Aurum ✧ Peter Parker

✧ ˚ 23 · twenty-three .

"So how was the date?" Michelle smirked, looking up from the book in her hands. Ava's eyes widened, caught off guard by Michelle's knowledge of her private life.

"How did you know about that?" Ava asked, her curiosity piqued.

Michelle shook her head with a sly grin, "I have my ways. So, spill the details. Who's the lucky guy?"

Ava opened her locker, trying to downplay the situation. "It's not a big deal, really. Just a casual coffee date."

Liz couldn't contain her excitement, "Casual or not, you were wearing that expensive dress yesterday!"

Ava sighed, knowing she couldn't escape the prying questions. "Well, all of my clothes are expensive, Liz. It's not just about the date."

Liz waved her hand dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. So, was it Jackson? Or Josh? Please tell me it wasn't Flash!"

Ava turned around from her locker, giving Liz an amused look. "It wasn't Flash, I promise. And you're not going to guess, so don't even bother."

Michelle leaned against the locker beside Ava's, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Come on, Ava, give us a hint."

Ava shook her head, "Sorry, guys, no hints today. I'm not ready to share all the details just yet."

Liz and Michelle exchanged knowing glances, but Ava was determined to keep her private life private, at least for now. 

As Ava closed her locker, she felt a mix of relief and determination. She valued her friendship with Liz and Michelle, but there were some things she wanted to keep to herself for the time being, especially her newfound connection with Peter.

"So, are we still up for our movie night this weekend?" Ava asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her dating life.

Liz smiled, happy to move on. "Definitely! I heard there's a new superhero movie playing. We should totally go see it."

Michelle nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me."

As they continued down the hallway, Ava noticed Ned and Peter approaching from the other end. They were engrossed in a lively conversation, and Ava couldn't help but smile at the sight of them together. Peter's eyes lit up as he saw Ava, and he waved at her enthusiastically.

"Hey, Ava!" Peter called out, his excitement evident in his voice.

"Hey, Peter!" Ava replied, feeling her heart skip a beat. She tried to act nonchalant, but being around him always made her feel a little giddy.

As they met in the middle of the hallway, Ned gave Ava a friendly nod. "What's up, Ava?"

"Not much, just heading to class," Ava replied, trying to keep her cool.

Peter looked genuinely interested. "Did you have a good evening? Anything exciting happen?"

Ava thought about the thrilling encounter with the thugs in the alley, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Just the usual," she said, keeping things vague.

As the group reached their first class, the bell signalling the start of the lesson rang through the hallways. Liz smiled warmly at Ava, giving her a quick goodbye before making her way to her own class. Michelle, ever the bookworm, quickly took her seat in a quiet corner, her nose buried in the pages of a novel she seemed to be devouring.

Ned and Peter exchanged knowing glances, and Ned patted the empty desk next to him invitingly. "Come on, Ava, you can sit with us," he said cheerfully.

Ava hadn't had that particular class before, so she gladly accepted the invitation and settled into the desk between Ned and Peter. It was a relief to have friendly faces around her, especially in a new environment.