Here to haunt me?

2. Sewing skills?

Peter wasn't lying when he said he could sew. A couple days after they talked, they met up to go over the costume designs. It was no surprise Tracy and Max weren't there. They said they would be there next time, but as Ana described it, they would 'probably still be too busy gazing into each-other's eyes'.

So she and Ana explained the ideas they had to Peter, and he listened thoughtfully. He even gave a couple suggestions. Juliette could hardly believe it. When they actually started sewing at the next meeting, the two girls marveled at his skill. He smoothly followed their orders, to the point where he just did all the sewing and Jule and Ana took up some other tasks. 

It was weird to think a teenage boy learnt to sew, maybe someone taught him? The home economics classes Juliette knew they taught here probably went over the basics, but it was still confusing. Maybe his aunt showed him or made him help around the house. Juliette heard some gossip from Tracy, apparently he lived with his aunt because his parents died. And that his uncle passed away recently too. She couldn't imagine what that must be like. Or maybe she could.

She was still looking at Peter's hands on the sewing machine when a jarring alarm went off. It was an emergency alarm, and it was going off on all three of the phones.

"What? What is that?!" Ana said, covering her ears, which was probably to no avail, since she lowered them second later. "What's going on?"

Peter read from his phone; "It's a warning. There's a man attacking, or robbing a bank six blocks away." He didn't look scared, more annoyed. Ana, on the other hand, looked like she was close to a meltdown. He continued; "It says to stay safe, and only go home if you can do so without using public transport."

Juliette grit her teeth. She and Ana could go home, they lived close enough. But if they went together, she couldn't help the police. 

Peter had a strange look on his face, and muttered an apology; "I'm sorry, I have to go. I live near here and need to see if my aunt is alright." It sounded fair, but something felt off. Then Juliette realized he was lying. What are you in such a hurry for, Peter? She thought to herself. Now she wanted to follow him.

But she was stuck with Ana. She sighed to herself, I'll have to see what he's hiding some other day. So she and her friend headed home as fast as they could. When she was in her room and sure Ana wasn't coming over for some mental support, she locked her doors.

Over the past few years, she'd helped the police plenty of times. Masked, of course, and with a security spell her mom taught her always covering her body and face. But this was the first time someone might actually notice she was gone. She sent another spell flying to cover her door, which would warn her if someone would knock. If they even bothered to knock, her host family was notoriously nosy. She guessed that that was where Ana got it.

She didn't want to think any longer. She wanted to use her powers, they'd been pushed too far down for too long. She could only help from afar, no-one could see her, but it was better than nothing.

With a single thought she was in her suit. Mostly deep red and black leather around the bodice, but some spandex around the joints. She loved it, it took her a lot of time to design. Luckily she didn't also have to make it. If she did, she would have been better at sewing. The mask only covered her eyes, but she didn't really need it, with the spells and everything. 

She threw her body at the space between where she was and where she wanted to be, and before she knew it, she was outside. She crouched down and looked at the attacker from the roof she was on. Luckily New York had perfect hiding places with good vantage points. Then she noticed two things;

One; the attacker had taken the bank employees hostage, and was asking to walk away freely with the money he had in hand, or he'd kill the workers.

Two; in front of him stood an agitated Spider-Man, telling him to drop the unnecessary attitude, or he'd have to come knock some sense into the man's horned head.

The attacker must be Rhino, then. Juliette had heard of him, he escaped prison a couple weeks ago. She turned to listen to their conversation.

"C'mon, man. You've obviously got money enough to keep fixing your suit, why not just live peacefully and stop bothering me?" Spider-Man seemed angry, but still made his usual jokes. Juliette had heard he was righteous, so he must be pissed about the hostages. She had to admit, it was pretty villain-y.

Rhino only chuckled, and said; "Why don't you come over here and see if an insect like you can take on a king of the jungle?"

Spidey sighed. "I don't have time to school you on your faulty biological knowledge, I have somewhere to be." He started walking toward the mechanical rhino-man. "And you better stay away this time."

Rhino immediately went for the first punch, which the superhero dodged easily. He crouched down and threw a few punches at the villain's side, throwing him backwards a few steps. They kept going like this, Rhino trying his hardest, and Spider-Man avoiding the blows and sending better aimed ones back. 

Once Rhino was down, panting, Spidey focused on the hostages. He said, in his strange, heavy New York accent; "Come on people, let's get everyone out." He had to lift some people up that had fainted. He set them all down outside, where the police officers took them in, shielded them. He went to grab the last people. A mother and a little boy. 

The boy started speaking excitedly, about how he never thought he would ever meet the hero. Spider-Man just laughed sweetly, and told the kid and his mother; "Well, let's hope it doesn't have to happen again and everyone stays safe." The mother thanked him again and again-

Juliette saw something in the corner of her vision. Rhino had gotten up, and his arm moved to hit Spider-Man. 

She panicked, she didn't know if he would notice quick enough, and if Rhino hit him, he would also hit the civilians the hero was still talking to. She had to do something! Spider-Man could take the punch, but humans couldn't. Come to think of it, was Spider-Man even human?

She did the first thing she could think of, and threw an invisible shield in front of the group. Rhino's fist slammed into the shield, and she physically felt the tremor going through it in her body. His fist stopped in the air, right in front of Spidey's already raised arm, ready to block the blow. How had he moved that fast? She wondered if she would have ever met the hero if her mom was still alive. 

She immediately removed the shield, to make it look like Spider-Man stopped his punch. The fist practically fell on his arm. Spidey threw a couple more punches, and Rhino fell down again. The hero gestured to the cops to take him in, probably back to the prison he broke out of. It all happened within seconds, the block and knockout, she seriously doubted anyone had seen something block Rhino. Good, Juliette thought, letting the spider get the credit.

But Spider-Man quickly looked around, nervous, obviously knowing he didn't stop the attack. His eyes shot to her roof, and she ducked down. He hadn't seen her, but she had the feeling he still knew she was there. Time to leave, Juliette thought. She collected her thoughts, ready to go home.

At the same time, she heard Spider-Man make his leave. She just started fading when she saw him swing by the building. He was looking straight at her. The eyes on his mask seemed to widen a bit, and she had the ominous sense he could see through the spell covering her face. She blinked and she was in her room. 

She could feel Ana still anxious in her room, restlessly scrolling on her phone. At least that was good. Nothing else was.

"Shit." She muttered to herself. He saw her, that wasn't supposed to happen. Besides some of her mom's old friends, no-one knew the magic in her bloodline still lived. Now Spider-Man, a stranger, might suspect so. She'd have to be much more careful next time.