New Year, New Beginnings

Locker Knocker Time!

"Hey, Puny Parker!"

Peter winced as he closed his locker and waited for the inevitable. (see what I did there HAHAHA)

Gwen, who had a locker close to Peter, looked at him in confusion.

Our protagonist just sighed and gestured for her to get to class without him.

However, the blonde just leveled him with an unimpressed look.

"That Sasquatch loping towards me is the reigning football star Flash Thompson. There's always this rigid consistency to our relationship."

She backed away when said bully approached them. Grinning like a shark, he shoved Peter into a locker and slammed the door shut. "Catch you next fall [REDACTED]."

From the cracks in the top of the locker, he saw Flash lean on a locker and start flirting with Gwen. However, she looked like she was about to rip Flash a new one, when a voice yelled out. "Hey, you crazy kids! Get to class!"

Thompson and his goons scampered off, while the girl looked at the locker nervously.

"I'll take care of it," said the mysterious voice, and motioned for her to get going.

The locker door opened, and Peter's jaw dropped. "STAN???"

Janitor Stan Lee laughed heartily. "Well, if it isn't Peter Parker. You're probably wondering what I'm doing here. You see, I got a promotion. I no longer have to deal with annoying pre-teens and young teenagers, I have to deal with horny teenagers instead!" he ended sarcastically.

Peter rolled his eyes and smiled. Stan was a friendly face to count on, and literally everyone was friends with him.

However, the janitor was continuing his monologue. "You should punch out that big goon. Stand up for yourself boy. Why, when I was your age, you'd think I let some slab of beef push me around? No sirrree Bob. It's just like I was telling Irving Forbush the other day. 'Irving' I said. 'You are nobody's doormat!'"

Peter rolled his eyes and ran to class.

*Lunch, in the Science room*

Mr. Harrington closed the door and put a top hat on the table.

Everyone looked at him in confusion.

"So, if you're here, it means you made it into the Academic Decathlon team, a few of you being alternates."

"However, I expect all of you to show up regularly for practices. The first competition is an unofficial one, next week. We'll be going up against Grenwich High, in a friendly contest, to prepare for the first tournament in two months."

The teacher pointed at two guys.

"Jason, Brad, you're the alternates. Both of you still have to attend the meetings, just in case something happens and someone can't make it. Capiche?"

The two of them nodded. Jason seemed alright with the arrangement, but Brad had a scowl on his face and didn't look too pleased at being made a substitute.

Since it was the first meeting, it was spent mainly with everyone introducing themselves.

Peter mentally filed all the information on everyone's strong points away for future reference.

Computers and Math

-Ned Leeds

-Vihaan Ramamurthy

Science

-Peter Parker

-Gwen Stacy

-Cindy Moon

Politics

-Michelle Jones

Pop Culture

-Kitty Pryde

-Randy Robertson

Mythology

-Kloi Fauleynos

*After school*

Peter and MJ walked home together, because Harry was out sick. As they crossed the street, the brunette noticed a flyer stuck to a bus shelter.

It read:

Nelson and Murdock

Attorneys at Law

363 South 4th Street

Looking for a high-school intern

Call us at ###-###-####

Peter photographed the flyer and caught up to MJ, resolving to check it out tomorrow.