A Not-So Canon Event | Miles Morales x OC

Chapter 2

"Nico Garcia-Parker!" The lovely voice of Aunt May echoed in our small apartment as she swung open the door to my bedroom.

"Five more minutes," I groaned, not wanting to escape slumber just yet. But of course my hopes were crushed as Aunt May pulled the covers off me revealing myself wearing nothing but boxers. I had placed my suit and the watch in my usual hiding spot in my closet and had crawled right into bed last night. Luckily, I did that because if Aunt May knew I was Spiderman, she'd have a heart attack. 

"You're going to be late to school, Nico. You can't miss the first day of your junior year! This is important because colleges are going to be looking for their next batch of students."

I sighed, not really enjoying the thought of returning to the halls of Lincoln Tech High School, but I had to make my family proud by being the first one to go to college. I sat up and gave May the best smile I could muster.

"I'm so excited." I said through my bared teeth and she laughed and shook her head. 

"Get dressed you goof. Breakfast is waiting on the counter. You better hurry or you'll miss the train."

Aunt May ruffled my hair a little bit before walking out my room and closing the door. I walked over to my closet and grabbed the watch that Miguel and Jess gave me last night. I still couldn't believe there were others out there like me with their own universes and stories. It was so surreal. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't any messages sent since I was given the device. So, I decided to place it in my pre-packed school bag that sat on my chair. I had completed all of my summer work the week after school let out in May because I knew crime would spike over break, which it did. Thankfully, I was able to find a healthy balance between my academics and being Spiderman. It was difficult but worth it. 

"You got 5 minutes, Nico!" Aunt May called out.

"Coming!" I quickly placed my suit in a plastic bag and stuffed it into the small pocket of my schoolbag and then threw on my school uniform. I then brushed my hair, which had grown to the middle of my back, and threw it into a man bun. I then grabbed my phone and MetroCard before running out of my room and into the kitchen.

Grabbing the foil-wrapped sandwich off the counter, I gave May a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door. 

"Love you, May!"

"Love you too, kiddo!"

Even though it would be easier if I had swung my way to school, I preferred taking the train mainly for two reasons. 1) I didn't feel like changing in and out of my suit and 2) my best friend MJ rode the train. As I entered the crowded subway, I spotted MJ sitting by herself, her bag plopped in the seat next to her securing my spot. She held tightly to her guiding cane, making sure it wouldn't fall onto the ground. I made my way over to her and she moved her bag allowing me to take a seat.

"You will not believe what happened to me last night." I said excitedly, taking a bit out of my bacon egg and cheese sandwich. MJ took an AirPod out of her ear and turned to face me. 

"Did you get hit by a car?"

"Very funny." 

"What? It would be something to hear that on the news. The great and powerful Spiderman gets hit by a - a - Toyota Prius. Oooh down goes Spidey."

I rolled my eyes. Ever since I told MJ I was Spiderman a year ago, she's made it her mission to come up with embarrassing events that could possibly happen to me during my patrols. 

"Unfortunately, I was not beaten by a small car. But I did fight a rhino in Central Park."

MJ's mouth dropped. "What?"

"And it was pink."

"What?!" She whisper-yelled, not trying to draw too much attention to us. "Tell. Me. Everything."

So that's what I did, making sure to describe everything in as much detail as I could. After explaining, MJ shook her head.

"And to think you were the only Spiderman, or Spider person I should say."

"Yeah," I sighed. "It's a lot to take in."

"I wonder if there are other Mary Janes out there. I wonder if they can see." MJ said, twisting her cane between her fingers.

MJ wasn't born blind. In fact, she was a very healthy person. They was until last year when she was involved in a car accident that nearly killed her, glass puncturing both her eyes. I wasn't there to stop the incident from happening as I was helping Aunt May run the laundromat she owned and we lived above. I remember apologizing to MJ multiple times as she laid in the hospital bed crying because she would no longer be able to see.

I placed my hand on top of hers, causing the fiddling to stop. "I'm sure none of the MJs are as cool as you." She smiled and leaned her head on my shoulder. We sat in silence until we finally arrived to our stop.

Lincoln Technical High School was one of the top public schools in Manhattan. It held over 500 students and was a massive building. Lincoln Tech was also one of the only schools that partnered with big-time universities like Harvard and NYU to offer full-ride scholarships to its students. I knew my parents would've wanted me to be one of the students to receive a scholarship, so I had to work my ass off this year in order to secure my spot.

MJ and I entered the school building and was met with the busy energy of our schoolmates. Luckily, since it was out junior year, our lockers were on the second floor away from the chaos of friends reuniting and freshman trying to figure their lives out. After guiding MJ to the elevator and riding it up to the second floor, we found our lockers which also had our itineraries inside of them. 

"When's your lunch? Mine is 5th period." I asked as MJ smoothed her fingers over the braille schedule. 

"4th period, unfortunately. But it says there will be an aid to help me." I nodded my head and looked at my first period class - AP Spanish with Mrs. Morales.

"Looks like I have class with the woman of my dreams first." I chuckled and MJ smirked at my behavior. Mrs. Morales was one of the youngest teachers at Lincoln Tech and everyone was in love with her. 

"Her voice is so soft, try not to fall asleep." MJ laughed. She then checked her schedule. "Oh wait, I have her too."

"Looks like you're going to have to try not to fall asleep." I poked her making her lightly punch my arm. 

"Rude."

The bell rang as soon as I opened the door for MJ and it seemed like we were the last ones to enter the room as it was nearly filled. Mrs. Morales offered us a gentle smile.

"Buenos días, MJ y Nico."

"Buenos días, señora Morales." We both replied before finding two desks next to each other near the rear of the classroom. After getting settled, Mrs. Morales started the lesson.

After a long day of school, MJ and I sat on the steps waiting for our respective rides. Aunt May was picking me up to go to the store and get some things for my parents and brother's headstone since the anniversary of their passing was in a few weeks. It would've been three years since they died and I still had nightmares about that tragedy. If only I could go back and change everything, but I knew it wouldn't happen. 

A black Mercedes SUV pulled up in front of the school and the window rolled down revealing MJ's sister, Cassidy. She honked her horn, waking MJ up from her nap she was taking on my lap. "Let's go, Mary Jane! I've got 4 more siblings to pick up." The older redhead threw me a small wave and I returned it. Cass was the real superhero in my opinion, being the eldest of 5 kids and running her own business selling hair products. She could've been cooped up in a fancy office building, but instead chose to care for her siblings and their older parents. 

I gently shook MJ awake and she groaned before allowing me to guide her to Cassidy's car. After saying our goodbyes, I sat back on the steps and waited for May. After a minute, I saw her grey Chevy pickup truck stop in front of me.

"Ready, kiddo?"

I gave two thumbs up.

"Ready."