Us Against The World ｡ Peter Parker [2]

25 - Detention Buddies

He pressed his lips to my forehead quickly, offering me that adorable smile that twisted my insides. Without another word, we were heading in different directions.

***

After my little chitchat in the hallway with Peter, it left my mood a little sour and to make today even worse, my teacher had issued me with a detention for being late for class. So, after the last bell rang out, instead of heading home and buckling down with my homework, I found myself sitting in a quiet classroom with a few other trouble makers. I spied a few senior jocks, a kid that I was pretty sure was rumoured to have eaten somebody and Michelle Jones, who had her head buried in her book and doodling in the margins.

"Detention, huh?"

My eyes swung around to face Clayton Cole, who naturally, had found himself in detention too. With his very smug sparkle in his eyes, that stupid coy smirk and his smooth low voice, my tempter was rising.

"God, why are you always hanging around? I swear, you're always somewhere near when something goes extremely wrong in my life. Why is that exactly, huh?" I snipped across at Clayton Cole, heaving my bag in-between my legs and pulling a book free. If I was stuck in this room for an hour, maybe I could be a little productive.

The boy was quiet for a moment, his eyes watching me with such a strange intensity. I had not spoken very much with him since my birthday but somehow, he always managed to be in the background of my life, witnessing some terrible display of heartache or embarrassment, like today with my almost argument with Peter Parker. It was getting beyond annoying seeing his face everywhere I went. "Is it really me being everywhere? Or is it simply, the fact you've noticed me in the background out of every other student in this school?"

His reposed shut me up. Annoyance flickered in my mind, wondering if he was slightly right. With a glare in my eyes, my attention snapped away from him. I did not know this boy, but somehow he popped up just about everywhere and now, with his comment, I was fuming and asking myself the very same question. Did I notice Clayton Cole in the background of my life because somehow, I was remotely interested in him, despite slightly not liking him?

"That sounds insane." I told him bluntly, squaring my shoulders and eyeing the clock.

Clayton just grinned again, resting back into his chair effortlessly, while popping a strip of gum into his mouth. "Call it whatever you like, detention buddy."

***

With my sour mood, the wind blew against my cheeks and rattled my thoughts. The night was coming quickly and I was headed home after spending the remaining afternoon at the labs with my parents, who wanted to run a few more tests. I had promised them I would head straight home but my fingers had been crossed behind my back because tonight, there was a place in Queens I needed to be.

"Florence, hi." May Parker stood in the threshold, her hair a little tangled and her glasses slipped down to the end of her nose. There was a blanket of thick smoke drifting out of the apartment, most likely her attempt at cooking dinner, something she wasn't very good at. Aunt May could definitely bake, but cooking seemed like another world in her mind. "Pete didn't mention you were stopping by."

I forced a smile, "He's forgetful."

His aunt couldn't agree more, "That's something we can both truthfully admit. Well, he's in his room and actually, he's not alone. Ned Leeds stopped by, something about building some Lego together..." That caught my attention, wondering why Peter would invite Ned over when he had promised to have our serious private conversation about our little Harry-might-be-a-villain problem.

When I was freely able to hurry to Peter's room, confusion thick in my mind like the smoke circling around my head, my hand twisted the cold metal doorknob and pushed open the door. Inside I found not only a half naked Peter Parker, but a rather surprised Ned Leeds. My eyes were growing wide suddenly, noticing the pile of Lego by Ned's feet and how Peter was clinging tightly to his suit. "What the hell?"

"You know too!" Ned yelped out in surprise, pointing across at me.

Hastily, my hands slapped against the door and wedged it shut, making sure Aunt May wasn't hanging around. My heart was racing against my head and naturally, my eyes dipped down Peter's bare chest, remembering how warm he felt against my fingertips. Picking up a shirt, I threw it over at him. "Ned, hey, buddy, this...whatever you think is going on--"

"Wait, are you both like some crime fighting duo? Are you a power couple?" Ned was hurrying out, words just tumbling from his mouth. "I mean, I've seen Spider-Man, well Pete, on Youtube...but do you help him? That's so cool. Like really cool. Do you have codenames? What about a sidekick suit?"

Peter was cringing, mild horror filling his eyes. He had only ever been caught redhanded as Spider-Man once before and our shared experience was not nearly as pleasant nor was it a happy memory. My boyfriend stared across at me, almost silently begging me to take action. Heaving out a sigh, I moved towards Ned. 

"You can't tell anyone," Ned had shut up thankfully, noticing the sudden seriousness in the room. "This isn't something you can spread around school, do you understand? Nobody knows about us. We need it to stay that way."

Ned Leeds was nodding his furiously, "Yeah, of course. Hey, it's not like anybody would even believe me..." Quickly, something was flaring in his eyes. "Wait, us? Do you have powers too?"

Apparently, this boy was nearly as observant as me. "It's a very long story."

"Well, I've got time." Ned Leeds grinned from ear-to-ear.

Peter was stepping up beside me, a soft hand weaving through my own. Together we had faced a lot of things, some things that no kid should have, but tonight we would share our secrets with a boy with great desire to help. We would tell Ned Leeds everything together.