Black as Night | P. Parker

Chapter Thirteen

By the following Friday, marking one week since Onyx's first day at school, she had settled into the routine that May and Peter had on weekdays. And she had settled into it surprisingly well.

There were a few hiccups, of course, there always were. Early riser Onyx and late riser Peter may have complicated the breakfast situation, but within a few days, they were able to fix that problem.

The opposites in waking up times between the two teenagers had it's advantages as well. With the two waking up at completely different times, they never had any problem with who got the bathroom first.

Communication between the two of them was an issue that definitely needed to be worked on, though. Onyx and Peter didn't talk much, despite living together, walking to the bus stop together and walking home together. In fact, Onyx talked to Gwen Stacy more than she talked to Peter and she only saw Gwen for a couple of hours a day.

But that was about to change.

"So, Onyx," May said that Friday morning as the teenage girl at her breakfast, "how has your first week in high school been?"

"Oh," Onyx said, completely caught off guard by the question, "it's been alright, I guess. Easier than I expected."

"Peter tells me you're doing very well with math. Your teachers are very surprised," May commented.

"It's a natural gift, I guess." Onyx didn't tell May that the reason she was so good at math was all the practice she'd had with figuring out the cost of living on the streets with only the occasional bit of money coming in each month. You didn't get calculators when you're homeless.

"Well, that's certainly lucky."

"Yeah..." Onyx said, focusing on her food as Peter stumbled into the room and sat down next to her at the island.

When she reached the school, Onyx immediately split off from Peter and his friends to find Hannah. Today, she was close to the doors where the dark-haired girl had arrived. Though her friend's face was dark with anger, Onyx paid it no mind, attributing it to the place she was in.

"Is this hell hole getting on your nerves particularly bad this morning?" Onyx asked her friend as they stood on the grass.

"No more than usual," Hannah told her angrily.

"Then what's wrong?" Onyx asked.

"You seem to be getting close with that boy you live with," she accused.

The only reaction that Hannah got was confusion, "Peter? I don't talk to him any more than I did a week ago."

"You walk with him to and from school every day," Hannah spat.

"How else am I supposed to get here? If we're ready at the same time, should I just take a different, longer way? One that I don't know?" Onyx questioned her friend, not believing this.

"I suppose you'd rather walk with him and his friends. He's even got a redheaded friend to replace me," she growled.

"Are you jealous because I got placed with a family that had a child in it already and that child logically had friends already?" Onyx asked, "because if you are, you're being stupid."

"Insulting me now, are you?" Hannah accused.

"What the hell is wrong with you today?" Onyx asked.

"I guess you're not as smart as you thought if you can"t figure it out." Hannah waited for a moment for Onyx to guess, but when the other girl didn't say anything, she continued. "You are what's wrong."