blade, and I'm sure it's gonna leave a bruise. The pain making my eyes water with tears. I try to hold them back as I run to the bathrooms to hide away until no one will know I ever cried from their taunts.

"Deep breaths. One, two, three, four." I talk myself through the breathing exercise I was taught to push away the negative thoughts and settle down any anxiety. It doesn't work though. The tears still stream down my face. I tug at the roots of my hair as my breathing and shaking become more ragged. "Not now, not now, not now."

"Oh my gosh. Did you see her face? That was so hilarious." A girl whose voice I recognize as part of Flash's little group. "She looked like she was actually gonna cry or something."

"It was totally worth coming early to set that up." Her friend chimes in, and I have to clamp a hand over my mouth to keep from getting sick at the thought of how far they went to torment me. "I mean, c'mon, she didn't even look that upset when her grandpa supposedly died."

"He didn't supposedly die." A familiar voice that I recognize after a moment. It's Liz Allen, one of the girls in the play with me and a tentative friend. "I was working as an office assistant last semester. Her parents had to call with the news. She was devastated. They were actually really close, and you should be ashamed of yourself for saying stuff like that."

"What? Don't act all high and might, Lizzy. Everyone knows you like her just about as much as I do." The first girl taunts, and I can hear her spraying more of that obnoxious Bath & Body Works spray she thinks smells amazing. "Plus, it's not like she doesn't already know or will hear us."

I take that as my cue to enter. My eyes are dry and likely red, and cheeks blotchy. "You sure about that? Really should be more careful about where you talk trash about people. It's always so embarrassing when they hear you." I taunt her as I wash my hands, not caring about the water droplets that drip and splash on her shoes and make her screech.

My first period teacher offers me an understanding smile when I walk into class late. I can feel her apologetic grin and the taunting looks that follow me to my seat. My only friend and fellow loner, MJ gives me brief nod from the seat next to me. She shows me a page in her sketchbook of me facing off with Flash. "You looked so badass doing that by the way."

"Felt good to stand up to him for once." I whisper back to her. "Someone ought to."

...