All My Life

13| Are you okay?

A highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury. That is the definition of pain that I read from my Uncle's old Oxford dictionary. The countless definitions slowly faded, just like Uncle Ben. So, why do I suddenly remember the words, the answer might be the burning sensation that shook my entire body making Ned give me concerned, sideways glances as the tour guide droned on and on about some cross-genetic experiments.

"Dude, are you okay?" Ned finally asks as he takes in my disastrous shivering. I rub the back of my neck as an aftermath of the stinging sensation I felt a few minutes ago. I slowly nod my head, my best friend's words going just as blurry as the colours around me.

"We are supposed to have twelve spiders but I believe one of the scientists must be working on one, thus the absence." Ms Jane's voice drone as my world tip sideways. I feel the warmth of a delicate hand on my shoulder, steadying me and I silently thank the person.

Soft brown eyes, brimming with concern, encompasses my vision. "You don't look so good, Peter." MJ's voice echoes in my head with a larger intensity than I anticipated, but her using my actual name covers up all the other doubts. The last time she used my full name, Flash had beaten the shit out of me, leaving me limp on the ground.

I wouldn't really call that reassuring...

Cold fingers come in contact with my forehead making me sigh in bliss. "You are burning up, Parker!" She turns to Ned and says something inaudible before taking off in the opposite direction, leaving me with a nodding Ned.

Hey! That has a nice ring to it! Nodding Ned, hehe...

"Come on, Peter. Let's get you a seat." Ned mumbles beside me, making me frown and feel like a toddler.

I do not need babysitting...

"I'm absolutely fine!" I protest but soon groan as a wave of excruciating pain washes over me, leaving me gasping with a smirking Ned giving me a 'yeah, sure' look. I let him guide me to some seats in the corner of the hall.

My eyes water with another wave of pain as Ned passes me a water bottle and I gladly accept it. I feel the need of Aunt May carding her fingers through my curls, just like she always did whenever I am in physical or emotional distress.

I wanna go home...

I watch MJ walking towards us and give a quick nod in Ned's direction. Ned bends down and I watch in confusion as he opens up my backpack and grabs the StarkPhone before pushing it towards me. I look at them both with an arched eyebrow just after I shake off another painful wave.

"You are going home." MJ declares as she folds her arms like she always does to make me or Ned do what she wants us to. "I am not going home, I am completely fine." I suppress a small groan and MJ's eyes narrow at me.

Gosh, what's wrong with me!

"Dude, you're burning up and shivering as if someone dumped an ice bucket on you," Ned says, supporting MJ's argument.

Sweet Betrayal...

"Won't be my first time." I try to humour them with the ice bucket thing. Keyword being: 'try'. "Shut up and call May, Parker, or I will," MJ says, without a glint of humour in her eyes.

So that's what failure feels like...

"I can't call, May! It's her shift and you guys already know, we are walking on thin ice." I argue back, knowing they will easily understand. The good thing about having a small circle was that your friends turn into a family in no time. Thus, it is expected of us to know almost everything about each other.