Outnumbered

Chapter 5

Entering May and Happy's apartment without knocking seems rude even though they've told Peter again and again that he's welcome any time. He has a key, but he knocks and waits for May to open the door anyway.

"Baby," she squeals, giving him a tight hug before pulling away to check him over. She's tan from her two weeks in Hawaii and already in her scrubs for work; Peter knows she's leaving for her shift at the hospital soon, that they're just doing a quick, early dinner to catch-up. "You look exhausted. AP week must've taken a lot out of you, huh? How's everything else at school?"

It's a general question, one that shouldn't bother Peter so much, but it does because school, which has always been easy and the least of his worries, is suddenly giving him anxiety.

Like, can't sleep, no appetite, willing to skip class to avoid feeling overwhelmed in certain classes, anxiety.

But it also means she knows. About the Griggs situation.

Did he really think Tony wouldn't tell her?

He hasn't wanted to admit it, but taking three AP classes as a junior was much harder than Peter thought it would be. His honors classes may be tedious and take up much of his afternoons during both the week and weekend, but school has never felt exceedingly overwhelming like it does now. And even though he eventually caught up on the material he missed while he was out, and even though he took all of the exams last week and is finished with AP classes for the year, he's worried he won't score high enough to get college credit on any of them. The overwhelming reminder that May paid hundreds of dollars for him to potentially bomb all three tests and lose out on college credits has weighed heavily on him all week because he doesn't feel like he's done his best. That, and the dean referral situation with Griggs had only made him even more panicked about needing approved accommodations from College Board during testing.

It's not that Peter doesn't trust his teachers since that day in math class.

Okay, so maybe he's nervous about having to fight another referral even though Tony reminded him during their internship this week that it's in his 504 plan that he can walk out of class whenever he needs to for diabetes-related issues, no questions asked, and go to the nurse without penalty.

Still, all of that hadn't made AP week, needing accommodations just to fairly take his tests, any easier.

He'd sat in a stuffy room with six other students who needed extended time. MJ was already seated when Peter had arrived. He didn't approach her about it because he didn't feel like it was his business, figured maybe she had test anxiety or ADD. That didn't stop him from wondering, though. While testing, he'd had a few lows and highs, had drank apple juice and programmed a few corrections. As he'd sat in that testing room, he secretly wished he'd used his accommodations for smaller tests as practice, had come up with the perfect pre-test breakfast to keep him steady despite his anxiety.

Peter realizes May is waiting for him to answer, has a hand on her hip in anticipation.

"School is...school." He shrugs, tries to be nonchalant. He doesn't want to talk about Griggs right now.

"I heard about the prototype for NASA. I'm so proud of you!" she exclaims, kissing him on the forehead. "Oh!" she says, eyes lighting up. "I bought you some toiletries and snacks for your trip this weekend," May announces, grabbing a Target bag from the dining room table and bringing it over to the couch. "Look through it and let me know if I missed anything important."

There's the usual, like toothpaste and deodorant, but then there's a few packs of Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Pringles, and Chex Mix. They're the snacks she buys for annual school trips to places like MoMA or The Liberty Science Center, which is why a pang of sadness settles in Peter's stomach. She's trying to make this trip anything but a big deal even though he knows she's just as nervous as he is.