instantaneous ▲ tasm [SLOW UPDATES.]

t e n ; figure of speech

T E N ; FIGURE OF SPEECH

It had felt like months since that fateful visit with Curt Connors; two months to be exact. Romina didn't dwell too long on it, though. She didn't even tell Peter what the doctor-turned-lizard had said. She basically pretended like nothing had happened.

Instead, she focused on her studies. She applied to colleges. She marathoned Parks and Recreation on Netflix (again). She did her best to not shut friends out (again). (She failed.)

For weeks after the prison visit, Romina seemed to be her normal, happy self. She still had to provide sarcastic comments whenever they were necessary. But Peter knew that what was on the surface was not what she really felt. He saw the way her face would fall when she thought no one was looking; the way she bit her fingers nails, a bad habit that she only picked up when she was thinking too hard or nervous.

Peter knew she was hiding something but there was no prying any answers out of Romina. She was probably the most stubborn person he had ever met. Not that she would admit to that.

For weeks, Romina acted like she was fine. She laughed and joked and even went on a few dates with Flash Gordon (it was a weird time for her). Peter always sent looks to let her know that he wasn't buying the act. Romina would always pretend like she hadn't seen his worried glanced. She would look away quickly and focus on whatever Gwen was talking about.

In those weeks, Peter had finally gotten fed up with Romina. He was done pretending everything was fine when he knew it wasn't. It was at 3 o'clock in the morning when he couldn't sleep because he was too busy worrying about his hurting friend that he finally made his way to her house. He tapped on her window knowing fully well that she would still be awake.

Peter could hear Romina stumbling around in her room for a minute before the curtain flew back to reveal the girl in question. She looked disheveled and tired. She squinted her eyes like it would be anyone but Peter visiting her that late (or early, depending on how you look at it).

Hesitantly, Romina unlocked the window and pushed it open before turning her back on Peter and crossing to the other side of her room. Peter climbed in, careful to stay quiet because he knew that Romina came from a family of light sleepers; a trait that was apparently not passed on to Romina, considering how hard it was to get her out of bed in the morning.

He watched her for a minute while she sat on the edge of her bed and fiddled with her fingers. It was obvious she knew why he was there. She was just waiting for him to yell at her.

"What are you doing?" Peter asked, taking a seat on her desk chair. He rolled it across the floor so he was sitting right across from her.